Strategy Analytics Wearables Service brings you daily coverage of the year’s largest consumer electronics convention: CES 2019. Our day 3 blog will focus on feature watch announcements from the show floor.
Our day 1 and day 2 coverage can be accessed as below:
CES 2019: Day 1 - What to Expect in Wearables
CES 2019 : Day 2 - Smartwatches
Feature watches are those devices withOUT a high level OS and NOT capable of running third party apps, largely consisting of proprietary OS sports watches, child/elder tracker watches, and semi-smart hybrid watches with analog movement and activity tracking. Major announcements include:
- Omron launched the Omron HeartGuide, featuring FDA clearance for taking blood pressure readings directly from the wrist.The device sports 7 day battery life, comes in 3 sizes, and will cost $499 retail for US consumer only.Achieving FDA clearance is a major milestone in the road towards realizing the healthcare revenue potential of wearables.
- Withings announced the Move and Move ECG hybrid feature watches. The Move ECG most notably adds ECG at a far more affordable pricepoint ($130 retail) than the Apple Watch. Unlike Apple, however, the Move ECG has NOT achieved FDA clearance – though is under review currently.The devices are swimprooof up to 50 meters and delivers up to a year of battery life since there is no embedded display.
- Coolpad has announced the Dyno children’s watch, targeting parents who want to keep a closer eye on their children, as well as provide a controlled introduction to wireless technology at a young age.The device sports standalone cellular connectivity ($10/month for unlimited usage), activity tracking, and give parents the ability to control/approve contacts, set safe zones (via GPS), and switch on/off the cellular connection through a companion app for the parent’s smartphone.
Feature watch sales are expected to grow 24% in 2019. Child trackers account for roughly 1 in 3 feature watch sales globally and are particularly popular in China. Sports watches have been around for some time, and bluetooth connected versions from vendors like Suunto and Garmin are in demand among more serious and especially multi-sport athletes. Hybrid semi-smart watches – watches with traditional mechanical movements and often coin cell batteries, but also adding activity tracking and notification capabilities - are increasingly being offered as options from traditional wristwatch makers.
Exhibit 1: Coolpad Dyno Child Tracker Watch
