This holiday season, the wearable industry is providing plenty of options, resulting in fierce competition. As they try to steal market share from some of the usual suspects, like Apple, Samsung and Fitbit, the wearable concepts stretch beyond your wrist. So, just in time for gift wrapping, PYMNTS wrapped up its own wearable gift guide, fit with some techy rivals worth mentioning … and, of course, wearing.
Check out this infographic, with more information below.
$399
A team of audio technology experts, MIT developers and serial entrepreneurs put their heads together and launched these headphones. ONvocal is the Massachusetts-based company behind the product seeking to transform the art of listening, and — by George — they may have done it. The black-with-silver trim headphones are synced to the virtual assistant of your choice — Siri, Alexa and Google — and claim to be the first to have built in the Alexa Voice and Music Services with a dedicated Alexa button right on the headset. The hearing capabilities are better in quality for both the user and the AI skills, although some say, aesthetically, the enhancement is reminiscent of the early 2000s. For those ready to be the first to have OV circle around them, orders should be placed quickly as the first ship date is Jan. 10 of next year, with limited qualities available and only for orders to the U.S. for now.
$500
They say, “Clothes make the man,” and when you’re wearing a wearable, that phrase is more fitting than ever with Samsung’s NFC Suit. This souped-up suit debuted at IFA in Berlin, strutted over to CES, has an NFC chip in near the sleeves’ cuff buttons and is in collaboration with Rogatis. The outfit allows the user an enhanced way to do business, from unlocking their phone, to digitally swapping business cards, to setting gadgets into certain office or drive modes. The Korean tech giant has been working on a slew of clothing type wearables, but typically, they’ve kept focus on health stats with the Body Compass workout shirts monitoring biometric data and Bean Pole golf shirts taking account of weather and UV rays. For now, only the lucky ones in Korea are able to access the suit. Again, for now.
Starts at $269
Just in time for both the snow and the snowbirds to head off to the beach, the Apple Watch released its newest version with water in mind. With its second time around, the watch is waterproof (resistance up to 50 meters) and perfect for your favorite swimmer, beach babe or even snow shoveler. The Cupertino tech giant touts a twice-as-bright display and enhanced health-related features, including activity tracking, achievements and coaching, as well as the embedded GPS, a “breathe app” and other third-party health apps. The company also says the user can “ask more of Siri,” access more apps and receive more notifications. And if nothing else, get ready to purchase Apple Store products from this new Apple Watch.
Starts at $349
As the face of the Moto 360 catches the light, some argue this is the most fashionable smartwatch on the market, and it’s in its second generation. But quite possibly the best aspect of the Moto 360 is that it has customizable designs for both men and women. The battery life is one of the strongest on the market, lasting from a day-and-a-half to two full days. The watch is also water-resistant, and app-wise, it jives with Google Play and works with both Android and iPhone. So, as being fashionable is key, this may fully complete the wardrobe.
£150 ($229)
Talk about having something up your sleeve. Scottish knitwear company Lyle & Scott has zipped up a contactless jacket for quick, simple purchases. Complete with Barclaycard bPay technology, the chip in the right sleeve cuff allows users to tap to pay at contactless terminals. There is a limit to the transactions — up to £30 — which the company says “satisfies the consumer’s need for flexibility and convenience.” The cuff is accepted at more than 300,000 U.K. locations, is available at the Lyle & Scott flagship store in London and online and is perfect for quickly running out to grab a bottle of wine to clink glasses for the new year.
Starts at $145
Right now, the product doesn’t have a payment mechanism, but that’s highly likely to happen after Ringly and Mastercard recently struck a deal related to NFC payments. Currently, the 18K gold rings featuring a middle stone of either an emerald, pink sapphire, black onyx, moonstone or tourmalated quartz stone have the capabilities to connect to both iOS and Android devices. Through a set of various vibration patterns, the wearer can receive alerts like texts, calls, social media notifications and even a note that the Uber driver is arriving now. As for other jewelry options, the company has rolled out its line of Aries bracelets, but there could be even more options on the way. The wearer still has to reference their phone for the complete update or next step, but either way, they look glamorous doing it.
$39.99
While it’s not technically a wearable, coffee cups are somewhat of a handheld staple for many people. Australian telco Optus added an NFC chip inside coffee cups, giving them the capability to become a payment conduit. The cups sell for just under $40 but can be used to make purchases up to more than twice that ($100). The product works at payment terminals that take Visa payWave. This product certainly takes on a new meaning for your morning coffee jolt.
Currently on back order
In terms of biometric data to authenticate and pay, fingerprints are apparently not the only option. The Nymi Band is a heartbeat identification device that is collaborating with Mastercard and Canada-based Toronto-Dominion Bank on biometric payment confirmation. Worn around the wrist, the device uses HeartID to authenticate the user before allowing them to pay via an NFC chip. The company says that, unlike the fingerprint, an individual’s heartbeat is more difficult to reproduce.
$189.99
Who says your dog or cat can’t get in on the wearable fun? Nuzzle is the first GPS-enabled pet wearable with pet insurance integration. With no wearable subscription fees, the techy collar is coupled with an insurance offering that can be accessed directly from the Nuzzle app. The wearable is connected to both iOS and Android apps so that users can — in real time — locate their pets, track activity, monitor for extreme temperatures, create geofences and be immediately notified of any high-impact collisions. The collar is available on the Nuzzle website and Amazon.
We’re always on the lookout for opportunities to partner with innovators and disruptors.
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