Galaxy Watch 3 launch
Samsung has, as expected, announced the Galaxy Watch 3, it’s latest smartwatch. The rotating bezel is back which is a unique differentiator for Samsung (and a great navigation tool) and, as expected, the watches are slightly smaller than previous versions. ECG and blood pressure are coming, having just received FDA approval. But perhaps the true key to the Galaxy is how it ties in with the rest of Samsung’s ecosystem: for example, if you are exercising indoors, video clips of the workout can be beamed to the TV (via, apparently, your Samsung phone) so you can follow one of the many Samsung workouts on the big screen, while your smallest screen (watch) tracks how well you do. That’s a great feature; one of several that highlight that Samsung is going after the serious workout enthusiast (VO2 tracking is coming soon, for example).
The NPD Take:
- Beautiful design with many clever features, such as being able to match you watch display to the color of your clothes means this device should boost Samsung’s position in the wearables space.
- The addition of more serious workout-related features is a great step forward and could increase pressure on the likes of Garmin that have carved out a strong niche in the workout space.
Just relax
It’s a stressful time for everyone, what with a raging pandemic and all. Cue the Cove wearable from Feelmore Labs, a neckband that hooks over your ears provides a soothing vibration to the back of you head. The idea is that if you wear this for 20 minutes or so each day it will make you more resilient to stress, making it easier to relax as you get ready for bed. Initial trials of the solution claim that trialists who self-reported anxiety issues saw a decline in issues over a four-week period.
The NPD Take:
- The Cove product targets a niche of a niche at best, but in these stressful times it stands a better than usual chance of success. Having said that, if the product does show any positive results, we can expect headphone manufacturers to look at ways to include similar functionality.
- Of course, one could also argue that this is very similar to the Sharper Image-esque massagers, but with the addition of a smartphone app to track your progress. As such, it’s simply a more modern take on an existing product set.