Wearable Computing & Fashion - Page 14

Around six percent of adults in the United States plan on purchasing the Apple Watch smartwatch, a recent Reuters/Ipsos poll found.

A specific breakdown found that nine percent of men and less than four percent of women find the Apple Watch interesting - indicating Apple could sell around 15 million units, assuming survey respondents actually follow through.

Tech industry analysts previously provided a great number of estimates, ranging from 10 million up to 32 million units sold in 2015 alone.

The Apple Watch has drawn intense media attention and interest from consumers, but people not interested in spending $349 - or more - have plenty of alternatives they can choose from. The overall smartwatch market is still extremely small, but with a growing number of vendors stepping up to release products, there is great hope that consumers will begin adopting wearables in the future.

"Apple (has) left room for the competition with their fairly high price," said Nick Spencer, senior practice director of ABI Research, in a statement published by CNBC. "I think this enables the consumer scenario of, Apple has launched a smartwatch, therefore I need one, but don't want to pay $349, so I'll buy a (cheaper) Android watch instead."

There were more than 5 million smartwatches shipped in 2014, with Samsung selling 2.15 million units - and no other competitor selling more than 1 million - and those numbers are expected to accelerate in 2015. The launch of the Apple Watch, however, has brought new attention to the smartwatch market, and could help bring even more attention to the market.

A few technology journalists have gotten some wrist-on time with the Apple Watch, throwing out their reviews on Apple's first wearable: Watch. It looks like most say it's the best smartwatch out there, but it's not all sunshine and rainbows for Watch.

The New York Times has said "unlike previous breakthrough Apple products, the Watch's software requires a learning curve that may deter some people. There's a good chance it will not work perfectly for most consumers right out of the box, because it is best after you fiddle with various software settings to personalize use. Indeed, to a degree unusual for a new Apple device, the Watch is not suited for tech novices".

The Verge was more than happy with Apple Watch, with a snippet of their review teasing: "There's no question that the Apple Watch is the most capable smartwatch available today. It is one of the most ambitious products I've ever seen; it wants to do and change so much about how we interact with technology. But that ambition robs it of focus: it can do tiny bits of everything, instead of a few things extraordinarily well. For all of its technological marvel, the Apple Watch is still a smartwatch, and it's not clear that anyone's yet figured out what smartwatches are actually for".

After you've shelled out $10,000 for the 18-karat gold Apple Watch Edition, you'll want to have some high-end protection for it, right? Be prepared to spend another $999 for the AppleCare+ protection on that $10,000 smartwatch.

The AppleCare+ protection for the Apple Watch Edition will add another year to the two-year technical support you'll receive, and accidental damage cover for up to two incidents. We don't know how much Apple will charge for repairs to Watch under their AppleCare+ plan, but if it's anything like the accidental damage claims with the iPhone, it should be around $79 or so.

Piper Jaffray analyst Gene Munster has said in his recent research note that Apple Watch sales in the opening weekend should reach over one million units.

These one million future Watch owners include all preorders and launch sales, but it doesn't include walk-in customers, so this number could be much higher. Munster's numbers are coming in from his prediction of loyal customers who are keen to get their hands on Watch from their orders on April 10. He also expects Apple to sell around 300,000 units in the first 24 hours, which will be an 8% attach rate on iPhone 6 and iPhone 6 Plus preorders.

Munster believes that Apple will sell 8 million units over the entire year, which will have Apple secure $4.4 billion or so in revenue. We should expect units to reach 40-50 million by 2017, which will account for around 10% of Apple's projected revenue for the year. This would mean that 8-10% of iPhone users will be wearing a Watch in the future.

Alcatel is honoring its effort to announce a product at CES and make sure it gets to consumers quickly, as the Onetouch Watch is now available for pre-order. The wearable officially goes on sale April 30, and will be available for just $149.99.

The device, supported by Google Android and Apple iOS, will allow for users to track their steps, calories, sleep metrics, and heart rate tracking. Some basic phone functions will also be included when the watch is paired to a smartphone.

There seems to be optimism among wearable manufacturers for the upcoming Apple Watch launch. It will help draw attention to smartwatches, with plenty of competing products available. Alcatel hopes to cater to interested consumers with a cheaper product than the Apple Watch.

When dropping $10,000 for Apple's first wearable, you'd want to feel special, wouldn't you? Well, Apple is explaining its Apple Watch Edition to its employees with high praise.

