The Verge is covering the rapidly evolving world of wearables. We test everything from smartwatches like the Apple Watch, to smart glasses like the Meta Ray-Bans, to fitness trackers like the Oura Ring to find out which ones deliver on their promises. Follow along to find out whether covering our bodies in screens and sensors can actually make us smarter and healthier.
I tried out Syntilay’s AI designed, 3D-printed footwear, which had me scan my feet with my phone for custom sizing. Syntilay says it wants to be “the content creator shoe company” by quickly designing shoes for YouTuber’s merch stores, but it’s just using consumer software like Midjourney to design these. Can’t anyone do that?
Microsoft discontinued the HoloLens 2, and is handing off the Army’s version to Anduril, but is it done done with HoloLens hardware? No other products? I asked the company just in case.
Microsoft mixed reality CVP Robin Seiler:
We are transitioning away from hardware development but will continue to provide support for HoloLens2 hardware and software through 2027, as announced in October. We remain committed to the IVAS program and will shift our focus to cloud and AI technologies, which will serve as the foundation for IVAS as a situational awareness platform.
Stick a fork in it.
In a joint press release:
Through this partnership agreement, and pending Department of Defense approval, Anduril will assume oversight of production, future development of hardware and software, and delivery timelines. This agreement also establishes Microsoft Azure as Anduril’s preferred hyperscale cloud for all workloads related to IVAS and Anduril AI technologies.
It’s only been five months since Anduril first teamed up with Microsoft; Microsoft’s been adapting HoloLens for the US Army since 2017, eventually securing a $21.9 billion contract while combatting various comfort issues. This may be the end of Microsoft’s involvement in HoloLens, as it discontinued its other business in October.
I was reading my colleague Victoria Song’s story about how non-replaceable batteries suck, and it reminded me of the transparent Meta-Ray Bans I tried last year — because those transparent frames revealed that Meta’s little battery pouch is kinda just floating in its own little compartment!
Yes, smart glasses are tightly packed. But what if this compartment had a little door and an easily detachable battery connector inside?
CEO Peter Stern made his public debut in today’s Q2 2025 earnings call. It was mostly a ho-hum affair relating Peloton’s ongoing recovery, but he did drop this tidbit about tariffs:
“The good news here is that no Peloton-branded hardware products are subject to the tariffs from China or if they were to re-emerge from Mexico or Canada. And of course, most of our revenues come from subscriptions.”
CFO Liz Coddington added that tariffs for Mexico, China, and Canada would only impact Peloton’s connected fitness products by about 1 percent.
I got to try out EssilorLuxottica’s Nuance Audio glasses last month at CES 2025. They look like normal glasses, but can amplify the voice of whoever you’re speaking to while also dampening noisy environments. Plus, since it can handle prescription lenses, it’s sort of like killing two birds with one stone. Now that they’ve got FDA clearance, the glasses are set to launch in the US in Q1 this year and the first half of 2025 in Europe.
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Verge Score
The Helio has a lot of features for a good price, but battery life needs to improve if it’s going to stand out.
After studying Apple Watch noise data from the past four Super Bowl Sundays, we have quantifiable data showing that people get 1.5 to 3 decibels louder in the three hours before and after the game compared to the following Sunday. And yes, folks in game states are indeed louder than those in non-game states. Are we surprised at these findings? No, but it’s kind of fun to have data to point to.
Android Authority reports that Samsung may be the first to noninvasive blood glucose monitoring in the Galaxy Watch, citing comments from Samsung senior vice president Hon Park saying the tech will be a “game-changer.”
I hate to be a wet blanket but people have been working on this tech since 1975. Here’s a report I did on why this tech is taking so long and why it probably won’t look like what you expect if / when it does arrive.
The company, whose patent infringement claim led Apple to remove blood oxygen sensing tech from newer Apple Watches, has named Katie Szyman, worldwide president of Advanced Patient Monitoring at Becton Dickinson, for the role, The Wall Street Journal reports.
Interim CEO Michelle Brennan, who took over after CEO Joe Kiani resigned, will become the chair of Masimo’s board.
