Wearable Computing & Fashion News - Page 1

If you're the proud owner of an Apple Series Series 9 or Apple Watch Ultra 2 and have found that your smartwatch has been doing strange things, you apparently aren't alone. In fact, the issue is so widespread that Apple is aware of it and is already investigating what's happening and how it can go about fixing things.

The issue, MacRumors reports, is that some of the very latest Apple Watches are suffering a touch-related issue that causes some models to recognize touches on their display even though nobody has actually touched them. The result is "ghost touches" that cause apps to misbehave.

The MacRumors report cites an internal memo shared with Apple Authorized Service Providers this week that says some users are reporting that Apple Watch Series 9 and Apple Watch Ultra 2 models are causing issues. The Apple memo says that this can cause some APple Watch models to jump around erratically or just behave in an unexpected manner. Examples of issues experienced include some Apple Watches placing calls unexpectedly or users being unable to correctly enter their passcode because the watch's display misinterprets real taps.

The Apple Watch Ultra 2 is the best Apple Watch on the market right now and one of the best smartwatches, period. But there are still places where it could be improved and reports have long suggested that Apple intends to turn its attention to microLED as an upgrade for its display. But a new report hints that previously suggested release schedules might turn out to be optimistic.

There had been some suggestion that Apple would switch to microLED Apple Watch displays in 2026, with research firm TrendForce saying so throughout 2023. Some other sources had pointed to the switch happening as soon as next year, but a new report says that neither timing is likely to happen and that potential Apple Watch Ultra buyers should look to 2027 instead.

That's according to a report by The Elec which says that problems relating to the manufacturing costs and production yields associated with new microLED Apple Watch Ultra displays could see the launch delayed into 2027.

If you're an Apple Watch owner you're going to get a new software update within the next few weeks, but before that can happen it's been made available to developers to ensure that mode testing is done before the big release. That watchOS 10.4 update isn't expected to bring a huge number of new features to Apple Watch owners, but there's something for emoji fans to look forward to.

In terms of those new features, the software has only just landed so we might find new tweaks and improvements over the coming hours. However, right now, it's believed that the new emojis are the biggest change here. There have been a number of new additions including a lime, a brown mushroom, a phoenix, and a broken chain. Two new shaking heads have also been added to cover the "yes" and "no" movements.

Those who are registered developers can now download the new watchOS 10.4 update via the usual methods. That involves using the Watch app on the iPhone the Apple Watch is paired with and then choosing the Software Update section. The Apple Watch will need to be on the charger and have at least 50% battery charge at the time of the update otherwise it will not commence.

Apple has been told that it has to stop selling the Apple Watch Series 9 and Apple Watch Ultra 2 smartwatches in the United States all over again. The news relates to an ongoing legal dispute over the use of blood oxygen-sensing technology that is used in those two models.

That technology has already been found to infringe upon a patent owned by the medical device firm Masimo, a company that Apple was once said to have tried to buy. A ban was previously ordered before Apple was able to get a stay on the ban while the initial stages of its appeals process were underway. However, the US Court of Appeals for the Federal Circuit declined Wednesday to grant Apple a longer pause.

Apple had to briefly stop selling the affected Apple Watches over the Christmas period before the stay was applied, but the ban will once again begin tomorrow which means that Apple Stores and Apple's online presence will have to stop selling these models at that time. An import ban will also come into effect. That means that while third-party retailers can continue to sell the wearables, they will not be able to replenish their stocks once they run dry.

Buying an Apple Watch in the United States is easier today than it might have been if a ban on Apple's best wearables had gone ahead. That ban was paused after Apple appealed a decision to ban its Apple Watch in December, but now the UInternationla Trade Commission has formally opposed the stay, saying that Apple's arguments against a ban are weak.

The original ban kicked in on December 25 after the Biden administration chose not to intervene following a decision to ban the watches over patent infringements. Those infringements are over patents relating to health technology created by Masimo and a legal battle has been underway for years. At issue is the blood oxygen monitor used in the Apple Watch Ultra 2, Apple Watch Series 9, and slightly older models not including the Apple Watch SE - that model doesn't have the blood oxygen monitoring technology and is not affected as a result.

Apple briefly paused sales of the Apple Watch Ultra 2 and Apple Watch Series 9, before it was able to get a stay on the ban that runs until January 15 at the earliest. That's when arguments from all parties will be taken into account, and a ban could be reinstated as a result.

