Muslim-focused wearables launched at CES

Muslim-focused consumer technology will appear alongside mainstream global wearables at CES 2026 as iQIBLA unveils its third-generation smart device lineup at the event. The products address daily religious practice, continuous health monitoring, and physically-demanding environments, reflecting how connected devices are increasingly being designed around real cultural and environmental needs.

Source: iQIBLA. The iQIBLA third-generation smart wearables: (from left) the Zikr Ring J03 smart ring, Qwatch S6 smart watch, and the Hajj Band.

Founded in 2021, iQIBLA created the smart dhikr (ذِكْر, remembrance of god) ring category and has since shipped more than 3.5 M devices worldwide, with particularly strong uptake across GCC markets including KSA, the UAE, and Kuwait. There has been broader adoption across the Middle East and Southeast Asia, iQIBLA said.  

The Zikr Ring J03, iQIBLA's third-generation smart ring and the first to integrate Qibla direction into a ring-based wearable. Designed for discreet, continuous use, the device supports nine dhikr channels, touch controls, text display, prayer time reminders, and daily activity tracking.

Also featured is the Qwatch S6, a third-generation Bluetooth smart watch equipped with medical-grade sensors. The device monitors heart rate, blood oxygen levels, sleep quality, physical activity, and sedentary behaviour. Alongside these health functions, it includes Quran access, prayer time reminders, qibla direction, a tasbih counter, multiple dhikr channels, and a Hijri calendar.

Completing the lineup is the Hajj Band, developed specifically for Hajj, umrah, and other high-exertion, high-density environments. The wearable continuously collects vital-sign data, uploads health information in real time, and issues alerts as physical strain increases, supporting users during prolonged walking, heat exposure, and crowd-intensive conditions.

"From the beginning, our focus has been on building technology that fits naturally into daily life," said the founder of iQIBLA, Jack Shao. 

"Many of our real-world use cases come directly from the Middle East. CES gives us a platform to show how these products sit naturally alongside the wider global consumer technology industry."

Audio-Technica unveils two premium hi-fi gaming headsets

Source: Audio-Technica. The ATH-AG1X headphones.

Source: Audio-Technica. The ATH-ADG1X.

At CES 2016 Audio-Technica will debut the ATH-AG1X closed back and ATH-ADG1X open-back high-fidelity gaming headsets. The new models build upon the winning formula of their predecessors with newly-designed large-diameter drivers and an improved 3D Wing Support System for added comfort.

Both premium-quality headsets utilise core elements of the company’s audiophile models to deliver an immersive sonic experience with exceptional dynamics and clarity. Both include a built-in microphone with windscreen along with additional gaming-specific features.

“Our ATH-AG1X and ATH-ADG1X add to the performance of our previous, highly-acclaimed ATH-AG1 and ATH-ADG1 to offer an even more spectacular and powerful gaming audio experience,” said Crystal Griffith, Audio-Technica Marketing Manager. “Both new models truly blur the line between ‘audiophile’ and ‘gaming’ headphones with their exceptionally accurate and detailed audio reproduction, the ability to deliver extreme dynamic range and transients, and a vast, stable sound field that places game sounds and dialogue exactly where they should be on the playing field to create a compelling sonic virtual reality.”

The ATH-AG1X and ATH-ADG1X feature all-new premium large-diameter 53 mm drivers to deliver superlative reproduction of speech, special effects and soundtracks, with high-power handling and volume, deep bass and superior midrange and treble definition. The closed-back ATH-AG1X employs Audio-Technica’s exclusive Double Air Damping System, which uses a main air chamber that houses the driver plus an additional chamber that controls and focuses the airflow produced by the driver, for expanding and controlling its bass output. For listeners who prefer an open-air design, the ATH-ADG1X offers impactful sound coupled with lightweight comfort.

Both headsets have a gooseneck condenser microphone with a supercardioid element that is exceptional at rejecting unwanted ambient noise to deliver clear,  intelligible in-game voice communication. The ATH-AG1X and ATH-ADG1X are supplied with a windscreen to further combat wind and breath noise. The gooseneck mic swivels over a 100-degree path, and new features include a simple volume control and integrated locking mute switch to enable one-handed operation.

In addition, both models feature new, softer earpads and a redesigned, self-adjusting 3D Wing Support for total comfort during marathon gaming sessions. Both headphones also come with a 3.9' (1.2 m) cable and a 6.6' (2 m) extension cable for flexibility.

Interested?

The Audio-Technica ATH-AG1X and ATH-ADG1X high-fidelity gaming headphones will be available in March 2016 at a suggested retail price of US$299.95 each. Both are compatible with the PlayStation PS4, iPad, iPhone, laptops and desktops. They are also compatible with Xbox One controllers, but some Xbox One models may also require the Xbox One Stereo Headset Adapter found at www.xbox.com.

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Avegant shows off headphones that do video at CES

Source: Avegant.

Avegant has finalised the design of mediawear codenamed the "Glyph" at CES.

The mobile multimedia headset that seamlessly transitions between audio and video modes. Key to this feature is Avegant's patented display technology, which uses a micromirror array to deliver an ultra-high quality image. That package is enclosed entirely within the headband of the device. 

"We wanted to create a device that holds the aesthetic of current headphone technology while integrating next generation optics for a premium video experience," Bernhard Wildner, Lead Designer at Avegant said. "With this design, Glyph users will be able to experience their audio, video, and gaming content in a brand new way. It's a device that goes where you go." 

Through January 15 the Glyph will be available for preorder at US$499, after which it will cost US$599.

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