It is still early days for smartwatches – There is much promise in the technology but current devices often feel like too much of a compromise. Independent Design Director Rolf Jensen summarizes it well: “There seems to be a substantial gap between what people expect in a smartwatch and what many tech companies are creating. Companies like Samsung, Motorola, and Apple are seemingly trying to solve a problem that doesn’t exist.” When he came up with the WeldTime smartwatch concept, he did not try to compete with devices but instead came up with “a timepiece with simple notifications.”
The WeldTime is built around a familiar concept, that a device sporting both an analog display and a digital one. It is based on a “a future stage of the OLED display technology” that offers a higher resolution digital display. This OLED display only activates when a notification needs to be shown or when a specific action is required. When not required or when the 7.7V 750mAh battery runs down, the display becomes transparent, revealing the analog display beneath it.
It does not appear that the WeldTime comes with a touchscreen display. Instead, it likely relies on the crown and two buttons, one at the 2 o’clock mark and the other at 9 o’clock, to interact with the watch. With limited smartwatch functionality, more complex controls would likely not be required.
Illustrations reveal that the WeldTime would also come with a wireless antenna (presumably Bluetooth but maybe also cellular), a GPS receiver and an NFC chipset to offer functionality now often expected in a smartwatch. Basic fitness and goal tracking capabilities would also be supported.
The Weldtime is also waterproof, allowing you to use it in the shower or the pool and still get alerts from devices that are not water resistant.
Jensen envisions that the the WeldTime would be available both for men and women.
The dual display concept itself can already be found in devices such as the Kairos Hybrid smartwatch or the Casio WSD-F10 Smart Outdoor Watch. As you can see though, the WeldTime benefits from improved display technology to offer a more elegant and compelling solution. Now we just need the technology to catch up with the WeldTime concept!
Source : Behance