The Swiss watchmaker has made a splash with its wearable technology…and the fight it picked with Apple.
Instead of making a smooth entry into wearable technology with its newly developed smartwatch, luxury watchmaker, Montblanc, has decided to dive in head-first and make a massive splash by taking a shot at the lifespan of the Apple Watch.
The watchmaker has taken the unique route of attempting to create device with a much more timeless appeal.
The design of the wearable technology involve an electronic wristband that attaches to classic luxury watches. This smartwatch has the ability to function as a pedometer, take selfies, and access email. According to the managing director for watches at Montblanc, Alexander Schmiedt, they, unlike Apple, have focused on providing a product that would last.
Schmiedt stated that “Our products should have very long life cycles,” and added that “That is not to say the Apple Watch is not a great product. I predict it will do very well, but I don’t think that customers are going to be ecstatic to throw away watches in one to two years when the technology is obsolete.”
The smartwatch from Montblanc comes with a price tag ranging from $349 to $17,000, depending on the model.
This actually represents price points that are not that far off the range being offered by the newly launched first generation of the Apple Watch. That said, according to Zuercher Kantonalbank analyst, Patrik Schwendimann, in the case of the Montblanc wearable technology, this remains a very appropriate, because “If it turns out to be just a fad, at least the consumer still has a nice, normal watch they can continue to wear.”
The idea is that the design of the wearables is elegant enough that regardless of whether or not smartwatches continue to be a hot form of technology, the Montblanc version of these mobile gadgets will make it possible to keep the watch and enjoy its function and elegance.
The Montblanc smartphone functions through a wireless connection with a smartphone and also allows the wearer to take advantage of activity tracking features, select from among songs and playlists that are playing and take images as close as photos or farther away for group shots. The device is compatible with a range of different types of smartphone, including those from Samsung and Apple.
According to GadgetHacks, it takes about a second before the device detects that it has no contact with human skin. This means that someone could steal Watch and simply place their finger on the sensor in order to avoid it being locked. The sensor cannot tell the difference between the skin on the wrist and the skin on the finger. While this may not seem like a major problem, those that manage to steal the device and exploit this flaw could have access to consumer information, including their mobile payments accounts.