Action-cam maker iOn gets into wearables with the tiny SnapCam (pictures)

LAS VEGAS -- Camera maker iOn branched out last year from its line of action cams by getting into the home-security camera market with the iOn the Home. At the 2015 International CES, the company is moving into wearables.

Not that its iOn Air Pro cameras aren't wearable, but the new SnapCam is far smaller and lighter measuring 1.5 inches (3.8 cm) square and weighs a little more than an ounce. With just a swipe on the body, the camera kicks on and with a single tap it captures an 8-megapixel photo. Tap it twice and it starts recording 720p HD video at 30 frames per second and another tap stops it. A triple tap starts it live-streaming video using its built-in Wi-Fi and Bluetooth.

Those wireless technologies can be used to connect to your smartphone to control the camera as well as view and share your shots.

According to iOn, the built-in battery will keep you recording video for up to 2 hours or streaming video for 1 or shooting 5,000 photos in time-lapse mode. When not snapping away, the camera will sit in standby for 7 days.

Everything gets recorded to a microSDHC card with a capacity of up to 32GB (not included) or to your mobile device.

The SnapCam is expected to ship in the second quarter of 2015 in gunmetal gray, black or white for about $150. A version without wireless -- SnapCam Lite -- will be available, too, for around $80.