CES 2021: True Wireless Headsets Are the Winners in Wearable Categories

At CES 2021, wearable devices had their usual prominent role, especially those related to healthcare monitoring as a result of COVID-19 and to address changes in consumer habits and lifestyle. New smartwatch launches at CES are not only stylish and more affordable but are technically more advanced to accurately monitor users’ healthcare, which has now become a key feature in the purchase decision process. Aside from smartwatches, other notable launches at the show were the number of true wireless headsets, a market that has been bolstered by the gradual minimization of barriers to entry. This has sparked the entry of a greater number of new players while existing vendors have been busy upgrading their devices and integrating enhanced features, such as active noise cancellation, better battery life, and voice assistants. As both types of device are becoming hardware mature, CES provided an opportunity to prepare the ground for new use cases and content.

Among the plethora of wearables announced at CES 2021, the most prominent across major categories were as follows:

Smartwatches and fitness bands

• Fossil launched its first LTE smartwatch (available for pre-order), the Fossil Gen 5 LTE (US$349), enabled with 4G cellular connectivity available on Verizon’s network, equipped with Qualcomm’s Snapdragon Wear 3100 platform, and built on Google’s Wear OS. The Gen 5 LTE has sensors for heart rate, GPS, NFC, elevation, and ambient light. In addition, Fossil added two new products in its Michael Kors product line available in the 5e Series: the Dacri (US$350) and MKGO (US$250). Both devices are equipped with a 1.19” AMOLED display and are powered by the Wear 3100 chip. The company also unveiled a new hybrid watch under its Skagen brand called the Jorn Hybrid HR (US$195) that will be available end of January.
• Amazfit demonstrated the Amazfit GTR 2e and GTS 2e smartwatches (both costing US$139.99). Both smartwatches are equipped with an AMOLED display and the BioTrackerTM 2 sensor that supports heart rate tracking and blood oxygen measurement. Also, both devices perform offline voice control. The company is expected to launch an LTE device later this year.
• Mudra released the Mudra Band (US$180) smart accessory strap that enables Apple users to control their smartwatch with hand gestures. More specifically, the band is equipped with sensors that can detect electrochemical signals from the user’s brain. Those signals are then run through an algorithm that can detect your individual finger movements.
• Honor announced the Honor Band 6 (US$35) that comes with 1.47” AMOLED display, Bluetooth 5.0, and heart rate and blood oxygen monitoring.

True wireless headsets

• Cleer Audio introduced two new true wireless headphones that support noise cancellation: the Ally Plus 2 (US$129.99) and the Roam NC (US$59.99). The Ally Plus 2 supports adaptive noise cancelation (using Qualcomm’s cVc 8th generation noise cancellation technology), app-based equalization (EQ), noise-reduction customization, and 11 hours of playback. The Roam NC supports active noise cancellation, allows user to set custom EQ levels, and supports 15 hours of battery life.
• ComfoBuds released the 1MORE ComfoBuds Pro True Wireless In-Ear Headphones (US$129.99) that support Bluetooth 5.0, active noise cancelation, wind noise reduction, a gaming mode, and 7 hours of playback. The company announced two more in-ear sets of headphones: the ColorBuds Pro (US$149.99) and SoundDuo (US$99).
• V-Moda announced a high-end over-the-ear headphone, the V-Moda M-200 (US$500), that supports active noise cancellation, EQ, and 20 hours of battery life.
• Anker revealed its first true wireless earbuds, the Liberty Air 2 Pro (US$130), that support active noise cancellation, customized EQ, and 6 hours of battery life with ANC on.
• JBL announced three new models ahead of CES 2021: the JBL LIVE PRO+ (US$179.95), JBL LIVE 660NC (US$199.95), and JBL LIVE 460NC (US$129.95). All devices support noise cancelation and voice control through voice assistants. In addition, JBL announced the JBL Tour Series designed for professional usage.
• HP launched the Elite Wireless earbuds (US$199) with adjustable noise cancellation and seamless switch between devices, for instance from smartphone to laptop.
• Samsung did not announce its new wireless headsets at CES, the Galaxy Buds Pro (US$199.99), but at its Galaxy Unpacked event that coincided with the show’s last day. The new device supports 360 Audio experience and (automatic) ambient noise and advanced active noise cancellation. Also, the new device allows voice control, and battery life is estimated at 5 to 6 hours.

Consumer AR/VR smartglasses

• Vuzix unveiled its Next Gen Smartglasses, which is a consumer-oriented device with a stylish design and new microLED display (price was not announced). The new device includes stereo speakers and noise-cancelling microphones for voice commands and embedded cameras that allow gesture control. Also, the device will support Wi-Fi and optional LTE connectivity.
• TCL announced new wearable display glasses that come with dual 1080p Full HD micro OLED displays built in and can connect through a USB-C port to various devices, such as smartphones, tablets, and laptops. The device is suitable for 3D content visualization and immersive applications including gaming, media, and entertainment.

True wireless headsets were the most promising wearable category at CES 2021, taking into consideration the range of other audio products that were displayed at the virtual show, followed by smartwatches and fitness trackers. Based on the number of wireless headsets that were announced, it is clear that active noise cancellation technology has matured to become a standard key feature even in relatively more affordable devices (at around an average price of US$120). Upcoming advancements in noise cancelation technology, such as more efficient noise detection AI algorithms, will not only enhance the user experience and support a wider range of use cases (such as travelling, working from home, and gaming), but will also encourage more wireless headset manufacturers to adopt it, driving down further the cost of devices with noise cancellation. Moreover, true wireless headsets will become key drivers for the growth/adoption of voice assistants because voice control is set to become the primary user interface for hands-free control of smartphones/smartwatches (take calls, switch songs, control sound volume, etc.).

Regarding the smartwatch market, there was no surprise that those announced at CES were equipped with sensors that allow users to precisely track their activity and monitor healthcare (such as measuring temperature, blood oxygen/sugar levels, heart rate, etc.), as a result of lifestyle changes instigated by the pandemic. Undoubtedly, advancements in embedded sensors will enhance accuracy of collected data and device reliability, although updates to the Wear OS platform has also been essential to driving adoption and device replacement. Moreover, smartwatches with embedded cellular connectivity will start to become more affordable, adding more flexibility while offering independence from a smartphone.

At CES 2021, consumer AR/VR hardware announcements were limited in terms of new devices and new players. At this stage of market development, the consumer AR market is maturing in terms of content, including new applications and improvements to existing ones. For example, the rise of online shopping during the pandemic has forced Perfect Corp, a beauty tech AR and AI solution provider, to upgrade its AI algorithms to provide high precision skin analysis and advanced AR to allow live streaming virtual makeup sessions, while also ensuring that cosmetic brands are able to survive and remain engaged with their customers.