The wearable industry has been making a lot of waves recently, and this has made it attractive to a lot of investors. However, it has not always been this way. Some years back, the industry had been considered dead. Thanks to the big tech giants – Apple and Google, the wearables industry was kept alive.

Today, a huge chunk of tech-savvy individuals own fitness bands, smartwatches, and hands-free GPS systems. Such wearable devices are empowered with new-fangled sensors, microprocessors, and chips supported by robust operating systems. And, just like smartphones, modern wearables support various apps that can be used for syncing data from users’ devices.

Wearable technology has worked wonders to enhance the convenience quotient of modern-day individuals. Here are some instances!

Using Recordr, an Android wearable app, users can record sounds from their surroundings by simply tapping an icon placed on the right side of their smartwatches.

Spotify enables users to listen to uninterrupted music, scroll through the playlists, adjust the volume, etc. without having to use a smartphone.

Travelers can gather crucial information concerning cabs, buses, trains, ferries, etc. with the Citymapper app installed in their smartwatches. No wonder, the popularity and demand for wearable apps are skyrocketing! As such, entrepreneurs are keen to build wearable apps.

So, if it is your goal to get a piece of the wearable industry by developing a wearable device and you are wondering how much it will cost you, this article is for you.

• What Factors Affects The Wearable App Development Cost?
• How Much Does it Cost to Develop a Smartwatch?
• How do You Develop Wearable Technology?
• Is Wearable Technology Worth Investing?
• How Big is The Wearable Device Market?
• How Much Did it Cost to Develop The Apple Watch?
• How Much Does it Cost to Manufacture an Iwatch?
• What is Smart Wearable Technology?
• What Are The Basic Principles For Wearable Electronics?
• Why is Wearable Technology Important?
• What Are Popular Wearable Devices?
• What are Some Applications of Wearable Technology?
• What Are The Drawbacks of Wearable Technology?
• Who Makes Wearable Technology?

What Factors Affects The Wearable App Development Cost?

Extensive Research

Researching the market and user base for understanding the specific requirements of target users, is an essential practice. This activity helps the software company to clearly define the project scope, eliminates unwanted glitches during wearable application development, and ensures the creation of an impeccable application.

Read Also: 5 Things to Know About Wearable Application Development

But, this research consumes a considerable amount of time and effort. Most of the firms do charge for market research and this activity affects the price estimation of the project for sure.

UI Design of the App

The UI design of a wearable app is way different from that of an application developed for a tablet or mobile device. For example, a smartwatch needs to have four major interaction points – faces of the watch, voice commands, notifications, and independent wear native- based applications.

• Watch Face: If the app is time-based, a watch-like look and feel need to be created.
• Voice commands: Integrating the voice command feature within a wearable is trending these days. This feature enables users to use their voices for initiating commands. So, special attention and extra efforts are needed for crafting a voice-based user interface.
• Notifications: Notifications display contextual and movable data, and deliver a seamless user experience. This feature helps users in replying to messages, searching for a location using a map, playing their favorite songs, and many more.
• Wear Apps: These apps are likely to function without any smartphone connectivity. For building such independent applications, you may either follow a similar approach as in mobile app development or reinvent the wheel as per your specific needs.

Platforms/Devices Targeted

The kind of hardware devices and software platforms targeted affect wearable app costs to a great extent. For instance, let’s compare the expenses involved for the Android and iOS platforms. Many of us are of the opinion that wearable development for the Android platform is less complex and involves lower costs.

But, in reality, developing wearables for the iOS platform is speedier and more cost-efficient. The reason is Android OS powers a wide range of wearable devices. So, Android developers have to scale the app accordingly for providing support to varying screen sizes. And, the development costs for various screen sizes differ.

Therefore, Android app development is costlier and time-consuming. Coming to iOS, it powers limited devices, resulting in lower development costs as well as faster time-to-market.

The Development Procedure

Wearable app development is slightly different from the standard mobile app development process. Android development involves fewer interactions, has access to standard Android APIs, and also leverages the APIs as well as features of a smartwatch. iOS development, too, comes with a set of specific requirements that spikes the wearable app cost.

The good news is that Apple has launched a new version namely watchOS 6 along with some APIs that will enable in delivering a robust UX; and features that support developing autonomous watch applications.

