Hugo Boss retires its first smartwatch less than a year after launch
Hugo Boss has quietly removed its first smartwatch, the Touch, from watchshop.com. While the timepiece can still be bought on the company’s website and Amazon, its manufacturer Movado Group has confirmed to Wearable the device will be phased out.
Essential reading: Top fitness trackers and health gadgets
The news comes less than a year following its launch. The company first started selling the watch in August 2017, after announcing it at Baselworld in the Spring of that year. In a sea of sports and fitness watches, what makes this Wear OS device special is the fact that its a classy, traditional looking, formal watch made for professionals.
Apart from the gorgeous design, Boss Touch comes with Bluetooth, Wi-Fi and NFC for payments. It doesn’t have a heart rate sensor or GPS, but the gizmo does a decent job in tracking your steps and other activity during the day, along with sleep at night. Its large 46mm diameter touchscreen is ideal for viewing your stats and messages on the go.
Movado Group did not offer information on why the watch is being discontinued. Originally retailing just under the $400 mark, Boss Touch is at the high end of the Wear OS watch price scale. This may have been the reason for low sales, along with the fact that Movado launched a number of other smartwatches in the fall of 2017 including one with Tommy Hilfinger branding. And, we are sure the dismal 24 hour battery life did not help any.
Interestingly, Movado did not make an appearance at Baselworld 2018. If it makes a decision to pull entirely out of the smartwatch game, it will not be the first or the last company to do this.
As mentioned, the Boss Touch is still sold at a number of online retail outlets. The good news is the price has dropped and you might be able to nab it for $300.
While some have speculated we may see a second version of the Boss Touch smartwatch, this is now looking very unlikely. If you have yours eyes set on a timepiece from a fashion brand, it might be time to look elsewhere.
Like this article? Subscribe to our monthly newsletter and never miss out!
