2014 set to be 'turning point' for wearable tech

Smartwatch shipments set to grow by 500 per cent in second half of this year, according to Canalys

Next year will mark a turning point in the wearable technology market, according to analyst Canalys, on the back of a 500 per cent swell in shipments in the second half of this year.

In the first half of 2013, only 200,000 "smart wearable bands" - or smartwatches - shipped globally, but by the end of the year, the second-half figure will have grown 500 per cent in comparison to the first half, meaning more than one million devices will have shipped in total.

Despite the market's huge growth this year, Canalys said that next year will be even bigger for wearable tech and pointed to 2014 as the turning point for the tech.

"The market for smart wearables is extremely dynamic," said the analyst. "This space is going to look very different in 12 months' time.

"Despite growing interest in the category, products to date have been very limited [this year]. [We] anticipate that 2014 will be the turning point for smart wearable devices. Major growth opportunities will be available to vendors, component suppliers and developers.

"Market expansion will occur over the next year with the launch of improved technologies."

According to the analyst, the main areas that will benefit from improved technology are mobile operating systems, materials and design and low-power displays, many of which it expects to be included in tech exhibited at the Consumer Electronics Show in January next year.