The iPhone wasn’t the first touch-screen phone in the market, but the concept didn’t quite take off until Apple decided to sink its teeth in. Similarly, the recent launch of the Apple Watch may be just the impetus required for wearable technology to receive widespread acceptance.
The idea of gadgets being embedded into clothes, watches, and glasses has until recently been confined to science fiction, but that’s changing, and fast. Tech companies and lifestyle brands are coming together like never before to take technology out of our hands and put it into things we can wear, whether on our wrists, in our glasses, or as headgear.
With wearable tech coming into the mainstream, information, fitness and entertainment are set to become more accessible than ever before.
Here’s a look at some of the most exciting wearable gadgets.
Fitness Trackers
Fitness tracking was the most obvious application for wearable tech, and so the fitness space was the first to see a proliferation of wearables that do everything from tracking your heart rate to reminding you when it was time for a run.
Fitbit Surge : Fitbit is the maker of one of the most widely used fitness tracking apps, so it’s no surprise to see it lead the race in fitness wearables. The Fitbit Surge, with continuous heart-rate monitoring, is ideal for sports like running and cycling, and for tracking cardio workouts at the gym. It is also a smartwatch, with its OLED screen giving access to calls, texts, notifications, and more. ($250)
Jawbone UP3 : One area where the UP3 easily beats out the competition is style, thanks to designer Yves Behar. But it’s got a lot more going for it. The aluminium-and-rubber wristband uses multiple sensors to track sleep patterns, perspiration, breathing, heart rate, hydration levels, and more. It can also detect your current activity or sport, based on tracking data. There’s no display on the UP3 itself, but activity data is constantly sent to your smartphone. ($180)
SMS Audio BioSport : The result of an unlikely collaboration between Intel and 50 Cent, the BioSport is a set of earphones that also tracks your fitness. It uses optical sensors to monitor heart-rate, while simultaneously cancelling noise caused by body movements. The sweat and water-resistant buds don’t even need to be charged as they’re powered by the device they’re plugged in to. ($150)
Mi Band : Xiaomi’s Mi Band is by far the cheapest fitness band you can find, and it is no slouch. It tracks your steps and calories burned, it gives you reminders, it analyses your sleep patterns, and it vibrates to wake you up in the morning. All of this is packed into a well-built aluminium and silicone band. Mi Band is great for beginners and also the only one on this list that you can buy in India. (Rs.999)
Smartwatches
Everyone’s talking about the Apple Watch right now, but it isn’t the only smartwatch around. And the way things are going, they’re only going to get smarter and slicker in the near future.
Apple Watch : The Apple Watch isn’t quite a shrunken down version of the iPhone, but it’s got that familiar touch. Available in three styles and endless combinations, this is very much a watch first, but with a whole host of ‘smart’ features packed in. it uses a combination of the ‘digital crown’ and Retina touch display for navigation through its interface, and apps are designed specifically for the Apple Watch, so don’t expect the variety you’ll find on the iPhone. Apple Watch is expected to launch in India later this year. ($349 onwards)
Android Wear : With Apple betting big on wearables, Google couldn’t be far behind. So we have Android Wear, a platform for smartwatches that has so far powered the likes of Moto 360, LG Watch R and Sony SmartWatch 3. As you’d expect, Android offers certain features you won’t find on the Apple Watch, like Wi-Fi, wrist gestures and custom watch faces.
Samsung Gear S : Samsung has been one of the leading Android phone brands but, for its smartwatches, it’s gone with Tizen, a platform of its own. With 3G, Wi-Fi and Bluetooth support, and the ability to make and receive calls and texts, the Gear S aims to free you from your smartphone. It features a curved AMOLED display, with an app store brimming with over 1,000 apps. ($350)
Luxury Smartwatches : The most exciting news in this space is the entry of luxury watchmakers and fashion brands. Already the likes of Tag Heuer, Breitling, Gucci, Mondaine, Emporio Armani, Mont Blanc, Swatch, Frederique Constant, Alpina and Bulgari have announced that they have smartwatches in the works, and more expected to do the same. Let’s just hope they get the ‘smart’ part of it right.
Headgear
While fitness trackers and smartwatches are already gaining mainstream acceptance, the realm of augmented reality and virtual reality headgear remains a bit of a question mark, but here are a few devices that aim to prove that the technology is here to stay.
Oculus Rift : What started out as a Kickstarter success has since been acquired by Facebook and is now the poster child for the resurgence of virtual reality. Planned for an early 2016 launch, the headgear features a full HD display, which, along with head-tracking sensors, transports users into a realistic virtual world where they can look around simply but moving their heads. While gaming is Oculus Rift’s most obvious application, the possibilities are endless.
Sony Project Morpheus : Similar to Oculus Rift, Sony’s Project Morpheus is designed to work with the PlayStation 4 and PlayStation Vita and has been praised for its VR quality. Also expected to launch in 2016, it has so far only been touted as a gaming peripheral, but Sony will likely expand its usability into other areas.
Microsoft HoloLens : While virtual reality transports you to another world, augmented reality works by adding virtual objects or information into the real world in front of you, and HoloLens is one of the more promising applications of AR. Based on Windows 10, it’s essentially a computer that projects images in front of you that you can interact with. The glasses aren’t as big or bulky as the VR devices above, but not as small as the ill-fated Google Glass either.
More Wearable Tech
Skully: A crowd-funded motorcycle helmet with a heads-up display.
Nixie: A wrist band that’s also a drone. And it takes selfies.
Polo Tech: Ralph Lauren’s clothing line that tracks heart rate, breathing and stress.
Whistle: A wearable for your dog with GPS tracking and activity monitoring.
Viper: The performance tracker of choice in the English Premier League.