App Testing Challenges

The testing and maintenance costs are higher for wearable apps as compared to other mobile app categories. The reasons are as follows:

• Screen size: Wearable apps target varying screen sizes and so, need to test the app’s performance on different sized screens.
• Battery Life: The battery life of the primary device needs to be tested extensively. For this, different instances are to be considered. One instance involves switching off the primary device to check how the data gets affected.
• Data Syncing: To test the data syncing between a mobile app and its connected wearable app one needs to watch out for various scenarios like what happens when one of the devices gets switched off, how does the app perform when the Bluetooth connection gets lost, and so on.

A Dearth of Emulators: There are a few emulators available in the market and this expedites the Wearable app cost.

Post Launch Support/Maintenance

Newly launched wearable apps are likely to encounter unexpected glitches, downtime, or software failures. Needless to say, it’s advisable to hire technical support/maintenance wearable app development services for keeping up an app’s performance standards, preventing downtime, and averting incidents of wearable app failure when the load is high. These support services may be needed for multiple weeks post-app launch and incur additional expenses.

Location of the App Development Team

Wearable app cost is heavily dependent on the location of the app development center as the rates of hiring wearable app developers are not the same in every country/region.

Take a look at the hourly rates for hiring developers from these regions:

• India – between $10 and $75 per hour
• Eastern European region – between $20 and $110 per hour
• South American region – between $25 and $120 per hour
• Australia – between $35 and $150 per hour
• The UK – between $35 and $175 per hour
• North America – between $20 and $250 per hour

So, your development cost revolves around the location of your outsourcing partner. Here, North America is the most expensive option and India is the most cost-efficient choice.

How Much Does it Cost to Develop a Smartwatch?

There are different types of wearable tech in the market, but the sectors that have availed the most are fitness, health, and entertainment. There are quite a few platforms in today’s world that are quite prevalent in the market.

Let’s have a quick look at them.

1. Garmin Watch: Garmin watch is one of the most famous, well-known and arguably the most affordable options in good quality smart watches. The company has a wide range of watches and gadgets for their customers that can be used for indoor stays and outdoor adventures. These watches offer great value for the money and have their own fan base that enthusiastically follows them.
2. Android Wear: Android Wear or Wear OS is another main brand that has jumped into the market along with other participants and have gathered a fair share selling wearable and smart devices. These devices include a number of gadgets and watches that feature functions to help the consumer in day-to-day operations with a touch of technology.
3. Samsung Gear: If we discuss the top two companies that have the biggest market share of wearable and smart devices, Samsung in one of them and their Gear series has shaken the world with its amazing build quality, exciting new features and aesthetically pleasing designs that let you sport the look of your choice, with a touch of class.
4. Apple Watch: You might have guessed it right. Apple watches are probably the most famous and sought-after wearable devices available in the market to be bought. The minimalist, simplistic and feature-rich design of Apple watches have gained popularity among Apple and technology fans around the world.

There are a number of factors that contribute to the variable costs of the smartwatch app development. It largely depends on what needs to be done and requires dedicated efforts before final budgeting can be defined, and the development process can begin.

Here are a few factors that can fluctuate the process.

1. Audience & Scalability
2. Application Design & Features
3. Wearable Application Development
4. Application Release & Testing
5. Technology Stack & Its Review
6. Location

This part is tricky but we will try to address it briefly. Wearable and smart development costs totally depend upon the type of app and the features but these somehow range between $4,000 up to $10,000 and even more for more personalized and advanced apps.

Smartwatch app development costs vary and depend upon a number of factors. From the development model to the stack it will be developed upon, the cost is not much different from mainstream mobile application development. However, the developers and their costs might be slightly higher for these development services.

How do You Develop Wearable Technology?

There are millions of wearable devices in the market today (including watches, wristbands, glasses, earphones, and rings) and even more are coming. If you haven’t designed for these devices, chances are you’ll have to soon. But wearables present a unique set of challenges when it comes to design.

The devices have limitations (smaller screen space, less information density, limited battery life) and present different use cases (people using wearables are regularly in motion) which means they require a different app design approach.

While you are trying to design for wearable technology, keep these points in mind to help you succeed in your quest.

1. Design For Glanceability

No word has been thrown around in wearable design quite as much as “glanceable.” Glanceability refers to information being designed for short moments of interaction. At the dawn of wearable technology, we were first introduced to the concept through screenless fitness trackers, which rely on lights to explain to the user what’s going on.

