Flying cars, and jetpacks aren't about to become a regular thing any time soon, but the day when all of us are speaking into our wrists has come that step closer with Swatch's smartwatch announcement today. The wearable technology market is about to take off, and is expected to be worth £20 billion by 2018, and the Swiss firm want a slice.
There's no word on the Swatch's phone functionality, but the next gen Touch will feature a pedometer and other health trackers, and can be integrated with a range of Bluetooth enabled devices, the company's chief executive Nick Hayek told Reuters. But, Hayek is also adamant Swatch will be going it alone, rather than collaborating with any of the electronics giants, insisting that "technology alone doesn't sell watches". Possibly this puts an end to the rumours of an Apple/Swatch joint venture.
Swatch's background in fashion should be an advantage when it comes to wearable technology, as the futuristic, bulky designs put forward by Samsung, Sony and LG haven't yet reached critical mass with the fashionable consumer. Of course it's Apple's forthcoming iWatch that's expected to be product of choice for the style conscious, a game plan they've been preparing for with a slew of high-profile appointments from within the fashion industry. The coming smartwatch standoff, is likely hotting up to be the most exciting inter-brand battle since the sneaker wars of the late 80s.
