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Tag: wearables

  • Fitbit Versa Special Edition with NFC support flies high

    Fitbit Versa Special Edition with NFC support flies high

    While it’s certainly not unusual to see older gadgets discounted shortly after new models are released, the recently unveiled Fitbit Versa Lite Edition is not actually an upgraded version of last year’s regular Versa. As such, deals on the original model weren’t exactly guaranteed, especially given Fitbit’s newfound success in a fast-growing global wearables market, owed in part to this specific low-cost Apple Watch rival.

    All things considered therefore, it’s definitely a nice surprise to be able to buy a Special Edition of 2018’s Fitbit Versa at a markdown of around 25 percent on Amazon right now. That translates into pretty hefty savings of 60 bucks (give or take a couple) for what was already one of the most affordable feature-packed smartwatches available in the US.

    In case you’re wondering what makes this device “special”, it’s the addition of an NFC chip compared to a standard Versa edition, which enables wrist payment support. We’re not talking about Google Pay, mind you, but rather’s Fitbit proprietary service, fittingly dubbed Fitbit Pay and compatible with credit and debit cards issued by more than 100 US banks

    You can get the marked-down Versa SE with a “Charcoal Woven” or “Lavender Woven” strap, both of which look… pretty unusual for a fitness-first wearable device. Otherwise, there’s no disputing the appeal of an inexpensive smartwatch with a decent touchscreen in tow, as well as stellar 4+ day battery life, a swim-proof design, built-in optical heart rate monitor, accelerometer, gyroscope, altimeter, and plenty of other tricks up its sleeve guaranteeing a top-notch activity and sleep tracking experience.

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  • Wearable tech moves closer with graphene ‘solving’ the battery problem

    Wearable tech moves closer with graphene ‘solving’ the battery problem

    Wearable technology becomes more useable with a new development using graphene for printed electronic devices. The University of Manchester has demonstrated flexible battery-like devices printed directly on to textiles using a simple screen-printing technique answering the major problem of wearable tech being limited due to the problem of powering devices without cumbersome battery packs.

    Devices known as supercapacitors are one way to achieve this. A supercapacitor acts similarly to a battery but allows for rapid charging which can fully charge devices in seconds.

    Now a solid-state flexible supercapacitor device has been demonstrated by using conductive graphene-oxide ink to print onto cotton fabric.

    As reported in the journal 2-D Materials, the printed electrodes exhibited excellent mechanical stability due to the strong interaction between the ink and textile substrate.

    Further development of graphene-oxide printed supercapacitors could turn the vast potential of wearable tech into the norm.

    High-performance sportswear that monitors performance, embedded health-monitoring devices, lightweight military gear, new classes of mobile communication devices and even wearable computers are just some of the applications that could become available following further research and development.

    To power these new wearable devices, the energy storage system must have reasonable mechanical flexibility in addition to high energy and power density, good operational safety, long cycling life and be low cost.

    Dr Nazmul Karim, knowledge exchange fellow at the National Graphene Institute and co-author of the paper said: “The development of graphene-based flexible textile supercapacitor using a simple and scalable printing technique is a significant step towards realising multifunctional next generation wearable e-textiles.

    It will open up possibilities of making an environmental friendly and cost-effective smart e-textile that can store energy and monitor human activity and physiological condition at the same time.”

    Graphene-oxide is a form of graphene which can be produced relatively cheaply in an ink-like solution. This solution can be applied to textiles to create supercapacitors which become part of the fabric itself.

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  • Wearables market shifting focus away from health

    Wearables market shifting focus away from health

    Global shipment for wearables reached an all-time high of 33.9 million units in the fourth quarter of 2016, up 16.9 % from the same quarter a year earlier.

    Total shipments for the entire year reached 102.4 million devices, growing 25% compared to 2015.

    IDC’s Worldwide Quarterly Wearable Device Tracker, which published the figures, noted that the market is huge but the utility and necessity of the devices have been questionable. With the market just a toss between the basic wearables and the smart wearables (or those capable of running third party applications), health and fitness remain a major focus for the major brands.

    Ramon Llamas, research manager for IDC’s Wearables team, however, noted that once these devices become connected to a cellular network, the market can expect unique applications and communications capabilities to become available. “This will also solve another key issue: freeing the device from the smartphone, creating a standalone experience,” he said.