The term is used differently in the context of the wearables that have screens such as smartwatches. Making UI glanceable is less about reducing the interface down to its most basic visual feedback, and more about figuring out what exactly the user needs to see at any given moment of time.

For wearables’ limited screen real estate, designers must focus on displaying only the most critical information. A user should be able to consume content made for a smartwatch in less than 5 seconds.

2. Design for Context

Context is the backbone of your design and you should use it to provide specific information at a glance. Designing for wearables is designing for context. Smart devices are full of sensors and it’s possible to utilize built-in device sensors to determine user context.

For example, be aware when the user is using Geolocation services, and help enhance the user’s experience by making the context-relevant information glanceable.

3. Design Lightweight Interactions

While desktop and mobile apps might consider a user session measured in minutes or even hours, wearable experiences are completely different. They should be as short as possible. If a user interaction takes more than 10 seconds, it’s time to go back to the drawing board and redesign your interface.

Minimize interactions and keep interfaces simple by only showing what’s essential for a user to complete a task. For example, when users have to reply to a message using a smartwatch, don’t show a text input form. Offer quick pre-defined responses and provide a voice input option in wearable UI if a longer response is required.

4. Keep It Simple

The well-known KISS Principle is perhaps even more relevant in the domain of wearables than in desktop or mobile user interfaces. When working on wearable UX, avoid the temptation to put as many features and information in the wearable. Follow simple rules:

• Don’t put more actions or information than the user needs, otherwise, it will disrupt the experience. Instead, focus on single-use cases and cover it by creating an efficient flow that helps users’ complete tasks quickly. It will also help make the information glanceable.
• Make interactions as easy as possible. Design singular, focused tasks: users should be able to do and see just one thing at a time.

5. Design a Clear Minimalistic Interface

Users must be able to read whatever you put on the screen, and easily interact with it while moving. Minimalist design is ideal for smartwatches and wearables. Everything from color to typography in wearable UI should be simple and straightforward:

• Sharp contrast. Contrast is very important on small screens, as it makes elements easy to see and read at a glance. Test your UI in real-world environments.
• Simple typography. When it comes to typeface on wearable devices, a simple Sans Serif is one of the most readable options.
• Enough space between elements. Space can make or break a design on a small screen: if you put too much space between elements there won’t be room for any other content, but if you put too little space between them, it will be hard to see or read. Thus, you have to find a proper balance that will help you to provide function and make wearable UI more glanceable.

Designing for wearables is always about making something that looks (and hopefully works) great on a tiny screen.

6. Minimize Interruption

Even on large-screen smartphones, incoming notifications and alerts are often disruptive. But when wearable devices require a lot of attention, this can make people abandon them. It is one thing to have a mobile device buzz in your pocket, but it’s a completely different thing to have something buzzing that is right up against your skin.

A few simple rules to follow when designing notifications for wearables:

• Reduce the number of notifications. The information pushed to a user via a wearable should be filtered. The frequency of notifications should be minimal so the device doesn’t constantly nag and irritate the person who is wearing it.
• Push value. When you do need to notify a user, you should make sure the notification is valuable for the user. Positive interruption can create great user experience, but it requires an understanding of what a user actually needs. Pushing relevant information at the right point of time is key to a great wearable app.
• Customization settings. It’s possible to design better wearable UX by allowing the user to configure the timing and types of notifications they receive and allow them to easily disable them when needed. Also make it possible for users to select how they would like to be notified (some will prefer a vibration and a screen glow, while others will select just a screen glow).

7. Opt For More Privacy

Wearable devices can display extremely personal information such as private conversations or health data and unlike smartphones, which are usually concealed in a pocket, wearables are in plain sight. Given a choice, designers should always opt for more privacy in wearable UI. A few practical recommendations:

• Be aware of which way the device is facing and display content accordingly. Inward allows for more personal content to be displayed, outward should default to a blank screen.
• The same applies to notifications: vibrate first, display second.

8. Leverage Non-Visual User Interface

The saying that “the best interface is no interface” especially holds true when wearables are involved. When designing wearable UX, try to utilize not only touch, but also sound and vibrational communication. Consider voice input to compose text messages or to schedule activities; notify users with vibrations and sounds.

