We posted earlier today our outlooks on what's going to happen in the wearables industry in the year ahead. For the purposes of consolidation and ease of reading, here are those links: Wearables in 2016: On the Wrist. We predict segmentation and IoT integration. Wearables in 2016: On the Face. We predict rapid adoption by industry and enterprises. Wearables in 2016: … [Read more...]
Wearables in 2016, Part 3: Consolidation Looms
Investors like exits because exits are where they make their money. When a VC drops $5 million into a company, it wants to know that it'll get double, triple, or 10 times that money back, preferably on the sooner side of never. 2015 was the year that funders started to see exits; 2016 will be the year that they'll start to insist on it. Fitbit, of course was the biggest … [Read more...]
Wearables in 2016, Part 2: On the Face
There is no surer bet in 2016 than on the success of face-worn wearable tech, and there is nothing more certain than that it will be primarily in places where most people will never see it. The past year brought an explosion of trials and test runs of visors in industry: warehouses, field service, construction, aerospace, medical. 2016 is the year that tests become actual … [Read more...]
Wearables in 2016, Part 1: On the Wrist
Weather forecasters know that the surest bet is to predict tomorrow; in most cases, it's going to be more or less like today with a few things changing. Only in rare cases will today be snowing but tomorrow be in the 70s. The further out you go, the more likely things will be different. But tomorrow? A lot like today. Technology forecasters know that what you predict for … [Read more...]
Samsung BioProcessor Sensor Promises More Advanced Wearables
Those of us obsessed with finished goods can forget that Samsung is one of the world's powers in microprocessors. The Korean giant announced this week a new sensor chip, the BioProcessor (part number S3FBP5A, for those of you keeping score at home), that promises to measure heart rate and rhythm, skin temperature, body fat, and stress level. Samsung says the chip is in … [Read more...]
Google Glass for Enterprise Hits the FCC
All electronic devices in the United States need approval from the FCC before they hit the market; it's usually (but not always) the last stop between Engineering or Manufacturing and Sales. Google has filed an application for Glass for Enterprise, the refined business version of the Glass that the company sold to "explorers" up until early this year. The enterprise version … [Read more...]
Knitflix: Netflix and Solder
How many time have you come home after a long day and settled into your couch to binge Netflix? And how many times have you fallen asleep and woken up episodes later? Netflix is prepared to make your bingeing life a lot easier, with Netflix socks that pause your TV if you fall asleep or just admire the inside of your eyelids for too long. Here’s the great thing about this: … [Read more...]
VERT: Pro Wearable Game Tech that Includes Fans
There’s been a lot of news this year about wearables and professional sports but the data mostly enlightens coaches and players, leaving fans out of the loop. VERT took that next step, becoming the first wearable tech useds, providing jump height data in the NCAA Division I Women's Volleyball Championship games in real-time on ESPN2. VERT is worn around a player’s waist and … [Read more...]
Wearables in 2015: Top Six Stories of the Year
We wrote last week about the most trafficked posts of the year. But these are what we believe to be the most important things that happened last year -- whether they were in a single post or represented an ongoing trend. These are what Wearable Tech Insider believes were the biggest stories of 2015. 1. Fitbit goes public. For all the hype, investment, and noise around … [Read more...]
Kapture Records The Sounds Around You
Do you go through your day thinking, “Wait! What just happened”? Want to preserve baby’s unexpected first word? Something amazing your friend just said? Something you overheard a stranger saying? Take a look at Kapture, a wristband that continuously records your audible world in 60-second loops. A tap on the band and the last loop is saved. Send it to your smartphone and, … [Read more...]