Wearable

Nothing has revealed launch details about the Ear (2), its next pair of TWS earbuds. The Ear (2) will build on the Ear (1) and Ear Stick, albeit with a design that looks the spitting image of the Ear (1).

At US$1,499.99, the Quest Pro started as one of the more expensive virtual reality (VR) headsets on the market. However, that price has received a "new regular price", as has that of its Quest 2 sibling in certain configurations. The discount is touted to drive Meta-brand VR adoption among consumers, possibly ahead of its headsets' reportedly upcoming upgrades.

Released in 2020, the Bose Frames Tempo sport audio sunglasses feature interchangeable polarized lenses, support for the Bose Music app with personalized settings and new features, a playtime of up to 8 hours per charge, as well IPX4-level water resistance. The US$249 list price is now down to US$124.50.

According to a new report, Xiaomi is working towards a return to the Wear OS ecosystem, years after the company released its sole Wear OS-powered wearable. Reputedly, the smartwatch will arrive under the Xiaomi Watch series and will run Wear OS 3.

The Beta Version 14.50 update for Garmin Forerunner 945 LTE is now rolling out. The latest software, available to customers who sign up for the company’s Beta Program, brings several feature improvements to the wearable. Plus, a new chart data field has been added to the smartwatch.

The first photos of the upcoming Xiaomi Smart Band 8 seem to have been leaked. The images show the wearable to be similar to its predecessor, the Xiaomi Smart Band 7, with one significant change. So far, the watch with model number M2239B1 has been registered with agencies across countries in the Middle East and South East Asia.

Huawei has officially started selling the Watch Buds, having opened pre-orders last month. The Watch Buds may look like Huawei's other flagship smartwatches, but it offers a hidden feature beneath its display that few of its competitors offer.

Garmin has introduced the Forerunner 965, a 46 mm smartwatch with a 1.4-inch display. The Forerunner 965 has a titanium bezel, 32 GB of storage and an AMOLED display, which should be brighter and more vivid than older MIP displays. The Forerunner 965 is already orderable, albeit at a higher launch price than the Forerunner 955.

Garmin has finally started selling the Forerunner 265 series globally. Available as the Forerunner 265 and Forerunner 265S, the Forerunner 265 series retails for US$449.99 and features AMOLED displays. The Forerunner 265 and Forerunner 265S both retail for US$449.99 and are orderable now.

Various regulatory bodies have revealed information about the Redmi Watch 3 Lite, a follow-up to its 2021 predecessor. Not only have regulatory bodies confirmed the smartwatch's release name, but they have also shared battery information and even hands-on photos.

Garmin is on the verge of releasing Forerunner 265 and Forerunner 965 series smartphones. While the company has not explicitly referred to either smartwatch, its teaser corresponds with an earlier leak.

Huawei has discussed extended Watch GT Cyber availability, having launched the smartwatch in China and Mexico so far. While the smartwatch will soon be available in the Middle East and more Latin American and South East Asian countries, Huawei is said to have ruled out European or further North American releases.

Casio has launched the G-SQUAD GBD-H2000 smartwatch, now available for pre-order in Europe. The wearable is the first to feature the licensed Polar algorithm, using the company’s database to analyse your workouts and provide tools like sleep health tracking. Plus, you can recharge the watch’s battery using solar power.

Garmin has introduced Outdoor Maps+, a new paid feature for some smartwatches, including the Enduro 2, epix (Gen 2), and fenix 7 series. The tool is available via an annual subscription, bringing satellite images, enhanced topographic maps and a public land overlay to eligible wearables.

Tecno has arrived at MWC 2023 with big plans to become more of an AIoT ecosystem OEM in the future. They are slated to include new security cameras, wearables and a router, all of which might revolve around products such as the latest Spark-series smartphone and Megabook-series laptop. It is confirmed to upgrade to a Raptor Lake platform on release.

Sony has released V2.0.0 to the WF-1000XM4, which brings a substantial improvement to the high-end earbuds. The update brings the long-awaited promise of Bluetooth Multipoint connectivity to the WF-1000XM4, which Sony first mentioned over four months ago.