9. Interaction With Other Devices Is Important

When designing for wearables you shouldn’t think of those devices in isolation. It’s important to integrate a wearable with the existing devices in a user’s digital ecosystem and use the strengths of the wearable to make the ecosystem better.

For example, a blood pressure monitor and heart health companion app for a smartwatch might be used to collect the data, but the review and analysis of the data collected can be done using a smartphone.

Apple Health gathers health information from both the user’s iPhone and Watch. The larger display of the Apple iPhone is better suited for displaying health data.

10. Design for Offline Usage

Like any other digital device, wearables will experience connectivity problems. When you design wearable UI, always try to provide core functionality in offline mode. If it’s impossible to do, then you should at least explain to the user what’s happening.

Apple Watch can’t load the map because there’s no internet connection, but the Watch tells this to the user.

11. Check What’s Viable

It’s important to consider both the capabilities and limitations of the platform when designing apps for wearables. Research what is possible with the software development kit (SDK) and what physical capabilities are available on the device. Without researching first, you can end up with unfeasible design ideas.

Is Wearable Technology Worth Investing?

Market players searching for sweet long-term returns need to look no further than companies making strong plays in the wearables sector. Smartwatches, fitness trackers, as well as VR/AR headsets are all forecast to become more and more prevalent in our society over the next several years.

As such, investors should focus their attention on the leading names in the wearables space, which are poised to provide strong long-term growth potential. There are more than a few attractive names in the sector which all enjoy accelerating earnings and revenue growth thanks to surging demand for their innovative products. 

Overall, the wearables industry is well worth considering for any investor looking to make strong gains in the years ahead.   

As competition in the space heats up, one can clearly make the argument that the best is yet to come from the wearables industry.

According to market research firm Gartner, smartwatch sales are expected to reach 112.5 million units by the end of 2022, which would mark an increase of a whopping 171% from sales of 41.5 million units in 2017.

How Big is The Wearable Device Market?

Wearable technology is primarily comprised of electronic items that have been integrated with a specific type of technology. The technology can easily be worn on the body to detect real-time data.

Wearable technology refers to wristbands that are made to be worn on the wrist to track information such as heart rate, pulse, sleep hours, steps taken, and so on. Apple, Jawbone, Fitbit, and other companies have released wristbands that act as activity trackers.

This has attracted a sizable customer base all over the world. The considerable customer base can be attributed to the fitness shift brought about by wearable technology. According to Fitbit’s report, the company sold approximately 15 million units of its smart fitness wristbands.

Report Attribute	Details
Market Size in 2021	USD 115.8 Billion
Projected Market Size in 2028	USD 380.5 Billion
CAGR Growth Rate	18.5% CAGR
Base Year	2021
Forecast Years	2022-2028
Key Market Players	Xiaomi Global Community, Huawei Technologies Co., Ltd., Nike, Inc., Motorola Solutions, Inc., Sony Corporation, Google LLC, HTC Corporation, Michael Kors, ADIDAS AG, Polar Electro, TomTom International BV, Fossil Group, Inc., ASUSTeK Computer Inc, SAMSUNG, Apple Inc., LG Electronics, CASIO AMERICA, INC., Garmin Ltd., Withings, and Fitbit, Inc., among others
Key Segment	By Type of Product, Application, and Region
Major Regions Covered	North America, Europe, Asia Pacific, Latin America, and the Middle East & Africa

Some of the main competitors dominating the global wearable technology market include – 

• Xiaomi Global Community
• Huawei Technologies Co. Ltd.
• Nike Inc.
• Motorola Solutions Inc.
• Sony Corporation
• Google LLC
• HTC Corporation
• Michael Kors
• ADIDAS AG
• Polar Electro
• TomTom International BV
• Fossil Group Inc.
• ASUSTeK Computer Inc
• SAMSUNG
• Apple Inc.
• LG Electronics
• CASIO AMERICA INC.
• Garmin Ltd.
• Withings
• Fitbit Inc.

How Much Did it Cost to Develop The Apple Watch?

The Apple Watch may cost consumers anywhere from $349 to $17,000 depending on how much gold they want, and it looks like Apple will be making a nice margin off the new product.

In a teardown of a 38mm Apple Watch Sport, the research firm IHS said it costs an estimated $83.70 to build. That’s only about 24% of the watch’s retail cost. Based on other Apple devices IHS has looked at, this is the lowest hardware cost compared to retail price of any Apple product. The cost of building the device versus retail price range between 29% and 38% for other Apple products, according to past IHS teardowns.

