IFA 2018: After launching over a year ago, the e-paper smartwatch goes on tour
After Sony first teased the FES Watch U back at IFA 2016, the company has now announced the e-paper smartwatch is finally coming to Europe.
The fashion-focused wearable, born from Sony’s Seed Acceleration Program, initially released in Japan last June before later travelling to Mainland China and Hong Kong. After a showing at IFA 2018, it will now pack its bags for the UK, Germany, France, Italy and Spain ahead of a mid-September launch.
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For those who need bringing up to speed on the FES Watch U story, here’s a brief rundown: this is a second generation of a smartwatch that’s a little bit different to your standard touchscreen or hybrid options, instead using e-paper technology on the watch face and strap to allow users to change the entire look at the touch of a button.
Sony indicates that the European version of the FES Watch U will come with over 100 pre-loaded designs, in something called the FES Closet, with more set to be added each month. If that’s not enough, wearers can even create their own grayscale designs using their own photos through the companion app.
Aside from this, though, details regarding specs are fairly sketchy. The FES Watch U that launched in Asia last year featured a rechargeable battery that Sony says lasts three weeks, but we don’t know, for example, just how big the watch is, or if any more smart features are in tow.
We’ll be looking to clear this up through our hands on time with the chameleon device on the IFA show floor, but those interested should probably start saving those pennies now – the silver version of the FES Watch U will cost £529, while the black version will be £699. That’s a stark jump from the first generation, which cost the equivalent of around £210.
There’s also no word on if the FES Watch U will be continuing its world tour and eventually land in the US, though it does appear as if this kind of wearable is now the company’s focus, as opposed to the release of a Sony Smartwatch 4.
