Smart Watches are supposed to be the “in-thing” but its high price tag and poor retention are a stumbling block for it to go mainstream. The Pebble is a perfect example of a functional smart watch but for some, it is still too much to pay for a digital accessory.
At the honor 7 global launch in London, they have announced the availability of its new honor band that could bring smart watches to the masses with its affordable price tag.
The design of the honor band is simple. A round OLED display that’s surrounded by a metal frame without any use of buttons. Navigation is done simply by swiping and tapping onto the black and white OLED screen. However essentially this like having a Huawei TalkBand underneath and it tracks your steps, sleep, display alerts and you can find out who’s calling you while your phone is in your pocket.
The “watch” itself is pretty slim and the overall package including the rubber strap is rather light. If you’re wondering if you could take this for a swim, you would be pleased to know that it has IP68 water and dust resistance which they say is capable of being submerged under 10 metres of water for up to 30 minutes. In terms of battery life, the honor band does up to 3 days on a single charge. There isn’t much details on the full specs including the display resolution and battery size, and we are told that these units aren’t final for full commercial release.
There are 3 colours available – Black, White and Khaki. For the European market, the band will be available sometime in Q4 2015 and it carries a price tag of 79 Euros or 59 GBP. That’s approximately RM370-RM380 in our current exchange rate. There’s no info on Malaysian availability just yet but we are told to stay tuned for future local announcements. If you’re just looking for something basic, the honor band could be your cup of tea. For those wanting more with a longer battery life, you could top up around RM50 extra and go for a Pebble smart watch that’s currently priced at US$99 (about RM415).
Before you pass any judgement on the “honor band” name, they are actually running a naming contest from now until 27th September. If your suggested name gets picked, you will win the opportunity to use all honor products for the next 5 years. To participate, just head over to the honor Facebook page, drop your suggested name and your reasons under the Facebook comments.
Honor Band hands-on photos
