Mobile technology has an eye on pets.

Mobile technology has an eye on pets.
Is your dog getting enough exercise? Who will change your cat's litter during the vacations? Don't worry: Mobile technology entrepreneurs are launching smartphone-enabled products that can take care of pets' well-being.
These devices allow owners to track their pets, as well as know, for example, how much they have run, played or slept, thanks to an app on the smartphone.
Some devices allow the app to define a safe area of the house for the pet, and send an alert when the pet leaves this area.
Vodafone, the second largest mobile operator in the world, exhibited its Kippy tracker, already available in Europe. The water-resistant device is made of steel and runs on a rechargeable battery that can last up to ten days. It operates with a SIM card and has a monthly subscription.
For those who feel sad about being separated from their pet, several companies have launched Wi-Fi enabled cameras that allow you to monitor your pet on your smartphone.
One of the most popular is Furbo, which keeps dog treats in a container and allows the owner to throw the treats to their pet with just the push of a button on the smartphone.
The device sends a message if the dog barks a lot and takes a 60-second video of the pet's activities during the day.
South Korean startup PurrSong has unveiled LavvieBot, a cat litter box that is automatically cleaned and recharged. After the cat has done its business, the machine rakes and dumps clean sand into the box.
It even sends text messages when the litter box should be emptied. And it keeps track of the cat's weight and the number of times it uses the box, to detect possible health problems. "Any abnormalities will be reported on your smartphone."
Spanish startup Dinbeat has introduced a dog collar called DinbeatPRO, which uses sensors to monitor the animals' breathing, body temperature, barking and position.
While not the first device to monitor the activity of pets, this collar was designed specifically for use by veterinarians treating dogs.
The proliferation of mobile devices for pets coincides with a drop in smartphone sales - down 4.1% in 2018, standing at 1.4 billion units, the second consecutive year of decline "Assuming that almost every human in Europe already has a phone, Vodafone has been smart to look at connecting pets now," explained Ben Wood, analyst at technology consultancy CCS Insight. "The pet market is an incredibly lucrative segment that is growing steadily year after year."
The market for "wearable" apps for pets will be over $8 billion in 2024, compared to $1.85 billion in 2017, according to Global Market Insights.
"Almost anything that moves can wear a 'wearable'. Wearables for people are very popular, so it was logical for companies to target 'wearables' for pets as well," explains Neil Mawston, managing director of Strategy Analytics.