Early January means CES is in full swing in Las Vegas, and while giants like Apple and Intel may snag the biggest headlines, health and wellness tech products are also having a moment. Take breast pumps, for example (yes, people are buzzing about breast pumps). Willow, a wearable breast pump that was a CES darling in 2017, is back with a next-generation model for 2019. But it may face tough competition from the UK-based startup Elvie, which announced at this year's CES that it has received U.S. Food and Drug Administration clearance to market its pump to U.S. consumers. Both are priced at $499 per pump, showing there's big money to be made in women's health.
Beauty brands have also been showing off their tech-meets-wellness advances at CES, including wearable patches from L'Oréal that read your skin's pH levels, then alert you about the best products (in its own line, of course) based on your skin needs. It may seem like a gimmick, but it could be a game-changer for people with conditions such as eczema.
In other wellness tech news, digital fitness marketplace ClassPass recently acquired GuavaPass, a Singapore-based startup that operates with a similar business model. Since ClassPass is looking to continue its global expansion, it's probably a smart strategy to gain some ground.
We'll be keeping our eye on other wellness tech launches throughout the year. Based on the growing demand for wellness, there will likely be a lot to cover.
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