Are wearables hot in 2014? Canalys has delivered proof in new report that wearable sales, especially smart watches and fitness bands, are growing at a pretty impressive rate. According to the industry analyst group, in the first half of 2014, a total of six million smart watches and fitness trackers have shipped. That’s 684 percent more than in the same period last year.
Unsurprisingly, Samsung led the charge simply by their rapid fire release of the Gear 2, Gear 2 Neo and Gear Fit early in the year. Pebble came in second with Sony rounding out the top three. In fitness bands, Fitbit and Jawbone took the top spots and are, of course, the leaders in the category. Google caused the biggest splash in smart watches with the announcement of Android Wear with both Samsung and LG releasing their first offerings on day one. The Samsung Gear Live and LG G Watch generated a lot of buzz, simply by being first out of the gate.
Meanwhile, everyone (myself included) has been anxiously awaiting Motorola’s Moto 360. As the first round and, if images are to be believed, classy looking smart watch, it is expected by most to be an instant hit. This expectation has only been helped by Best Buy’s inadvertent exposure of the 360 on their web site a few days ago with a $250 price tag. Whether that proves to be an accurate price is still to be seen, but it certainly got the tech community talking for next few days. I guess we’ll all find out on September 4th.
Then, today LG released a new teaser of its own round smart watch to be announced in less than two weeks at IFA 2014 in Berlin. Possibly called the G Watch R. This just two months after the initial release of the G Watch. Already there are stories posted asking if this will be the big competitor to the Moto 360.
All of the excitement and anticipation for each new announced, and even hinted at, wearable seems to grow at an increasingly exponential rate. Are we all just dying to have the latest smart watch and/or fitness band? I’m not sure, but I can attest to the fact that all the press coverage (and I’m only adding to it, I know) seems to pique my interest a little more, each time. Are you having the same reaction?
Began writing for Bane-Tech August 2014, due to an ever-growing passion for mobile and Android in particular.
Computer programmer 1981 to 2015. Currently retired. Active You Tuber (Mobile Geezer:
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Sax player and singer in various bands (rock and R&R) since the mid 60's. Avid motorcycle rider (Gold Wing), bicyclist and exercise enthusiast. Extreme lover of driving and biking (motorcycle). The more thousand miles the trip, the happier I am as the driver.
Dedicated, Bible-believing Christian who makes no judgments on others .
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