Samsung, Huawei, HTC Show Off Smartwatches At CES
The smartwatch field just got a bit more crowded, with new devices from Samsung, Huawei, HTC, Fitbit, and Casio. The companies showed off their latest gear at CES 2016.
LAS VEGAS -- This year's CES heralded the arrival of a bevy of new smartwatches and fitness bands from longtime industry titans and new players alike. While incumbents Samsung and Huawei put a fresh coat of paint on their devices, Casio and Fitbit jumped into the game with advanced hardware for active people.
Wearables have continued to increase in popularity, as worldwide shipments of the devices reached 21 million units in the third quarter last year, according to according to IDC numbers. That amount represents a 197.6% increase from the 7.1 million units shipped during the third quarter of 2014.
The market is expected to continue the fast-paced growth. IDC predicts that makers of wearable devices will ship 111 million units by the end of 2016, and that number will nearly double in 2019 -- with smartwatch sales driving that growth.
[See Hot Tech Trends To Watch In 2016.]
Smartwatch shipments will push to 34.3 million during 2016, says IDC, as the popularity of fitness bands starts to fade.
Even so, smartwatch makers will need to do more to convince consumers they are worth the $300 to $400 price tags by expanding the feature set beyond the role of smart notification manager. That is what several vendors aimed to do at CES.
Take a look the latest wearable offerings on display at CES from Samsung, Huawei, Casio, HTC, and Fitbit.
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Samsung surprised everyone during its press conference here in Las Vegas when it announced plans to make the Gear S2 compatible with iOS. When Samsung first launched its line of smartwatches in 2013 the devices were compatible only with Samsung's own smartphones. Later Samsung allowed all Android handsets to connect with its smartwatches. The Gear S2 runs Samsung's Tizen platform, not Android Wear. Samsung will have to create a dedicated iOS app for the iPhone in order to make the two work together. Samsung didn't say if all the Gear S2's features will be supported on the iPhone.
Samsung also added two new color options to the Gear S2 line. Beginning next month, the wearable will be available in rose gold and platinum. Samsung hasn't settled on price points for the precious metal wearables.
Huawei's new wearables, based on the Huawei Watch it released last year, target women. The new watches take a new approach, with custom designs from Swarovski. The "Elegant" is an "understated" model, while the "Jewel" brings the bling. Each contains rose gold plating, but the Jewel is encrusted with stones. The new smartwatches run Android Wear and are compatible with Android and iOS smartphones. The Elegant and Jewel cost $499 and $599, respectively.
Casio's entry into the smartwatch market came as a bit of a shock. The WSD-F10 borrows from Casio's heritage of rugged, G-Shock outdoor watches. It relies on Google's Android Wear platform. The device is waterproof to 50 meters and carriers a mil-spec 810G rating for protection from shock, vibration, temperature extremes, humidity, salt fog, and so on. The screen measures 1.3 inches. It can operate in two modes: Standard mode runs the screen in full color and offers full access to the apps and tools. A power-saving mode drops the screen into a monochrome state that will only show the clock. This mode can deliver days of battery life if needed.
Casio crammed a bunch of sensors inside, including an accelerometer, a compass, and air pressure sensors for measuring elevation. Several fitness apps are included from partners ViewRanger, MyRadar, and RunKeeper. The WSD-F10 goes on sale during the first quarter for $499.
HTC partnered up with Under Armour to create a whole package of gear for fitness freaks. The UA Band is a simple fitness band that connects to the UA app and health/fitness platform. The Band is joined by a smart, WiFi-equipped scale. Together, the band, scale, and app can intelligently monitor weight and overall health. Of note, the app lets people express how they feel throughout the day, which is then fed into the overall picture for analysis. Separately, the Band is $180 and the scale is $180. The pair are joined by a simple heart rate monitor and can be bundled together in the $400 Health Box. The kit goes on sale later this year.
Fitbit charged into the smarter wearable space with the Blaze, a watch and fitness band merged into on. The Fitbit Blaze has a color touch screen and can measure steps, heart rate, and other workouts. GPS helps track those runs and bike rides. Step-by-step instructions act like a workout partner. It's smarter than Fitbit's other wearables because it can manage incoming calls and messages, and can be used to control music on your smartphone. The wearable will be available with a number of bands so people can personalize the experience a bit. It costs $199.95 and will go on sale later this year.
Fitbit charged into the smarter wearable space with the Blaze, a watch and fitness band merged into on. The Fitbit Blaze has a color touch screen and can measure steps, heart rate, and other workouts. GPS helps track those runs and bike rides. Step-by-step instructions act like a workout partner. It's smarter than Fitbit's other wearables because it can manage incoming calls and messages, and can be used to control music on your smartphone. The wearable will be available with a number of bands so people can personalize the experience a bit. It costs $199.95 and will go on sale later this year.
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