What a great year for wearables 2024 has been. Don’t believe me? We’ve had three standout products this year. One has individually broken new ground, an established product line has been refined so it’s close to perfect, and another has driven other brands to muscle in on its success.
Let’s talk about each one in turn, why they all complement each other really well, and how there has never been a better time for wearables.
Ray-Ban Meta smart glasses
Many have tried to get the smart glasses formula right over the years, but none have come even close to Meta’s success with the Ray-Ban Meta. What it took was not only key technological advances, but forethought in design, as its extensive budget and reach allowed it to partner with eyewear megacorporation Luxxotica and, in turn, use the Ray-Ban name and base its smart glasses on the ever-popular Wayfarer frames. Wayfarers are instantly recognizable and suit a lot of faces, which helped introduce the idea of smart glasses to more people, who could then actually go into a retail store and try them on. That’s a really big deal.
Are they comfortable? I’m wearing them as I write this, and I wore them all day yesterday, too. While they’re not as light as my normal glasses, they’re not far off, and I soon got used to the feel of them on my face. Fatigue has not been a problem after the break-in period. My prescription lenses allow me to wear them all the time, but I wouldn’t be able to do it at all if they were uncomfortable or too heavy. I also wouldn’t wear them if I felt they didn’t look very good, but apart from being quite a bold statement on my face, I think they look great.
I’ve already talked about how much fun the camera can be, but the other feature I use often is the speakers. I love listening to podcasts while I do other things, and sometimes earbuds aren’t convenient, or I don’t have them on hand. The Ray-Ban Meta’s speakers are discreet, the connection with my phone is completely stable, and the sound is perfect for spoken words. It’s a superb feature I use almost every time I wear the smart glasses. It has taken years to get to this point, and while I’m slightly concerned about where smart glasses are headed next, it’s fantastic to have a pair to immediately recommend if someone is interested in getting started with the technology.
Apple Watch Series 10
It’s so easy to pass the Apple Watch Series 10 off as just another incremental update, but this is a shortsighted and entirely dismissive way of looking at it. What Apple has done is refine its established and already excellent smartwatch so it has become supremely wearable all day long. The combination of sliminess, lightness, and the curved case means it essentially disappears on your wrist. No other smartwatch comes close to matching it.
Since its release, I’ve been wearing the titanium version and absolutely love it. There is enough of a difference between it and the aluminum version to mostly justify the price difference, but the real revelation for me is the fantastic Milanese Loop band. It’s worth every penny of its price, with almost unparalleled comfort, complete adjustability, and a wonderfully classy style. It’s the all-around band to buy regardless of the Apple Watch’s case material.
With the Milanese Loop band attached to the titanium case, as well as the watch’s cascading screen and the beautiful Reflections watch face, the Apple Watch Series 10 feels genuinely luxurious and special. I’ve enjoyed wearing it more than any previous Apple Watch. That’s all without discussing watchOS, which, once I fixed an annoying feature issue I had with it, has been reliable, fast to respond to, and easy to use. Apple’s refinements have elevated the Apple Watch beyond other smartwatches, and it’s now a watch I choose to wear, just like my mechanical watches.
Oura Ring 4
I’ve worn an Oura Ring all year, making it the wearable I’ve used most in 2024, and I’m a total advocate for the smart ring. The app provides deep insight into your well-being, sleep, and daily movement. Data is easy to understand and never appears overwhelming or dense. This friendly approach makes the Oura Ring feel like it’s working with you, which is crucial if you’re going to wear it all the time.
This year has seen the RingConn Gen 2 and the Samsung Galaxy Ring challenge the Oura Ring’s supremacy, but neither has quite toppled it. The RingConn Gen 2’s fit and design are real winners, and the way the Galaxy Ring works with a Galaxy Watch is an ingenious way of encouraging you to wear both. I love how Oura has invigorated others to make their own competing products, and as neither of the top two challengers needs a subscription, it makes them more accessible to more people than the Oura Ring. That’s excellent.
I’m currently wearing the Oura Ring 4, but I do think if you have the chance to pick up a third-generation Oura Ring before they all disappear, then you definitely should. It’ll be yours for less money, provide almost the same level of functionality, and use the same app. I actually think the design and fit are just as good as the Oura Ring 4, too. It has been a great year for smart rings, with several companies now offering products worth buying, and I’m really excited to see what comes next in 2025.
Wear them all
That’s three brilliant wearables that have each driven the segment forward in 2024. You can buy all three and be safe in the knowledge that each does something different and enhances your life in a uniqueway, with barely any compromises. I’m not sure we’ve been at this point ever before.
Smartwatches, smart rings, and smart glasses have all reached the point where they’re small, light, attractive, durable, reliable, and useful enough to be worn all the time. I regularly wear all three together, and while that sounds like a lot of wearable tech (it is), it never looks like I’m covered in tech. Good design is progressing at the same rate as technology, and the days when wearables were big, ugly, and poorly designed have mostly passed.
All this has made 2024 a fantastic year for wearables, and while there has never been a better time to get involved, I am really keen to see what comes in 2025. If this is where we’re at now, I’m looking forward to seeing what all these products, and the others that will surely arrive, will be like this time next year.
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