Samsung Electronics has announced mass production of the Exynos 7 Dual 727 mobile application processor (AP) designed specifically for wearable devices with 14nm FinFET process technology. Powered by two Cortex-A53 cores, the Exynos 7270 makes full use of the 14nm process, delivering 20% improvement in power efficiency when compared to its predecessor built on 28nm, and thus notably extending the battery life, Samsung said. By integrating Cat.4 LTE 2CA modem, the new AP allows wearables to connect to a cellular service as a stand-alone device. Tethering and data transfer between devices is also possible with its embedded WiFi and Bluetooth connectivity. In addition, integrated connectivity capabilities support FM radio, and location-based services with GNSS (global navigation satellite system) solutions.

Asustek Computer unveiled its latest products at a pre-show conference before IFA 2016 including its ZenWatch 3 smartwatch, new 2-in-1 devices and gaming notebooks. The ZenWatch 3 is priced at EUR299 (US$334) in Europe and features the Android Wear operation system. The smartwatch supports both Android and iOS and is pre-installed with Asustek's ZenFit sport management application. The smartwatch also has a longer battery life than the previous-generation model and is able to operate for up to two days. The device also features HyperCharge technology, which is able to restore the device's power level to 60% in 15 minutes.

Samsung Electronics has announced it is mass producing an all-in-one advanced system logic chip for the health-oriented wearables market, the Bio-Processor. The Samsung Bio-Processor is specifically designed to allow accelerated development of wearable products for consumers who are increasingly monitoring their health and fitness on a daily basis, the vendor said. By integrating analog front ends (AFE), microcontroller unit (MCU), power management IC, digital signal processor (DSP) and eFlash memory, Samsung's Bio-Processor is able to process the bio-signals it measures without the need of external processing parts. Samsung Bio-Processor will be available in fitness/health devices within the first half of 2016, according to the company.