Montblanc Summit 2 becomes first smartwatch to feature Wear 3100 chip, costs $995

[midian182]

What just happened? The wait for the first smartwatch to use Qualcomm’s Snapdragon Wear 3100 is over. The Montblanc Summit 2 is available today at a price that reflects its “luxury” designation. At $995, it’s not going to be for everyone.

Known for its lineup of expensive writing instruments, watches, jewelry, and leather goods, the company says its second smartwatch comes in a 42mm case that’s “designed for men and women.” The first Summit has a larger, 46mm case that can look massive on thinner wrists.

In addition to the 1.2-inch AMOLED display (390 x 390 resolution), there’s an “improved” algorithm used in the heart rate sensor, built-in GPS, Bluetooth 4.2, Wi-Fi, NFC for Google Pay, and water resistance up to 50 meters. You also get a big rotating crown along with two buttons that can be programmed to launch various apps, along with a built-in microphone that enables voice commands via Google Assistant.

Specs-wise, the Montblanc Summit 2 features 1GB of RAM and 8GB of storage alongside the Snapdragon Wear 3100. Qualcomm’s new chip focuses on one of the biggest issues with wearables: battery life. While the Summit 2 is still only rated for just one full day of use, the low-power secondary processor allows for a “Time Only mode” that adds another 4-5 days.

The Montblanc Summit 2 is aimed at jet setters with plenty of money to spare—custom apps include a travel companion called “Timeshifter,” which advises how to combat jetlag based on a user’s flight times and sleep patterns.

While there are more expensive smartwatches available, including Tag Heuer’s $1200 Connected Modular 41, the Summit 2’s $995 price tag is double that of the Apple Watch 4, LG’s Watch W7, and Casio’s Pro Trek WSD-F30 (almost). But like Tag Heuer’s device, the Summit is designed for those with plenty of disposable income.

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https://www.techspot.com/news/76943-montblanc-summit-2-becomes-first-smartwatch-arrive-wear.html

 

[Squid Surprise]

It's an interesting time for watches... for years, expensive watches have commanded tens of thousands of dollars - you can even buy ones for hundreds of thousands....

Enter the "Smart Watch", and all of a sudden, a $1000 model is considered pricey... Until they can match the quality of a fine Rolex (and command the same price), there is no reason for this "luxury brand"...

For $500 or so, you can buy a very nice self-winding watch that glows in the dark.... that's pretty much all I need in a watch... If I need any "smart" capabilities - I have my phone!

 

[senketsu]

$500? I thought I was spending big for my watch ($20), I had to deliberate if I was going to spend that much.

 

[p51d007]

Or...just download a "montblanc" watch face for your smartwatch, and save the money LOL.
I had a VERY hard time justifying 280 for my Gear 3 Frontier, but a thousand bucks? I'd buy
an Apple/Samsung phone first LOL.

 

[Squid Surprise]

$500? I thought I was spending big for my watch ($20), I had to deliberate if I was going to spend that much.

Well, it takes all kinds, obviously... you get get cheap watches... you can get pricey ones... they all tell the time.... in fact, the cheaper ones probably are more accurate

But many people consider watches jewelry... once you go down that road, pretty much any price can be justified. Occasionally you'll see companies trying to do that with other tech devices - like iPhones studded with diamonds or plated with gold, selling for crazy prices.

I was convinced by my wife that my old Timex Ironman wasn't suitable for me (I'd been wearing it for over a decade), and insisted I get a "shinier" one. I have a $400 self-winding Tissot now - I do like it but... it doesn't keep time as accurately as my Timex did... and while it glows in the dark, it's not as easy to read at night as the "Indiglo" on the Ironman...

It is shinier though...