Consumer awareness
of wearable fitness devices in the United States has more than doubled in just less than a year.
The Gear IconX is a new kind
of wearable fitness device from Samsung.
Not exact matches
While neither brand has made a huge dent in
wearable sales — at least compared with
devices like the Apple Watch and Fitbit's various products — this news could hint at certain trends among makers
of smartwatches and
fitness bands.
Accenture's survey doesn't hint at any big increase in sales
of wearable devices, an emerging category that includes
devices like Internet connected
fitness gadgets and smartwatches, The survey said that only 14 %
of polled respondents said they would buy a
wearable device in 2017, which was «virtually unchanged from last year.»
Some
of the companies who introduced personal
fitness tech
devices will share the same challenges as those in the
wearable tech game.
As the cost
of fitness trackers, smartwatches, and other healthcare
wearables — such as chest strap heart rate monitors — decreases, these
devices will become available to new audiences interested in monitoring their health.
(Reuters)- Shares
of Fitbit Inc (FIT.N), a maker
of popular
wearable fitness - tracking
devices, ran up as much as 60 percent in their debut, valuing the company at $ 6.5 billion.
As tech companies push their businesses into making
wearable devices like
fitness bands, eyeglasses and smart watches, the limitations
of battery technology have become the biggest obstacle to sales and greater profits.
The tech industry has trumpeted the promise
of wearable fitness and health
devices to improve care by empowering patients with a critical resource: data.
In 2014, people bought a total
of 90 million
devices, and the
wearable fitness tracker industry had a market volume
of $ 2 billion.
And people have latched on: According to data from the IDC Worldwide Quarterly
Wearable Device Tracker fact sheet, total shipment volume
of fitness trackers in the first quarter
of 2016 saw an increase
of 67.2 percent from the 11.8 million units shipped in the first quarter
of 2015.
It's estimated that 10 %
of U.S. adults use a
wearable fitness and / or sleep - tracking
device on a regular basis, Dr. Abbott and her coauthors wrote in their case report.
Some
of the suppliers confirm their rising interests in bendable components, which no doubt indicates a wave
of wearable devices coming out soon; another trend is a growing interest among manufacturers to target the
fitness segment with suitable smart
devices.
Of the
wearable devices such as
fitness bands and smartwatches currently available, most do one or two key things users want — typically, counting steps or monitoring heart rate - but they're increasingly incorporating more complex functionality.
A recent NPD study showed that 52 per cent
of consumers say they've heard
of wearable technology
devices, including smart glasses, bracelets, watches and
fitness tracking
devices, and one - in - three say they're likely to buy one.
Vivametrica is an open source data analytics platform that pulls data from smartphones and
wearable fitness devices — with user consent — to get a picture
of health trends.
[14] The information
wearable fitness and health
devices collect can be highly relevant in determining, for example, where an individual was at a particular time and whether they have been «disabled» or injured as a result
of a particular accident.
Recognising the role
of wellness in risk assessment and product design, Irdai said
wearable devices could be used to measure personal
fitness or incorporation
of a healthy lifestyle both in the context
of health and life insurance.
What is does confirm is that Fitbit is continuing its roll - up
of talent associated with watches,
wearables and
fitness devices.
Razer announces another world's first — the Razer Nabu, a
wearable device capable
of notifications,
fitness tracking, band - to - band social connectivity, and gamification.
Mention the word «
wearable device» to people and those in the know will immediately think one
of two things: a smartwatch, a
fitness tracker, or even both.
To keep up with the rise
of wearable devices, Oppo has unveiled a
fitness band called O Band, which can also track your sleeping patterns, remind you about missed notifications and comes with a vibration alarm.
And across the board, he said the companies making
wearable fitness devices could be doing way more with the vast amounts
of data their hardware is collecting.
It combines the latest activity tracking and
fitness management functions with the connectivity and smart technology
of a leading smart
wearable device.
Activity trackers, whether standalone
devices like the Fitbit or as a feature
of other
wearables like Apple Watch, are a popular health and
fitness trend among consumers, and scientists and doctors have increasingly been using activity trackers in their research or to monitor patients away from the office.
