Sony announces Android Wear-powered SmartWatch 3 & e-ink SmartBand Talk

Following Samsung’s event earlier today, it’s now Sony’s turn to take the stage at IFA in Berlin and to kick things off the company just announced its brand new Android Wear-powered SmartWatch 3 and a new “SmartBand Talk” with a “curved, always-on- e paper display”:

With GPS and 4GB storage memory built in, SmartWatch 3 supports Android Wear by Google to not only deliver useful information and services based on the user’s latest activities, but also enable communication and entertainment including music to be enjoyed remotely, even when the user is away from their smartphone. Meanwhile, SmartBand Talk is equipped with a curved, always-on e-paper display, to enable hands free calls and voice commands. Its intuitive voice controls enable users to instantly check their Lifelog status with just a glance of their wrist. 

This will be Sony’s first Android Wear device following Google’s introduction of the platform earlier this year, and the hardware also gets a bit of an upgrade with a new 1.6-inch 320×320 transflective display. The SmartBand Talk, on the other hand, is more of a life/fitness tracker than a full-fledged smart watch, but also includes a mic and speaker for voice commands and calling. The new wearables will also work with a new Lifelog app:

Using a variety of sensing technologies, Sony SmartWear products enable users to log both their motional activities, such as the number of steps they take, movements they make, and sleep patterns, as well as emotional activities such as pictures they take, music they listen to, calls, messages, and precious memories they’d like to remember. Lifelog app enables the user to visualize how they have spent the day and gain hints on how to further enrich their daily lives.

Sony plans to start selling the SmartWatch 3 and SmartBand Talk this autumn alongside other accessories like the Smart Tennis Sensor arriving in North America next year.