Smartphone company Alcatel OneTouch - part of TCL Communications - has announced a ‘smart watch’ device at the International CES this week.
Called simply WATCH, the new device is compatible with Android and iOS handsets via Bluetooth. It runs Alcatel’s own operating system, has a circular 1.22-inch screen and is available in a number of styles. Sensors incorporated in the Alcatel OneTouch Watch include a heart-rate monitor, an accelerometer, a gyroscope, an altimeter and a compass. There’s also a USB plug built into the strap for charging.
In addition to its health monitoring and sporting applications, the Alcatel watch handles call notifications, social media updates and will vibrate if users move away from their phones. The watch can also be used as a remote control for a smartphone’s music player and camera.
Dan Dery, Chief Marketing Officer at Alcatel OneTouch, said “It’s called a wearable, so we wanted to make something that would be a pleasure to wear. The watch face and the band are slim, like a regular watch, but it has the multi-functionality of a smartwatch.”
Availability is expected in the next month or two; pricing is promised to be “very accessible” and “a fraction of the cost of competitors”.
Alcatel OneTouch has also released a range of “affordable” PIXI 3 smartphones that’ll be available in Android, Firefox or Windows Phone versions.