ABI Research’s Teardowns Service Discovers Motiv’s Fitness Tracker Ring Out Designs Apple iPhone X in Both Integration and Elegance

Apple Inc., known for its design sophistication, elegance, and component density, set a new standard with its iPhone X; it utilizes stacked printed circuit boards (PCBs), which is a first for smartphones. But wearable technology startup Motiv Inc. was forced to innovate to fit all of the advanced features of a fitness tracker, which is typically worn on the wrist as a watch-sized device, into a fashionable ring, announced the Teardowns service of ABI Research, a market-foresight advisory firm providing strategic guidance on the most compelling transformative technologies.

The Motiv Ring, introduced late in 2017, is the smallest full-featured wearable that has been investigated by ABI Research’s Teardowns service. Despite its diminutive size, the Motiv Ring is comparable to most full-feature and large-form fitness wearables because it contains 90 discrete components, including all the necessary electronics, such as a unique flexible PCB, ARM processor, accelerometer, Bluetooth connectivity, heart-rate monitor, and a novel curved battery that is formed to the curvature of the ring and lasts up to 70 hours. Prior ring-sized devices were passive, meaning there was no battery, and had little functionality; they were restricted to basic radio frequency identification (RFID) tracking. Putting a battery and all the essential fitness tracker electronics into the durable titanium ring as stylish as Motiv’s gives this San Francisco startup a “one up” on Apple regarding component density and fashion. 

“ABI’s Teardowns team was expecting to find a big, bulky ring when we decided to investigate the Motiv Ring,” said Jim Mielke, ABI’s vice president of Teardowns service. “But instead we found a very nice looking, lightweight ring that is nearly indistinguishable from any fashionable solid metal band; this is the start of the micro-ization of high-tech jewelry that is both extremely functional yet fashionable.”

For ABI’s Teardowns results on the Motiv Ring, visit https://teardowns.abiresearch.com/teardowns/pe_motivteardown-ring-mr1012sl-0/#features.

ABI Research’s Teardowns reports feature ultra-high-resolution imaging, pinpoint power measurements, detailed parts list with fully costed BOMs (bill of materials), block diagrams and x-rays. ABI Research performs the highest resolution imagery in the teardown industry, providing unprecedented competitive analysis on components, cost, and chip system functionality.

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ABI Research provides strategic guidance for visionaries needing market foresight on the most compelling transformative technologies, which reshape workforces, identify holes in a market, create new business models and drive new revenue streams. ABI’s own research visionaries take stances early on those technologies, publishing groundbreaking studies often years ahead of other technology advisory firms. ABI analysts deliver their conclusions and recommendations in easily and quickly absorbed formats to ensure proper context. Our analysts strategically guide visionaries to take action now and inspire their business to realize a bigger picture. For more information about ABI Research’s forecasting, consulting and teardown services, visionaries can contact us at +1.516.624.2500 in the Americas, +44.203.326.0140 in Europe, +65.6592.0290 in Asia-Pacific or visit www.abiresearch.com.