Wearable Computing & Fashion News - Page 1

The latest and most important Wearable Computing & Fashion news.

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The Samsung Galaxy Watch 7 could come in three different versions, rumor claims

Oliver Haslam | Mar 16, 2024 9:45 AM CDT

If you're in the market for a new smartwatch in 2024 you might have an unexpected option to consider if a new report is any indication. The report claims that while we already knew that there would likely be two new Samsung Galaxy Watch models to look forward to, there might actually be a secret third option in the mix.

The Samsung Galaxy Watch 7 could come in three different versions, rumor claims

That's according to a post on X by the known tipster @kro_roe that was spotted and then picked up by 9to5Google. Details are extremely hard to come by right now, but the report claims that there will be three models of Galaxy Watch 7 to choose from rather than the more familiar two.

As the 9to5Google report notes, there had already been reports of an additional square display-equipped version being launched to go with the normal Galaxy Watch 7 and Galaxy Watch 7 Pro, but at this point, it's difficult to be sure what Samsung's plans really are.

Continue reading: The Samsung Galaxy Watch 7 could come in three different versions, rumor claims (full post)

New hand gestures could come to the Apple Watch as this patent shows

Oliver Haslam | Mar 15, 2024 12:30 PM CDT

The Apple Watch's primary mode of interaction is of course touching its display while Siri is also an option for those who aren't infuriated every time they use it. But when Apple released watchOS 10 and the new Apple Watch Series 9 and Apple Watch Ultra last year it also added a new option: gestures. The Double Tap gesture allows people to tap their fingers together to interact with on-screen menus in much the same way they can when using the Apple Vision Pro, but it seems that Apple isn't finished. New gestures could be on the way.

New hand gestures could come to the Apple Watch as this patent shows

That's according to a new report that points to an Apple patent that offers an array of different types of gestures that could potentially be used to interact with the Apple Watch without having to touch it. That could be hugely beneficial for a variety of reasons including a really simple one - using your Apple Watch when it's cold and you're wearing gloves.

In the case of this new patent, Apple includes a few different options including a flat palm with fingers outstretched and then moving the fingers from side to side horizontally. Apple hints that such a gesture could be used to answer calls or reply to messages, while another example is a clenched fist that could also trigger specific features or menus. Other examples of gestures mentioned include rotating the hand and holding it in a specific position while it's possible that Apple could generate more gestures in the future.

Continue reading: New hand gestures could come to the Apple Watch as this patent shows (full post)

Hopes of a microLED Apple Watch Ultra take another hit as supplier woes continue

Oliver Haslam | Mar 13, 2024 7:00 AM CDT

Apple has long been rumored to want to switch a future Apple Watch Ultra to new microLED display technology but recent reports again suggest that the company might be having issues in finding a supplier for those displays.

Hopes of a microLED Apple Watch Ultra take another hit as supplier woes continue

In a filing with the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission on Monday, a company that produces manufacturing equipment Kulicke & Soffa reported that one of its "strategic customers" has now canceled a project related to the "advanced display" market. While there was no clarification on who the customer is or what the display would be, display analyst Ross Young suggests that this is related to Apple's future Apple Watch Ultra plans.

The project, previously called Project W, the project was thought to be related to a microLED watch and as a result of the cancelation, it's said there will be up to £140 million in surcharges.

Continue reading: Hopes of a microLED Apple Watch Ultra take another hit as supplier woes continue (full post)

Apple may reenable the Apple Watch's blood oxygen sensor via software if its ban is overturned

Oliver Haslam | Mar 13, 2024 6:30 AM CDT

The current Apple Watch situation is a bit of a mess if you are planning on buying one in the United States, and it shows little sign of improving any time soon. But there does appear to be scope for that to happen in the future, according to a new report.

