Motorola provides freedom to move with VerveLife range

Motorola invited us to a launch event in London where the company unveiled their range of VerveLife wearable devices. The line-up is focused on the more active of consumers and consists of new smart headphones along with interesting entries into the sports camera market. 

“We are proud to launch VerveLife, a collection of wearable, wireless, and waterproof devices designed to give ultimate...

By Ryan Daws, 14 June 2016, 0 comments. Categories: Devices, Fitness.

Nanomaterial advancement offers bendable wearables

(Image Credit: iStockPhoto/ChesiireCat)

Wearables today are limited in their flexibility due to current widely-adopted materials being unable to carry the current required for electronic devices. Many researchers have attempted to overcome this hurdle with nanomaterials, but a new ultrathin film could be the most promising advancement yet. 

An international team of nanomaterial researchers...

By Ryan Daws, 13 June 2016, 0 comments. Categories: Clothing & Textiles, Devices, Research.

Research: Safety devices will drive wearables beyond fitness – phones will be 'just screens'

(Image Credit: iStockPhoto/bernardbodo)

Ericsson surveyed 5,000 smartphone users in Brazil, China, South Korea, the UK and the US for a ConsumerLab report on the views of the 280 million smartphone users around the globe about wearable devices. 

According to Ericsson's 

Google impresses with Project Soli and Jacquard updates at I/O 2016

(Image Credit: Google ATAP)

During last year's I/O developer conference Google unveiled a couple of early innovations to improve how we interact with our wearable devices in the form of Project Soli and Project Jacquard. At this year's event, Google has demonstrated how the projects have developed since.

Project Soli employs a radar-based system to detect small movements around the device – such as finger gestures – and uses the motion...

By Ryan Daws, 23 May 2016, 0 comments. Categories: Clothing & Textiles, Devices, Fashion, Google, Smartwatches.

Fitbit acquires wearable tech from Coin, infers payment capability in future releases

(c)iStock.com/franckreporter

Fitbit, the leading wearable vendor according to recent IDC figures, has announced the acquisition of wearable payment assets from financial technology provider Coin.

The firm has no plan to incorporate the technology into Fitbit’s current product roadmap, however according to a press release it “accelerates [the] ability to develop an active NFC payment solution that could be embedded into future Fitbit devices.”

“We are focused on making wearable devices...

By James Bourne, 18 May 2016, 0 comments. Categories: Devices, Mobile Wallet, Payments.

Wearable shipment volumes grew 67.2% year on year, says IDC

(c)iStock.com/HASLOO

The total shipment volumes of wearable devices grew 67.2% year on year to 19.7 million units during the most recent quarter, according to analysis from the International Data Corporation (IDC), with Fitbit continuing to lead the pack.

The figures, from the IDC Worldwide Quarterly Wearable Device Tracker, found Fitbit continues to be the leading vendor, followed by Xiaomi, Apple and Garmin, with Samsung and BBK tied for fifth spot.

IDC's wearables team research manager, Ramon Llamas,...

By Wearable Tech, 18 May 2016, 0 comments. Categories: Devices, Research.

Wearables sales in UK to total five million units in 2016

(c)iStock.com/bombuscreative

According to the latest report from CCS Insight, approximately 10 million wearable devices will be operational in the UK by the end of 2016, with five million sales and the overall figure tripling to almost 33 million units in the next four years.

Fitness trackers will lead the way in terms of volume with sales of 1.7 million expected in 2017, according to the researchers. However, in terms of value, smartphone companions such as the Apple Watch will be the leading category, worth...

By Wearable Tech, 17 May 2016, 0 comments. Categories: Devices, Fitness, Health & Wellness, Smartwatches.

Halo Sport employs neuroscience to boost athletic performance

(Image Credit: Halo Neuroscience)

On-stage during TechCrunch Disrupt NY, a startup known as Halo Neuroscience has demonstrated an impressive wearable device which utilises pulses of energy to improve athletic performance. 

Halo Sport uses a technique called 'neuropriming' whereby a small amount of electrical current is applied to a wearer's brain via electrodes in contact with the scalp. When focused correctly, this stimulation helps to...

By Ryan Daws, 11 May 2016, 0 comments. Categories: Devices, Fitness, Health & Wellness.

Everyone has the latest wearable interface, their skin

(Image Credit: Future Interfaces Group)

Researchers at Carnegie Mellon University have established a way to make skin the next user interface for technology – solving the issue of small displays on most wearables. 

Current smartwatches are more powerful than their interfaces allow them to be. When you cover most of the display with a single finger, it limits what interactions you can perform with a device. A team at the Future Interfaces...

By Ryan Daws, 06 May 2016, 0 comments. Categories: Devices, Research, Smartwatches, UI.

Garmin's Approach X40 should be a hole-in-one for golfers

(Image Credit: iStockPhoto/Deklofenak)

Garmin is no stranger to wearables and has a solution for most people no matter what sport they partake in. The company's Approach range is specifically-targeted at golfers, and the latest X40 is packed with all the features you need to improve your game whether a professional or an amateur. 

Previous generations of the Approach have featured a smartwatch-like...

