Hewlett-Packard is about to jump into the smartwatch business but it will do so in a somewhat different fashion than its competitors. The company will partner with U.S. designer Michael Bastian and online flash sale retailer Gilt to offer a device that blends the features of a smartwatch with the looks of a luxury timepiece.
As you would expect, HP was responsible for the technology while Bastian focused on the look and design. Few details have been provided about the smartwatch but it will sync with both Android and iOS devices. It will let the wearer receive various notifications, remotely control music and other apps and check things like the weather, stock updates and sports scores. There is no word on what operating system will power the watch.
The watch itself will feature a round watchface and a 44mm stainless steel case. The watchband will be swappable with options such as black rubber, brown leather, olive green nylon and a limited edition black available at launch.
At this point, we don’t even have a name for the HP smartwatch. Despite initiating the project, it appears that it will not be sold specifically as an HP product but one that was “engineered by Hewlett-Packard.”
Gilt expects to launch this smartwatch sometime this fall but provided no specific launch or pricing details.
It’s not clear yet if this HP smartwatch is a sign that the company is thinking of getting into wearables in a more serious fashion later on.
Sources : Gilt // Fashionista // Engadget