The company explains that the Apple Watch Edition is "the ultimate expression of extraordinary craftsmanship, incredible innovation, and design driven by functionality and end use... technology becoming seductive, with desirability not necessarily defined simply by a price tag or elitism, but rather meticulous focus on usefulness and utility rooted in beauty".

Anyone who purchases the Apple Watch Edition will secure themselves longer, private appointments - where you can have your own try-on table separate from those peasant Apple Watch and Apple Watch Sport wearables, where the purchasing process can last up to one hour. This try-on station will include a pair of stools for you too, with a nice try-on mat "like ones found in jewelry stores". The list goes on, and we're not even joking. Spending $10,000 will get you:

The US Food and Drug Administration (FDA) has largely been hands-off in regards to regulation of the upcoming Apple Watch smartwatch wearable.

Silicon Valley companies are interested in providing wearables and other technology that encroaches on health care - and the FDA is offering feedback when appropriate. However, Apple Watch and other solutions are still in their infancy, so the FDA won't need to intervene in the immediate future.

"We are taking a very light touch, an almost hands-off approach," said Bakul Patel, associate director for digital health at the FDA, while speaking with Bloomberg Business. "If you have technology that's going to motivate a person to stay healthy, that's not something we want to be engaged in."

UNICEF wants kids to be more active and healthier, and has launched its Kid Power program to promote healthy lifestyles for children in the United States. The program is currently underway in Boston, New York City and Dallas, and will be expanded to additional cities in 2016.

As part of the program, each child tracks his or her steps using a wearable, and when 12,000 steps in one day has been hit, UNICEF donates a nutrition pack. UNICEF also wants to educate American children about malnutrition and how it impacts children in other parts of the world.

"One in four American kids is underactive - they're little couch potatoes," said Caryl Stern, US Fund for UNICEF. "And one in four children around the world has some level of malnourishment, and so we are trying to get the kids who are underactive healthy and active."

The LG G Watch Urbane is one of the slickest wearables unveiled in the last couple of months, but the new LTE-powered version of the watch will soon be made available, with a huge $590 cost.

It might not be as much as what Apple is asking for its Watch, and the $10,000 Watch, but it's quite expensive compared to Pebble Time at $179, Motorola's Moto 360 for $249, and Apple's Watch starting at $349. The G Watch Urbane is powered by Qualcomm's Snapdragon 400 clocked at 1.2GHz, 512MB of RAM, and 4GB of internal storage. There'll also be LTE connectivity in the LTE-powered version, which will allow wearers to make and receive phone calls without having to tether to their smartphone.

The fitness and healthcare sectors will help drive the wearables market into an estimated $2 billion market by 2019, according to Juniper Research, but questions remain.

There is great potential for doctors and medical patients embracing wearable devices able to consistently monitor physical data - but privacy concerns and unstable regulation must be addressed. Medical devices have mandated standards they must follow while collecting and storing data, though wearables don't currently follow the same standards.

In its "Smart Wireless Devices: CE, Enterprise, Fitness, Healthcare, Patients, 2015-2019", Juniper Research also found a use for smart glasses and other wearables in the workplace.

Wearable manufacturers can pitch their products to a wide possible customer base, but attracting athletes could be of major focus in the future.

Many endurance athletes already rely on heart rate monitors and GPS units, but companies hope devices that are able to track additional metrics, such as skin temperature and respiration, are appealing. The hardware is important, but companies must create appealing partnerships so that all collected data can be easily observed by active consumers.

Instead of trying to create a product to compete with trusted GPS units, wearable manufacturers may try to make clothing, shoes, sunglasses, and other athletic gear smarter.

Intel is currently undergoing its largest push into the mobile market, learning from previous mistakes after missing the first major smartphone wave a few years ago. The company has endured dropping sales of PCs and laptops, as more consumers and business workers embrace mobile - so this is an important effort for the Silicon Valley giant.

"They're determined not to miss the next big thing," said Mark Hung, analyst at Gartner. As such, Intel's Q1 revenue estimate lost almost $1 billion because of slowing PC sales, but merged its mobile and PC businesses into one computing business.

"It helps when your other businesses are performing well," said Andy Bryant, Intel board Chairman, in a statement to investors late last year. "When things are going well it gives you the time and the resolve to make the changes you need to make in other parks of your business."

The wearable electronics market is booming, and some consumers and doctors are wondering what type of health impact these products could have on owners.

Considering the Apple Watch - which is expected to quickly propel the wearables market - isn't even out yet, and there has been no research into possible health-related issues, this is more of a general concern than outright risk.

