Hyundai has announced that it will launch the new MB-910 watch-phone in the UK in late Q2 '09, but has said it's unlikely to sell the watch in huge numbers.
The MB-910 is a touchscreen mobile phone condensed into a watch, with GPRS connectivity on the 132 x 176 pixel screen.
It has a 400mAh battery, giving three hours of talktime with up to 70 hours on standby... which means you'll have to remember to keep charging your watch.
Speaking to TechRadar, Graham Jelfs, head of marketing and communications for Hyundai Mobile UK, said: "We're looking to sell the MB-910 as SIM free, with it likely to appeal to early adopters. However, we've also shown it off to a few networks, so we'll wait and see if they want to range it.
"We're not expecting to deliver huge volumes of the MB-910, although they've been selling out within a week of delivery in Germany, so we'll be interested to see how it fares in the UK."
Life's better than good
The cost of the MB-910 will be just £200, which might sound a trifle expensive for a watch-phone without 3G, thus making video calling impossible, and also not sporting a camera.
But it pales into comparison compared the rumoured £1000 (or £500 with a contract), and Jelfs believes Hyundai can snare a good portion of the early adopter market looking to try out a new niche.
"Early adopters, gadget fans and fashionistas are always on the look out for something new. If a watch phone is your motivator then the MB 910 at around £200 is your best option.
"Having to invest £500 for the LG model and get locked in a two years contract could be a high cost to pay if you later discover that the watchphone is not for you."
The MB-910 should be available soon, and even comes with a Bluetooth headset so you don't look like a weirdo having a chat to your watch when walking down the street.