Apple may reenable the Apple Watch's blood oxygen sensor via software if its ban is overturned

As a reminder, the Apple Watch Series 9 and Apple Watch Ultra 2 are currently prohibited from being sold with working blood oxygen sensors as a result of a ruling that confirmed Apple infringed upon a Masimo patent in relation to the technology those wearables use. Apple was forced to disable the feature at the turn of the year, although an appeal has been lodged. Now, it appears that those who buy an Apple Watch with the blood oxygen sensor technology disabled may well be able to get it reenabled at a later date should Apple's appeal be successful.

That's according to an IP Fray report which notes that new documentation has been published which explains exactly how Apple removed the feature from the Apple Watches being sold today. According to that report, Apple disables the blood oxygen sensor at the point when the wearable is paired with an iPhone but after Masimo tested the software lock it found that it was able to bypass it on a jailbroken device. And while not everyone has a jailbroken iPhone, the fact that the software lock could be bypassed suggests that there could be hope for the future.

Continue reading: Apple may reenable the Apple Watch's blood oxygen sensor via software if its ban is overturned (full post)

Experiencing phantom Apple Watch display taps? The watchOS 10.4 update has a fix for that

Oliver Haslam | Mar 8, 2024 9:01 AM CST

Some Apple Watch owners have been complaining of so-called phantom display taps no their Apple Watches for some time now, with people saying that apps have been responding as if they touched the display with their fingers. For those who experienced the issue, the results could be dramatic with calls being placed when they aren't needed, messages sent accidentally, and more. Now, there might be some light at the end of the tunnel for those who have been waiting for Apple to issue a fix.

Experiencing phantom Apple Watch display taps? The watchOS 10.4 update has a fix for that

That fix might be part of the watchOS 10.4 software update that Apple rolled out yesterday with Apple's release notes ecpficially calling out the problem. Apple says that the watchOS 10.4 software update fixes an issue that caused some users to experience what it calls false touches and those suffering with the problem will no doubt hope that Apple is true to its word here.

The watchOS 10.4 software update brings with it a handful of other improvements including a fix for a bug that caused some contacts not to sync to Apple Watches for some users.

Continue reading: Experiencing phantom Apple Watch display taps? The watchOS 10.4 update has a fix for that (full post)

Tesla might finally launch an Apple Watch app if CEO Elon Musk is to be believed

Oliver Haslam | Mar 7, 2024 8:15 AM CST

If you're the owner of a Tesla electric vehicle you know only too well how easy it can be to find yourself locked out when your phone's battery dies. If you have your keycard handy you won't have an issue of course, but if you don't, you're stuck. And that's what happened to one person whose phone died and had to resort to borrowing a phone to call their husband. The husband unlocked the car remotely, but it was enough for the owner to send a message to Tesla CEO Elon Musk on the X social network to ask for a better alternative.

Tesla might finally launch an Apple Watch app if CEO Elon Musk is to be believed

The Tesla owner pondered whether the better option here would be for the Apple Watch to be capable of unlocking a Tesla without the need for a working phone, something that other cars that offer Apple's CarKey feature already do. And while there has so far been no indication that Tesla is working no an Apple Watch app, that might now be changing.

In a reply to the Tesla owner who locked themselves out of their car, Musk simply replied "sure" when asked about potential Apple Watch support.

Continue reading: Tesla might finally launch an Apple Watch app if CEO Elon Musk is to be believed (full post)

Despite rumors, the microLED Apple Watch Ultra might not be dead after all

Oliver Haslam | Mar 4, 2024 1:15 PM CST

Apple has long been rumored to be working on taking the Apple Watch Ultra and adding a new microLED display to the mix, replacing the OLED panel that is currently being used. There were recent claims that Apple had ditched the project, but now it appears these reports might have been a little premature.

Despite rumors, the microLED Apple Watch Ultra might not be dead after all

Now, rather than being canceled, a new report claims that Apple is actually very much hard at work on getting the matter sorted - with some saying that Apple ash multiple internal teams working on microLED projects.

