The mention of Sony and timepiece may evoke the idea of smartwatches, but the Sony FES Watch U is NOT a smartwatch. It is the first fashion watch from Sony. This being a product of Sony means that, despite it not being a smartwatch, it is not your ordinary wrist watch. It is the first of its kind in the market to utilize e-Paper technology that allows you to change the design of the watch at the touch of a button. Sony FES Watch U is conceived with the aim of marrying fashion and technology in a way that it will let people express themselves “in the most individual way.”
If you are thinking e-ink watch is no big deal and it (e-ink) is probably limited to the dial face, well, then you couldn’t be more wrong. Active matrix e-Paper are used in both the watch face and the strap, thus allowing you to fully customize the design of the watch to suit your fashion and mood. Basically, Sony FES Watch U lets you say goodbye to strap change in order to change the look. If you ask me, digital fashion is the future and the Sony FES Watch U might just be the start of it all.
Over 100 different pre-loaded designs are available in the dedicated ‘FES Closet’ app with more styles to be added to the app each month, so you can have a different look every other time, albeit the designs are all in grey scale. But hey, it is a start, right? Besides, you won’t be limited to the styles offered by the app; you can also select an image on your smartphone album and load it into the watch using the app, so you have your love ones image on your watch if you desire.
Other features include a narrow frame with stainless steel case and buckle, titanium ion-plating, mineral or sapphire glass with anti-reflection coating, stainless steel case back, built-in rechargeable battery, IPX5/7 rated, and it is compatible with both Android OS and iOS.
Sony FES Watch U is already available in Japan, China, Hong Kong, and in Europe. Prices in Europe starts at €599 (around US$689). Well, that’s kind of pricey for something that isn’t smart, isn’t it? I guess that is the price one has to pay for future fashion.
Images courtesy of Sony UK.
