Why Hearables Could Be the Next Big Thing in Wearable Tech Look out, smartwatches. This just might be the Year of the Ear.

By Nyshka Chandran

This story originally appeared on CNBC

Forget smartwatches and the Google Glass -- 2015 may be the year of the ear for wearable technology.

"There's some interesting information you can capture through the ear. We've been looking at things like wrist wearables, but the ear can capture things like oxygen levels, electrocardiograms, and body temperature," Craig Stires, associate vice president for big data, analytics and software at IDC Asia Pacific, told CNBC last week.

Hearable technology alone will be a $5 billion market by 2018 - that's roughly the same size of the entire wearables industry presently - according to Nick Hunn, founder and chief technology officer of U.K. firm Wifore Consulting.

Proponents of the wearable tech phenomenon attribute its popularity to successful integration into the flow of daily life, creating a "synced lifestyle," research firm PSFK said in its 'Future of Wearable Tech' report this year. This logic has seen the domain of wearable tech mostly fall on body parts with the most obvious link to fashion, such as the wrist, eyes and feet, seen through smartwatches developed byApple and Samsung and navigation-equipped smart shoes like India-based Ducere's Lechal model.

However, brands may be overlooking one key fact, Hunn said. "Sound drives the bulk of our technology use and earbuds are the only piece of wearable tech to have gained ubiquity and social acceptance. These devices are about to undergo a revolution in capability, getting rid of their cables and giving them the opportunity to be the standard bearer for wearable technology," he wrote in a report earlier this year.

One key advantage hearables have over other wearable peers is their discretion. Ear devices can be small in nature, thus giving its users greater discretion, as opposed to bulky smartwatches or the unavoidable Google Glass.

The major players

For now, hearables look set to follow the fitness trend seen in the wider wearables market. Fitness wearables are forecast to reach 68.1 million units in 2015 and 91.3 million in 2016, according to statistics from Gartner.

German firm Bragi introduced the world's first wireless smart in-ear headphones that play music and gives you feedback on exercise sessions. CEO Nikolaj Hviid told CNBC back in June that the product was essentially a self-contained system.

"It's a really small computer that sits in your ear. It will entertain you and advise you what to do better, and exercise right. It senses your movements, heart rate, blood flow, blood pressure and respiration rate. It takes all that data, processes it and gives you feedback via voice," he said.

IDC's Stires believes Apple could be a leading player in the hearable sector: "With Apple's $3.2 billion acquisition of Beats, I think we're going to see Apple release some pretty interesting audible next year."

Not too long after rumors of Apple's deal surfaced in May, Intel teamed up with famed U.S. rapper 50 Cent in August to develop smart earbuds that track a listener's health metrics while playing music.

Hearables won't be limited to just earphones however. Earlier this year, Canadian start-up BioSensive Technologies introduced a 'smart earring' able to monitor an individual's heart rate and health activity.

Wavy Line
Nyshka Chandran

Assistant Producer for CNBC Asia-Pacific

Nyshka Chandran is an assistant producer for CNBC Asia-Pacific.

Editor's Pick

She's Been Coding Since Age 7 and Presented Her Life-Saving App to Tim Cook Last Year. Now 17, She's on Track to Solve Even Bigger Problems.
Lock
I Helped Grow 4 Unicorns Over 10 Years That Generated $18 Billion in Online Revenues. Here's What I've Learned.
Lock
Want to Break Bad Habits and Supercharge Your Business? Use This Technique.
Lock
Don't Have Any Clients But Need Customer Testimonials? Follow These 3 Tricks To Boost Your Rep.
Why Are Some Wines More Expensive Than Others? A Top Winemaker Gives a Full-Bodied Explanation.

Related Topics

Business News

'All Hell Is Going to Break Loose': Barbara Corcoran Issues Warning About Real Estate Market, Interest Rates

The "Shark Tank" star appeared on FOX Business' "The Claman Countdown" this week.

Money & Finance

3 Ways to Create Multiple (Big) Streams of Income

Here are three ways to create multiple streams of income. These strategies require effort and resources but offer significant financial potential.

Branding

How I Made Money From My Book Without Selling a Single Copy

Did you know you can make money with a book without selling copies? Here's exactly how I did it.

Science & Technology

How Deepfake Tech Could Affect the Journalism Industry

Deepfake technology adds another layer to navigate for journalists, which, if used ethically, could pave the way for new forms of storytelling.

Leadership

The Real Reason Why The Return to Office Movement is Failing is Revealed in New Study

There is a vivid sign of the disconnect between employees and their workplace, a glaring indication that companies need to revise their scripts to improve their hybrid and remote work policies.

Business News

Money Stored in Venmo, Other Payment Apps May Not Be 'Safe' in Event of Financial Crisis, Gov Warns

The Consumer Financial Protection Bureau is warning customers that money kept in popular payment apps is not protected in the same manner as banks.