IHS estimates that the most expensive part in the watch is the OLED display with Ion-X cover glass, made by Korean electronics company LG, at $20.50. The second priciest part is Apple’s A1 processor, coming in at an estimated $10.20.

How Much Does it Cost to Manufacture an Iwatch?

With a sleek, modern design, coupled with one of the best smartwatch interfaces, Apple lays claim to around 33 percent of the smartwatch market share for Q1, 2021, according to Counterpoint Research analysis. With the latest Apple Watch Series 6 starting from a modest $399, it would not be surprising to hear that the wearable costs a mere $136 to make.

As calculated by Counterpoint Research in a Bill of Materials (BoM) report, the individual part costs and manufacturing fees do add up to less than $140. Dividing up the component costs used to assemble the smartwatch, the research finds that almost 68 percent of the value is made up of the casing, sensors, and display.

Progressing down the list of components, Apple allocates the costs effectively in each area. The absolutely stunning OLED display beaming at a peak of 1,000 nits of brightness, along with the ION-X glass utilizes around 13.2 percent of the cost.

What is Smart Wearable Technology?

Wearable technology, wearables, fashion technology, smartwear, tech togs, streetwear tech, skin electronics or fashion electronics are smart electronic devices (electronic devices with micro-controllers) that are worn close to and/or on the surface of the skin, where they detect, analyze, and transmit information concerning e.g. body signals such as vital signs, and/or ambient data and which allow in some cases immediate biofeedback to the wearer.

Wearable devices such as activity trackers are an example of the Internet of Things since “things” such as electronics, software, sensors, and connectivity are effectors that enable objects to exchange data (including data quality) through the internet with a manufacturer, operator, and/or other connected devices, without requiring human intervention.

Wearable technology has a variety of applications that grows as the field itself expands. It appears prominently in consumer electronics with the popularization of the smartwatch and activity tracker. A popular activity tracker called the fit bit is widely used in the fitness industry to track calories and health-related goals.

A popular smartwatch in the market is the Apple Watch. Apart from commercial uses, wearable technology is being incorporated into navigation systems, advanced textiles, and healthcare. As wearable technology is being proposed for use in critical applications, it has to be vetted for its reliability and security properties.

What Are The Basic Principles For Wearable Electronics?

A wave of wearable products can be seen in the market. Despite this buzz, wearable technology is lacking some design principles. We have listed below some important design principles that are necessary for the manufacturers and designers of wearable devices.

Eye-catchy Notifications

Non-intrusive notifications should be there on the wearable. The user should not face any difficulty in seeing the notifications. The notifications should appear only when needed.

Context-aware notifications are more engaging for the user. A corresponding application should be opened by clicking a specific notification. The glace notifications should be such that the user can also customize them according to their need and requirement.

Voice-enabled

A wearable device is incapable of fulfilling basic expectations if a voice is not enabled in it. Smartphones distract a user if he or she is in the middle of something, and if the device is controlled by voice only, then it would be a great asset for the user.

Adding voice to the wearable allows the user to give commands to the device, rather than holding it in hand and taking actions.

Contextual information is great on the wearable, whenever needed. Voice recognition in the wearable will certainly help visually impaired users as well.

Superhuman Extension

Wearable should be an extension of the superhuman digital capacity so that it can be used to make life easier. They should allow the user to think better and act better. It will also allow the user to improve their performance in everything.

Wearable should be the user’s assistant and guide. The device needs to be smart enough to know when to act and when to not without any human intervention. They should act as a supercomputer for the user.

Information on Fingertips

Techies want the information to be loaded immediately without any delays. Instant access should be the only motto of wearable devices. Latency should be avoided in most of the wearable applications. A delay of a single second can turn away long-term customers.

The approach of instant access can have a tremendous impact on the growth of the wearable.

Interactive Design

The more interactive the site is, the better is the user experience. Voice navigation is a great feature that can be added to the wearable to make them more interactive. You can simply move your head if you do not want to talk or do not want to receive the call. The wearable will understand the navigation of your head and act accordingly.

The user gets a complete insight into the technology due to these wearable devices. The web designer should create a dynamic design with a proper understanding of the target users.

Comfortable Fit

The technology that the user is wearing needs to be incredibly comfortable. It has to fit correctly on the user; else, the user won’t use it.

