Smartwatches are the only form of wearables that are growing in the current market and will be dominant in the near future.
Up until now, Danish watchmaker Skagen has been releasing hybrid smartwatches, however, it's branching out into touchscreen smartwatches. It has now introduced a new watch called the Falster, which features Android Wear.
Skagen Goes Full-On Smartwatch
Prior to the release of Falster, Skagen released hybrid smartwatches and similar to others, the design of the Falster is minimalist. Unlike its previous watches, however, it is bulkier due to the Android Wear technology.
As stated, this isn't the first smartwatch by Skagen, but it is the first that features a touchscreen.
Falster By Skagen Unveils New Features
At this year's Consumer Electronics Show, Skagen introduced the Falster. The latest iteration of its smartwatch series features a fully round touchscreen display with a 42mm stainless steel case.
It's powered by Android Wear featuring Qualcomm Snapdragon Wear 2100 processor and a 300mAh battery.
It also comes in four variants, two of which feature mesh bracelets in silver and Rose Gold, and the other two are available in leather straps in black and brown. It is Skagen's first smartwatch that features the company's signature mesh band.
Falster runs on Android Wear 2.0, so that means it will be able to run apps and watch faces that are available at Google Play Store. It also has a unisex design to appeal to both men and women.
Problem Features
The Falster doesn't have NFC for mobile payments and it lacks GPS tracking. It doesn't have a heart rate monitor either, meaning, it will likely lose out on the market of wearers who are more fitness or technologically-minded, making it more suited for an average consumer.
The lack of features won't do Skagen any favors in the smartwatch market. There are plenty of other watches that are just as good-looking but offer more features.
Skagen's hybrid smartwatches include buttons, which can each be assigned a different task. The Falster is designed with one button, although the button doesn't rotate.
Unlike other Skagen watches known for thin and lightweight designs, the Falster has a much bulkier design because of the touchscreen features. It does stay in line with other Skagen designs aesthetically. It appears Falster provides more style over function.
Falster is set to launch this month. The version with the leather strap is $75 while the metal mesh strap version is $299.
