{"id":147138,"date":"2022-12-03T17:59:01","date_gmt":"2022-12-03T17:59:01","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/harchi90.com\/forget-smartwatches-consumers-are-buying-up-these-quirky-alternative-wearable-devices\/"},"modified":"2022-12-03T17:59:01","modified_gmt":"2022-12-03T17:59:01","slug":"forget-smartwatches-consumers-are-buying-up-these-quirky-alternative-wearable-devices","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/harchi90.com\/forget-smartwatches-consumers-are-buying-up-these-quirky-alternative-wearable-devices\/","title":{"rendered":"Forget smartwatches, consumers are buying up these quirky, alternative wearable devices"},"content":{"rendered":"
In 2015, the same year Apple introduced its smartwatch, a Kickstarter campaign launched for a very different kind of wearable device: a wellness-tracking ring called the Oura.\n <\/p>\n
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Seven years later, the Apple Watch is the most popular wearable device while other similar products from <\/strong>Google and Samsung also <\/strong>dominate the wearables market. But something notable is underway: products like Oura, which look and sometimes function markedly different from more mainstream wearables, are gaining renewed traction.\n <\/p>\n
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The Oura ring ($399) experienced a spike in sales during the pandemic, and has seen continued momentum this holiday season, CEO Tom Hale told CNN Business. <\/strong>It provides sleep tracking data without needing to wear a smartwatch to bed and can detect subtle changes in body temperature. It also has no screen. Earlier this year, the company announced it had received <\/strong>a $2.55 billion valuation and has since rolled out partnerships with Gucci, Strava and other brands.\n <\/p>\n
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The ring is among a small but increasingly buzzy group of alternative wearable devices that people are gravitating toward right now, including a fitness band tracker with no screen and headphones that don’t need to be put in the ear. <\/strong>Some of the demand stems from shifts during the pandemic, as consumer interest in health monitoring surged. People turned to activity trackers, smartwatches and other devices to keep tabs on their steps, vital statistics and more. Many were also willing to experiment with different form factors, as long as they provided accurate data and were still comfortable \u2013 a trend that continues today.\n <\/p>\n