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The latest research note from CCS Insight projects sales of 411 million smart wearables, worth $34 billion, in 2020. The research firm anticipates robust growth over the next five years, with sales of 123 million units, generating $14 billion in revenue in 2016.

Wrist-worn devices are the star innovators in the market, with fitness, activity and sports trackers accounting for almost 50% of all shipments in the next year, at more than 60 million units. Meanwhile, smartwatch sales...

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With the innovation of wearable technology facilitating the collection of in-depth personal data such as calorie intake, heart rate, exercise levels and location, now is the time for businesses to analyse how this data can be utilised in the creation of more sophisticated and personalised marketing strategies.

First and foremost, marketers should focus on the potential of wearable technology in creating ‘hyper-convenience’ for the consumer. Streamlining the customer journey...

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In a test conducted by the University of Toronto’s Munk School of Global Affairs and its Citizen Lab, a wide range of wearable devices revealed data which can be used to find the exact location of a user, and even offered up passwords and usernames by installed apps. 

The researchers conducted tests on eight devices; the Apple Watch, Basis Peak, Fitbit Charge HR, Garmin...

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Here’s an interesting statistic in the latest survey from IEEE – almost one in 10 consumers believe wearable technology will become redundant or unnecessary in the coming year.

The poll, of more than 2,000 consumers, found digital devices and digital cameras to be the most unnecessary piece of tech this year (15%), with e-readers (9%) in second place. On the other side, 43% of respondents said drones would be the most influential in 2016. Smartphones (38%) and 3D...

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Fitness wearables – like Fitbit and the Apple Watch – were among the "must have" items over this past holiday period, and I would bet you know at least one person that wears one regularly. In fact, new research by consumer analysts Mintel would back that claim up. 

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Even though the Apple Watch only launched at the end of April, it has still accounted for more than half of smartwatch sales in 2015.

That’s the finding from Juniper Research’s latest study, entitled “Smartwatches: Trends, Vendor Strategies & Forecasts 2016-2020”. Overall, the absence of a robust use case for smartwatches has seen the segment gain traction from lower priced devices with more basic functionality – the Apple Watch, naturally, being an...

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Microsoft and Volvo have been keeping busy in the connected car space, and have announced their work together on a system which allows for the control of your Volvo car using the Microsoft Band 2 wearable. In fact, going by CES this year, the whole technology industry has been looking for however they can get their name in this rapidly-growing space. 

Klas Bendrik, Senior Vice President and Group Chief Information Officer at Volvo Car Group, says: “When...

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A report from analyst house Berg Insight has found that connected wearables shipments is expected to hit 228.3 million by 2020, up from 25.3m in 2014 and 72.5m this year.

Shipments will therefore grow at a CAGR of 25.8% between 2015 and 2020, with Bluetooth expected to remain the primary connectivity option over the forecast period.

Of the total wearables sold in 2020, 17.8 million will feature embedded cellular connectivity, mostly in the categories of smartwatches and safety and...

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Health insurers are starting to factor in data from fitness devices when looking at policy premiums.

For example, VitalityHealth has started to accept data from Garmin, Polar, and other major fitness monitoring devices. It even offers discounts to policyholders to purchase some of the units. Some major insurers will help create a health plan based on the data from these devices.

On the...

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Teleplan International will now service wearables as part of its aftermarket offering, as the adoption of wearable devices gains ground in the marketplace. The development falls in line with the company’s strategy to focus on markets around communications, and computer and consumer electronics.

The expertise of Teleplan with regard to associated technologies and components in other consumer electronics devices justifies the move, the company argues. Teleplan can also benefit from...

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Cloud accounting software provider Xero has rolled out its app for Apple Watch, aiming for it to be the fastest way for entrepreneurs to stay on top of their cash flow.

Using Xero’s Apple Watch app, which is catered mainly for small businesses, will allow customers to benefit from notifications on transactions. The app will also display an updated balance and provide insight on all accounts across multiple banks.

The company is already running apps for iPhone and iPad and is...

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Developers are now able to start optimising their apps for an upcoming Android Wear update to ’Marshmallow’ thanks to Google's release of the API 23 SDK. The latest SDK allows developers to improve the experience for users, as well as offer better privacy. 

Android Wear, like its mobile counterpart, is available in various forms. When developing apps for...

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Apple can detect pressure on their latest iPhones and smartwatch due to 3D Touch and Force Touch, but that requires new hardware. A new algorithm developed by Qeexo called FingerAngle could revolutionise how we interact with our wearable devices, just through a software update. 

FingerAngle detects at which angle the user is placing their finger, and respond in unique ways as the finger is turned. Whilst on current smartwatches you...

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Apple has shipped approximately seven million smartwatches in the two quarters since the launch of the Apple Watch, a figure that surpasses the combined shipments of all other players over the past five quarters, according to Canalys. Additionally, the iPhone maker was the only vendor that registered sales of over 300,000 units in the third quarter of 2015.

Apple’s sales in the Q4 holiday quarter will be scrutinised as the Cupertino-based tech giant is considered a bellwether for...

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Even though smartwatches have been sold for some time, the wearable market is still at the embryonic stage, according to data from a Kantar Worldpanel ComTech survey – going against a previous report from CCS Insight which notes rapid growth in the past 12 months.

Among smartwatches in use today, 1% were bought in 2013, with the figure rising to 14% for 2014. Additionally, only 3% of...

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New research by CCS Insight has found that the wearables market has seen rapid growth in the past 12 months thanks to heightened awareness and improved products.

The study surveyed 3,000 consumers in China, the US and the UK, looking at their perception of wearable technology, awareness, ownership and usage patterns.

Consumer awareness of smartwatches has risen by ten percentage points, but wearables still lack mass appeal, with many owners abandoning their gadgets quickly after they...

Picture credit: "The US Flag Flies at Goat Haunt", by "Mark Stevens", used under

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It has the kind of brand power other companies envy - and now Apple has topped the charts to be voted the “coolest wearables brand” even for those consumers who say they are dedicated to Android.

The conclusion is from a survey of 2000 smartphone users in the US and the UK about their use and attitudes towards wearable technology by Juniper Research. The study ranks Apple top, followed by Samsung and Google respectively. It showed that the market is moving to a brand duopoly...

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Most people with a current smartwatch know battery life is a problem, especially coming from mechanical timepieces which last years without needing a replacement. Even in smartphones, which have a lot more space to pack-in a larger battery, manufacturers struggle to get devices to last even a couple of days. 

The size constraints presented by most wearable devices – not just smartwatches –...

When it comes to fitness trackers, the most renowned players are Jawbone and Fitbit. Both of these companies push the boundaries when it comes to keeping us healthy, but of the two, only Fitbit has so far attempted to combine a powerful tracker with smartwatch functionality in their most-recent flagship, the Surge. 

Has the company pulled off this ambitious feat? It's time for us to find out... 

Design, Battery, and UI 

First and foremost the Fitbit Surge is a fitness device, and therefore...