Swatch will go head to head with smartwatch world
Don't call time on the old watchmakers just yet
Watch giant Swatch has confirmed that the whole smartwatch thing has not passed it by, and it will indeed be adding a bit more processing power to its wristwear by 2015, just not as a partner to anyone else.
In some of the more peculiar smartwatch skuttlebutt Apple was suggested as a partner to the Swiss giant, but, as suspected, this is not going to happen.
In an interview with Reuters, Swatch chief Nick Hayek insisted that Swatch has been talking to many big electronics manufacturers, but has decided to go it alone, at least partly
"All the big technology firms want to work with us and I don't rule out that we are or could be collaborating in some areas. But we can also do many things on our own," he told Reuters.
Smart moves
With Apple's iWatch on the horizon, the widely acclaimed Moto 360 already garnering publicity and the likes of LG and Samsung already pushing products to market it's a brave new world for our wrists.
Fitness bands have also cornered some of the market and big names like Nike and Adidas are competing with Jawbone and others to sign up runners and athletes to push their wares.
Where that leaves watch manufacturers remains to be seen - although the high end manufacturers are unlikely to see the bling value of their offerings decline.
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For the likes of Swatch the impact could be a little more immediate - and whether integrating smart features into its watches is enough remains to be seen.
Patrick Goss is the ex-Editor in Chief of TechRadar. Patrick was a passionate and experienced journalist, and he has been lucky enough to work on some of the finest online properties on the planet, building audiences everywhere and establishing himself at the forefront of digital content. After a long stint as the boss at TechRadar, Patrick has now moved on to a role with Apple, where he is the Managing Editor for the App Store in the UK.