Six smartwatches from brands taking on Apple and Samsung
A growing number of luxury brands and mechanical watchmakers are trying to grab a slice of the smartwatch market share. Here are six of the latest debuts
Although the world’s attention was focused on the recent launch of the iPhone X, Apple’s first US$1,000 smartphone, the tech giant also released its third iteration of its smartwatch, the Watch Series 3.
Since Apple entered the smartwatch market, luxury brands and watchmakers that once scoffed at the idea have slowly been won over by the Cupertino company’s huge success in shifting units and changing consumer behaviour. It took a while, but this year a whole slew of companies that once only made traditional watches have presented their first smartwatches.
Fashion brands such as Tommy Hilfiger, Hugo Boss, Diesel and Guess as well as watchmaker Movado all have smartwatches on the way, but here are five decidedly non-tech brands that offer a distinct alternative to Apple.
Michael Kors Access Grayson and Sofie
Watches have been a billion dollar revenue stream for American fashion giant Michael Kors, but Apple and Samsung’s fashionable smartwatches have threatened this money-spinning business. Michael Kors is fighting back with the Grayson smartwatch for men and the Sofie for women. The Grayson is a large watch at 47mm, with a chunk steel bracelet. It comes in black, gold, midnight blue and grey steel. It has the latest Android Wear 2.0 operating system and an impressive 4GB of storage. It also has standard features such as activity tracking, music streaming, calendar and notifications. Compatible with iPhones and Android handsets, the Grayson and the Sofie have 24 hours of battery life and are water resistant to 10 metres.
