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Shipments of wearable devices in China have soared with Xiaomi still at the top of the tree – but more and more competition is coming up fast, according to the latest figures from IDC.

IDC’s China Wearable Device Market Quarterly Tracker, 2016Q2 report shows that the country shipped 9.54 million wearable devices in Q2-FY2016, which was a 13.2% quarter by quarter and 81.4% year over year increase. Shipments of basic wearable devices such as wristbands, children’s...

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These days, it can be hard to keep up with not just the number of techno buzzwords that have invaded our consciousness – infotainment, wearables, Internet of Things –  but what’s really behind the hype. Don’t misunderstand – there are a lot of exciting developments in these areas that are making their way into consumer products, as you’ll see shortly. But when technical terms keep popping up over and over, they...

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According to a 2002 study by the Journal of the American Medical Association (JAMA), hypertension – otherwise known as high blood pressure – will affect nine out of 10 Americans in their lifetime, and is a risk factor for the leading cause of death: heart disease.

New research suggests that high blood pressure is on the rise for millennials, and although hypertension is typically diagnosed in middle-aged adults, a 2011 study by the University of North Carolina found that...

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TomTom has added three new devices to its North American fitness wearables portfolio: TomTom Touch, TomTom Spark 3 and TomTom Adventurer.

TomTom Touch is claimed to be the first fitness tracker in the world that can measure all-day heart rate and body composition from the wrist. It is priced at $129.99. Users can measure their body composition, which is the ratio of body fat to muscle mass, with a touch of the device's button. The device can alos track sleep and heart rate up to...

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Lifestyle brand Michael Kors is set to launch its Michael Kors Access display smartwatch, in another move which aims to put wearable technology in the category of fashion accessories.

The company has partnered with Google for the Android Wear smartwatch platform, with the Access watch being compatible with both iPhone and Android phones.

Features of the smartwatch include changeable display, social media updates, and app notifications. The watch also offers magnetic charging,...

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Whiskey brand Jim Beam has launched its own equivalent of the Apple Watch in what the company describes as “the most anticipated tech release of the year.”

The Jim Beam Apple Watch claims to be the world’s most innovative ‘drinkable wearable’ with the capability to open up a 1.5 ounce shot glass on the user’s wrist. The watch, which is available for a limited time, also boasts a ‘streamlined interface’.

“Critics may ask,...

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The wearable market is growing admirably, with over 26 percent year-on-year growth, but this is being led by single-function wearables such as fitness trackers while advanced devices with third-party application support have stagnated. 

"Fitness is the low-hanging fruit for wearables," said Jitesh Ubrani, senior research analyst for IDC...

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The crowdfunding website Kickstarter has seen the launch of a new funding campaign for Keenbrace, an adaptive training device for workouts that features an integrated sensor system, a real-time voice coach and other features.

The Keenbrace device is suited for users of all activity levels, providing real-time error correction. The brace-like device houses a sensor system that delivers insights on user performance. It aims to avoid injuries and muscoskeletal issues.

Ken Leung, CEO and...

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California-based firm Amazfit has introduced its first ceramic-based wearable activity tracker, which assesses biomechanical signals and daily activities.

The device connects the user's daily activities and biomechanical signals with smart data. It tracks a user's steps, distance travelled, sleep quality and calories burned. It also receives and transmits incoming call alerts through vibration.

Amazfit is a lightweight and slim activity tracker designed like a fashion...

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Almost half of all Germans who own a fitness wearable device have either stopped using or do not use it, according to new research.

The 2016 DKV Report, titled 'How Healthy is Germany?', indicates that nearly 50% of those who use a fitness tracker have either stopped using it, or do not use it. A total of 2,830 Germans were surveyed by GfK Nuremburg for the report.

Clemens Muth, chairman of the board of management at DKV, said that most people in Germany do not see the...

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Jawbone launched a case against Fitbit last year after concerns the company poached its staff and used their inside knowledge to get an edge over its rival whilst also infringing on several patents, but a judge has ruled against the accusations. 

Jawbone, a company which has seemingly gone into retreat, was said to have wanted to block Fitbit from...

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Verkotan, a CTIA authorised test lab, is improving wearable testing with the GPS Air Performance Test that is patent pending. The test has been developed with other leading players in the wearable industry. The Centre for Wireless Communication (CWC) at University of Oulu and VTT Technical Research Centre of Finland TEKES and Hilla Program contributed in funding of the project.

Verkotan has developed a real over the air GPS...

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Insight Partners has published a new report which argues that the global wearable technology market is set to grow from $26.19 billion in 2015 to $170.91 billion in 2025, at a CAGR of 20.8%.

The smart watches segment was the largest in 2015 as the hand worn terminals product segment is anticipated to witness a CAGR of 24.4% between 2016 and 2025, the researchers argue.

Among the application segments, healthcare and medical boasted the largest share of the wearable technology market in...

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When most people think of wearables, fitness trackers such as Fitbit come to mind. Whilst these devices are great for tracking your current performance to compare it to your past, they often don't offer advice on how to improve your ability in a chosen sport. 

New research from Lux has signaled the need for sports wearables that go beyond...

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A study from Hexa Reports titled “China’s Wearable Technology market” argues that the wearable technology market in the country is anticipated to see substantial growth by 2025.

Over the past 20 years, the Chinese market has witnessed rapid expansion, resulting in the transformation of China’s society and economy on account of manufacturing capabilities and rising consumer consumption in the country. The country is one of the world’s major producers for...

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The global smart glass market is being driven by a shift in demand from passive to active smart glass technology coupled by factors such as growing applications in aviation, marine, and solar power, according to Technavio.

The firm adds that the global smart glass market is anticipated to see a CAGR of close to 20% through 2020, growing from $210 million (£160.6 million) in 2015 to $520 million (£397.6 million) by 2020.

Chandrakumar Badala Jaganathan, a lead analyst...

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Royal Philips has announced the launch of a series of HIPAA-approved wearable technologies including health watches, blood pressure monitors, and thermometers.

Statistics reveal that more than 66 million Americans above the age of 50 have at least one chronic disease, even as 90% of chronic conditions can be avoided by modifying one’s lifestyle. In order to help patients and people in this area, Royal Philips is launching wearable technologies and the first phase of personal health...

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A wearable called YONO is now shipping after successful Kickstarter crowdfunding which aims to help women understand their ovulation cycles and predict their optimum fertility window. 

YONO is a silicone earpiece worn during the night which measures and records Basal Body Temperature (BBT) data every five minutes. Since BBT typically increases during ovulation, this data can be analysed to predict when a...

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Consumers consider accuracy as the most important feature of wearable devices, with more than half of those who do not own a wearable considering buying one if they trusted its accuracy.

The survey, of 706 US consumers, aged between 18 to 65, titled “The State of Wearables Today” conducted by Valencell and MEMS & Sensor Industry Group, looked to gain insight on consumers’ knowledge and preferences around wearables such as a device, clothing or accessories...

Earlier this week, WearableTech headed along to Motorola's launch event for their VerveLife range of sports-orientated wearables. Today we've got the flagship VerveOnes+ in the office to put through its paces and see - or rather hear - this latest hearable's capabilities. 

Design 

We've come to expect superb design from Motorola, ever since the...