We’ve been hearing the word ‘wearable’ for the past few years, with the devices gaining publicity ever since Google had Glass-wearing skydivers bring the devices to the stage at Google I/O 2012. Since then, Google Glass’ popularity rose and fizzled out and smartwatches and activity trackers emerged and went through their little teething troubles. But is 2016 going to be the year when it makes sense for you to get a wearable?
This question is based on what wearables are designed to solve. We have smartwatches that display notifications on the wrist, augmented reality headwear that adds overlays to the world around us, fitness trackers, virtual reality headsets, and in true ‘wearable’ fashion (pun intended) — smart clothing.
If the devices displayed at CES 2016 were any indication, smartwatches and fitness trackers are still the flavour of the season, and with good reason. They have been around for over two years, and manufacturers are finally understanding what users want, with devices changing accordingly. Gone are the over-styled watchfaces and the gaudy wristbands, as manufacturers realise the watch is as much a fashion accessory as a functional timepiece. Efforts by Motorola and Huawei to include devices for women in their line-up (the Moto 360 and the Huawei Watch Jewel and Elegant) also show that smartwatches are finally finding their niche as a functional blend of style and sophistication. And TAG Heuer, Fossil and Titan are among the mainstream watchmakers who’ve jumped onto the smart bandwagon with their Connected, Q and Juxt watches. For those looking to upgrade their wristwear with something that can change faces and bands to suit the need, now might be the time.
While watches with added functionality make sense, fitness trackers have been the surprise success in the wearable world. Seeing that we have managed to remain (mostly) fit without devices that track heart rates and sleep times for centuries, one would think these devices are overkill. But in a world that thrives on data, steps walked, floors climbed and laps run have become the new ‘in’ thing. The name of the game here is the same – making these gadgets less of a freak standout and having them blend in with mainstream fashion. Notification and fitness trackers now come embedded in fashionable jewellery. For example, Ringly is a smart ring featuring semi-precious stones, that alerts the wearer of notifications from their apps of choice and Bellabeat makes the Leaf, which can be worn as a necklace or a brooch and tracks everything from stress levels to ovulation periods.
Augmented Reality (AR) may still be finding its feet, with Google Glass still lurking on the sidelines and Microsoft hard at work on its HoloLens, but Virtual Reality (VR) has stepped up its game with the Oculus Rift finally going mainstream, and smartphone manufacturers from Samsung to Lenovo bundling VR headsets with selected devices. With an abundance of apps (including YouTube) now supporting VR, and more games being developed with it in mind, now is not a bad time to invest in the technology.
If you’re one of those who constantly complain about clothes bought online not fitting right, technology is here to help. LikeAGlove makes leggings that measure the shape of the wearer and provide the details in an accompanying app, which helps users filter out clothes that would not fit right. Workout freaks get to invest in shorts that track running statistics and Radiate makes T-shirts that glow to display the muscle groups that you just used in that last set. Scientists are also working on clothing that can maintain temperature according to the ambient conditions, using everything from pockets of liquid and air to studying how squids modify the wavelengths of light they reflect. While this section of clothing is more core science than technology, they will eventually change the very fabric of what we wear.
Coming back to the question we started with, is 2016 the year of the wearable? Probably not. While some wearables have now evolved enough for a justified purchase by certain sections of society, they have not become the game-changers that smartphones are, yet. That said, this could be the year the wearable becomes a sub-section worth taking seriously, and that’s worth remembering when we’re all wearing adaptable exosuits and summoning our cars with a tap on our timepieces.
Summoning cars, you ask? That’s a story for another day.