Previously, a report claimed that OSRAM had announced that a "cornerstone project" of its own had been unexpectedly canceled. It was then said that the project was actually one that related to the Apple Watch Ultra but now both DigitTImes and ETNerws say that while Apple may have pulled the plug on plans to use an OSRAM LED chip, that doesn't mean that it's the end of the road.

Continue reading: Despite rumors, the microLED Apple Watch Ultra might not be dead after all (full post)

FDA warns your smartwatch or ring can't measure your blood sugar, no matter what it claims

Oliver Haslam | Feb 22, 2024 5:30 AM CST

If your fancy new smartwatch or ring claims that it can measure your blood glucose levels without piercing your skin, it might be lying to you. Or, at the very least, providing results that shouldn't be used to inform your decisions in terms of medication. That's according to a new FDA safety warning which suggests that such devices might not be quite so smart as they claim.

FDA warns your smartwatch or ring can't measure your blood sugar, no matter what it claims

With smartwatches already hugely popular and smart rings now expected to boom in popularity, there are plenty of eyes on such technology. Oura's smart rings are the best on the market right now and Samsung's Galaxy Ring will be officially unveiled later this year. Apple was also recently tipped to launch its own smart ring sooner or later, and blood glucose monitoring is something that people seem to really need, especially if they're diabetic.

But knowing how much glucose is in the blood normally means pricking a finger, and that isn't something rings can do for obvious reasons. Non-invasive checks are where technology is going, but the FDA isn't convinced. No smartwatch or ring has been cleared by the FDA to do such a thing, but that doesn't mean that they aren't available. Apple is thought to be trying to make blood glucose monitoring a feature of future Apple Watches, but it hasn't done so to date.

Continue reading: FDA warns your smartwatch or ring can't measure your blood sugar, no matter what it claims (full post)

Apple is working on its own entry into the smart ring market, report claims

Oliver Haslam | Feb 20, 2024 1:00 PM CST

The Apple Watch is currently the only wearable that Apple makes, and while it also happens to be the world's most popular smartwatch that isn't where Apple intends to stop. With talk of the global smart ring market exploding in the coming years, a new report claims that Apple is ready to get involved with its own entry - the wearable that we'll all call the Apple Ring until told otherwise.

Apple is working on its own entry into the smart ring market, report claims

The Apple Ring will likely go up against competing products from the current market leader, Oura, as well as Samsung and others. Samsung teased the Galaxy Ring last month and is set to officially unveil it later this year. Now, an ET News report claims that Apple is set to join the fold and has already been applying for patents that relate to such a device.

Citing Business Research Insight, the ET News report claims that the smart ring market is set to increase from $20 million last year to a huge $197 million by 2031. With such a figure in mind, it's perhaps unsurprising that Apple is eyeing a slice of the pie.

Continue reading: Apple is working on its own entry into the smart ring market, report claims (full post)

Apple Watch 'ghost touches' are plaguing Series 9 and Ultra 2 owners

Oliver Haslam | Feb 12, 2024 12:15 PM CST

If you're the proud owner of an Apple Series Series 9 or Apple Watch Ultra 2 and have found that your smartwatch has been doing strange things, you apparently aren't alone. In fact, the issue is so widespread that Apple is aware of it and is already investigating what's happening and how it can go about fixing things.

Apple Watch 'ghost touches' are plaguing Series 9 and Ultra 2 owners

The issue, MacRumors reports, is that some of the very latest Apple Watches are suffering a touch-related issue that causes some models to recognize touches on their display even though nobody has actually touched them. The result is "ghost touches" that cause apps to misbehave.

The MacRumors report cites an internal memo shared with Apple Authorized Service Providers this week that says some users are reporting that Apple Watch Series 9 and Apple Watch Ultra 2 models are causing issues. The Apple memo says that this can cause some APple Watch models to jump around erratically or just behave in an unexpected manner. Examples of issues experienced include some Apple Watches placing calls unexpectedly or users being unable to correctly enter their passcode because the watch's display misinterprets real taps.

Continue reading: Apple Watch 'ghost touches' are plaguing Series 9 and Ultra 2 owners (full post)