Timex Unveiled a Smartwatch That Has its Own 3G Data Connection

Timex Group is launching a smartwatch with cellular connectivity and a high-visibility display from Qualcomm Inc. It’s a 3G-connected smartwatch that doesn’t even need to pair up with a phone. Unlike earlier smartwatches, Timex’s watch has its own cellular connection, letting it transmit data without having to be connected to a smartphone.

The company calls it the Ironman One GPS+, and while it may have features commonly found in a smartwatch, it is made mostly for athletes like its predecessors. It has the capability to upload your run data to a fitness website with one tap. You can even assign contacts to monitor your run in real time.

Priced at 350$, this version comes with a heart monitor like Samsung Gear Fit and a chest strap. Timex’s move into smartwatches is among the first by traditional watchmakers and follows products from electronics companies including Samsung and Sony that have failed to garner major support from consumers.

The device, due out later this year, is made with a chipset from Qualcomm as well as Qualcomm’s Mirasol low-power display technology, which can easily be viewed in direct sunlight.

Timex has a 160-year history of making watches, which led it to a decidedly different vision for a smartwatch. This one doesn’t get notifications from your smartphone and doesn’t tell you what’s next on your calendar. It’s a connected wearable intended to help athletes and adventurers be safer, smarter, and just a little bit more connected. It’s quite simple, not like anything we’ve seen before.