The Apple Watch Ultra and Apple Watch Ultra 2 look almost identical and are both made from titanium, Apple's latest material of choice. But where the iPhone 15 Pro comes in multiple colors, the Apple Watch Ultra 2 is only available in the same natural color that the previous model shipped in. There were rumors that might not have been the case, but ultimately the natural color was all that we got.

However, the story has been given additional credence today following the leak of an Apple Watch Ultra band that appears to have black hardware, the kind that would be used on an Apple Watch band that was going to be fitted against a black titanium Apple Watch Ultra. The band itself looks to be genuine and matches other Apple Watch Ultra bands, with the only difference being that black hardware.

The source of the leak was X user DongleBookPro and as ever, it's important that we take these kinds of leaks with a pinch of salt. But the band does appear to be what the leaker says that it is.

There are a lot of useful new inventions being unveiled at this year's CES, including this interesting new silent mask by Skyted.

It brings the mask-wearing reality of travel and discretion together to create a mask to reduce sound, allowing users to have near-private conversations. Skyted launched its Kickstarter campaign at CES earlier today for its new noise-reducing mask that would allow users to speak freely about anything anywhere without the worry of others eavesdropping, preserving privacy and confidential information.

Kickstarter has already smashed its goal of only $8,800, earning a total of $54,000, showcasing that it is a concept that has got many people's attention. This mask isn't made to completely mute you to the world around you and won't allow you to scream at the top of your lungs without receiving some weird looks. However, it will reduce your sound by 25 decibels, so when speaking at normal volume, the people around you won't be able to hear you.

SENSHOMI is a newly established brand. From my communication with founder Jacob, I learned that they spent nearly a year polishing the product and only launched it on Amazon and TikTok at the end of this year.

Jacob believes that men are inherently rational, and the choice of clothing should be like choosing a computer. We need to start with the specs. What specs should we pay attention to for a good laptop, and what specs should we pay attention to for a high-quality T-shirt? In addition, a good technological product should have a special function. For these reasons, SENSHOMI was born. Let's take a look at the next two t-shirts in the TechTee Pro series launched by SENSHOMI.

TechTee Pro E is a polymer nano-material dip-dyed on 100% cotton fabric. It uses the hydrophobic principle of lotus leaves. When liquid stains slip onto clothes, they will be aggregated into small water droplets to prevent the leaked water from staining the clothes. Forming stains, it has the effect of protecting liquid stains and can keep the T-shirt in a very clean state. At the same time, because it is a dip-dyed fabric, the clothing still has good softness and breathability.

Following a ruling by the International Trade Commission (ITC), Apple had to stop selling its flagship Apple Watch Ultra 2 and the Apple Watch Series 9.

The banning of the two aforementioned Apple Watch's was a result of a dispute between Apple and medical technology company Masimo, which were debating the ownership of the blood oxygen sensor technology within both of the devices. The ITC announced its ruling back in October, upholding a judge's decision to rule in favor of Masimo back in January, 2023. Apple then informed 9to5Mac that it will no longer be selling its Apple Watch Series 9 and Apple Watch Ultra 2 in the United States after 3 pm ET on Thursday, December 21.

However, thanks to the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Federal Circuit, and according to a new statement from Apple to 9to5Mac, the company has confirmed the Apple Watch Series 9 and Ultra 2 will be returning to retail stores and it's website on December 27. Apple explained that after undergoing an extensive process of appealing the ruling it filed an emergency request to get the ban lifted with the US appeals court, which proved successful.

The Retro Gaming Watch, a passion project from Jason Rogers, has blown past its Kickstarter funding target of $35,000 USD (as of writing, it's sitting on $56,286) and has an estimated delivery window of November 2024. As per its name, the Retro Gaming Watch is a smartwatch with a design focused on classic and retro video games from the 1980s.

Sporting a physical design (and orange color) reminiscent of the original Nintendo Game & Watch devices, the Retro Gaming Watch features a flip-open design to reveal a screen and controls. It's kind of like a Game Boy Advance SP that you can wear.

According to Jason, including an FPGA (Field Programmable Gate Array), Arm Cortex M33 processor running at up to 160MHz, 1.5 MB of "fast RAM," and a dedicated 2D graphics processor is enough power to handle DOS games and console releases from the 8-bit and 16-bit eras. Plus, it's a smartwatch that connects and interacts with your smartphone for app and message interactions.