One of the fastest growing technology industries might surprise you. It’s actually wearable tech, something the CCS Insight report, as covered in Forbes, finds will surpass $34 billion per year by 2020. Topping the list are smartwatches (the most popular wearable tech item) and fitness trackers (the second most popular wearable tech item). These two niches will lead the charge for wearable tech’s growth over the next three years.
As you can see from the chart below, wearable tech has gained traction with consumers, with more than 123 million units shipping in 2016, and forecasts showing 411 million units shipping per year by 2020. While wristbands and watches may be the driving force, newer technology will open the doors to emerging wearable tech products that aim to make our lives a little bit easier and more technology enhanced.
Wearable tech has fought an uphill battle since its inception, originally suffering a 30% return rate in the early days. Namely, this was because the first generation of wearable tech was really the beta, which resulted in a lot of bugs that needed to be fixed. The good news is that we’re into the second generation of these products, and they offer improved functionality and more features.
So what might the future hold, and what wearable tech items are online retailers the most likely to carry in the future? Here’s a quick look at some new products that could just be the next trendsetter in this industry.
Studio XO
Studio XO is expected to be a leading provider of luxury, smart-enabled streetwear in the years to come. Their newest Gen Z line is due out fall of this year. It features cool apparel like a light-up smart hat, smart backpack, smart t-shirts, and soon, smart jackets that can even keep you warm. They already offering internet enabled smart bands, a hot seller in the teen market, that stream their favorite music. With this kind of vision, the sky is the limit.
Thync Relax
Let’s face it, life can be stressful. So it makes perfect sense that a company like Thync Relax would create stress-relieving wearable tech. Their current necklace helps massage your neck muscles and relax the brain, great for those never-ending days in the office where it seems like the big deadline is always right around the corner. Devices like Prana, Muse and Spire also show promise, too, and help relieve stress in a number ways, ranging from meditation to relaxation techniques.
Tech Tattoos
We’re all familiar with tattoos, but newer and temporary tech tattoos, as well as biowearables, could be the next big thing. Think conductive ink, implanted IDs, and stick-on tattoos that get you into a VIP section at a concert and deliver download codes for music, goodies and more. Yeah, the future will be that crazy, and it’s just around the corner.
Whoop
A growing list of pro athletes are swearing by Whoop’s sport wrist band. It’s designed to help athletes make the most of every workout, nurse every injury the right way, and eat a balanced diet while sustaining proper water intake. It’s best to look at this sport band as a more attuned FitBit that also comes at a higher price tag.
Noah Kraft
Kraft’s Here One smart wireless earbuds represent something that Apple wanted to make for the new iPhone but failed miserably at doing. With layered listening, custom EQ mixes, and a powerful Bluetooth signal with a long battery life, these earbuds will forever change the way that we listen to music.
Project Soli
What if you just used hand gestures or specific eye movements to control the lights in your home, change the TV station, order breakfast, start the dryer and more? That’s where Project Soli comes in. A special chip that works with most tech devices can eliminate touchscreens for good and instead lets you use virtual movement and gestures to control devices in your home, car or smart apparel, making the future seem even cooler by the minute.
Smart Sport Shoes
Smart shoes are long overdue. Given how massive the shoe market is combined with the fact that consumers routinely shell out hundreds of dollars for a pair of sneakers. Take Under Armour’s smartshoe for runners, which communicates with your phone to help you make the most of each calorie you burn and each movement you make. Still in the early stages, rumors have it that new lines are being designed for nearly every professional sport niche. Rejoice fitness junkies, because your workouts are about to get smarter.
Smart ID Wristbands
Disneyland’s MagicBand started a new trend. It automatically gets you into the fast track line, through the gates, into your hotel room and more. But what comes next are smart bands that let you wave your wrist for digital payment, host your passport or photo ID and even let you take pictures, access lockers and more. Chances are that wallet makers will get oomia is working on smart apparel that keeps you cool or warms you up, depending on where you are and what the temperature is. Revolutionary ink-based circuits are woven into the fabric, and are able to detect and measure light, heat and cold. The garment then reacts based upon these readings, and is able to be fully controlled and monitored from your smartphone. Imagine that?
These items, and the companies creating them, are but a glimpse into the exciting future of wearable tech. Given how fascinating this industry already is, it’s going to be interesting to see where it goes by 2020. With $34 billion on the line, you can bet that the future is smart and more technologically advanced than we could have ever possible predicted.