Legal: The laws and regulations of wearable devices

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After being touted as “the next big thing” for some time, wearable technology has captured the attention of the consumer. The big question is – what should developers and marketers consider from a legal and regulatory perspective if they’re developing or using wearables?

While the ability to summon a taxi or order a pizza at the flick of the wrist may be a...

By Daniel Tozer, 10 September 2015, 0 comments. Categories: Data & Analytics, Developers, Health Monitoring, Privacy, Security, Smartwatches.

Opinion: HTC's upcoming 'Halfbeak' smartwatch could be the stand-out Android Wear device

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Earlier in the week I posted my concern at the lack of Android Wear devices which could support mobile payments in the future – due to a lack of NFC – leaving an open goal for the Apple Watch and Samsung's upcoming Tizen-based Gear S2 smartwatch. 

One manufacturer which has been completely absent from the smartwatch race thus far is HTC; despite being named as an OEM for...

By Ryan Daws, 09 September 2015, 0 comments. Categories: Android, Devices, Google, Mobile Wallet, NFC, Payments, Smartwatches.

Opinion: Lack of NFC gives Android Wear a problem

NFC is a technology which Android users have bragged about having access to over iOS for years – but now some manufacturers of Google-based devices have abandoned it whilst Apple has embraced it with success for mobile payments. 

Google Wallet launched in May 2011 as a disjointed service which had little support due to a shaky relationship with retailers and banks after Google wanted details of transactions stored for its advertising business. Apple, meanwhile, as a hardware business...

By Ryan Daws, 07 September 2015, 0 comments. Categories: Android, Devices, Google, NFC, Payments, Smartwatches.

Why fitness band manufacturers need to do more to keep consumers engaged

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According to Argus Insights, demand growth in the US wearables market has slowed down after a post-holidays peak in January 2015. Yet consumer feedback volume grew significantly from 2014 to the first half of 2015.

The report used data from around 328,000 consumer reviews since January 2014 and found that interest in wearables declined for a short while after the 2013 holiday season, before picking up and peaking in January 2015. Interest in wearables rose fourfold over this period, but...

By Wearable Tech, 07 September 2015, 0 comments. Categories: Research, Smartwatches.

Swimovate: We're proof there is room for smaller brands in the wearables space

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The Apple Watch has got everyone talking about smartwatches and has been selling amazing quantities – so is there still room for smaller manufacturing brands in the wearables marketplace?

In my opinion, yes. Products such as the Apple Watch have so many features they cannot hope to do everything perfectly, or to exploit every feature any customer would wish for. Third party apps, of course, can extend the functionality of the device – but they are limited to the...

By Lisa Irlam, 07 September 2015, 0 comments. Categories: Case Studies, Fitness, Health & Wellness, Smartwatches.

Opinion: Samsung's Gear S2 faces hurdles away from Android Wear

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When it comes to design - both hardware and software - there's little dispute that Samsung's Gear S2 has upped the game with its unique rotating bezel and UX. It's even attracted legendary Italian designer Alessandro Mendini. However, it's become clear the Korean giant has some hurdles to overcome when it comes to software and services. 

The issue lies...

By Ryan Daws, 04 September 2015, 2 comments. Categories: Android, Devices, Ecosystems, Opinion, Payments, Samsung, Smartwatches.

Apple rockets into second place in latest IDC wearable shipment figures

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Move over Xiaomi, there’s a new kid on the block. According to latest IDC industry figures, Apple had the second highest number of shipments of wearable devices in the second quarter of 2015, narrowly behind Fitbit.

The numbers, taken from IDC’s Worldwide Quarterly Wearable Device Tracker, saw Apple ship a total of 3.6 million units in Q215 representing almost 20% of shipments, while Fitbit shipped 4.4m at 24.3%. Xiaomi, which similarly announced itself in the first quarter,...

By James Bourne, 28 August 2015, 0 comments. Categories: Devices, Ecosystems, Smartwatches.

HP warns how all smartwatches are vulnerable to attacks in latest research

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Research from HP Fortify on Internet of Things (IoT) security has revealed 100% of smartwatches tested contain “significant” vulnerabilities, including authentication, encryption and privacy concerns.

In particular, every smartwatch tested lacked two factor authentication with its mobile interfaces, alongside the ability to lock accounts after up to five failed password attempts. 30% were vulnerable to account harvesting, while 40% of cloud connections tested were...

By James Bourne, 23 July 2015, 0 comments. Categories: Security, Smartwatches.

What does Apple Pay mean for the future of the Apple Watch?

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The launch of the Apple Pay service in the UK earlier this week, where users can pay for services by simply tapping their smartphone or smartwatch, caused the technology media to go into meltdown – a bit like any other Apple-related event.

Reaction was generally optimistic, although there were a few bugbears. After compatibility with Transport for London (TfL) was announced, the local government body warned commuters could be liable for penalty fines for three reasons: if a...

By James Bourne, 16 July 2015, 0 comments. Categories: Payments, Smartwatches.

Research: Apple Watch sales have plunged 90%

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According to California-based Slice Intelligence, sales of the Apple Watch have plunged 90% since the opening week. Apple, who is also based in California, has been selling fewer than 20,000 watches a day in the U.S. since the initial surge in April, and on some days fewer than 10,000. 

This is a sharp contrast to the approximately 200,000 watches...

By Ryan Daws, 08 July 2015, 0 comments. Categories: Devices, iOS, Research, Smartwatches.