"The radiation really comes from the 3G connection on a cell phone, so devices like the Jawbone Up and Apple Watch should be okay," said Dr. Joseph Mercola, alternative medicine specialist, in a statement to the New York Times. "But if you're buying a watch with a cellular chip built in, then you've got a cell phone attached to your wrist."

Fitness wearables and smartwatches might be popular among consumers, but show true potential in the health industry. The collected data could be easily passed from consumer directly to his or her medical professional, offering a more detailed look into daily physical activity.

There are concerns related to privacy and data security, especially when it comes to personal medical information, though Fitbit - and other manufacturers - are keen to work with the FDA to approve regulation.

"I think right now everyone is focused on pure consumer benefits and motivating people to change their behavior," said James Park, CEO of Fitbit, in an interview with TIME. "I think there'll be a next big leap in benefits once we tie into more detailed clinical research and cross hurdles and dialogue with the FDA about what we can do for consumers and what's regulated or not."

The Apple Watch has gained a lot of attention from consumers, and around 40 percent of adult US Apple iPhone owners are interested in possibly purchasing the device, according to a poll by Reuters/Ipsos.

A previous Reuters/Ipsos survey found that 69 percent of American consumers aren't actually in a big rush to purchase the Apple Watch - but Apple hopes its first new product in years will be popular among iPhone owners.

There are more than 100 million iPhone owners in the United States, and almost 500 million across the world, so there is a huge base of potential customers.

The Apple Watch may have garnered significant attention ahead of launch, but 69 percent of Americans don't have an interest in actually buying one, according to a recent Reuters/Ipsos survey. Consumers will be able to purchase an Apple Watch starting on April 24.

Not surprisingly, the Apple Watch requires an iPhone to utilize all functionality, and 13 percent of survey respondents said they would think about purchasing the smartphone so they can use the watch. The product's launch is a major test for Apple CEO Tim Cook, as this is the first new product from Apple in more than five years.

Even if the majority of American consumers don't have a high interest in the Apple Watch, investors are expecting the long-awaited wearable to be a financial success. Unfortunately for Apple, 52 percent of consumers believe smartwatches are just a "passing fad."

Apple has provided the most details yet on its Watch, something that will begin hitting wrists across the world on April 24. We now know that there will be the regular Watch, the Watch Sport, and the Apple Watch Edition.

The Apple Watch Sport starts at $349 in its smallest 38mm size, and $399 for the 42mm with both being available in silver or space gray. The "regular" Watch has a stainless steel casing, with its price ranging from $549 up to $1049 for the 38mm version, while the 42mm ranges from $599 to $1099. Then we have the Apple Watch Edition, with its casing made from 18-karat solid gold, starting at $10,000.

The Apple Watch will have Apple Pay baked into it, where you can double-tap on the side button to bring up Apple Pay. "Taptic" feedback is also here, which will come into play once a transaction is complete. No authentication is needed with your iPhone, as it is all done on Watch. Notifications will also pop up on Watch, with every notification from your iPhone hitting your wrist.

MWC 2015 - Security software maker AVG has shown off a pair of concept glasses at Mobile World Congress in Barcelona that can get around even the most advanced facial recognition technology.

In the image above, Facebook's facial recognition technology can detect a face on the left, but when the infrared LEDs are switched on, it cannot detect a face at all. The infrared LEDs are positioned around the nose and eyes, which emit light at wavelengths that are invisible to the human eye, but to camera sensors, they are very bright and disruptive.

Better yet, the glasses have a retro-reflective material on their rim, something that bounces light back to where it came from. If a wearer of these glasses from AVG is hit with flash photography, the retro-reflective material will bounce back most of that light into the camera's sensor. This is purely a proof of concept right now, but it's an interesting thing for AVG to be showing off at MWC 2015.

MWC 2015 - The wearables game is heating up with Mobile World Congress now kicking off, with Acer announcing its next-gen Smart activeband products, starting with the new Liquid Leap+.

Acer's new Liquid Leap+ supports multiple operating systems, with Android, iOS and Windows being supported. We have a 1-inch OLED touchscreen that gets slapped onto your wrist, with the wristband coming in many different colors giving you some personalization. The Liquid Leap+ tracks users' steps, running distance, and calories burned.

The Liquid Leap+ is a wearable that can be worn day and night thanks to its waterproof certification (rated IPX7). Music controls are also provided, where you can play, pause, previous, and next song through your favorite tunes. The Acer Liquid Leap+ is powered by Bluetooth 4.0 LE, and uses Acer Leap Manager to communicate between your Liquid Leap+ and iOS, Android and Windows.