By Shubhangi Shah
There once was a time when wearables were mostly about fitness trackers and smartwatches. However, this is no longer the case, with all kinds of new and innovative products hitting the market. For the uninitiated, a wearable is any device a user can wear on her body. The use and technology behind these differ based on the intent behind these devices. For example, you can wear them to track fitness, for gaming, entertainment, listening to music, answering a call, and taking pictures, to name a few. There is even smart clothing and smart jewellery, which are enough to give you an idea of the sheer range of products this industry offers. So let us have a look at some wearables that might aid your day-to-day functioning:
Smart rings
Although newer compared to smartwatches and bands, smart rings seem to be becoming increasingly popular. Bengaluru-based startup Ultrahuman has recently unveiled its Ultrahuman ring, a smart ring, a metabolism-tracking wearable that measures your movement, sleep, and the body’s energy dynamics in real-time. Just like the usual rings, you wear it on your finger. It does not possess a screen or generate vibrations, thus, keeping you away from continuous notifications. It also has a battery life that lasts up to five days. The benefits of meditation are well-established. But if you find it difficult to achieve that state of bliss, Dhyana, a meditation-tracking smart ring, might be the product for you. Backed by Indian sports luminaries Abhinav Bindra and P Gopichand, it checks how well you breathe, relax, and focus while meditating. To track these, the ring needs to be paired with the Dhyana app, although you can use other meditation apps too. Some rings are equipped with the ability for contactless payments. However, these are currently available in a few countries.
Smart glass
Once, glasses were a wearable. Now we have smart glasses. Available for Rs 5,999 is the recently launched pair of smartglasses by Noise, a homegrown lifestyle tech brand. The Made in India product has features such as Motion Estimation, Motion Compensation (MEMS) mic for calling, magnetic charging, hands-free voice control, and more. You can accept or reject calls, change tracks, control volume, and access voice assistants wearing this eyewear. It is compatible with both iOS and Android. Imagine answering texts on WhatsApp hands-free. It is possible if you own Ray-Ban’s smartglasses called Ray-Ban Stories. Mark Zuckerberg, chief of WhatsApp’s parent Meta, took to his Facebook profile to announce the new features. This feature is currently available in only a few countries, such as the United States, the United Kingdom, Canada, and Australia, among others. It is yet to be rolled out for Indian users.
Earbuds
Once rare, wireless earphones, commonly called earbuds, are becoming increasingly mainstream. Although these come with several functions, they are preferred by those who like listening to music and answering calls without those cables hanging around. Recently, a number of earbuds hit the market. Homegrown audio products-maker boAT has launched its new pair of earbuds named Airdopes 411 ANC. Priced at Rs 4,990, it has an active noise cancellation feature. Regarding appearance, it comes with a long stick with an airpod-like design. The product also supports voice assistants Google Assistant and Apple’s Siri. Priced at Rs 7,099, the Philips ANC true wireless earbuds, or TAT4506BK, were recently launched in India. The company claims its playtime to be 24 hours and has a PX4 splash and sweat-proof design, making them useful for those who use them while working out.
Realme’s Dizo brand, too, launched its new earbuds, dubbed Dizo Buds P. It comes with a long stick but without silicone ear tips. The product is economical as it comes at Rs 1,599. Several new products will be launched in the coming days. Redmi Buds 3 Lite launched on July 20. It comes with a battery life of 18 hours. It is also IP54-rated, making it dust and splash-resistant. Search engine giant Google will also launch its Pixel Buds Pro on July 28. The earbuds are IPX4 water resistance, while their case is IPX2 water-resistant. It has an active noise cancellation function. The product also supports voice commands. For example, you say, “Hey Google”, followed by the question you wish to ask.
Smartwatch
Like a watch, you can wear it on your wrist, however, it comes with features typical of a smartphone. Smartwatches are probably among the most sought-after products in the wearables space. Just like smartphones, these have touchscreens and offer apps, apart from basic fitness tracking. Homegrown boAT launched two products, Boult Drift and Boult Cosmic, priced at Rs 1,999 and Rs 1,499, respectively. Compatible with both Android and iOS operating systems, these come with a heart rate sensor, menstrual cycle tracker, and SpO2 monitor. China’s smartphone maker Realme has, too, launched its realme TechLife Watch R100. Priced at Rs 3,999, it has a built-in microphone and speaker and supports Amazon’s Alexa support. Tech giant Amazon is expected to launch its Apple Watch Series 8 this September.
