Wearable Gadgets Growing More Capable, but Smartphones Remain Ubiquitous
BARCELONA: Wearable gadgets like smart watches and glasses are growing more capable every year, but experts say smartphones will remain ubiquitous for the foreseeable future – not least thanks to artificial intelligence features.
New Product Ranges Allow Manufacturers to Diversify Hopes Until Now Placed in Phones
A slew of wearable products and prototypes were on show at the Mobile World Congress in Barcelona Monday, even as smartphone makers and network operators played up AI integration as making handsets more useful. Cesar Corcoles, an IT and telecoms professor at the Open University of Catalonia, noted that new product ranges allow manufacturers to diversify the hopes until now placed in phones.
Smart Glasses on the Horizon
Smart glasses have seemed on the horizon for more than a decade, with Google’s Glass headset and camera released in 2013 – although it has since been discontinued. Meta has encountered more success recently with its frames developed alongside Ray-Ban, offering features including a built-in camera, music playback, and voice interactions with the company’s AI. Yann LeCun, star AI researcher at the company which owns Facebook and Instagram, is often seen showing off the glasses at public appearances.
Market Surge for Smart Glasses
Worldwide, the market for smart glasses appears to be surging in terms of unit sales, with a 210% year-on-year increase in 2024 according to specialist research firm Counterpoint – far faster than the 7% growth in smartphone shipments calculated by analysts Canalys. However, comparing the number of devices rather than growth rates, last year’s roughly two million pairs of smart glasses barely register compared to the 1.2 billion smartphones sold.
AI on Your Phone
Beyond consumer inertia, wearable tech is still up against engineering challenges stemming from its bid to squeeze smartphone-like functionality into a smaller package. "There are limits around the computing power currently and battery performance," said Canalys expert Jack Leathem. "You can’t make them that compact." That’s one reason why smart watches able to make calls and send messages largely remain tethered to wearers’ smartphones for now.
The Future of Wearables
Other wearable categories may need longer to take off, with the recent shutdown of "AI Pin" maker Humane a sign some wearable tech is not yet mature. Designed to be worn at chest level like a brooch, the would-be smartphone replacement incorporating a camera and mini projector was designed to be used via AI-powered voice interactions but received poor reviews. "The most challenging thing is getting people to change their behaviour," agreed Shen Ye of smartphone maker HTC’s Vive wearables arm.
Conclusion
In conclusion, while wearable gadgets like smart watches and glasses are growing more capable, experts believe smartphones will remain ubiquitous for the foreseeable future – not least thanks to artificial intelligence features. As AI continues to pump more value into smartphones, manufacturers are incentivised to get consumers buying a wider range of gadgets rather than simply swapping one for another.
FAQs
Q: What is the current state of wearable technology?
A: Wearable gadgets like smart watches and glasses are growing more capable every year.
Q: Will smartphones remain ubiquitous in the future?
A: Yes, experts believe smartphones will remain ubiquitous due to AI features.
Q: How is AI changing the smartphone landscape?
A: AI is expected to pump more value into smartphones, making them more useful and increasing their adoption.
Q: What are the challenges facing wearable technology?
A: Wearable tech is up against engineering challenges, including computing power and battery performance, which limit its ability to replace smartphones.