TAG Heuer, the largest watch maker within the French luxury group, LVMH, is teaming up with Google and Intel to launch a luxury smartwatch powered by Intel technology and Android Wear. Together, Tag Heuer and its Silicon Valley partners are targeting the high-end market for smartwatches, and are rumoured to introduce the luxury device sometime towards the end of this year. Smartwatches have become one of the fastest growing segments in the connected wearables market, along with smartbands and have seen giants such as Samsung, Apple and LG debuting their own smartwatch brands over the past year. Smartwatches are offered on two major models, via pairing with a mobile device or as a standalone connected device with its own SIM. This latest venture between TAG Heuer marks the gradual move of high end watch makers into the smartwatch segment as demand for the latter continues to pick up. (read more; 'Standalone' Smartwatches Will Soon Dominate the US$32.9 Billion Smartwatch Market, Says AMR')
Announcing this at the recent Baselworld watch fair, the companies said that the initiative "signifies a new era of collaboration between Swiss watchmakers and Silicon Valley, bringing together each company's respective expertise in luxury watchmaking, software and hardware."
Swiss watchmaking and Silicon Valley is a marriage of technological innovation with watchmaking credibility. Our collaboration provides a rich host of synergies, forming a win-win partnership, and the potential for our three companies is enormous,
David Singleton, Director of Engineering, Android Wear
By fusing beauty with technology, the Swiss watch has inspired generations of artists and engineers alike -- including us at Google. So we're thrilled to be working with TAG Heuer and Intel to bring a unique blend of emotion and innovation to the luxury market. Together, and using the Android Wear platform, we can imagine a better, beautiful, smarter watch."
Michael Bell, Corporate Vice President and General Manager, Intel New Devices Group
As we work to enable technology experiences that provide greater utility and value to people, Intel is confident that a collective approach will inspire new innovation in wearable technology. The collaboration with TAG Heuer and Google brings us closer to realizing the vision of wearable technology with a distinctive smartwatch that elevates the category.
