With Apple's iWatch and several competing smartwatches from major manufacturers in the works, some analysts question whether such wearable technology will gain popularity among consumers.
The smartwatch market is especially questionable for young people who have moved away from wearing traditional watches and use their smartphones to track the time, analysts said.
The most promising uses for smartwatches, initially, could be health-related. A wristband on a smartwatch can monitor the user's blood pressure and heart rate. For instance, contract electronics supplier Foxconn Technology Group last month unveiled a wristband technology that can monitor a user's health and sync with a smartphone, usually through a Bluetooth connection.
Fitness watches are fairly common already. Some can cast an LED light on the skin to get a pulse or monitor whether the wearer is properly hydrated. The next step will be to put sensors used in fitness watches into smartwatches.
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