14 DAY TRIAL // After dissing smartwatches, the famous maker of timekeeping pieces, Swatch has set its sights on Apple and plans to steal its show with a smartwatch of its own. The device is slated to roll out in the coming months.
Chief Executive Officer Nick Hayek has often been quoted commenting negatively on the topic, but now that he sees the hype – much like other Swiss watchmakers – he has toned his voice a bit.
No charging required?
It isn’t clear what Bloomberg means by “The device will communicate via the Internet ‘without having to be charged,’” but the words apparently came straight from Chief Executive Officer Nick Hayek’s mouth during an interview
Swatch’s device will further let users make mobile payments, just like Apple’s device. Swatch doesn’t seem interested in supporting the iOS ecosystem either, and so its CEO has also declared that their wrist-worn device will work with Windows and Android operating systems.
Launching within the next three months
Another interesting tidbit is that Swatch plans to roll out its own solution within the next three months, which somewhat puts it on par with Apple’s release planned for April. In other words, Swatch is trying to steal Apple’s spotlight.
It should be worth noting that Apple’s device is years in the making, with the Cupertino giant embedding medical technologies, carrying out heavy-duty testing, and equipping the watch with sharp sensors.
There’s also the matter of how reliable and how relevant the device is for the user. For example, an iPhone owner will be much more inclined to buy Apple’s solution over Swatch’s, considering the lack of iOS support on the latter. Plus, Apple tends to integrate its software and hardware products tightly, offering a seamless experience. It will be interesting to see how this pans out for Swatch, but kudos to them for boldly taking on a product that’s almost guaranteed to take the crown.