Tag Heuer Teams Up With Google, Intel To Make The World’s Swankiest Smartwatch

Smartwatches are about to get a lot more luxurious with renowned Swiss manufacturer Tag Heuer getting in on the action.

The company has announced it will team up with Intel and Google to launch its first smartwatch, marking the first time a Swiss manufacturer has teamed up with Silicon Valley technology heavyweights.

The collaboration was made official at the Baselworld luxury goods event yesterday by top leaders from all three companies. However, there was no word on pricing or availability, although this is thought to be before the end of the year.

Swish

It appears the device will be an equal marriage between the three companies’ expertise, Google’s Android Wear software and Intel’s hardware technology linking with Tag Heuer’s experience in luxury watchmaking.

“Swiss watchmaking and Silicon Valley is a marriage of technological innovation with watchmaking credibility. Our collaboration provides a rich host of synergies, forming a win-win partnership, and the potential for our three companies is enormous,” said Jean-Claude Biver, Tag Heuer CEO.

“As we work to enable technology experiences that provide greater utility and value to people, Intel is confident that a collective approach will inspire new innovation in wearable technology,” remarked Michael Bell, corporate vice president and general manager of Intel’s new devices group The collaboration with TAG Heuer and Google brings us closer to realizing the vision of wearable technology with a distinctive smartwatch that elevates the category,”

Recent research from analyst firm Juniper Research predicted that the number of smartwatches worldwide is expected to pass 100 million within the next five years, as the range of devices on the market increases dramatically.

Currently, 2.8 million people in the UK own a wearable, according to YouGov figures, with that figure predicted to rise to 6.1 million in a year’s time as the adoption rate rises from 6 percent to 13 percent.

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