Those who prefer the traditional look of an analog watch, but still want to be able to use some smart features may want to hold off on picking up the Apple Watch Nike+ at the end of the month.
That's because Misfit unveiled its latest device on Tuesday, Oct. 18, an analog watch that is sleek and stylish for everyday wear while still having some smarts.
Called the Misfit Phase, the watch ditches a digital screen to instead feature a traditional face. It has an aluminum and stainless steel case with either a silicone or leather band that will be available with different color options.
The Fossil-acquired company opted to go with a more minimalistic and simple approach when it comes to its design, with the Phase not including Roman numerals or any fancy bling.
This product is a hybrid smartwatch, which means that even though it looks like a simple watch, there are some connected features. Like other Misfit watches, the Phase has fitness tracking capabilities such as being able to automatically track steps, sleep and calories. It is also water-resistant up to 50 meters (164 feet) for swimming.
However, it is limited to what it can track since there is no heart rate monitor. This means no advanced features some other smartwatches offer.
Since the Phase has an analog watch face, the user doesn't have the option of viewing their progress via a touch screen display. Instead, the watch syncs to the user's iPhone or Android smartwatch via Bluetooth and uses vibration, changes in color to its small light near 6 o'clock and its hands as means to deliver notifications.
This can all be customized so that the watch light turns green and both the minute and second hand move to 12 o'clock when a specific contact calls or texts, for example.
To control the hands feature, the user simply presses the Mode button located on the top right on the side of the watch. This then allows the user to go through the various modes like alarm settings, fitness progress and the time.
The Phase has a second button that allows the user to tap into their smartphone's features like the camera app or control their music.
The Misfit Phase has a six-month battery life, and will be available in six different color combinations like White and Rose Gold, Navy and Gold, and Navy and Gray.
While the idea of an analog watch with smart capabilities is nothing new, the Misfit Phase will launch on Nov. 7 with an affordable price starting at $175 and going up to $195 for the option with the leather bands.
