This week’s Smart Health roundup features the dirty little secret of the wearable tech market, an online store dedicated to wearable tech, and an effort to boost the wearable tech sector.
Wearable tech’s dirty little secret
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At the Hong Kong Electronics Fair, ConnectedDevice CEO Henri-Nicholas Olivier shared the dirty little secret of the wearable tech market: people aren’t keeping their wearable devices. In a whitepaper by Endeavor Partners it was revealed that one in ten Americans aged over 18 own a form of wearable tech, but about half of them stop using these devices within three months.
Olivier stated that one reason for abandonment is the need to charge these devices almost on a daily basis. “Each time a user has to charge a device,” Olivier noted in his presentation, “it’s an occasion to stop using the device.”
This is something Endeavor Partners has addressed with its Cogito line of smartwatches. The Cogito smartwatch looks like any other stylish, analog watch but it connects to an Android or iOS smartphone. From there users can receive and manage notifications discreetly, without having to pull out their phone.
You can’t use this smartwatch to send text messages, answer calls or browse the Internet, but you can use it as a remote to play your favorite music on your iPhone or to capture selfie moments on your smartphone without having to extend your arm at an awkward angle and distance.
Olivier explains that the purpose of Cogito is to complement smartphones, not replace them, as well as to reduce the amount of time people spend looking at their mobile screens. As for its battery life, it runs up to one year using a standard button cell battery, which means no more worrying about not being able to use your smartwatch because you forgot to plug it in before going to bed.
Cogito comes in two styles: Classic, which was designed by award-winning French designer Xavier Houy, and Pop which is directed at the younger, fashionable, and upbeat generation. Classic is available for $179.95 while Pop is available for $129.95.
Amazon’s Wearable Tech Marketplace
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If you’re looking for a wearable device but not sure what you want, Amazon has launched the solution for curious shoppers – Amazon Wearable Technology.
Amazon Wearable Technology is an online portal dedicated to fitness trackers, healthcare devices, smartwatches, and lifelogging tools that can be worn by individuals to stay on top of things, keep track of important matters, or simply capture special moments. It features products from known brands such as Samsung and FitBit, a Learning Center where shoppers can read buying guides or watch video tutorials and reviews about specific products, and an Editor’s Corner which features news, reviews, announcements and more from the wearable tech industry.
This is good news for consumers as it provides the means to learn more about wearable technology, but this is also an opportunity for companies that craft wearable gadgets. Manufacturers can gain insight into consumers’ desires, and benefit from a widespread marketplace to sell products.
Cambridge Consultants’ Satimo Stargate 64
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Wearable tech is an exciting sector for gadget lovers, but what happens when these new-fangled devices don’t work properly? To help developers and manufacturers get the best products to consumers, Cambridge Consultants, a global product development and technology consultancy firm, will be investing in a kit called the Satimo Stargate 64 to improve device connectivity.
Wearable devices are equipped with miniature radio antenna in order to connect with a user’s smartphone. The problem is that this connection can easily be inhibited resulting in an unreliable connection, giving users one more reason to dump their device.
The Satimo Stargate 64 is described as an anechoic or echo-free test facility, equipped with 64 test antennas to quickly analyze the connection reliability of wearable devices.
“Wearable device antennas of the future might be within the strap of a watch or the lace of a shoe and require accurate testing to most effectively connect with smartphones,” said Tim Fowler, head of wireless at Cambridge Consultants. “This new test facility allows us to quickly analyze and improve the performance of devices.”
feature image via Cognito