The release of the Forerunner 265 series nears, with Garmin planning on introducing the Forerunner 265 and Forerunner 265S as 46 mm and 42 mm smartwatches, respectively. According to new leaks, both will come in three colours and will launch for US$449.99. Key specifications for both models have leaked too, as has retail packaging for the Forerunner 265.

Xiaomi is now offering the Watch S1 Pro globally, six months after releasing the smartwatch in China. The Watch S1 Pro comes in two finishes, as well as a round AMOLED display, long battery life and Xiaomi's proprietary operating system.

Xiaomi unveiled the Wireless AR Glass Discovery Edition at MWC 2023. The gadget has a micro OLED display with up to 1,200 nits brightness and electrochromic lenses which can turn black. You can use the device to watch content in an immersive environment or use gestures to interact with physical and virtual objects in your space.

A Kickstarter crowdfunding campaign for the Iris smart ring is currently running. The wearable features a miniaturized medical-grade blood pressure sensor and pulse oximeter and can also be used to take your temperature. The cheaper model comes with an accompanying app and subscription, free of charge to many campaign supporters.

The FCC has confirmed a few features of Mobvoi's next-generation TicWatch Pro smartwatch. Thought to be called the TicWatch Pro 5, the smartwatch will have a larger battery than any in the TicWatch Pro 3 series.

It appears that Bose is preparing to release a new pair of flagship ANC headphones. Dubbed the QuietComfort Ultra, the headphones feature design changes from the QuietComfort 45 and the Headphones 700, which are reached their second and fourth birthdays, respectively.

High-resolution renders of the Garmin Forerunner 965 have leaked online. The Forerunner 965 will retail for US$569.99, which will be significantly more expensive than its predecessor. Possible release dates for the Forerunner 965 have surfaced too.

Garmin has released a new stable software update for Enduro, Fenix 6, Marq, Quatix 6 and Tactix Delta series smartwatches. Rolling out as System software 25.00, the update introduces several new features to the smartwatches, as well as various bug fixes and refinements.

Sony has finally brought the WH-CH520 to market after numerous leaks. The Sony WH-CH520 comes in three colours with up to 50 hours of battery life and Bluetooth 5.2 connectivity, among other features.

The WH-CH720N has arrived, Sony's lightest pair of over-ear headphones released to date. The headphones also feature the same Integrated Processor V1 that handles active noise cancellation, as well as up to 35 hours of battery life with ANC enabled or 50 hours with ANC disabled.

Garmin has started distributing a new stable update to many of its current smartwatches. Available on Fenix 7, Instinct 2, Tactix 7, Epix 2 series smartwatches, the update introduces several new features, including improvements for skiers and snowboarders and a jet lag monitoring app, among other changes.

Garmin has released another update for the Fenix 7, Enduro 2, Epix 2, Quatix 7 and Marq 2. Rolling out at Beta version 11.28, the update features several bug fixes to PulseOx, sensor hub and shutdown problems found in Beta version 11.25.

A retailer has listed the Garmin Forerunner 965 before the device's official introduction. Based on the leak, Garmin will offer the Forerunner 965 with a choice of three colours, an AMOLED display and up to 23 days of battery life, among other features.

The Federal Communications Commission (FCC) has approved OnePlus' latest TWS earbuds for sale in markets such as the US. The group may also have dispelled any remaining mystery surrounding the accessories and what they can offer on their launch. These specs are likely to include an upgrade to noise cancellation and Bluetooth 5.3 when compared to their predecessors

Apple has been said to unleash its inaugural mixed-reality headset as early as March 2023. However, according to a famed tech correspondent, these plans have now fallen through, and the Cupertino giant will settle for debuting the first-gen hardware during its annual Worldwide Developers Conference (WWDC) in June instead. Then again, it is possible that this might be the better option.

Galaxy Watch-series devices are probably among the best-known Wear OS products out there. However, their maker Samsung may plan to upgrade their successors to a much more unique and unexpected feature: the ability to cast an extra display onto the user's hand thanks to their own tiny LED projectors. The concept could also lead to a future with sci-fi screen-free electronics and UIs.