    During the quarter, Fitbit maintained its dominance, holding the top position for both the quarter and the year. However, the company also faced one of its largest declines ever as it remained heavily focused on the US, a market that is quickly approaching saturation for fitness trackers. Though the company has grown in other parts of the world, IDC said it remained challenged as low-cost competitors eat away at Fitbit’s market share.

    China’s Xiaomi has continued to relentless pursue growth and the company has stuck with a low-cost strategy and has slowly tried to veer upstream in terms of pricing by introducing new devices with heart rate monitoring and a mildly higher selling price. However, IDC believes it still lacks the expertise and brand recognition to expand beyond its native borders in China.

    Apple Watch Series 1 and Series 2 proved to be a magnificent success for the company as it was the company’s best quarter ever in the wearables market. IDC said Apple is one of the few companies that has been able to quickly refocus its watch to gain traction in the consumer market and is now introducing the smartwatch category to the commercial segment.

    Garmin, which caters to a more dedicated fitness audience, experienced a slight decline of 4% in the fourth quarter. However, many of its users began to graduate from simpler fitness trackers to more sophisticated and expensive sport watches like those offered in the Fenix line. The new Fenix 5 announced at CES 2017 also shows promise as the new smaller size will help the device appeal to a broader audience.

    Samsung rounded out the top 5 with the launch of two new models (Gear S3 Classic and Frontier) and remains the only major company offering cellular-enabled wearables. LTE connectivity has been a key differentiator for Samsung’s watches as it has helped decouple them from smartphones, but more importantly it has opened up a new channel (telcos) to help promote the Samsung watches.

    Beyond the top 5 vendors are new entrants, including fashion icons like Fossil along with their sub-brands and emerging companies like BBK and Li-Ning, that are tapping into niche segments of the wearables market. Fossil’s wearable product is a luxury/fashion device, while BBK focuses on child-monitoring devices, and Li-Ning on step-counting shoes.

    “With the entrance of multiple new vendors with strengths in different industries, the wearables market is expected to maintain a positive outlook, though much of this growth is coming from vendor push rather than consumer demand,” said Jitesh Ubrani senior research analyst for IDC Mobile Device Trackers.

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  • Apple’s In-Store Story, Android Pay Goes Wearable And Samsung Open For Business In Thailand

    Apple’s In-Store Story, Android Pay Goes Wearable And Samsung Open For Business In Thailand

    Samsung’s global march added another stopping point this week, as Thailand became the latest nation to come online for Samsung Pay. That announcement comes as most of the global payments-watching community was watching Samsung Pay’s imminent foray into India.

    Speaking of watching — and watches

    After four months of waiting, Android Pay has finally made the leap onto an Android Wear-powered smartwatch — thanks to a bit of as assist from LG. It’s not Android Pay’s first foray onto a wearable, but it is the first time Android Pay will be open for business on a smartwatch not made by Samsung.

    Apple’s move this week is about merchants. New research suggests that Apple Pay has gone from being accepted at 16 percent of U.S. merchants to 36 percent of U.S. merchants — which said report notes is good enough to make it the most favored form of in-store mobile payment among American merchants.

    So how’d all the territory grabbing come out this week – and who gained the most ground? Well…

    Samsung Pay In Thailand

    Samsung Pay is not entirely new to Thailand — the service has been rolling out slowly under the radar since a November soft launch with about 100 retail partners — but as of Tuesday, Samsung Pay was out in full for any Thai customer interested in taking it for a smartphone spin.

    And, it should be noted, Samsung has great expectations for the Thai market and has set a goal of attracting 1 million users to the platform by the end of the year.

    “Thailand is the ninth country in 10 markets globally with which we have established our mobile payment presence, and the third country in Asia-Pacific apart from Singapore and Australia,” said Elle Kim, vice-president for the payment business group at Samsung Electronics.

    Kim noted that Thailand presents a natural opportunity for a mobile payments platform — given the government’s national e-payment scheme and the widespread use of smartphones and e-commerce.

    At launch, to use the service, customers must use a Visa or Mastercard issued by one of the nation’s six largest banks: Bangkok Bank, KTC Credit Card, Citibank, Siam Commercial Bank, Kasikornbank and Krungsri Consumer.

    Those six collectively cover about 70 percent of the cards issued in Thailand — Samsung has confirmed that by the end of the year it hopes to have upped that to covering 90 percent of the nation’s card holders.

    And it is a 90 percent that Samsung will compete for unopposed, since neither Apple nor Android Pay have any immediate plans to take on the Thai market. As of right now, mobile payment transaction value in Thailand is estimated to reach US$4 million in 2017. That figure is forecast to reach $36 million by 2021.

