User Interface Focus Brings Streamlined Smartphone Controls to Wearable Device

22 October 2013

Ben Logan

Director

Passionate about improving services and experiences for the people that use them.

Smart watches and other wearable technologies certainly seem to have caught the imagination of the industry of late – the XOWi Personal Voice Companion is another entry that could be worth keeping an eye on.

The device is a small accessory that can be worn as a necklace or a badge. It pairs with the wearer’s smartphone and interacts via its companion app. As well as voice controls, a large tactile button on the device will allow for easy access to associated apps.

Hints have also been dropped that the system will be able to interact with other virtual voice assistants, and software is under development that would allow for it to communicate with Facebook, Twitter and eBay.

XOWi co-founder and CEO, Ahmed Bouzid, commented: “It’s all about the user interface. A lot of attention and energy are being poured on smart watches and glasses, but neither takes us away from the visual-tactile centric interface that we have been using since the introduction of the touch smartphone UI about six years ago.”