There will be more custom fitting technology shortly.

Fashionable or hidden

Wearable technology cannot be kept invisible, so the manufacturers should make it stylish. People want to look healthy with this wearable in society. They want to use the wearable as a fashion accessory.

Why is Wearable Technology Important?

Wearable technology provides us with the ability to monitor our fitness levels, track our location with GPS, and view text messages more quickly. Best of all, most of the devices that allow us to do this are hands-free and portable, eliminating the need to take our devices out of our pockets.

Before wearables, it was possible to obtain a lot of the information listed above, but it was sometimes a hassle and required devices that weren’t always convenient. Wearables are connected to our smart devices, transmitting this information to them and allowing us to view it at later times, as well as in the moment. This can help you with setting goals and tracking your progress toward them.

What Are Popular Wearable Devices?

Common examples of wearable technology include the following:

• Smart jewelry. This can include smart rings, wristbands, watches and pins. Smaller wearable devices typically work with a smartphone app for display and interaction.
• Body-mounted sensors. These sensors are placed on the body to monitor and transmit biological data for healthcare purposes.
• Fitness trackers. These wearables often come in the form of wristbands, straps or headbands that monitor physical activity and vital signs. Trackers may connect wirelessly to an app for data storage, processing and reporting.
• Smart clothing. This type of clothing comes with built-in technology that can perform a variety of tasks including fitness or health monitoring, interacting with phones and other devices and changing fabric characteristics to suit the user’s preference, activity or environment. As an example, in 2014, clothing manufacturer Tommy Hilfiger launched clothing that came fitted with solar cells to charge devices.
• Augmented reality (AR) headsets. AR headsets use a real-world setting and integrate digital information into a display of the user’s environment in a way that enables interaction with real-world and virtual reality.
• VR headsets. VR headsets entirely replace the user environment with digital information and enhance the fictional reality. VR users are controlled by the system.
• AI hearing aids. AI hearing aids can filter out unwanted noises and automatically adapt to provide the best performance in the user’s current environment and for their individual hearing needs. Such devices sometimes referred to as hearables, can also incorporate capabilities such as fitness tracking, audio streaming and translation.

What are Some Applications of Wearable Technology?

Consumer electronics, such as smartwatches and fitness trackers, are prominent use cases for wearable technology. However, with the recent advancements in the internet of things (IoT) and AI, wearable technology is being incorporated into all types of scenarios — from healthcare, navigation systems, consumer goods and professional sports to advanced textiles.

The following are the most popular current and next-generation applications of wearable technology:

Epidermal skin technology. According to ScienceDaily, the Terasaki Institute for Biomedical Innovation invented wearable electronic skin for monitoring health. A next-generation of wearables, this ultra-thin e-skin patch can be attached to the wearer’s chest area along with a small wireless transmitter by using water spray and can be worn for up to a week.

It is sensitive enough to pick up and record electro signals, such as heartbeats and muscle movements, which can be sent to healthcare providers via the cloud so they can monitor the user’s vitals remotely. This powerful wearable is a steppingstone for monitoring chronic illnesses such as heart failure and diabetes.

Health monitoring. People use wearable technology to track and receive notifications for their heart rate and blood pressure, watch their calorie intake or manage their training regimens. The COVID-19 pandemic boosted the use of wearable technology, as consumers gained a broader awareness of personal hygiene and taking precautions to prevent the spread of infections.

Apple, for instance, updated its Cardiogram app by introducing a new sleeping beats-per-minute feature that monitors heart rate fluctuations for COVID-19 patients.

Entertainment and gaming. The gaming and entertainment industries were the first to adopt VR headsets, smart glasses and controllers. Popular VR head-mounted displays, such as Oculus Quest, Meta Quest and Sony PlayStation VR, are used for all types of entertainment purposes, including gaming, watching movies and virtual traveling.

Fashion and smart clothing. Clothing known as smart clothing, or intelligent fashion, has been gaining wide popularity over the past few years. Smart jackets, such as Levi’s jacket made with Google’s Project Jacquard technology whose threads are composed of electrical fibers, enable the wearer to answer calls, play music or take photos right from their sleeves. Smartwatches, wristbands, smart shoes and smart jewelry are also popular examples of wearable technology.