By Ryan Daws, 25 April 2016, 0 comments. Categories: Contextual Data, Devices, Fitness, Performance Monitoring, Trackers.

Logitech prepares for iPhone 7 with Jaybird acquisition

(Image Credit: Jaybird)

Jaybird manufactures audio wearables for people who live active lifestyles, but more importantly they’ve been acquired by Logitech ahead of what seems like the inevitable removal of the standard headphone jack in the upcoming iPhone 7. 

Judd Armstrong, founder and chief executive officer of Jaybird, said, “It has been an incredible journey. We love what we do, and we’re stoked to continue to...

By Ryan Daws, 14 April 2016, 0 comments. Categories: Bluetooth, Devices, Fitness.

Research: Wearable payments expected to hit $100bn by 2018

(Image Credit: iStockPhoto/Onfokus)

Many of us are expected to utilise our wearables for payments by 2018, if projections by Juniper Research are correct. The research firm expects contactless payments through wearable devices to reach $95 billion annually by 2018, up from less than $35 billion last year.  

Apple’s entry into NFC gave the industry a much needed boost, and could well be seen as...

By Ryan Daws, 11 April 2016, 0 comments. Categories: Android, Devices, NFC, Payments, Research, Smartwatches.

Wearable medical device market to hit £20bn by 2022, research argues

(c)iStock.com/nicolas_

Research and Markets has forecast that the global wearable medical device market will reach $27.8 billion (£19.8bn) by 2022.

According to the report, the market growth will be driven by rising prevalence of medical conditions such as hypertension and obesity. A sedentary lifestyle will also boost the demand for such devices, as well growing health awareness.

The demand for wearable technology will also grow, driven by rising incidences of diabetes and other chronic conditions that...

By Wearable Tech, 06 April 2016, 0 comments. Categories: Clothing & Textiles, Devices, Health Monitoring, Health & Wellness.

New survey shows consumers like wearable hardware – but are not satisfied with apps

(c)iStock.com/filo

A new report from Argus Insights argues that consumers are more satisfied with wearable hardware than the apps it contains.

Though wearable technology is extending itself from wrist-worn devices to include shirts, tattoos, hats, shoes and other forms, actionable collected data is the key feature that counts, according to the researchers. The survey covers over 136,000 consumer reviews of wearables devices and applications from November 2015 to February 2016.

Argus Insights CEO, John Feland,...

By Wearable Tech, 31 March 2016, 0 comments. Categories: Apps, Devices, Research.

Fossil to roll out wearables for eight brands in 40 countries through 2016

(c)iStock.com/Maxiphoto

Fossil Group is planning to launch over 100 wearables products covering eight brands in 40 countries by the end of 2016. The wearables, slated to feature in over 20 languages, will include display and non-display watches and trackers. The company will support the wearables with branded apps across all brands, three product categories, and two operating systems.

Fossil chief strategy and digital officer, Greg McKelvey, said: “One of the distinct advantages of a fashion company...

By Wearable Tech, 23 March 2016, 0 comments. Categories: Devices, Fashion.

IDC: Global wearable shipments to exceed 200m units by 2019

(c)iStock.com/LDProd

Shipments of wearable devices across the globe are expected to see a 38.2% year on year increase and reach 110 million by the end of 2016, according to the International Data Corporation (IDC) Worldwide Quarterly Wearable Device Tracker. The market will grow on account of the pervasiveness of new and different wearable products. However, the main focus of the wearables market will continue to be smartwatches.

The combined total of watch and wristband shipments will increase from 72.2...

By Wearable Tech, 18 March 2016, 0 comments. Categories: Devices, Research.

Opinion: "Sleep invisibles" offer a window into your health

(Image Credit: iStockPhoto/PeopleImages)

Sleep has long been and – to a great extent – still is the most commonly overlooked necessity of life.  Like the air we breathe, the water that sustains us and the food that nourishes us, sleep is critical to our health and well-being. Yet, it is the one commodity that few of us have enough of and, too often, is the first thing sacrificed in our hectic lives.

This Friday,...

By Avner Halperin, 17 March 2016, 0 comments. Categories: Devices, Health Monitoring, Health & Wellness, Trackers.

New IDC report sheds light on wearable 'intenders'

(c)iStock.com/bombuscreative

New research from the International Data Corporation (IDC) has examined wearables ‘intenders’ – consumers who plan on purchasing a wearable product in the next six months.

These consumers are expected to play a leading role in the next surge of wearables adoption in the US. The survey’s data is based on a poll, undertaken by IDC's Buyer Behaviour Practice, of 1,500 Americans who intend to purchase a wearables product in the next six months.

The research...

By Wearable Tech, 08 March 2016, 0 comments. Categories: Devices, Research.

Review: UPRIGHT Pose will fix your posture

Wearable technology is finding a range of innovative ways to improve our wellbeing, and the UPRIGHT Pose is the second device we've tested just this year so far which aspires to fix our posture. 

For a reminder, in January we put the Lumo Lift through its paces and found it to be a capable although sometimes finicky device. Whereas the Lumo Lift is designed to be worn near your...

By Ryan Daws, 03 March 2016, 0 comments. Categories: Devices, Fitness, Health Monitoring, Health & Wellness, Trackers.