Android Wear 2.0: Hugo Boss, Tommy Hilfiger, Diesel Unveil Smartwatches At Baselworld 2017

Tommy Hilfiger, Hugo Boss and Diesel are the latest entrants into the smartwatch market. The fashion companies announced their Android Wear 2.0 watches Friday at Baselworld 2017.

The smartwatch market has seen rapid growth in the last couple of years, and with the rising demand among users, not just tech companies but even luxury/fashion brands are jumping on the bandwagon to fill the gaps in the wearables market.

According to Wearable’s report Friday, Hugo Boss’ Touch, which was unveiled, comes with a leather band option. The newest entrant in the smartwatch market is more on the formal side when it comes to looks and is made up of carbon black IP stainless steel . The report also said that the Touch will offer NFC but no heart rate censor.

NFC or Near Field Communication, allows for two-way communication, with both devices involved being able to send and receive information. This NFC connection does not rely on Wi-Fi, 3G, LTE or otherwise, and it doesn't cost anything to use.

The Touch will be available in the market in August and is expect to cost $395.

Tommy Hilfiger launched the T24/7You, specs of which are still unclear. However, according to the same Wearable report, this smartwatch has a traditional watch look and comes with a metal band. There are speculations that the base model will ship with a leather strap. It is expected to be priced at $299.

Lastly, Diesel launched On, which has a more rugged and sporty look. This smartwatch’s USP will be its look, something that is rare to find in the other available wearable in the market. There wasn’t much information about this product as well but the company did reveal that it will come with a snapdragon 2100 chipset. There is no clarity on the screen size, or the availability of NFC or a heart censor. The device is expected to be priced at $325 and will be available later this year.

A report from analyst firm Canalys explains why fashion brands are foraying into the wearable market. According to the forcasts made in the report, the smartwatch market will grow 18 percent in 2017, with 28.5 million units being shipped.

“The total value of smartwatch shipments in 2017 will reach US$10 billion. There will be further declines in the traditional watch industry as smartwatch manufacturers release more high-end models. As the average selling price of smartwatches climbs, the value of the smartwatch market will reach about two thirds that of the predicted value of the traditional Swiss watch market this year,” the report said.