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4 Major Trends in the Wearables Industry in 2025
A few years have passed from the day the first wearables was invented in June 1961. The technology has evolved so much recently, making sensors part of our lives and helping us monitor our biometrics to improve our health. In 2022 more than one billion of wearables were connected on planet earth, leading to what seems to be one of the most exciting and promising industries when it comes to health tech.
August 3, 2023
3
min
Analyzing the major market trends, here are the main areas to focus, especially while building digital health apps:
Embedded Technology
Embedding sensors and processors directly into clothing or accessories, adding extra functionality without the need for external components seems to be the next big thing. The integration of embedded computer technology is becoming increasingly common, and developers are checking software trends like container adoption, debates about programming languages like Rust versus C++, security enhancements for IoT-based devices, adoption of Agile methodologies, and multicore microcontrollers.
For example: here is how Google has partnered with Levi’s creating a smart trucker jacket.
Smart Fabrics & Textiles
Smart fabrics and electronic textiles integrate electronics directly into the fabric, enabling sensing and communication capabilities. This opens up possibilities for interactive garments and smart shoes. The applications for this technology are expanding rapidly, making smart fabrics a top trend to watch in 2025. E-textiles could be competing with traditional wearable devices like smartwatches and fitness trackers.
For example: Under Armor has been exploring this field for a few years and the clothing line UA RECOVER is capable of absorbing heat from the human body and then share it back onto the wearer’s skin as far infrared light.
Hearables
Hearables combine hearing-aid and headphone functionalities. These devices often stream via Bluetooth and may provide health-tracking information. In 2025, we can expect hearables equipped with biometric, proximity, movement, and other sensors, enabling them to gather contextual information about users. This will allow them to offer features like heart rate tracking with voice-based personal assistants, contextual location-based suggestions, environment-based noise suppression, audio enhancement, and gesture and touch-based control.
For example: Starkley is at the forefront of innovation in the industry with Genesis AI, one of the most advanced hearable in the market.
AI Integration
AI integration has been a major focus in the wearables industry, with companies like Google and Apple leading the way in voice-activated interactions between users and devices. In 2025, expect to see even more advanced AI capabilities integrated into existing products and new innovative wearables.
For example: AI-powered fitness apps like ArtiFit will offer personalized and adaptive workouts in real-time.
These four trends provide a glimpse into what the future of wearables looks like. As the technology matures, we're moving toward a world where health monitoring becomes seamlessly integrated into our daily lives, offering unprecedented insights into our well-being. For inventors, entrepreneurs, and device developers, the wearable market presents incredible opportunities to explore.
Which of these trending wearables in 2025 has caught your eye?
If you’re looking for more information on how Spike can help you leverage wearables data in your Health applications, let’s talk!
FAQs
What is embedded technology in wearables and why is it significant?
Embedded technology involves integrating sensors and processors directly into clothing or accessories, eliminating the need for external components. This trend is significant because it creates seamless user experiences where technology becomes invisible, embedded naturally into everyday items like jackets, shirts, or accessories rather than requiring separate devices.
How do smart fabrics differ from traditional wearable devices?
Smart fabrics and electronic textiles (e-textiles) integrate electronics directly into the fabric itself, enabling sensing and communication capabilities within the clothing. Unlike traditional wearables that are separate devices, smart fabrics make the entire garment interactive and could potentially compete with smartwatches and fitness trackers by providing similar functionality through clothing.
What are hearables and what capabilities do they offer beyond audio?
Hearables combine hearing-aid and headphone functionalities while incorporating biometric, proximity, movement, and other sensors. They can provide health tracking information, heart rate monitoring, voice-activated personal assistance, contextual location-based suggestions, environment-based noise suppression, and gesture/touch-based control - all while delivering audio experiences.
How is AI integration changing the wearables landscape in 2025?
AI integration is advancing beyond basic voice interactions to offer personalized, adaptive experiences in real-time. Companies are implementing more sophisticated AI capabilities that can provide contextual recommendations, adaptive fitness programs, predictive health insights, and more intuitive user interactions across various wearable categories.
Can Spike API integrate data from these emerging wearable technologies?
Yes, Spike API is designed to adapt to the evolving wearables ecosystem. As new technologies like smart fabrics, hearables, and AI-powered devices enter the market and provide health data, Spike works to integrate these data sources into our unified platform, ensuring developers can access emerging wearable data through the same standardized API.
How should developers prepare for these emerging wearable technologies?
Developers should focus on building flexible, scalable architectures that can accommodate new data types and sources. Using unified APIs like Spike ensures your application can easily integrate new wearable technologies as they become available, without requiring major code rewrites or separate integration efforts for each new device category.
