After a rather obvious Twitter tease last week, Sony have unveiled their next-generation smart watch, the SmartWatch 2.
The Sony SmartWatch 2 is a fairly logical upgrade over the first iteration – we’ve got a larger 1.6-inch square display with a denser resolution of 220 x 176. Below the display we’ve got some new buttons that’ll be familiar to anyone that’s used an Android phone: back, home and menu, although their placement is a bit unusual.
The watch is also more waterproof than its predecessor, boasting an IP-57 certification that should allow it to be worn in the rain or exposed to splashes without issue (although wearing it in the pool or the shower is still too far). That’s the same rating as the Xperia Z, but doesn’t reach the IP-58 of the recently announced Xperia Z Ultra phablet.
Sony have also looked to extend the smart watch’s battery life and now claim it has the longest battery life of any smart watch on the market. The SmartWatch 2 also has a nicer stainless steel wristband, which can be swapped for any 24 mm watch strap.
The pairing process is another area that the SmartWatch looks to be improved. NFC has been embedded in the watch to facilitate Bluetooth pairing with just a tap between Android phone and watch. And the number of Android phones that can be used with the SmartWatch 2 has also been increased, although iOS and Windows Phone support is still nowhere to be found – Sony’s tagline of ‘made for Android’ makes it clear where its allegiance lies.
The SmartWatch 2 will be available in September and should hit at a slightly more appealing price point than its predecessor. With watches coming from pretty much every player in the market, Sony have done well to strike for a second time before Google, Samsung, LG or Apple have released their first iterations.