ALLPCB
Overview
A wearable device is a portable device worn on the body or integrated into clothing or accessories. Beyond hardware, wearables rely on software, data exchange, and cloud services to provide functionality that can change how users live and perceive their environment.
Common form factors
Common product forms include smartwatches, fitness bands, ear-worn devices, smart glasses (including VR/AR headsets), smart clothing, and smart shoes.
Capabilities
By connecting to the internet and integrating with software applications, wearable devices enable users to sense and monitor physiological signals and surrounding environmental conditions. Users can quickly view, respond to, and share information without manual input. Typical application areas include health management, activity tracking, social interaction, casual gaming, audio and video entertainment, navigation, and mobile payments.
Market landscape
The Chinese market for wearable devices is mainly concentrated with Huawei, Xiaomi, and BBK. According to IDC quarterly tracking of the Chinese wearable market, shipments in the third quarter of 2020 grew year over year. Globally, Apple is a leading vendor: products such as the Apple Watch and AirPods are among the most popular wearables, and financial disclosures indicate wearables are one of Apple's fastest-growing segments.
Outlook
As 5G deployment expands, technologies such as wearables, virtual reality, and smart home devices, together with other smart hardware, are expected to further develop. Wearables centered on smartwatches and ear-worn devices have matured over several years and represent one of the largest markets beyond smartphones. By 2023, the industrial IoT market was projected to reach $750 billion. Wearable devices offer an opportunity to raise efficiency further, and a logical next step is to integrate wearable convenience where appropriate within industrial IoT deployments.
