the.com/wearables
gadgets that made surveillance intimate enough to strap to your wrist.
means electronic devices worn on the body that track, measure, or connect, turning your skin into a data port.
from the idea predates silicon: 1500s pocket watches were the first wearable tech, but the modern category exploded with pedometers in the 1960s and went nuclear when fitbit and the apple watch made health data a status symbol around 2010s.
first smartwatchpulsar calculator watch launched 1975
market sizetens of billions in annual revenue by 2020s
sleep tracking ironyoften causes anxiety that worsens sleep
battery tradeoffmore sensors always means shorter battery life
for instance
apple watch — launched 2015, now tracks ecg and blood oxygen
fitbit — popularized step counting, acquired by google in 2021
oura ring — sleep tracker worn by athletes and biohackers since 2013
whoop strap — screenless band favored by professional sports teams