With the looming release of the Apple Watch on the horizon, luxury watchmakers are looking for ways to compete against the new wearable device. Montblanc is one of the first to unveil their plans, as they have announced their “e-Strap” accessory for traditional watches.
As noted by aBlogtoWatch, Montblanc’s initial foray is an “e-Strap” accessory band for traditional watches that connects wirelessly to a smartphone.
The e-Strap incorporates a small 0.9-inch wide monochromatic OLED touchscreen display with a 128×36 pixel resolution into a traditional leather watchband. The screen lays against the underside of the wrist, allowing users to receive notifications, control music playback, and count steps on a connected smartphone, all while enjoying their preferred traditional watch.
The band, which will connect to an iOS or Android device, will offer up to five days of battery life.
The eStrap will reportedly sell for around 250 euros, (about $300 USD), and will also be available as an option with Timewalker Urban Speed watches. It will also be compatible with all 42-mm or 43-mm wide Timewalker watches.
Montblanc isn’t the only traditional timepiece maker who is looking at adding smartwatch capabilities to its lineup, as Timex, Tag Heuer, and Fossil are all reported to be exploring the possibility of adding smart wearables to their product lines.
