Wearable Tech Products Hope To Get Ahead Of Apple At CES 2015

The Apple Watch is this moment's "mythical 600-pound gorilla" in the world of wearable technology, according to Engadget editor-in-chief Michael Gorman, but its absence at the 2015 International Consumer Electronics Show opens the door for other smart accessories to be noticed.

Gorman spoke with HuffPost Live's Nancy Redd on Monday from Las Vegas, the site of this year's CES, about what to expect as the industry's latest and greatest rolls out from Jan. 6 to Jan. 9. Since the Apple Watch won't be at the show, Gorman expects others products to jump at the chance to make a splash.

"What you're going to see at CES is a lot of companies are trying to get out ahead of [Apple], so you're seeing a lot of smart watches, you're going to see a lot of fitness bands," he said.

Those products are expected to showcase new functionality and innovative ways to track the body, and they'll also be pushing aesthetics that are more fashion-forward than most wearable tech.

"A lot of the watches and wearables that we've seen are not necessarily something you're going to wear to a black tie event," Gorman said. "They're more suitable for the gym than a business meeting."

To that end, Gorman listed several brands that have gotten creative with their designs, including Misfit, which has developed a fitness tracker covered in Swarovski crystals.

Watch Gorman' smart watch forecast in the video above, and click here for the full HuffPost Live conversation about CES 2015.

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