Smart watches are still yet to really take off, as they’re typically clunky and lacking in features, however if there’s one that’s likely to do well for itself it’s the Sony SmartWatch 2.
Like many of Sony’s recent smartphones, the Sony SmartWatch 2 is dust and water resistant, so you can wear it out and about and even in the rain without too much worry. It also looks quite stylish, with a smart strap and a square watch face, which when set to show an analogue clock doesn’t look too far removed from a normal watch, though it is a little bigger. Plus if you don’t like the strap it’s compatible with any 24mm wristband. Those are the first two hurdles for a smart watch- making it both stylish and weather resistant.
Actually making it particularly useful is the next stumbling block and it looks like Sony might have done quite a good job of this too. The Sony SmartWatch 2 supports Bluetooth 3.0 and one-touch NFC pairing with your Android smartphone, which then lets you control many smartphone functions from your watch. This includes handling calls, reading emails and text messages, accessing your calendar and interacting with Facebook and Twitter.
There are also a bunch of downloadable apps for the Sony SmartWatch 2, which let you do things like take photos, control presentations remotely, mapping apps so you’ll never get lost again, and fitness apps such as ‘Runtastic’ which will track your activities.
The core idea of a smart watch is that it saves you having to reach for your phone to check your messages and the like and this achieves that. However it even functions when not paired to a smartphone, as it will still work as a digital watch and let you set an alarm, turn a light on or read any previously received notifications.
If you’re wondering how it differs from the first Sony SmartWatch, the NFC connectivity and one-touch pairing is all new. It also has a higher resolution screen, longer battery life and a more intuitive interface. Plus as this isn’t Sony’s first smart watch there are already a bunch of dedicated apps available for it- over 200 in fact.
Steffan K Persson, Head of Companion Products at Sony Mobile Communications is excited about the product, stating:
“Sony is the proud leader in the smartwatch market since introducing our first Bluetooth watch in 2007. Competitors are only now launching first generation devices, while we are already launching a 3rd generation device with all the insight gained from over half a million customers combined with Sony’s wealth of technology expertise to create the best ever smartwatch experience.”
The Sony SmartWatch 2 will be available worldwide from September and while there’s no confirmed UK price yet it looks like it will be retailing for around 199 Euros in France, which equates to around £168. That’s a fair bit more than Sony’s previous SmartWatch which can currently be found for around £70, but with a host of new features and improvements it might just be worth it.
