Swatch’s answer to Apple Watch to launch in 3 months

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Swatch has an answer for Apple Watch. Photo: Apple
Swatch has an answer for Apple Watch. Photo: Apple

Swatch Group AG isn’t planning to just roll over dead now that Apple is entering the timepiece market. Swatch announced today that it’s preparing its own smartwatch to take on Apple Watch, and it’ll be ready to launch in just three months.

Swatch CEO Nick Hayek was originally skeptical of the smartwatch revolution two years ago, but in an interview with Bloomberg, Hayek said his company is ready to throw its numerous patents into a smartwatch that won’t need daily recharging.

“Swatch will launch a new generation of its Swatch smartwatch in the next two to three months. Functions will include communication, mobile payments at stores such as Migros and Coop, and applications that work with Windows and Android – without having to be charged. Separately, Swatch will present its new Swatch Touch at the end of the month.”

Tim Cook revealed last month that the Apple Watch is on schedule to ship in April. A media event in March is currently rumored to be in the plans to announce Apple Watch pre-orders and a launch date, along with some other new hardware.

Swatch has already struck up a deal with Switzerland’s two largest retailers, Migros and Coop, to accept mobile payments from the Swatch smartwatch, and they’re pursuing other deals too. The addition of mobile payments make it the first smartwatch competitor that can match Apple Pay.

The company also says it has “numerous innovative project launches in all segments” this year. Swatch’s patents include features like batteries based on new materials with double the performance.

“We’ll implement all of those into new products,” Hayek said. “Some of them, such as the battery, will take a few years though, and are also destined for other industries, like the automotive industry.”

Source: Bloomberg

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