Activity Trackers and Wearables

Activity Trackers and Wearables

No longer a fad, wearables are here to stay. The Apple Watch made the world pay attention, and now there are almost as many types of smartwatches and fitness trackers as there are grains of sand. Okay, maybe not that many, but there are plenty more options now than there were a year ago.

At CES 2016, the next generation of wearables will be revealed; gadgets that are smarter and hopefully faster. Smartwatches and activity trackers will continue to cross-pollinate and improve, manufacturers will emphasize fashion even more, and a few all-new devices will emerge. Here's what we're likely going to see, and not see, at the show.

New Style, Old Software

Since there's a whole section of the show dedicated to wearables this year, expect every company, large and small, burgeoning and unknown, to display their wares.

Google's widespread smartwatch platform, Android Wear, will likely forego any major updates since it just had one a few months ago that allowed iPhone users to partake in the operating system's clunky interface. We'll definitely see more Android Wear-powered hardware at CES, but whether it's a Motorola Moto 360 or a Huawei Watch, it's the same basic experience. That won't change for a little while. What will change is the style. Huawei, at least, is rumored to be showing off a smaller smartwatch aimed towards women and men with slimmer wrists. That's good, because many current Android Wear watches, like the Fossil Q Founder (below), could use a diet.  

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Other major companies, like Apple, LG, Motorola, and Samsung, will likely sit CES 2016 out. Apple will of course show off the rumored Apple Watch 2 at one of its own events. The Moto 360 Sport will hit store shelves the week of CES. The Samsung Gear S2 just came out although, hopefully, Samsung will announce more support for its Tizen OS. And the troubled LG Watch Urbane 2nd Edition will probably not appear at all. If we're going to see anything new from these names it will be at Mobile World Congress.

There's a slight chance Pebble could show off a new smartwatch at CES 2016. The Pebble Steel was revealed at CES 2015, and the Pebble Time not too long after. The Pebble Time Round is fresh out of the oven, but a new announcement could help the company keep momentum. Perhaps a Pebble Time Round with a larger display and longer battery life?

Smarter, Healthier More Accurate Trackers
Expect smarter fitness trackers at CES 2016. They're going to gain more control over your phone, with better functionality for calls, notifications, and social-networking features. The Fitbit Surge (above) already alerts you to calls and texts, so some kind of Facebook or Twitter integration doesn't seem too off the mark, perhaps with more robust, smartwatch-like LCD displays. Basically, the boundary between fitness trackers and smartwatches will continue to blur, with a more fashion-friendly attitude.

Speaking of Fitbit, we know for sure the fitness company will be there with the only wearables-dedicated press conference of the show. The news will undoubtedly be good, but it's uncertain whether it will be a brand-new device, like an upgrade to the Fitbit Charge HR, or some kind of software platform update.

Expect new fitness trackers to include more accurate heart rate sensors, step counters, and GPS. These technologies have come a long way this past year and they will continue to improve. There's no doubt that more partnerships between the tech and fashion worlds will arise, too. As for smart clothing, companies like Adidas, Nike, and Under Armour may have shirts and shoes to show off, but the true emphasis could be on health tracking and coaching that aims to improve your mental and physical states.

Return of the Rings

A blossoming category is "smart jewelry." Misfit already has similar devices, like the Misfit Flash Link that could pass as jewelry, but they've also proven to be functional and worthwhile, and not just for appearances. Smart jewelry tends to focus too much on form, and not enough on function. Like the Neyya Smart Ring, it tends to be a little too out-there to be considered useful, though that could change at CES 2016. Smart rings could have the potential to track your vital signs, such as your body temperature, movements, and pulse, and we'll likely see new variations on that idea at CES 2016.