Research shows the adoption of wearable fitness tracker technology depends on the cost and awareness of users of their health benefits.
Wearables
US Army Funds Wearable That Could Treat Sleep Disorders in Real Time
The U.S. Army is funding a special skullcap that aims to analyze how the brain disposes of waste during sleep. Eventually, the goal is for the device to treat sleep disorders for soldiers in real time.
The $2.8 million award issued through the Medical Technology Enterprise Consortium is for the first year of what the research team anticipates will be a multiyear grant from the U.S. Army. The primary goal is to noninvasively measure and modulate the flow of cerebrospinal fluid as it circulates through the brain and clears waste.
I can’t resist linking to Galactic Cowboys.
There’s Lots For Apple Watchers to be Excited About
Following Apple’s latest blockbuster quarter, there’s lots for fans of the company to be excited about according to Dan Moren. He explained what he’s looking forward to in his latest MacWorld column – wearables, to name but one.
There’s nothing that Apple watchers want to know more than what the next big product coming out of Cupertino might be. They scrutinize supply chains, try to draw information out of company contacts, and, of course, closely pore over every public statement by Apple. When it comes to Apple’s financial calls, one key phrase that often signals what areas Apple might be interested in is “very excited.” If you were listening during last week’s financial call, you would hear that exact phrase uttered by Apple CFO Luca Maestri in relation to precisely one product category: Wearables.
Apple’s Wearables Business Equal to Fortune 120 Company Macy’s
During Apple’s earnings call on Wednesday, CFO Luca Maestri mentioned that Apple’s wearables business is now worth that of a Fortune 120 company.
Apple Wearables Jumped to $5.53 Billion in Q3 2019
Apple’s category for “Wearables, Home, and Accessories” jumped to US$5.5.3 billion in Q3 2019, an increase from US$3.73 billion in Q3 2018.
Apple Sold 10.4M Apple Watches in 4Q18
Apple sold 10.4 million Apple Watches in quarter 4 of 2018 (4Q18). The Series 4 remains a strong seller and should remain the market leader as more healthcare organizations utilize the device.
The worldwide market for wearable devices grew 31.4% during the fourth quarter of 2018 (4Q18), reaching a new high of 59.3 million units according to data from the International Data Corporation (IDC) Worldwide Quarterly Wearable Device Tracker.
Apple has the number one spot in a list of five companies. Other companies include Xiaomi #2, Huawei #3, Fitbit #4, and Samsung #5.
Nike Launches Line of Self-Adjusting Basketball Shoes
Nike launched a line of self-adjusting basketball shoes that you can control with your iPhone. They’re based on the company’s FitAdapt technology.
When a player steps into the Nike Adapt BB, a custom motor and gear train senses the tension needed by the foot and adjusts accordingly to keep the foot snug. The tensile strength of the underfoot lacing is able to pull 32 pounds of force (roughly equal to that of a standard parachute cord) to secure the foot throughout a range of movement.
These basketball shoes look slick.
Black Friday Season, Wearable UV Sensors – TMO Daily Observations 2018-11-14
Host Kelly Guimont talks to Andrew Orr and Dave Hamilton about Black Friday (which is now a season) and a new wearable UV sensor.
Apple Store to Sell New L'Oréal UV Sensor
It works with an app to measure the wearer’s exposure to UV radiation.
Stanford Reveals Details Behind Apple Heart Study
The latest details of the Apple Heart Study have been revealed by Apple and Stanford University.
Apple's Wearables Revenue Up 60% in Q3 2018
Apple’s wearables business, which includes Apple Watch, AirPods, and Beats headphones, is rising quickly with a 60% revenue increase year over year.
CES - Healbe GoBe 2, a Wearable That Tracks Caloric Intake, Calories Burned, Hydration Levels
CES – Healbe demonstrated GoBe 2, the company’s wearable it claims can track caloric intake, calories burned, and hydration levels, all non-invasively. It uses five activity and stress sensors, with all data sent securely to the GoBe 2 app for iOS or Android. The company is also developing a portal that will allow users to send data to “trusted nutritionists/wellness coaches,” though Healbe didn’t elaborate. GoBe 2 is water resistant in fresh water, but not salt water, and it works up to 48 hours on a charge. GoBe 2 is priced at US$199, with additional strap color options available at $19 each. It’s available now.
Wearable Market Breakdown, Harry Potter AR, iPhone X Camera - ACM 437
Bryan and Jeff argue that the wearables market is breaking down into three competitors, Apple, Xiaomi, and Fitbit. All others are lolwannabes. They also think Harry Potter Wizards Unite will be way bigger than Pokémon Go, and talk about just how good the camera is on iPhone X.
Apple Watch Shipments Top 30 Million
Apple’s total Apple Watch shipments since the smart watch was first introduced in 2015 have topped 30 million units, according to Strategy Analytics.
Apple's Augmented Reality Glasses - TMO Daily Observations 2017-06-27
John Martellaro and Jeff Butts join Jeff Gamet take a look at Apple’s SensoMotoric purchase, augmented reality, wearable tech, and AR glasses.
Apple Dethrones Fitbit as the Top Wearables Maker
Apple has taken over Fitbit’s position as the top wearables maker for the first quarter of 2017. Wearable device shipments are on the rise, as are Apple’s sales, but Fitbit’s numbers are declining and the company laid off over 100 employees earlier this year.
Apple has a Secret Team Designing Diabetes Monitoring Sensors
Apple has a secret team working on non-invasive sensors to track blood glucose levels for diabetes patients. If the iPhone and Apple Watch maker is successful, it won’t be necessary to pierce the skin to get accurate blood sugar readings any more—something no other company has been able to figure out.
Pebble Update Lets Watches Work After Servers Shut Down
Pebble smartwatch owners got a welcome iPhone app update this week that removes the dependency on the company’s cloud servers for firmware updates and app installation. The update addresses a concern users and developers have had ever since Fitbit bought Pebble last year.
Jawbone Bails Out of Consumer Fitness Tracker Market
Apple and Fitbit are about to lose a competitor because Jawbone is ready to shut down its consumer fitness tracker business. The company is shifting to devices for health care providers.
CES 2017 Wrap Up - TMO Daily Observations 2017-01-09
With CES 2017 behind us, Bryan Chaffin and John Martellaro join Jeff Gamet to talk about what stood out for them. They look at health and fitness, televisions, and more.
CES 2017 Expectations and Predictions- TMO Daily Observations 2017-01-03
CES 2017 is kicking off, so today Kelly Guimont joins Jeff Gamet talk about what they expect to be the big product categories at this year’s events. Be sure to follow along all week for The Mac Observer’s on-location coverage.
Apple Watch Sales Decline 71% in Third Quarter Thanks to Late Series 2 Intro
The mid-September launch of Apple Watch Series 2 wasn’t in time to help the company’s third quarter sales figures. A new report from IDC claims that Apple Watch sales fell sharply year-over-year, while cheaper wearables from companies like Fitbit surged.