Smartwatches have caught consumer attention for over a year. Almost all these watches have a display that captures all the relevant health and fitness data as well as shows information such as texts, calendar items, and incoming messages among other things.
Sony has taken a very different approach to the smartwatch concept. As part of Sony’s Seed Acceleration Program, an internal incubator with a goal of accelerating innovation and launching new business ideas, Sony demonstrated Sony Wena smart watch at IFA 2015 this year. Wena stands for Wear Electronics Naturally. What is interesting and unique about this smart watch is that uses a traditional watch (made by Citizen) with the intelligence or smart features built into the wristband. Main features of Wena include notification delivery via LED lights and smart vibrations, activity tracking and NFC compatible wallet with Japanese Felica standard. The LED strip is built into the clasp along side a vibration motor. These two can be customized for different types of notifications. Also in the strap is a an inbuilt pedometer to track basic activities. Sony claims that the watch portion will run for around 3 years on a set of batteries, and the smart strap will have to be charged at least once a week.
Sony is using a crowdfunding site to promote the project. While features, compatibility with other devices, prices, and launch times are yet to be finalized, Sony Wena definitely brings back the basic watch that consumers are used to with smart functionality.
