Wearables

It may have been criticized for its antiquated design but, as always, Apple is having the last laugh. The Apple Watch has turned out to be the smartwatch to beat, not because of its looks but because of its once unique features. Now other wearable device makers are jumping on the same train and it seems like OPPO is taking more than just one page from the Apple Watch playbook, mimicking not just its key feature but also its controversial looks.

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Detecting irregular heartbeats, a.k.a. atrial fibrillation or AFib, has become a hot thing in the wearable tech market thanks to the Apple Watch. Now almost everyone wants to have that feature, too, including Withings and Suunto. It might only take a matter of time for Google, who recently purchased Fitbit, to follow suit but, for now, its Alphabet sibling Verily has gotten a head start now that its Study Watch has gotten the FDA clearance for its Irregular Pulse Monitor for detecting AFib.

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Apple's smartwatch may not be the only fitness tracker out there, but it's shaping up to be the one more people will choose to wear to get the most out of their gym memberships - and even make them cheaper. Crunch Fitness has announced a new Apple Watch app which - if you're working out at a Crunch Signature location - will offer special features both before and during a session.

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A rugged privacy-centric smartwatch was revealed today: the Garmin Tactix Delta. This Garmin Tactix Delta smartphone was built to military standards MIL-STD-810 and rolls with a domed sapphire lens - and a "diamond-like carbon coated bezel." The key selling point here isn't the materials, but the abilities - stealth mode and a kill switch.

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Smart contact lenses that grant the wearer night vision as well as act as a private, super-discreet interface for your digital life could be coming to your eyeball, if startup Mojo Vision has its way. The company has clawed its way from stealth to reveal its early prototypes and the diminutive display technology that it promises will overlay everything from your calendar to urgent messages on top of the view around you.

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A load of Fitbit customers just received a new feature that works with the hardware they already own: blood oxygen monitoring. The feature was added at the software level, meaning it can now be accessed and used within the Fitbit mobile app. Blood oxygen monitoring is available on Fitbit wearables that have a built-in heart rate monitor.

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Given how the Apple Watch has been making headlines for saving lives, it's no surprise that it is, pardon the pun, apple picking for those who want to capitalize on its fame or, in this case, have gotten hurt by it. Just before the year ended, Apple was hit by a lawsuit over its unlicensed use of a patent for its atrial fibrillation detection. Now it is getting slapped by an even bigger complaint for stealing trade secrets related to health monitoring on its Apple Watch.

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Given its timing, CES is often an auspicious opportunity for companies to start the year right with their best foot forward. Sometimes, it involves revealing things yet to come while other times it revolves around strengthening existing products. At CES 2020, Honor sort of did both. It showcased the MagicWatch 2, the Band 5, and the MagicBook alongside a new Band 5 Sport, the latter two slated for a global launch really soon.

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TCL isn't just bringing affordable Android phones and a foldable prototype to CES 2020: the company also has another concept device that aims to deliver your video and gaming content more privately. TCL Project Archery was previewed back at IFA 2019, a wearable display promising the equivalent of a 100-inch TV viewed from across the room.

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The Apple Watch, thanks to its life-saving AFib detection, has taken the lion's share of attention when it comes to the smartwatch market. That practically leaves other wearable platforms, especially Wear OS by Google, to contend for the leftovers. That doesn't mean there's no room for massive improvement, especially when it comes to battery life. That's where Suunto makes it big boast that its latest sports-centric Suunto 7 can last you at least half a day even if you leave the GPS on.

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The Apple Watch's atrial fibrillation or AFib detection definitely struck a chord in the wearables market, even if it is now the center of a patent lawsuit. Apple is naturally proud of how the feature, based on numerous testimonies, has been able to save lives. It is a matter of time before other smart wearable manufacturers catch up with it and it seems that Withings is one of the first to reach that point with its new ScanWatch hybrid smartwatch. More than just AFib detection, however, it is bringing another health feature to your wrist.

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The folks at Intellithings announced this week that their smart home system RoomMe would expand with support for Alexa, Google Assistant, Siri, and Samsung smartwatch support. RoomMe will also have new compatibility with a new update for two smart home hubs not on their list before - the Insteon hub and the Logitech Harmony. RoomMe is what they call a "smart home True Occupancy Automation system" that uses "patented presence sensing technology" to see if you're in the house.

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