Tag Heuer’s 3rd generation smartwatch will set you back $1,800
Tag Heuer has unveiled the third iteration in its Connected smartwatch lineup. The device throws a heart rate monitor into the mix for the first time, and sells upwards of $1,800.
Essential reading: Top fitness trackers and health gadgets
The Swiss outfit has started a partnership with Intel and Google back in 2015 to develop its first Connected smartwatch. There have been two generations so far, the first selling 15,000 units, the second 50,000. While this may not seem like a lot, remember that these are very pricey watches going at more than $1,000 a pop.
The last version was released back in 2018. The Connected Modular 41 was a slightly smaller than the Modular 45 which was released in 2017. Both are very customizable allowing users to choose from one of over 4,000 unique configurations. You can even take out the Connected module and swap it with a mechanical one. Last year, the Swiss watchmaker released a golf version of the same.
This 2020 iteration does away with customisable or replaceable components. And while this may come as a disappointment to some, it means the company can focus on delivering a streamlined device that works well.
As you’d expect, the 2020 Tag Heuer Connected comes with premium build the company is so well known for. There’s an 1.39-inch, 454 x 454 pixel (326ppi) OLED touchscreen onboard protected by scratch-resistant sapphire crystal.
Other design tweaks include a new ceramic bezel, screwed caseback and mechanical buttons. A 45mm case in a choice of steel or titanium holds all this together. We are yet to hear if the company will be coming out with a 41mm option.
Changes under the hood make the 2020 edition a much better fitness companion. Sensors now include an accelerometer, gyroscope, heart rate, compass, along with built-in GPS. The Qualcomm Snapdragon 3,100 chip powers everything which is the newest Wear OS chip that is currently available.
As before, the thing runs on Google Wear OS but now there’s a TAG Heuer Sports app which utilises the sensors to track sports such as golf, running, cycling, walking, fitness and more. This plays nice with Strava, Apple Health and Google Fit, too. There’s also a new app for customisation of watchfaces and features.
The 440mAh battery keeps going for around 20 hours between charges which falls to 4 hours with GPS switched on. Users can also tap into a limited functionality ambient mode to extend battery life further. The watch comes with a new USB-C based charging puck.
‘The TAG Heuer Connected watch was designed and engineered with the same passion and attention to detail as our mechanical watches,’ TAG Heuer’s chief strategy and digital officer, Frédéric Arnault said in a statement.
“Quality of execution is paramount in everything we do, and we never compromise on aesthetics or emotion.”
The 2020 Tag Heuer Connected goes on sale today starting at $1,800 on the company’s website. This is around $200 more than the previous generation. If you still have some spare cash lying around, you can pretty this up with different cases or straps to push the price up to $2,350.
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