From health and sleep monitors to
smartwatches, miniature wearable technology
looks set to be a lucrative market for
manufacturers. According to Credit Suisse,
wearable devices could be a $50 billion market
by 2017. Now the mobile makers are seriously
turning their attention to the wearable
technology.
The appeal is clear: the smartwatch could take
over some of the functions that are currently
fall to the smartphone, but in a less bulky,
more portable form.
With smartphones gradually getting bigger –
the five-inch screen is a more common sight
these days – the appeal of the compact
smartwatch may be about to increase for
consumers.
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Samsung is set to be first out of the gate with
ReplyDeletethe next generation of smartwatches, with its
Galaxy Gear. After weeks of rumours and
leaks, the Korean company announced the new
watch ahead of the IFA exhibition in Berlin
yesterday.
The technical details of the watch were leaked
in advance of the launch, meaning that
consumers already had a good idea of what was
coming long before Samsung executives decided
to reveal all.
The new device can make calls, send and
receive emails and play games, connecting to
the user’s smartphone over Bluetooth.
The Gear is aimed at “trendsetters”, with
Samsung hoping that it will start a new trend
among consumers.
“The Gear won’t have a flexible display,” Lee
Young-hee, executive vice president
ofSamsung’s mobile business, said in the Korea
Times ahead of the launch.
“The new device will enhance and enrich the
current smart mobile experience in many ways.
It will lead a new trend in smart mobile
communications. We are confident that the
Gear will add meaningful momentum to the
mobile industry.”
However before it even launched, there were
predictions that the Galaxy Gear would not be
a game-changer for the sector, and would be
more of a fashion accessory.
That would leave the way open for Samsung’s
biggest rival, Apple , to come up with something
with a little more “wow” factor.
If the rumours are to be believed, that
competition may come sooner rather than later.
Apple is said to be readying the announcement
of its own smartwatch at an event next week
(see panel). The rumours of the iWatch have
reached fever pitch lately, despite speculation
that the launch of such a device would be
delayed until next year due to design issues.
Everything from bendable displays to projectors
have been suggested as possible features for
the watch.
For the moment, all that is really known for
certain is that Apple is interested in wearable
computing. Chief executive Tim Cook has
previously referred to the sector as “profoundly
interesting”, while reports in recent months
claimed that Apple had increased its design
team working on the product to more than 100
people.
Depending on when the devices will hit the
market, the old rivals could go head to head
once more in the wearable technology market
as they try to win over consumers with their
miniature devices.
But neither Samsung nor Apple are the first to
market with a smartwatch by any stretch of
the imagination. Sony is on the second
generation of its smartwatch, the Sony Smart,
with an update also to be announced at IFA.
The device connects to Android smartphones
and gives users notifications of Twitter updates,
Facebook messages, calls and text messages.
Motorola’s MotoActv smartwatch, now
discontinued, focused more on the fitness side
of the market, with a built-in accelerometer to
measure strides, GPS to measure distance and
the ability to link up with speed/cadence bike
sensors and via ANT+ technology.