Wearable technology has become ubiquitous over the past couple of years, and 2016 will only see that trend expanding. This year promises to be exciting, with upgrades to existing wearables as well as newfangled technology. Listed here are a few that you might want to keep an eye out for.
Apple Watch 2
The first Apple Watch is probably the most common smartwatch out there. If you don’t already have one clasped around your wrist, then you’ll at least have seen one (unless you’ve been living under a rock). While it was an aesthetically pleasing design, its functions were found to be rather underwhelming (functions had to be reduced due to battery life). Rumours suggest that with the Apple Watch 2, the tech giants are more likely to add functions to the watch while ensuring it has enough juice to run for a day rather than switching to a completely new battery. Others suggest Apple might include a FaceTime camera with this upgrade. While this is hopeful, it is not very likely.
Release Date: Many sources point to March, but it may very well be June (alongside iOS 10) or September (with the iPhone 7 and iPhone 7 Plus).
Moverio BT-300 smart glasses
Admittedly, smart glasses are by no means new technology. The Google Glass is better known in this regard. However, with the Moverio BT-300, Epson has made strides in the Augmented Reality (AR) function of its Smart Glasses. To spare you from the technical jargon, here’re a few cool features about the BT-300:
Remote assistance (remotely seeing through the eyes of someone else)
First Person View (FPV) for Quadcopter piloting
In-line video entertainment
Here’s a video that’ll give you a clearer picture on what these smart glasses are capable of:
Release Date: Available for Pre-Order but will probably only ship close to October
Sony Xperia Ear
Yes, wearable technology for your ears may not seem very impressive, but can your Bluetooth headset provide you with traffic updates, weather updates, or even read the news to you? It may sound too good to be true but this is what Sony is claiming the Xperia Ear, which could probably have used a better name, is capable of- all that and then some. With the help of an app on your phone, it will also be able to provide you with appointment reminders and read out social media posts. The Xperia Ear can also be configured to perform various functions when picked up, such as answering a phone call if you put it in your ear when your phone rings.
Release Date: You can register your interest now but it will probably only be available in summer 2016