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India’s largest watchmaker, Titan, will launch a ‘smartwatch’ — which it has jointly designed and built with global computing major HP Inc — in India and select international markets by December.
With this, Titan joins a handful of traditional watch makers such as Tag Heuer, that are venturing into smartwatches, a field dominated by computer and mobile device firms like Apple, Motorola, Sony and Samsung. Tag Heuer, a Swiss firm, has tied up with Google and Intel to design its ‘Tag Heuer Connected’, which is priced at $1,500 to take on Apple Watch.
The new relationship between HP and Titan combine innovative materials, design and custom technology to deliver products that are responsive, and not intrusive, Titan said. HP separately has Michael Bastian Chronowing-engineered smartwatches, which it sells in the US for $350.
“This category of smart watches is going to change the way people view the art of time keeping and beyond. It was but natural for an innovative company like Titan to partner with HP Inc for the next step in our journey as a lifestyle company,” said S Ravi Kant, chief executive, Watches and Accessories Division, Titan Company.
“It is indeed a milestone for two of the world’s leading companies to come together and create a unique lifestyle offering for people not only in India but across the world.”
Tata Group’s technology team has been working with Titan for over a year to build wearable smart watches and smart bands and testing the products with factory floor workers.
Tatas’ focus was to improve worker safety, while also getting insights to build a product that is more tuned to market requirements. “It goes with the Tata philosophy for safety on our shop floor and interest in our workers safety. But it also gives me a unique angle of developing a wearable, which will be much more than any wearable in the market commercially. Because the need in the factory floor is much more than any need anybody has,” Tata Group chief technology officer Gopichand Katragadda had told Business Standard in an interview in July.
“Once I do that, I can bring it into the commercial world, which will be more featured than any existing wearable.”
HP Inc says that some smart accessories on the market force consumers to sacrifice form for function and the products jointly with Titan would be different.
“Our legacy of innovation is helping fashion-forward brands infuse technology into their designs to give consumers the stylish timepieces they want but that are more connected and responsive to the way they live today,” said Sridhar Solur, general manager, wearables and smart platforms at HP Inc in the statement.
