Wearables responsible for consumer privacy gaps, says HHS report

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A new report released by the US Department of Health and Human Services argues that the ubiquitous nature of health apps and wearable technologies has led to gaps in consumer privacy, which are regulated by the watershed Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act (HIPAA).

The report said: “New types of entities that collect, share, and use health information are not regulated by HIPAA. Health information is increasingly collected, shared, or used by new types of...

By Wearable Tech, 21 July 2016, 0 comments. Categories: Applications, Privacy, Security, Smartwatches.

IDTechEx projects hype "shift" in $30bn wearables market

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Though the hype surrounding some of the core wearable technology sectors is declining, an IDTechEx report argues that the market will be worth over $30 billion in 2016, with over $11 billion of the total generated by newly popular products including smartwatches and fitness trackers.

The value of the market is expected to rise to over $150 billion by 2026 and IDTechEx anticipates disruption, commoditisation and rapid evolution of product form factors.

Companies are now beginning to look...

By Wearable Tech, 12 July 2016, 0 comments. Categories: Applications, Research, Virtual Reality.

Narrative brings about “company reorganisation”, aims to quell financial worries

Picture credit: Narrative

The Swedish wearable camera manufacturer Hardware has announced the initiation of a ‘company reorganisation’ in order to restructure its business amid financial difficulties.

The move, under the Business Reorganisation Act in Swedish law, enables companies to ‘restructure [with] a viable business but…facing a risk of temporary financial difficulties’, in the words of a press release.

The company manufactures the Narrative Clip 2, which as the name...

By James Bourne, 07 July 2016, 0 comments. Categories: Applications, Clothing & Textiles, Ecosystems, Trackers.

How the wearable computing market could disrupt a plethora of industries

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Technological advances in the growing wearable computing market are bolstering growth rates in both consumer and non-consumer markets. This is in sharp contrast to how the scenario was before the present, when wearables were a fringe market of curious devices that were bulky, unaesthetic and impractical for consumer applications.

BCC Research projects that the global market for wearable computing products will exceed $171.2 billion in 2021, on a five-year compound annual growth rate of...

By Wearable Tech, 01 July 2016, 0 comments. Categories: Applications, Data & Analytics, Enterprise.

Omate’s third birthday: Why three years in wearable tech is a lifetime – and what’s next

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It’s been an amazing journey so far, and I’m so grateful to be a part of it. This milestone allows me to reset our SWOT analysis and share the overall strategy for the year to come with the team and I am glad to give you a glimpse at it here.

Three years ago, wearable tech was in its infancy. The whole industry has evolved a lot in just a few years – and I shared that evolution

By Laurent Le Pen, 01 July 2016, 0 comments. Categories: Analysis, Applications, Case Studies, Ecosystems, Fashion.

A guide to meeting key functional requirements for successful wearable designs

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By Ariel Lasry, member of the MIPI Alliance Board of Directors and chief engineer, Toshiba Electronics Europe, with contributions from Peter Lefkin, managing director of the MIPI Alliance

Wearables are opening up imaginative opportunities for product innovation. The market is new, different and exciting, but it will be extremely competitive and pose new challenges for product designers who must integrate very specific functionalities and performance capabilities into...

By Ariel Lasry, 07 March 2016, 0 comments. Categories: Applications, Developers.

Can wearable technology unlock the marketing personalisation puzzle?

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With the innovation of wearable technology facilitating the collection of in-depth personal data such as calorie intake, heart rate, exercise levels and location, now is the time for businesses to analyse how this data can be utilised in the creation of more sophisticated and personalised marketing strategies.

First and foremost, marketers should focus on the potential of wearable technology in creating ‘hyper-convenience’ for the consumer. Streamlining the customer journey...

By Andy Eaton, 12 February 2016, 0 comments. Categories: Applications, Payments, Smartwatches.

Enterprise applications to drive growth for augmented reality and wearable devices

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Though augmented reality (AR) and wearable devices have caused a stir in consumer technology, a new report from Beecham Research argues that enterprise applications will be the major driver of growth in these segments.

Manufacturing, logistics, healthcare and retail have been identified as some of the most dynamic markets, where AR offers novel, hands-free interaction along with more control and access to information.

The report details market activity and consolidation and lists recent...

By Wearable Tech, 21 January 2016, 0 comments. Categories: Applications, Virtual Reality, Workplace.

Voice control your Volvo using the Microsoft Band 2

(Image Credit: Volvo)

Microsoft and Volvo have been keeping busy in the connected car space, and have announced their work together on a system which allows for the control of your Volvo car using the Microsoft Band 2 wearable. In fact, going by CES this year, the whole technology industry has been looking for however they can get their name in this rapidly-growing space. 

Klas Bendrik, Senior Vice President and Group Chief Information Officer at Volvo Car Group, says: “When...

By Ryan Daws, 05 January 2016, 0 comments. Categories: Applications, Apps, Devices, Home Automation, IoT, Smartwatches.

Creative problem solving in the wearable application development process

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As the hub surrounding wearable technology and the Internet of Things (IoT) reaches a high point before the holiday season, reviews of the devices, including Apple Watch, Android Wear, Fitbit, Samsung Gear, and Google Glass, proliferate. But what do we know about the process of developing software for these wearable devices?

Our analysis spoke with 15 business leaders with experience designing and developing for wearables as first movers. The conversations revealed insights into the

By Sarah Patrick, 04 December 2015, 0 comments. Categories: Analysis, Applications, Developers.