Advances in Wearables Could Threaten Smartphones' Future, Says Report
Wearables’ capabilities will continue to expand in coming years as the smartwatch market matures, and alternative form factors could draw consumers away from handsets, said IDTechEx Friday. The wearables category is being driven by demand for more data, it said.…
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True wireless headphones’ location near the brain could give advanced earphones an advantage, with brain signal readings capable of quantifying stress levels, sleep quality and emotional state. Challenges for an in-ear solution include miniaturization of electronics and noise cancellation, said the report. The development of augmented reality headsets and smart glasses could one day make the smartphone “redundant,” it said: “Wearable biometrics will likely follow if society switches to headgear for messaging, web browsing and gaming.” Since AR/VR headsets already use motion sensors and cameras for eye-tracking, they could also integrate dry electrodes across the forehead to collect heart rate data and measure neural signals, the report said. The main hurdle facing earphones and headsets is balancing data access with visualization and social acceptance, IDTechEx said. The market has much more room for new players, materials and innovation, it said.