AT&T unveils six new wearable devices
NEW YORK — AT&T continues to delve into the wearable tech space, adding six new products for the wrist on Wednesday to bring the overall company portfolio of such devices to more than 30.
Not counting smartphones, AT&T says it has nearly 22 million connected devices on its network worldwide, with more than 945,000 connected devices added just in the first quarter of this year.
Three of the devices launching Wednesday are exclusive to the carrier: the $149 Mio Fuse heart rate and fitness tracker that is targeted at hardcore athletic types, the $120 CaseMate Rebecca Minkoff bracelet that is aimed at women, and the $299 Healbe GoBe.
This last device promises to measure your calorie intake and burn in real time, so you'll theoretically be able to judge the effects of that slice of pizza you just consumed. It reads the glucose in your cells. GoBe can also measure your stress level, hydration, heart rate and blood pressure.
The remaining three devices, which are not exclusive to AT&T, are the entry-level $49 Misfit Flash sports fitness tracker and two Withings smartwatches, the $149 Activite Pop and the stylish Swiss-made $450 Activite. The handsome Activite is an analog style watch with hands that automatically adjust to the local time zone when you travel. It tracks sleep, steps and other variables.
All the new devices AT&T will be selling use Bluetooth to leverage connectivity with smartphones, rather than work independently off the carrier's network without a phone. There are no separate fees beyond the upfront purchase price.
Chris Penrose, AT&T senior vice president for the Internet of Things, ultimately sees wearable tech and connected objects around the house working in tandem.
"How can you bring daily relevance into these devices?" asks Penrose. One answer, he suggests, is to connect wearables to other parts of your life — home, car, office.
For example, if you wearing a device that knows when you're about to go to sleep, it can automatically trigger a series of actions, such as turning off the lights or lowering the thermostat and locking the doors.
In the morning when you wake up, the coffee maker could start brewing, lights come back on, and the household temperature readjusts.