TAG Heuer Enters the Smartwatch Race

If you can’t beat them, join them!

It seems like every day a new Swiss watch brand is unveiling some version of a smartwatch. Montblanc started by releasing a smart strap with a LED screen, then Frederique Constant and Alpina revealed timepieces that synced with iPhone and Android apps to track daily activity and sleep habits- and now even more of the big names in Swiss Watchmaking have joined the race to see who can create the best Swiss-Smartwatch.

New reports from Baselworld 2015 in Switzerland confirm that TAG Heuer should be releasing a “Swiss Android smartwatch” by the end of this year. The timepiece will be powered by Google’s Android Wear software and an Intel chip. Reports confirm the watch will include the wearable-tech features we’ve all come to love, including GPS and a heart rate monitor.

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As we’ve mentioned before, the big fear in the Swiss timepiece industry was that smartwatches by tech brands like Apple would make traditional watches a thing of the past. Luckily for the luxury timepiece industry, Apple’s smartwatch reveal was met with much criticism. Their watch, which is available in multiple variations, can cost as much as $10,000- a big chunk of change for a piece of technology which will likely be outdated within two years. Aesthetically, the Apple Watch isn’t very pleasing either. It’s been likened to wearing a computer monitor on your wrist- not very stylish!

TAG Heuer has decided to answer Apple’s unspoken challenge with one of their own: TAG aims to create a watch that’s technologically advanced, with roots in quality Swiss timekeeping (they’ve been in the business of luxury watchmaking for well over 100 years,) and is a stylish accessory that people enjoy wearing. Rumor has it, the brand is using a version of their greatly-loved Carrera model for the upcoming smartwatch.

However, it’s undeniable that the Apple Watch has put the concept of wearing a watch firmly at the forefront of young people’s minds. This is a definite turnaround for a generation that previously had abandoned watches in favor of digital displays on cellphones. For this, TAG CEO Jean-Claude Biver is grateful. “Apple will get young people used to wearing a watch and later maybe they will want to buy themselves a real watch.”