A new update for the Garmin Forerunner 945 has arrived, Public Beta Version 11.85. The new software resolves several issues with the wearable, including a problem with bootup and a Wi-Fi syncing bug. The update is a release candidate, meaning it may soon be available to all Forerunner 945 gadgets.

The Pixel Buds Pro will soon receive head tracking support, courtesy of a new firmware update. In the meantime, Google has readied the Pixel Buds app for the new functionality, which will work in tandem with Spatial Audio.

Garmin has released more updates to Fenix 7, Enduro 2, Epix 2, Quatix 7 and Marq 2 series smartwatches, having just rolled out a new build on its stable software channel. While Alpha versions 11.26 and 11.28 do not add any new features to the Fenix 7, they address numerous bugs that exist in the most recent stable software version.

Mobvoi has potentially enhanced its place in the health-tracking industry with its new online informatics platform. It is billed as a one-stop solution to help analyze one's health- and fitness-related progress over up to seven days via a desktop browser interface. The new Sports and Health Data Platform also offers downloadable reports and compatibility with other services such as Strava.

Huawei has released the Watch Buds outside China. Equipped with a large AMOLED display, the Watch Buds resembles a regular smartwatch. However, it also contains a pair of TWS earbuds that Huawei hopes will resolve the need to carry a smartwatch and earbuds separately.

Two forthcoming Xiaomi wearables have stopped by SIRIM in Malaysia, the TDRA in UAE and the NRRA in South Korea, before launching globally. Seemingly, Xiaomi plans to release the Watch S2 and the Smart Band 8, as well as the Watch S1 Pro. Only the Watch S1 Pro is expected to arrive at MWC 2023 later this month, though.

Meta is now slated to forge ahead with successors to the Quest Pro headset. The OEM is said to equip them with custom displays with microOLED from leading supplier LG Display. According to industry sources, SK Hynix may also contribute parts for these next-gen VR headset components.

A reliable leaker claims to have obtained information about the global launch of the Xiaomi Watch S1 Pro. Reportedly, the smartwatch will arrive with the Xiaomi 13, Xiaomi 13 Pro and Xiaomi 13 Lite, among other devices. The Watch S1 Pro will also be making its way to MWC 2023 in Barcelona, albeit for a significantly higher price tag than the Watch S1 or Watch S1 Active.

Mobvoi is making an effort to romance potential smartwatch buyers with up to 33% off selected wearables during its ongoing Valentine's Day sale. Then again, the best (premium) deal may be the 23% discount on the OEM's current TicWatch Pro 3 Ultra (GPS) flagship. The event also includes the more affordable TicWatch GTH Pro and E3.

Samsung has announced a partnership with Natural Cycles, which will bring a temperature-based cycle tracking feature to the Galaxy Watch5. The tool will be available via an upcoming update across North America, Europe and Asia. The feature uses the built-in infrared temperature sensors in the Samsung wearable.

The Sony WH-CH520 has leaked again, with a retailer showcasing product renders, specifications and pricing. While the WH-CH520 will be available for less than €100, the headphones will offer 50 hours of battery life, Bluetooth Multipoint connectivity and DSEE upscaling, among other features.

Sony is preparing to launch the WH-CH720N, a successor to last year's WH-CH710N. While the WH-CH720N retains its predecessor's 35 hours of battery life, Sony has made the newer model lighter with more padding to improve comfort. The Sony WH-CH720N offers Bluetooth 5.2 and Bluetooth Multipoint connectivity, among other features.

Another patent featuring an Apple Watch with a camera has surfaced; however, this recently granted patent reveals a surprising feature for this potential smartwatch. Instead of the camera being installed on the front of the device, this particular concept Apple Watch has a rear-facing camera.

Samsung has released its February 2023 round of updates for the Galaxy Watch4 and Galaxy Watch5 series. While Samsung has only mentioned 'stability and reliability' improvements, it seems that One UI Watch's 'raise to wake' gesture is working again.

The Huawei Watch 3 and Watch 3 Pro are nearing their second anniversary, with no successors announced yet. Sightings of two unreleased smartwatches at a regulatory body suggest that Huawei could be in the final stages of Watch 4 and Watch 4 Pro development.