I like technology. Won’t even bother trying to argue I have a good sense of fashion, let alone much of one at all. However, I have a fondness for quality watches, whether the piece is designed for business casual or a GPS unit worn on a trail run.
Sadly, it seems most smartwatches are rather atrocious monstrosities, especially compared to fashion watches and similar watch lines. Early adopters jumped into the smartwatch wearables market, but others patiently waited to monitor operating system and third-party software development.
Fashion designer Michael Kors recently launched a reboot of its Runway watch – and the new product is a connected smartwatch. It supports heart rate tracking, swimming functionality, NFC-wireless payment support, GPS, and Google Assistant.
The Michael Kors Access Runway Fall 2018 Collection starts at $295 up to $450, based on color and watch bands.
As a tech journo and blogger, I’ve followed the wearables market for a number of years. Excited to see the level of hardware and enhanced software designed to support the wearer while out on the move.
If you’re looking for insight towards the smartwatch future, this is what Weston Henderek, Director of Consumer Electronics, Connected Intelligence at the NPD Group, said in a blog:
As tech improves — particularly OS capabilities — adoption will continue to increase. The addition of built-in cellular capabilities, for example, allowed the smartwatch to be used independently without having to have your smartphone on you. Eliminating ecosystem restrictions in this manner will make the use of these devices more seamless and thereby accelerate adoption. There are certainly advantages to a more independent device; and we will no doubt see other smartwatch OEMs following suit.
