Swatch is planning on launching more than one smartwatch within the next year. The Swiss watchmaker’s CEO Nick Hayek was quoted in an interview as saying that the Swatch Touch Zero One uses a naming convention that will allow many iterations and sequels.
“Our product is called Touch Zero One and that gives enough room for Zero Five, Zero Nine. The Touch Zero One is not the end of the progression.” Hayek told Switzerland’s Tages-Anzeiger newspaper. The company is planning on launching a Touch Zero Two smartwatch at the Olympic Games in Rio de Janeiro next year.
However, unlike other smartwatches, Swatch does not intend for their wearables to be wrist mounted computers. Instead, Swatch smartwatches will be more focused on specific tasks. For instance, the Touch Zero One can track the distance the wearer travels and help beach volleyball players measure the power of their hits. There are also plans for a NFC equipped Swatch watch this year, which speculation indicates could be used for cashless payments.
Anyone hoping for an Android Wear powered device may end up disappointed. Swatch does not appear to be depending on other companies for help on its smartwatches.
Swatch is not the only Swiss watchmaker looking into wearables; although the company looks to be approaching the task from its own angle. Not that there is anything wrong with that; and it is interesting to have a traditional watchmaker prepare to go all in with the smartwatch concept.
[Source: Reuters]
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