    Samsung is also widely expected to announce an expansion into India for Samsung Pay by the end of the quarter — with more international expansion slated for 2017.

    Android Pay And Android Wear – Better Together?

    After a very public announcement of Wear 2.0 last October that included Android Pay — the updated and enhanced version of Android OS for wearables — the world sort of had to wait a while to see it in action, since there was no wearable on the market sporting the feature.

    That changed this week with a pair of new watches from LG that marked a collaborative design effort with Google: the Watch Sport and the Watch Style.

    The big change involves making the watch a device capable of standing apart from a smartphone — a true computer for the wrist.

    And while that extends to many of the Wear’s various features, it is drawing praise particularly in relationship to the Android Pay support now available on the wearable.

    Unique to this version of wearable-based payment, however, is its level of independence. Android Pay runs as a standalone app on the watch — a connected smartphone is not necessary to pay for stuff (though a phone pairing is necessary to set up Android Pay on the watch for the first time). Android Pay on a watch does not actually even need an internet connection for a limited number of transactions (though to fully complete the transaction the watch must eventually go online).

    Android Pay is not entirely new to wristbased devices — Samsung’s smartwatches support it — but as of this week, Android Pay supported by Android’s wearable OS is now on the market for the first time — though not the last.

    Google has announced that many more Wear 2.0 watches will be out in the market by the end of the year — presumably to satisfy a consumer demand that will make itself apparent any day now.

    Apple’s Adding Merchants

    According to new published data from Boston Retail Partners, Apple Pay has garnered the largest percentage of U.S. merchants supporting mobile in-store payments, with 36 percent of said merchants accepting the 2.5 year old mobile payments app. The study further suggested that an additional 22 percent of retailers will accept Apple Pay in the next 12 months and 11 percent on top of that plan to do so within the next one to three years.

    Apple’s lead is notable — but also highly explainable by time. Apple Pay is the granddaddy of in-store mobile payments apps, so it’s had more time to add merchants to its roster. But as we’ve noted, being present at the POS is only half the battle for Apple Pay — consumers still have to chose to use it. So far, by our numbers here at PYMNTS, they aren’t — at least 19 out of every 20 who can.

    Which, as it turns out, maybe the lesson this week. More is good — more devices, more ground and more merchants — but only if at the end those things net more customers — and more transactions.

    We’ll keep you posted on how more turns into market share for transactions. By the way, we’ll be releasing totally new data on mobile payments adoption – based on what consumers actually do at the point of sale when they are paying for what they bought – at Innovation Project 2017. This new study will measure adoption for the major in-store “Pays” – Apple, Android, Samsung, and Walmart (at Walmart only, of course).

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  • EZ Link launches contactless payment wearables

    EZ Link launches contactless payment wearables

    Singapore’s EZ-Link, the market’s largest issuer of CEPAS-compliant cards, announced the launch of EZ-Link Wearables.

    Launched in collaboration with Watchdata Technologies and Garmin, the ez-link CEPAS purse will be enabled on the Batman v Superman Fitness Tracker X EZ-Link and the Garmin vívosmart HR with EZ-Link smartwatch.

    The devices will support contactless payments on public transit and at more than 30,000 ez-link acceptance points island-wide.

    While offering support for contactless payments, the devices remain smart health and fitness devices that monitor and record daily activities to support a healthy lifestyle.

    “Last year, we integrated a similar contactless chip into the vívosmart HR band in Taiwan which lets users pay for train rides, bus trips and retail purchases via the I-Pass electronic wallet stored within the chip,” Garmin South Asia GM Al Sundoro said.

    “This collaboration with EZ-Link puts Singapore on the road map as the first country in South-east Asia to offer a contactless payment solution where you can pay for public transport rides with a tap of your wearable on your wrist.”

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  • Global device sales set to stay flat until 2018

    Global device sales set to stay flat until 2018

    Worldwide combined shipments of PCs, tablets, ultramobiles and mobile phones are projected to remain flat in 2017 with 2.3 billion units, according to Gartner.

    There were nearly 7 billion phones, tablets and PCs in use in the world by the end of 2016. However, Gartner does not expect any growth in shipments of traditional devices until 2018, when a small increase in ultramobiles and mobile phone shipments is expected.

    “The global devices market is stagnating,” said Ranjit Atwal, research director at Gartner. “Mobile phone shipments are only growing in emerging Asia-Pacific markets, and the PC market is just reaching the bottom of its decline.”

