Timex launches its Smartwatch Metropolitan+ for Rs.9,995

Timex Group India Ltd on Tuesday launched Metropolitan+, a smartwatch cum activity tracker. Metropolitan+ will be sold on Amazon India for the first two months for Rs.9,995, before releasing it at Timex�s 3,000 retail outlets in India. Timex took the online route to sell the initial pieces.

“It encapsulates the beauty of a traditional watch and the functionality of an all-day activity tracker,” said Anupam Mathur, head (sales and marketing), Timex Group India.

The Metropolitan+ has a regular analog display, offers a one-and-a-half year battery life. On the smart bit, the watch also reflects what percentage of an activity goal has been fulfilled by a user. The goal can either be in distance or steps taken daily, and it also calculates calories burnt.

Timex says the watch is waterproof, and users can go swimming with it. The watch also has an Indiglo Night Light, and Timex has created its own app which reflects the fitness data collected by the watch. The watch can measure a maximum of 15,000 steps in one go.

“We will have more devices. There will be 5-6 new launches across categories, including smart watches, during the current year,” said Mathur.

Mathur said Timex will have the advantage over other smartwatch makers due to its wide network of 200 service centres. The company is also increasing its network of exclusive showrooms from 80 to 100 by end of 2016.

“This product is developed in Italy and we are making these in the Philippines. Once volume increases, we may look at assembling these in India,” said Mathur.

According to a study by Gartner Inc, released on 2 February, the global wearable electronic device market is likely to increase to 274.6 million units this year, up 18.4% from 232 million units in 2015.

The watch face, covered in mineral glass and encased in brushed stainless steel, has three separate dials-

Dial 1 – The largest central dial tells the time, with hour, minute, and second hands.

Dial 2 – The second dial located between 10 and 11 o’clock displays in what mode the watch is in currently. S indicated the steps mode and D is for distance travelled. A Bluetooth icon shows when the watch is syncing with the phone with the smartphone APP. An OFF icon indicates that all tracking is turned off. You can select these options using the Mode adjust button located at the two o’clock position.

Dial 3 – The third dial is located between the 3 and 6 o’clock number indicators. It shows your daily step (S mode) or distance (D mode) progress from zero to 100 percent.

Red-accented arm – This indicates the number of steps or the distance traveled. So if the red hand is at four o’clock, for instance, and you have the watch set to steps, you’ve walked 4,000 steps.

Adjustment crown – This sits at the three o’clock position. This turns the watch on when you first start using it, and also sets the time when you pull it out and turn it. Push it all the way in and the watch face will glow with INDIGLO night light (a backlight feature).

Sync with the Timex APP to view activity over time, set goals, track calories burned and even measure sleep. Available for iOS and android platforms.

Features

Bluetooth connections with your phone to track all day activity (steps, distance and calories)

Dial display shows – Step Count / Distance and % to Goal for each

App on phone to view detailed/historic data

Sleep feature to be added Spring 2016