Looks like to Moto 360 is not the only smartwatch with a beautiful design to keep an eye out for. Withings has been the leader in the connected health revolution since Nike left the market space and Fitbit had its recall for the Fitbit Force. They have a new twist on the health tracker and smartwatch market. The Withings Activité is a very elegant, Swiss-made timepiece. The Activité combines great design and discrete technology. So discrete in fact that you might forget you have smartwatch on your wrist.
“This is a really exciting time in fashion, which until recently has not been on speaking terms with technology. We are now seeing these worlds coming together in highly creative ways and the Withings Activité is at the forefront of that charge. It’s unlike any smart watch I’ve seen, a true style accessory and one of the most wearable wearables out there.” ~ Nina Garcia Creative Director of Marie Claire Magazine and Project Runway Judge
Activité monitors steps taken, calories burned, distance traveled. Activité will also monitor sleep patterns from the time you fall asleep to how long you stay asleep. Activité has a vibrating alarm clock to get you up in the morning without a blast of noise. It also connects to iOS devices through Bluetooth Low Energy and will automatically update when you change time zones. The one small knock one could give the Activité is to see your results you have to use the Withings Health Mate application. The screen unlike the soon to be released Moto 360 does not change. This may be a deal breaker for most people.
The Activité has no buttons. Instead it responds to taps on the screen. Based on your taps it will change modes. Another bonus is that the Activité does not need to be recharged. That is because it used a standard watch battery. That should last you a whole year before needing replaced. The Activité will be available in retail stores and on Withings.com starting in August. It will retail at £320/$547. That is a hefty price for a smartwatch but really low one for an entry model luxury watch. Available in black or silver.
“At Withings, our mission is to Inspire health and with the Activité we have created a universally appealing tracker that promotes the benefits of healthier lifestyles in a chicly design watch people are eager to wear. The Activité is forged with the quintessential “French Touch” – the art of mixing design and style, inspirations and eras, traditions and innovations to create a 21st century timepiece that connects us to the time and universe around us as well as our bodies natural rhythms.” ~Cedric Hutchings, CEO of Withings.
The watch face is made of stainless steel 316L, with a crystal of unbreakable sapphire glass which includes touch screen capabilities to tap between modes. It also comes with a Tanneries Haas leather strap. Tanneries Haas is one of France’s most successful tanneries used by some prestigious French design houses. An interchangeable plastic strap is also included for sportswear and underwater use thanks to its waterproof capabilities. These are some high-end materials and I wonder if others will follow suite? What will a more technology rich smartwatch such as Moto 360 and iWatch will be priced at?