ClickZ Wearables Newsletter - 09.19.2024

PLUS: Is Wearable Tech The Future Of Healthcare?

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ClickZ
September 19, 2024 • Estimated Reading Time: 7 minutes

Specialty Bites 🍪

The FDA has approved Apple's Hearing Aid Feature for AirPods Pro 2, allowing users to customize hearing settings via iOS. This over-the-counter technology aims to help the 1.5 billion people globally with hearing loss. The feature will be available this fall, enhancing Apple's health-focused product lineup.

Wearable technology in healthcare is growing rapidly, with the market expanding by 25.7% annually. By 2030, it’s expected to become a common part of everyday life. Currently, around 30% of US adults use devices like fitness trackers and smartwatches, which are making real-time health monitoring more accessible.

What started as a futuristic concept is now a $16.2 billion industry, on track to reach $30 billion by 2026. The advancement of sensor technology is key, leading to more preventive and personalized healthcare.

These devices monitor various health metrics, from sleep patterns to heart rates, and play an essential role in managing chronic conditions like diabetes and asthma. In some cases, they can even predict serious health events, such as heart attacks, before they occur.

Wearables are also transforming telemedicine, allowing doctors to monitor patients remotely, providing an extra layer of convenience in healthcare. However, challenges remain, including issues of accessibility, particularly in rural areas, and concerns about data security and user engagement.

Apple's new Visual Intelligence feature, showcased at the iPhone 16 event, allows users to identify objects and gather information through the camera. This technology could pave the way for future AR glasses, enhancing user experience by integrating seamlessly with iPhone apps. Apple is laying the groundwork for this innovation.

Image: Apple

The Apple Watch Series 10 boasts new features like a sleeker design and sleep apnea detection. However, it lacks the blood oxygen monitoring feature due to a legal dispute with Masimo. This feature is unavailable for US buyers but remains accessible in other countries. The reason behind this omission is patent-related.

Generative AI is making waves in the eyewear industry, offering more than just a stylish accessory. In 2023, Stanford’s Brian Chang developed RizzGPT, smart glasses software powered by OpenAI’s ChatGPT. These glasses can generate conversation based on prompts, offering a helping hand in social situations. While they won’t replace your personality, they add a little extra support when needed.

Blue light glasses have also become increasingly popular as more people spend long hours in front of screens. Brands like Glasses Direct are leading the way, offering frames that reduce glare and eye strain, helping with both eye health and comfort during late-night screen use.

In other developments, BMW has introduced AR glasses that display useful data like speed and navigation directly on the lens, making it easier for drivers to stay focused on the road.

Looking ahead, companies such as Innovative Eyewear are experiencing growth, with their Lucyd brand, powered by ChatGPT, seeing significant revenue increases in early 2024. With major players like Apple and Meta investing in smart eyewear, the future of this technology is promising and AI-driven.

Image: Garmin

Garmin now offers premium watch faces through the Connect IQ app store, featuring collaborations with brands like Disney and Porsche. Notable options include Moon Walker, Ad Astra, Star Wars Grogu, Porsche 917 Salzburg, and Disney Minnie Mouse. These faces offer unique designs and customizable data fields, enhancing user experience.

Performance Platters 🍽️

Fospha's latest report, "The State of E-Commerce H2 2024", reveals crucial trends that will shape your marketing strategy. What's inside:

  • 📱 How the major platforms' KPIs have trended in 2024, and where you should be investing. 

  • 🚀 How to access Paid Social's huge scaling potential. 

  • ✨ The most effective Google channel of 2024.

  • 🎯 Full-funnel strategies for Meta, TikTok and Snapchat

Let's break down the platform-specific insights: 

  • TikTok: Emerging as a powerhouse for efficient new customer acquisition 

  • Meta: Maintaining strong performance with competitive CAC 

  • Snapchat: Experiencing rapid growth, particularly effective during peak shopping periods 

"These findings underscore how impactful platforms like Meta, TikTok and Snapchat continue to be for driving sales - yet how underinvested they remain. It's incredible to see that brands can triple spend in Paid Social before becoming unprofitable. Success now lies in diversifying across the entire funnel, understanding the nuances of each platform, and continuously optimizing to unlock more scaling potential." 

Jamie Bolton, VP Growth at Fospha

WPP and Coca-Cola topped the 2024 Cannes Lions creative charts, with Coca-Cola winning 17 awards. WPP was named Creative Company of the Year. Heineken and Apple followed in the rankings. The United States was the most creative country. The LIONS Creativity Report highlights impactful creativity driving growth.

Shopify partners with Roblox to integrate in-game shopping, allowing brands to sell physical items directly within the game. This collaboration targets Roblox's 80 million daily users, with a full launch in 2025. Shopify's president highlights the endless possibilities, emphasizing the future of immersive commerce in the digital world.

ClickZ is a Contentive publication in the DTC Ecommerce division