    Atwal said that aside from declining shipment growth for traditional devices, average selling prices are also beginning to stagnate because of market saturation and a slower rate of innovation.

    “Consumers have fewer reasons to upgrade or buy traditional devices,” he said. “They are seeking fresher experiences and applications in emerging categories such as head mounted displays (HMDs), virtual personal assistant (VPA) speakers and wearables.”

    Gartner sees the PC market benefiting from a replacement cycle toward the end of this forecast period, returning to growth in 2018. Increasingly, attractive premium ultramobile prices and functionality will entice buyers as traditional PC sales continue to decline.

    The mobile phone market will also benefit from replacements. There is, however, a difference in replacement activity between mature and emerging markets.

    “People in emerging markets still see smartphones as their main computing device and replace them more regularly than mature markets,” said Atwal.

    Device vendors are increasingly trying to move into faster-growing emerging device categories.

    “This requires a shift from a hardware-focused approach to a richer value-added service approach,” said Atwal.

    “As service-led approaches become even more crucial, hardware providers will have to partner with service providers, as they lack the expertise to deliver the service offerings themselves.”

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  • Fitness trackers still dominate wearables market

    Fitness trackers still dominate wearables market

    Basic wearables, primarily comprised of fitness bands, accounted for 85% of the wearables market in the third quarter of 2016, IDC estimates.

    The total market grew 3.1% year-over-year during the quarter, with wearables shipments reaching 23 million.

    IDC said much of the increase in shipments for fitness trackers was attributed to the launch of newer models, an expanding user base, and an enticing summer season that allowed people to step out of their homes.

    The research firm expects the momentum for basic wearables to continue for the remainder of 2016 as the holiday season is now in full swing. However, it said smart wearables capable of running third party apps will likely continue to struggle in the near term.

    “It’s still early days, but we’re already seeing a notable shift in the market,” commented Jitesh Ubrani, senior research analyst for IDC Mobile Device Trackers.

    “Where smart watches were once expected to take the lead, basic wearables now reign supreme. Simplicity is a driving factor and this is well reflected in the top vendor list as four out of five offer a simple, dedicated fitness device. Meanwhile, from a design perspective, many devices are focusing on fashion first while allowing the technology to blend in with the background.”

    Ramon Llamas, research manager for IDC’s Wearables team, also noted that user tastes change, so will their needs.

    “That’s the opportunity for smart wearables with multi-functionality and third-party applications, both for consumers and business users. To get there, we need to see more intuitive user interfaces, seamless user experiences, standalone connectivity, and applications that go beyond health and fitness and into personal and professional productivity,” he said.

    During the quarter, Fitbit once again led the market. IDC expects Fitbit to continue leading the pack in the near term and said that the acquisition of Coin and the potential to expand into the smartwatch category present an opportunity for the company to be more than just a fitness brand.

    Xiaomi’s new Mi Band, on the other hand, includes heart rate tracking and is priced well below any competition, making it more suitable for impulse buying than any other fitness band. Garmin captured the third position as the company with one of the widest portfolios among all the vendors in this market.

    While Apple’s decision to launch its second-generation watches in mid-September did contribute to its year-over-year decline in 3Q16, IDC said the primary reasons for the downturn were an aging lineup and an unintuitive user interface.

    During the quarter, Samsung released two new models, Gear Fit 2 and the Icon X. Around the globe, the company was able to move large volumes of its latest wearables thanks to bundles offered with the Note 7 and other Samsung smartphones.

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  • Gemalto launches applet for UnionPay wearables

    Gemalto launches applet for UnionPay wearables

    Gemalto has launched a secure element based applet for smart wearables developed by China UnionPay (CUP).

    CUP had launched smart wearables with embedded secure elements based payment applications last year.

    The payment applet runs on the secure element, to provide online and offline payment capabilities on wearables.

    This is expected to eliminate the need for different card vendors to develop their own versions, simplifying deployment of payment applications on a range of secure elements and improving time to market.

    “Intelligent NFC-based wearable devices are set to disrupt our lives much beyond contactless payments – from user access and authentication to smart homes and cities, the possibilities are simply endless,” said Suzanne Tong-Li, president for Greater China and Korea at Gemalto.

    “With extensive experience in NFC ecosystem and end-to-end security, we support CUP to not only simplify and speed up this launch for maximum outreach, but also provide consulting for next-generation solutions.”

