Wearable technology in 2016

Wearable “smart” devices has started gaining more traction into 2016. 2015 saw the unveiling of the Apple Watch, a first-generation smart watch, but more smart watches and similar wearable devices should start emerging this year. Such devices will change the landscape of local marketing, and will do more to blur the lines between “online” marketing and “real” marketing. 

Let's have a look at few booming wearable technology: 

1. Smartwatches untethered

As smartwatches mature, the need for a constant digital umbilical chord to a smartphone starts to feel a little antiquated. The great separation is already underway with Android Wear and the Samsung Gear S2 both supporting e-SIMs, which tap into your pre-existing cell network at no extra cost. While the first untethered Android Wear device, the LG Watch Urbane Second Edition has been cancelled, we'd bet that every smartwatch brand with have an LTE version by the end of 2016.

2. Mind reading tech

Wearables have more or less bested the body, now it's time for them to master our minds. There have been only tentative steps with the likes of Thync and Musebut, with an interesting bunch of crowdfunded brain training start-ups ready to ship in 2016, it's going to be a fascinating time as we begin to get an idea of exactly what's going on inside our noodles.

3. VR for all

It's a make or break year for virtual reality in 2016. Oculus Rift is arriving in full consumer edition glory in Q1, but there are almost countless other headsets, games, films, apps and experiences to follow. There's Wareable favourite HTC Vive, its partnership with Valve, and Sony's behemoth-in-waiting PlayStation VR. Add to that Razer OSVR, Fove VR, plus all the peripheral gloves, suits and rigs we've yet to meet and things are about to get hectic.

Movie studios, games publishers, sports, music, art, porn, gambling and just about everyone else is trying to figure out how they can use this astonishing tech, finally set to emerge, as a phoenix from its early 1990s flames.

4. Xiaomi

Massive in 2015 and even bigger in 2016 is what we say. The Chinese juggernaut was second only to Fibit in wearable sales but, with its move across to the West timed to coincide with Fitbit's assault on Asia, it's going to be fascinating to see who turns up trumps.

2016 will see the heart-rate monitor-toting Mi Band 1S, a ceramic tracker known as Amazefit and, surely, fruit from the long-standing rumour that Xiaomi will unveil its very first smartwatch. That will begin a shake-up like no other. 

5. Under Armour

Under Armour is going all out attack on the world of sports goods, and wearables are its weapon. It partnered with HTC for the (missing in action)Grip and back in February, the US giant scoffed up three of the biggest fitness platforms - Endomondo, MyFitnessPal and MapMyFitness - to make the biggest online fitness community.

It's since struck deals with sports retailers using those three app tools as tempters such that it can gain customer shopping data. With that Under Armour can ensure it's creating the very smart sports clothing that people are looking for, exactly when they're looking for it. 

6. Women's wearables

Yes, yes, yes; can we say yes again? Yes! Is it because there's an unusual amount of female top brass in the wearable world or just that the gap in the market is so utterly cavernous? We're not sure. Either way, we've seen a hint of it already, but 2016 will be the year that women get wearable. Why? Because companies are actually starting to cater for them in both style and size.

The Moto 360 2, the Apple Watch, the Pebble Time Round have clued up to it, plus there's the growing availability of the smart jewellery, smart clothing products and the quantified fertility sensors.

7. Wearable payments

The infrastructure is here but people aren't paying from their wrists – yet. But wearable payments are set to become the norm in 2016. A few million Apple Watches in the wild, Samsung Pay, Apple Pay, bPay, plus MasterCard backing the likes of Ringly and Nymi mean that there are going to be more ways to pay, and more securely than ever. With so many of the big players behind it, it's sure to be the year for wearable payments.