All articles tagged with #wearables
Xreal rolls out the X by Xreal a01, a $299 budget display glasses with swappable faceplates, 50° FOV, 1,600-nit HDR-capable micro OLEDs, and anti-shake mode; at 62 g, they ship in China now and land in the US in July, positioning them against TCL's RayNeo Air 4 Pro as a more affordable option.
Smart glasses are returning in a calmer, fashion-forward guise: brands like Ray-Ban Meta, Gentle Monster, and Warby Parker are embedding AI and cameras in frames that look like ordinary eyewear, with Google and Samsung pushing Android XR and Gemini-powered features such as directions, texts, and photos. The goal is to reduce gadgety stigma by using familiar fashion labels, but the core issue—privacy and etiquette around wearing a tiny recording device—remains unresolved. Adoption will hinge on timing, better AI, longer battery life, and social acceptance, and the author admits a wary optimism.
Google Health has replaced the Fitbit app with an AI-driven interface, prompting confusion and frustration as users navigate a redesigned Today screen, limited quick access to stats, and an AI health coach. Some users appreciate the coaching features, but many want the old Fitbit app back and complain about scrolling through long AI notes and cluttered data presentation. Google notes that with a connected wearable you’ll see extra tabs for Fitness and Sleep, and third‑party wearables may be supported later, plus the AI coach can be disabled via Privacy Controls. The transition coincides with the launch of the Fitbit Air.
Luna Band, Luna’s screenless fitness tracker unveiled at CES 2026, will ship starting July 31 with pre-orders opening July 4. It tracks activity, sleep, nutrition and medical data, runs LifeOS with Siri/Gemini integration and voice logging, and reportedly does not require a subscription—unlike Fitbit Air or WHOOP—with up to 10 days of battery life; pricing has not been announced.
The Fitbit Air is a 12g, screen-free fitness band with a week-long battery and robust health sensors, designed to work with Google Health and a paid AI health coach that analyzes workouts and offers actionable guidance. It aims to help non-fitness enthusiasts improve sleep and overall health, with data integrated across devices, and launches May 26 at $99.
Apple’s 11-year-old Watch is losing momentum as rivals Whoop, Oura, and Google-backed Fitbit Air push screenless health tracking focused on recovery and sleep. Leadership churn at Apple—retirements and exits across health, hardware, and marketing—amid a push to simplify Health and pursue AI-driven services. Oura’s confidential IPO filing signals competitive pressure, while Apple’s Health app remains cluttered and less actionable. watchOS 27 will be incremental, with heart-rate improvements and AI features drifting into iOS 27 more broadly, and a glucose-monitoring project—once a Jobs-era ambition—still progress-laden. The market is expanding beyond wrists toward glasses and other devices, pressuring Apple to decide whether to lead a screenless, AI-powered health era or risk falling behind.
Apple is reportedly developing lightweight, display-free AI glasses that prioritize AI-driven usefulness, gesture controls, and Siri integration over AR visuals. A dual-camera system (high-res for photos/videos and a low-res gesture/AI camera) enables hands-free interaction, while a tethered design and premium acetate frames aim for all-day wear and efficient power use. Expect future Siri enhancements and iOS 27 integration, with a likely 2027 launch, signaling a shift toward practical, ecosystem-focused wearables.
Samsung says the Galaxy Watch 6 will include a fainting-prediction sensor developed with Chung-Ang University Hospital, capable of forecasting vasovagal syncope up to five minutes before episodes with over 84% accuracy (90% sensitivity, 64% specificity) in early clinical trials. If commercialization proceeds, this proactive warning could reduce injuries from fainting and edge out competitors like Apple, though the tech remains in clinical testing for now.
UC San Diego researchers used two weeks of smartwatch data and EMA mood logs to train a personalized machine‑learning model that identifies each participant’s top mood drivers and pairs them with tailored, remote coaching to create an individualized Mood Augmentation Plan (iMAP). Over six weeks, 55% of participants showed depression remission on PHQ-9, anxiety decreased 36%, and benefits persisted for three months post-intervention, suggesting a scalable, data‑driven approach to personalized depression care.
A Reddit post describes the exposed contacts on Valve’s Steam Controller Charging Puck remaining live and shorting with a Pixel Watch 4 wearing a third‑party strap, leaving scorch marks. Valve’s Steam Hardware team has reached out to offer a replacement puck and to inspect the charger and watch. No injuries occurred and neither device stopped working. Meanwhile, users are advised to keep the puck away from other chargers and handle it carefully while plugged in, with ongoing questions about whether the issue could have been caught before launch.
Google has migrated the Fitbit Community to Google Health Community, folding Fitbit into its broader health ecosystem. The redesigned forum now covers the Google Health app, Google Fitbit Air, and existing devices like Sense, Versa, Inspire, and Ace, while older Fitbit discussions are harder to access, potentially erasing years of troubleshooting and support content.
Google is reshaping its core search product by expanding the search box for longer, chat-style queries, adding AI-generated summaries, and introducing information agents that can monitor recurring queries; the company also extends AI across services (Ask YouTube, Gemini 3.5 Flash and Spark), and is piloting AI glasses with partners, signaling a broader strategy to embed AI into products and hardware to defend against standalone chatbots.
A reviewer tests the Hypershell X Ultra S exoskeleton on a Grand Canyon hike, finding it extends endurance and reduces fatigue enough to finish a two‑mile rim hike and about 12,000 steps without using his cane, but it’s not a cure for disability or a superhero device. The app‑controlled, ~5‑pound unit uses a back‑mounted battery with motors at the hips, offers modes like Eco/Hyper/Transparent/Fitness, and claims ~30 km (18.6 miles) of range with a spare battery. Real‑world results vary by terrain and fitness, and the device is pricey (about $1,999 for the X Ultra S).
Xreal previews Project Aura, a pro-level Android XR smartglasses that adds side-hand-tracking cameras and a center camera, pairs with a tethered puck, and delivers a bright 70-degree FOV display; the demo emphasized entertainment and the potential to function as an external display for laptops, with pricing to be announced.
Samsung is rumored to unveil a wave of new devices at a July 22, 2026 event in London, including the Galaxy Z Fold 8, Galaxy Z Flip 8, Galaxy Fold Wide, Galaxy Watch 9, and its first smart glasses, Galaxy Glasses. The lineup emphasizes thinner, lighter foldables with improved displays and battery life, a wider Fold Wide design for productivity, incremental wearables upgrades, and AI-powered AR features through the glasses.