2018 was another strong year for wearables, smartwatches and fitness trackers, as their abilities grew, and so too did demand from consumers keen to use them.

Just as smartphone sales begin to slow, falling victim to a stagnant and expensive market where consumers held onto their purchases for longer than ever, more affordable wearables are on the up.

Analysts IDC predict global wearable sales to double over the next four years, as companies look to take advantage of consumer demand for quantifying their activity and keep closer checks on their health.

With devices like the Apple Watch Series 4 - able to take an ECG reading in the US — the wearable market is going to mature through 2019, as manufacturers of consumer tech edge ever closer to the medical tech industry.

Here's a look at what wearables — including smartwatches and fitness trackers — we expect to see in 2019.

Samsung Galaxy Watch 2

  

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Snapping at the Apple Watch's heels, as ever, is Samsung. For 2018 the company launched the Galaxy Watch, which runs its own Tizen software and is a strong alternative to the Apple — especially for Android users, who cannot use the Apple Watch.

For 2019, Samsung will likely announce the Galaxy Watch 2, or perhaps a more sports-orientated version of the Galaxy Watch — this is the approach Samsung took in 2017, launching the Gear Sport. We can expect to see Samsung's next watch arrive sometime in the fall, if the company sticks to its usual schedule.

What will be most interesting, is if Samsung opts to follow Apple into the ECG arena, or offer a different form of medically-certified technology. If it doesn't, we fear a gulf will emerge and Samsung's smartwatch will appear second-best behind Apple's medically-superior offering.

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