Week in wearables #25: Masimo and Google partner up + Pokémon Sleep comes to smartwatches
Week in wearables #25: Masimo and Google partner up + Pokémon Sleep comes to smartwatches
The must-read stories from the past week
It’s a new week - and you know what that means: we’re ready to deliver another scintillating set of news tidbits to keep you in the loop of all things wearable tech.
We’ve been fighting like beavers trying to get through the wall of reviews over this last month or so. The industry’s busy period (can someone tell us when the quiet period is supposed to start?) is in full swing, and we’ve published our takes on the latest Apple, Huawei, and Garmin watches over the last week alone.
Elsewhere, we’ve also seen Google partner with the health tech company at loggerheads with Apple, Pokémon Sleep come to smartwatches, and plenty more. Read on for all the details from the key stories - and a couple you may have missed.
Also, for our paid subscribers, stay tuned for this week’s installment; we’ll bring you insights from industry experts at the Garmin Health Summit in Prague.
Masimo to help power future Wear OS watches - as Apple spat rumbles on
Seeing health startups partner with major brands is nothing new in the wearables space, but Masimo’s recent run-ins with Apple make its just-announced collaboration with Qualcomm and Google an incredibly fascinating development.
For those who need a bit of a refresher on the topic, Masimo sought a ruling from the International Trade Commission in 2023 blocking Apple’s Blood Oxygen app in the US due to a patent infringement. That proved successful, with the Series 9 and Ultra 2 temporarily forced off store shelves in the US last December.
One of the last major developments from Apple’s side was back in February when CEO Tim Cook said the company was focused on appealing the ban. A 916-page appeal followed in April, but there’s still been no resolution - and why the Apple Watch Series 10 doesn’t offer the feature.
As announced by Masimo, though, it will now work with Qualcomm - as well as fighting Apple - to develop a new reference platform for Wear OS vendors, saying: "OEMs will be able to more efficiently build and bring high-performing Wear OS smartwatches to market."
Essentially, Masimo looks set to lay all the foundational groundwork for biosensing in the next generation of Wear OS devices. Apple has so far been reluctant to license Masimo’s tech, and this probably spells an end to any potential agreement there.
While Apple develops a different solution, then, it seems Google may be able to gain an advantage in health tracking. But watch this space for more over the coming year or so.
Future Pixel Watch may log blue light exposure
We know from the above partnership that health biometrics may receive a revamp in future Pixel Watch devices - but Wareable has also uncovered a patent that hints at a feature to help manage circadian rhythms.
As described in the Fitbit filing, the smartwatch could feature a blue light tracker via a built-in camera and ambient light sensor. Then, when exposure reaches a certain level throughout the day and evening - potentially having a negative effect on sleep quality - it could dynamically recommend limits to wearers and notify if they’re exceeded.
Naturally, with built-in cameras still yet to really break into the mainstream, we have our doubts this feature will emerge via this exact system described by Fitbit.
Yet, as we discussed on the PULSE Podcast with Ultrahuman CEO Mohit Kumar last month, circadian rhythms are an area set to become a new frontier for wearables makers over the coming years. If Google/Fitbit can indeed engineer a solution of passively logging blue light exposure, it would certainly prove a big step toward that reality.
Neurable unleashes brainwave-tracking headphones
After showcasing them at CES 2024 earlier this year, Neurable and premium audio brand Master & Dynamic has officially launched the MW75 Neuro.
The headphones are based on M&D’s flagship cans, though mix things up by integrating AI-powered electroencephalography (EEG) sensors that can monitor brain activity.
The benefit of doing so with the MW75 Neuro is that measuring this brain activity allows users to be coached on their concentration levels, given advice on taking breaks, and have their brains analyzed to assess when focus levels are at their best.
After Neurable CEO Ramses Alcaide gave us a run-through of the MW75 Neuro in January, they also mentioned the company was working on earbud versions. But, at least for now, we’re looking forward to putting the $699/£629 headphones to a more comprehensive test when they hit the UK next spring.
If you’re in the US, though, the MW75 Neuro is available now to help you hone your concentration levels.
Pokémon Sleep app comes to smartwatches
A few weeks ago, we highlighted a few downright impressive stats from Pokémon Sleep, with the company passing over $100 million in revenue in under a year through its 9.8 million global downloads on smartphones.
And, excitingly, the app gained smartwatch support this week. Whether you’re using an Apple Watch, Galaxy Watch, Galaxy Ring, Pixel Watch, or a compatible Fitbit watch or tracker, you can now earn Pokémon Go rewards via your sleep hours.
It makes things much easier (and more accurate), as the app previously relied on users placing their phones under or beside their pillows.
We’ll put this one through its paces over the coming weeks, so stay tuned for our full breakdown of the integration on Wareable.
Garmin Coach expands for runners and cyclists
After new Garmin Coach features hit the Connect app beta last month, the changes are now rolling out to all users.
The biggest change we’ve felt is that plans are now more adaptive - so, if you miss or change a session, the program will adjust to get you toward your end goal. While Garmin offered that functionality previously through Suggested Workouts, Garmin Coach ones didn’t work in the same way.
What hasn’t changed, unfortunately, is the kind of races you can train up for; this is still limited to 5K, 10K, and half marathon distances, with the full 26.2-mile marathon a distance you’ll have to gain guidance from elsewhere.
Garmin also notes that an algorithm tweak should notice an improvement in race prediction times. Personally, this is always an area we’ve found pretty much bang on, so we’re interested in seeing the differences post-update.
But Garmin has also added plenty for other sports.
Cycling plans now exist, with Group Ride features like live locations, incident reports, and in-app messaging all in tow. Swimmers also get some love, and pool sessions can now be designed to have certain pace or intensity targets.