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  • Fossil Group to launch wearables for 8 brands

    Fossil Group to launch wearables for 8 brands

    Eight brands from the Fossil Group – Chaps, Diesel, Emporio Armani, Fossil, Kate Spade New York, Michael Kors, Misfit, and Skagen – will each launch wearables this year.

    The company said more than 100 wearables products, including display and non-display watches, will be introduced in 40 countries and more than 20 languages before the holiday season.

    Fossil Group said it will support the wearables with unique and branded apps across all brands, three product categories, and two operating systems. This is part of a corporate initiative to bring a fashion-first focus, innovation and an increased variety of products to the wearables industry.

    “One of the distinct advantages of a fashion company over traditional consumer electronics manufacturers is our product cycle. We demonstrate remarkable speed to market, from development to launch, in order to meet the retail industry’s seasonal new product deadlines,” said Greg McKelvey, chief strategy and digital officer, Fossil Group.

    The Fossil executive said the industry has been slow to adapt to growing consumer desires for new styles and options for wearables, but with the diversity major fashion brands offer, customers will be delighted shopping for a wearable that fits their personal style.

    Since acquiring Misfit in November 2015, Fossil Group has increased capabilities for the development and production of the technology supporting its wearables products.

    Its wearable technology platform includes proprietary power management technology that enables coin cell battery-powered non-display watches and trackers to be deployed across the entire Fossil Group brand portfolio. Without the need for daily, weekly or even monthly charging, the new devices function much more like traditional watches and lifestyle accessories than as typical consumer electronic products that require daily maintenance.

    The company also has strong partnerships with third-party technology partners, including Google and their Android Wear platform, to deliver on the company’s short- and long-term wearables strategy.

    Research firm IDC estimates that shipments for wearable devices will reach 237.1 million by 2020, which it said could be attributed to more vendors offering new wearables products and higher consumer awareness and demand for such devices.

    Aside from technology firms, fashion houses and luxury brands are also now entering the wearables space as part of a broader strategy to vary product offerings and cater to taste and preferences in the digital age.

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  • Fossil wearables teams with major fashion labels

    Fossil wearables teams with major fashion labels

    Fossil wearables has teamed with major fashion brands Chaps, Diesel, Emporio Armani, Fossil, Kate Spade New York, Michael Kors, Misfit and Skagen to launch in 40 countries in 2016.

    Fossil Group says it plans more than 100 wearables products – which include display- and non-display watches and trackers – will be available in 40 countries and more than 20 languages later this year. The category of wearables offered will vary by brand.

    Fossil Group will support the wearables with unique and branded apps across all brands, three product categories, and two operating systems. The 2016 launches are part of the company’s efforts to bring a fashion-first focus, innovation and an increased variety of products to the wearables industry.

    “One of the distinct advantages of a fashion company over traditional consumer electronics manufacturers is our product cycle,” said Greg McKelvey, chief strategy and digital officer with Fossil Group.

    “We demonstrate remarkable speed to market, from development to launch, in order to meet the retail industry’s seasonal new product deadlines.

    “The industry has been slow to adapt to growing consumer desires for new styles and options for wearables. With the diversity of major fashion brands we offer, customers will be delighted with the sheer volume of styles and options available when shopping for a wearable that fits their personal style.”

    With the look, feel and fashion appeal of traditional watches, Fossil Group’s digital display watches and non-display watches leverage the company’s core competency in making beautiful, quality watches.

    Since acquiring Misfit in November 2015, Fossil Group has increased capabilities for the development and production of the technology supporting its wearables products. The company’s wearable technology platform includes proprietary power management technology that enables coin cell battery-powered non-display watches and trackers to be deployed across the entire Fossil Group brand portfolio.

    Without the need for daily, weekly or even monthly charging, the new devices function much more like traditional watches and lifestyle accessories than as typical consumer electronic products that require daily maintenance.

    Concurrent with the advancement of Fossil Group’s owned technology and research and development capabilities, the company continues its strong partnerships with third-party technology partners, including Google and their Android Wear platform, to deliver on the company’s short- and long-term wearables strategy.

    Fossil Group this week displayed Fall products – including wearables, watches, jewellery, leather goods and other accessories – to business partners and media in its new European headquarters in Basel, Switzerland, during the annual Baselworld marketplace show for the world’s watch and jewellery industry.

    The new, 108,000 sqft, seven-floor Basel facility was constructed with modern geometric architecture. Three floors of brand showrooms present brand-immersive experiences for each of the company’s 17 owned and licensed brands, and a large auditorium and event space.