Android Wear, a version of Google’s Android operating system which is designed for smartwatches is breaking out across the market now with Michael Kors being one of the most recent to expand his brand into the technology field. He has produced some smartwatches than run Android Wear technology, called Michael Kors Access.
Michael Kors is more famous for his popular fashion brand, so it may seem surprising that he’s branching over to the geek side. What do we know about the watches? Well, we know from a pricing point of view, he’s maintaining different price points to keep the brand accessible…a good idea considering a large part of his market is made up of teens. Also, he has created different models for men and women with interchangeable straps.
As Kors has correctly anticipated, the target market of these smartwatches will be more interested in the aesthetics of it rather than the technology spec itself. For Kors fans it’s more the participating in the brand, than how fast the processor is. For this reason, Kors hasn’t gone to town on the spec, but it sure looks pretty.
Other brands to jump on the smartwatch bandwagon are Samsung, Nixon and Fossil. Even Swatch’s Tissot brand has revealed it’s new “connected watch”, which does not run apps, but links up to smartphones.
The launch follows an Industry Report made by The Federation of the Swiss Watch Industry which said there had been a big decrease in traditional watch sales and stated “a steep decline” in revenues, with January’s 1.5bn Swiss francs ($1.6bn; £1.1bn) representing an 8% drop on the same month’s sales in 2015.