Military. These wearables include technology that tracks soldiers’ vitals, VR-based simulation exercises and sustainability technology, such as boot inserts that estimate how well the soldiers are holding their equipment weight and how terrain factors can affect their performance.

Sports and fitness. Sports use wearable athletic devices that are either built into the fabric of the sports apparel or are incorporated into sports equipment, such as bats and balls. The GPS and Bluetooth-linked devices relay real-time data to coaches for analysis through connected electronic devices such as laptops.

Besides wearable athletic devices, familiar wearable technology such as Fitbit, Apple Watch, Garmin, Samsung Galaxy Watch and Polar are used extensively to track various areas of the player’s health and performance metrics.

What Are The Drawbacks of Wearable Technology?

Wearable technology devices have been included in various accessories, including, glasses, watches, contact lenses, headbands, beanies, caps, dresses, jackets, vests, shirts, e-textiles, gloves, shoes, rings, earrings, necklaces, and bracelets.

These devices are capable of performing many of the same computing tasks as laptops and Smartphones. Sometimes wearables may even offer capabilities that traditional technological devices cannot.

With all the numerous benefits of wearable technology, some drawbacks can also be experienced. Below are some of them.

1.  Wearables are expensive.

A 2016 COLLOQUY survey of 1,060 Americans showed that 63 percent consider wearable technology to be too expensive. Since most wearables are designed to be compact, functional, and fashionable at the same time, these devices tend to come with a steep price. The high price for both individual and corporate consumers is one drawback for the wearable trend.

2.  Some wearables are not stand-alone devices.

Wearable technology is usually linked to separately standing smart devices due to the smaller processer size in the wearable device.  Think of the fitness trackers which must be coordinated with a corresponding app on a Smartphone, tablet.  Again, this may mean further expense for a business owner if they are to be provided to employees.

3.  Wearables can have health risks.

Experts have expressed concern that wearables may pose serious health risks to users of these devices. Wearables increase exposure to radio waves to those who are already carrying Smartphones, laptops, and tablets.

4.  Wearable technology may pose security risks.

Since wearables are always connected to the internet, this makes them more vulnerable to attacks. These gadgets are not always intact with rigorous encryption that protects personal data. If you are planning to provide your employees with wearables, make sure that they come with cloud-based security solutions to protect your data from hacking and cybercriminals.

5.  There are some privacy concerns regarding wearables.

App providers often seek to share information gathered via their corresponding wearable devices, and 82 percent of employees are concerned that the use of wearables may ultimately violate their privacy.

Moreover, an employee who is using a wearable health-tracking device as part of their company’s wellness program may fear being passed over for certain professional opportunities within the company, especially if the individual showed below-average fitness or health data.  Employers must be sure to respect the privacy of their employees and not fall into any legal ambiguities stemming from your workforce’s collective data statistics.

6.  There are limitations to the use of wearables because of their size.

Due to their compact size, certain wearables are not appropriate for common tasks such as email correspondence or various types of research, limiting their usefulness and cost-effectiveness.

7.  Wearable technology can distract employees from work-related tasks.

Again, due to the size of certain devices, employees may be tempted to discreetly, and more frequently, text, chat, or check on social media while working.

Similar to other forms of technology, wearables make it easier for people, in general, to perform specific tasks. However, necessary precautions should be taken to ensure that these devices are not hacked and employees’ privacy and sensitive information are not compromised.

Who Makes Wearable Technology?

From Digital Medicine to motion tracking technology, here are 10 of the top startups developing healthcare technology for the wearables market.

1. Proteus 

Proteus Digital Health is at the forefront of Digital Medicine, one of the newest categories of pharmaceuticals. Its product Proteus Discover is a Digital Medicine made up of ingestible sensors, a small wearable sensor patch, an application on a mobile device, and a provider portal.

Proteus Discover is the world’s first Digital Medicine that allows patients to recover quickly due to its ability to remove guesswork around diagnosis and treatments. By providing direct insight to a user’s data, Proteus Discover delivers medication-taking and health patterns right to a user’s healthcare provider. 

2.  Neurotech

As the innovator of in-home EEG setups, Neurotech is a standout leader in the EEG industry. Its in-home EEG solution performs both Routine and Long-Term Monitored EEG studies that can be recorded, and the results are available for viewing on Neurotech’s innovative Physician Database. 

