Wearable computer market 'will hit $19 billion' The FiLIP smartwatch for children will let parents call and text their kids and will set off an alarm if they go outside of a certain area. A Juniper Research report predicts devices like this will lead the wearable computing boom. WEARABLE computers are tipped to be the next big thing with the retail revenue tipped to grow to $19 billion, a jump of more than 1250 per cent, in the next five years. In the past few days, Adidas has announced a new smartwatch for runners, Nike has announced its new Fuelband and Fitbit has released the Force, a device which merges a fitness monitor with a watch. It is releases like those that has the analysts who compiled Juniper Research's new white paper released today to make the prediction of a $19 billion market in 2018. The report says the market for wearable devices will explode with developments in the app model and the increased use of embedded cellular technology in devices. It cites the example of the FiLIP, a smartwatch aimed at children that is soon to be released in the US that lets parents stay in touch with their children. The FiLIP smartwatch lets children call their parents, it has a GPS tracker, can receive text message and has an emergency system that triggers an alarm and calls up to five contacts when activated or when the child goes outside of a defined area. The Juniper Report says devices like the FiLIP will boost the wearable computing market because it will have a purchase cost and an ongoing network access cost.