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Why carry your gadgets when you can wear them? Steve Dinneen tries out ten of the best
he more observant among you may have noticed that Apple has started selling watches. If this is news to you, you might be intrigued to know that there was also a general election last month and that the Duchess of Cambridge recently gave birth to a human baby. Wearables are a big deal right now, evolving from a niche market aimed largely at fitness fanatics to an increasingly mainstream ad-
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dition to your family of gadgets. By 2020, it is predicted that the sector will be worth US$57 billion in revenue annually. Where once wearable tech would merely record data to be interpreted by your computer or smartphone, now it acts as a conduit for information, pushing your calls and messages to your wrist and telling you when you have a social media alert. The more advanced watches are almost threatening to replace your phone altogeth-
er, although none have managed that feat just yet. While wearables used to be manufactured from utilitarian plastic and rubber, today’s cutting-edge products are fashioned from the kind of materials that have for centuries been associated with high-end wristwatches – rose gold, stainless steel and fine leather. Smart devices are also turning to traditional timepieces for design inspiration, with Motorola and LG producing stunning