Additionally, Neurotech offers both continuous and intermittent remote EEG monitoring services for epilepsy monitoring units and intensive care units. Through real-time communication, Neurotech can share EEG results with EMU/ICU hospital staff to identify electrographic seizures and baseline changes that may not be physically noticeable.

3. Stanford Biology

Researchers at Stanford University School of Medicine, along with other collaborators, tracked the biology of over 100 people and discovered a new means of detecting disease. Their study used data from wearable technology, genome sequencing, and microbial and molecular profiling that gave each person an initial, individual baseline of data.

As the scientists continued to track the baselines, they also kept tabs on any abnormalities that could signal the development of disease. The team identified 13 disease-related findings, including lymphoma, high blood pressure, and precancers. According to the scientists, many of these findings would have been missed by typical health screens.

4. Augmedix

This innovative startup has reinvented the way Google Glass is used. Augmedix allows doctors to better connect with their patients by changing how documentation and administrative tasks are completed. With Augmedix, Doctors simply wear the smart glasses during appointments and, via a live stream, interact with human transcribers. 

These transcribers access the audio and video feed of the doctor-patient interaction, take notes, and update patient records in real time – saving doctors up to 15 hours a week on patient charting. Not only does this technology allow patients to connect with their doctors, but it also provides an overall improvement to the quality and accuracy of patient documentation.

5. Athos

The Athos Training System is one of the few wearable health technologies that come in the form of actual clothing. This wearable technology includes form-fitting shirts, shorts, and leggings that have plastic panels for an oval-shaped biosignal sensor to be inserted during workouts. 

Athos gives athletes and their coaches precise data that combines proprietary muscle activity measures and motion-tracking technology. The System analyzes exercise in a muscle-specific format, where athletes can see what muscles they’re using and how they’re being used – allowing them to correct themselves when not engaging the right muscle groups, and giving them satisfaction when working the right ones.

6. Atlas Tracking

Body sensing technology is the primary focus of Atlas Tracking. The Alas Multi-Trainer 3 is reportedly the only sports watch that is compatible with over 1,000+ exercises, and its body sensing technology keeps a record of the user’s activity and delivers suggested goals based on the wearer’s movement history. 

What’s unique about this company is that it created a way for its device to keep track of how many repetitions the user completes – increasing workout efficiency by over 20%. The sports watch comes with a corresponding app that displays the user’s heart rate and heart rate variability, calculated by a heart rate monitor. 

7. MATRIX 

MATRIX is a top competitor in thermoelectric energy efficiency with its PowerWatch products. What sets this watch apart from other smartwatches, is it never needs to be charged – running on a dual thermoelectric and solar-cell technology that powers up by capturing body heat from the user and from the sun. 

The MATRIX PowerWatch 2 is equipped with a pedometer, heart rate monitor, GPS, sleep tracker, and a corresponding app. Additionally, because the PowerWatch is constantly receiving the user’s body heat, it’s able to tell the wearer how much energy they’re using.

8. Apple

This internationally renowned company is a top competitor in the wearable healthcare technology market. Its latest smartwatch, the Apple Watch Series 7, includes heart rate, ECG, and O2 monitoring, sleep tracking, automatic handwashing detection, and fall detection – which automatically call emergency services if it detects the wearer has been immobile for about a minute.

The watch also includes automatic workout detection that encourages the user to set individual goals and track their overall progress using a corresponding Activity app. The watch even includes pace alerts, where the user can tell if they are moving above or below their target pace.

9. FitBit

As the first company to introduce wireless syncing with wireless devices, FitBit has been at the forefront of wearable healthcare technology for years. One of its latest wearables, the Versa, includes heart rate monitor, sleep tracker, and on-screen workouts.

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The Versa also includes female health-tracking, which allows women to compare their ovulation cycle to other stats – like sleep and activity. FitBit also made sure to incorporate daily reminders for the user, such as to keep active throughout the day, and comes with personalized guided breathing sessions that tailor to the wearer’s heart rate.

10. Garmin

For outdoor users, Garmin produces top-tier wearable technology that comes with accurate GPS navigation. The Garmin Forerunner 235 is described as a GPS running watch, and is able to track the wearer’s distance, pace, and heart rate. 

The Forerunner comes with a built-in accelerometer that captures distance and pace data when the user is running. Whether the user is working out in a city or in the woods, its GPS and GLONASS compatibility locates their position quickly and effectively – providing them with accurate pace and distance insight.