With the market
of fitness wearables growing fast, CIO.com contributor Jim Martin looks at the Fitbit Alta HR to see where this
device fits.
But considering the companion apps
of the other
fitness trackers in this
wearable space, Mi Band's app is clearly a winner, as it show you the real - time steps taken, calories burned and has a detailed analytics about the sleep patterns over the period, Since you first activated the
device.
The Misfit Flare is the latest in a line
of minimalist
fitness tracking
wearable devices from Misfit, this time keeping with the trend
of offering the lot up for rather inexpensive prices.
Owners
of the new Microsoft Band health and
fitness wearable device will be able to get custom workout plans developed by the well known
fitness franchise Gold's Gym, along with a two week free trial membership to any
of their locations.
As iWatch speculations are on high note, HealthKit would be one
of the complimentary features for the
wearable device to provide health and
fitness tracking on - the - go.
So with that in mind it's also pushing out a third Gear sibling in the form
of the Gear Fit, a
wearable band that aims to be big on style but a little less function - heavy than its brothers - no camera, no remote control, no storage for music - leaving it as a halfway house between
fitness device and smartwatch that comes in at $ 199 / # 180 (around AU$ 212).
A new update to the Fanband Windows 10 app now allows owners
of the Microsoft Band
fitness wearable devices to change their themes with just their voice via Cortana commands.
Integrating the MT2601 into
wearable devices will enable all the core features
of Android Wear, including activity and
fitness related features and locating tracking capabilities.
The currently undisputed but outlook - wary
wearable champion
of the world is looking to turn the page to a new chapter in the company's product lineup evolution, with a
device that aims to bring the best
of smartwatches and
fitness bands together.
The smartwatch can be used as a
fitness tracking
wearable device as it lets users monitor and track a range
of wellness statistics including steps taken, calories burned, activity duration, heart rate, exercise intensity and relaxation level.
Huawei kicked things off with a handful
of new
devices, including the second generation
of its
fitness wearable, the Huawei Talkband B2.
Samsung's second stab at the
wearables market consists
of three
devices: two new smartwatches, and a
fitness band hybrid.
Other companies didn't want to stay away from all this, as we saw Sony too jumped into the
wearable tech category, announcing the Sony SmartBand, a wristband which would have a Sony Core tracker
device, keeping the log
of your
fitness and activity.
The Gear Fit is Samsung's first
fitness - focused
wearable device, but it borrows a lot from the company's line
of Gear smartwatches.
The Xiaomi Mi Band like any other
wearable fitness device is focused around improving your health by giving you the daily analysis
of your tracks, sleeping patterns, distance covered and more.
While the Vivosmart HR + may fall short on the smartwatch side
of the coin, if your
wearable needs fall more into the
fitness category, the Vivosmart HR + is a very capable
device.
There are speculations that the upcoming
wearable device would make good use
of Apple's HealthKit health and
fitness platform and also be operable with its HomeKit platform.
Other
wearable devices, such as Fitbit's $ 250 Surge, have more
of a
fitness focus but also pack smartwatch features.
Fitbit has held on to its dominance
of the
wearable market despite challenges from Misfit, now owned by Fossil, the stagnating Jawbone, currently tangled in a legal fight with Fitbit, and Apple, whose Apple Watch is positioned as the ultimate health and
fitness device.
Samsung just launched two new
devices that we have been looking forward to for quite some time now, one
of which is the Samsung Gear Fit 2, a new
wearable fitness tracker which improves on the very robust original Gear Fit tracker.
Microsoft's entry into the
fitness wearable market, the Microsoft Band, offered an array
of sensors and a platform - agnostic nature othat make the
device a game changer.
Fitness device maker Fitbit Inc., is reportedly inching closer toward its acquisition
of Pebble Technology Corp., the
wearable startup, in a move that will bolster the former's growth and help it compete better with rival Apple Inc..
The Intex Fitrist is another
fitness wearable device available in India for a price tag
of $ 999.
Wearables - maker Fitbit offers a range
of devices with a strong focus on
fitness, but there's a strong indicator the company will soon strengthen its health features.
The
wearable is primarily a
fitness device, and proud
of it.