New Swatch Touch Zero One Smartwatch Unveiled

Swatch announced the Swatch Touch Zero One Smartwatch tailored for Beach Volleyball.

Swatch announced the new Swatch Touch Zero One touchscreen smartwatch with custom features for Beach Volley Ball. This new Swatch Touch could be a pre-cursor of the Swatch smartwatch that Swatch CEO Nick Hayek talked about a couple weeks ago. 

The new Swatch Touch Zero One features a step counter and also tracks Volley Ball power hits and power claps. It communicates via Bluetooth with the Touch Zero One App on mobile phones. Like former Swatch Touch models the smartwatch features a curved touchscreen and built-in backlight to finger, tap and swipe access to six timing functions. 

Swatch mentions specifically in the press-release that the Swatch Touch Zero One does not require to be charged every night, the battery lasts for several months. If Swatch is able to integrate internet connectivity and more fitness tracking in a Swatch Touch and still maintaining the extensive battery life it would have an interesting smartwatch that can compete with the Pebble Time and maybe with the Apple Watch.

Nick Hayek said at the press-conference to Swiss Blick for the Touch Zero One that this is a first step for the Swatch Smartwatch. There will be more information about the Swatch Smartwatch in March, likely in time for BaselWorld 2015 taking place at March 19 – 26.

Hayek also made a weird statement when asked about the Smartwatch. He said: “We are working since years developing new additional functions, but we are a watch maker and not a producer of consumer electronics.” (translated from German to English).

What does he mean by that? He will not compete with Apple with the Swatch Smartwatch? Or is it just a statement saying that Swatch does things differently than Apple.

The price of the Swatch Touch Zero One is expected to be in line with current Touch Zero watches priced at $140. Swatch is a sponsor of Beach Volley Ball since a long time. The company currently sponsors femaie pro players Joana Heidrich and Nadine Zumkehr and the male team Clemens Doppler and Alexander Horst.

Via Swatch.