Montblanc’s E-Strap smartwatch smart-strap device disappoints
Actual product photos of Montblanc’s smartwatch alternative, the e-Strap smartwatch attachment announced earlier this month, have surfaced. The photos are said to come from a demonstration, put on by Montblanc CEO Jerome Lambert, held in Geneva over the weekend.
Montblanc e-Strap
The e-Strap is one of the first efforts by traditional watchmakers to offer smartphone integration. The accessory is marketed as an alternative to the bulky designs of most smartwatches, and offers traditional analogue wristwatches the extra notifications, music control and smartphone-connected functions you would usually expect from a smartwatch. The press images gave a decent first impression, presenting an elegant and stylish design and a sharp display.
Montblanc e-Strap
Unfortunately, the real life photos have disappointed somewhat, showing the strap to be bulky and not as sleek as we were lead to believe from press photo angles. The protruding attachment display which rests on the underside wrist portion of the watch could cause much discomfort to the wearer if they were to type of rest their wrists on the table, for example.
Montblanc e-Strap Display
Furthermore, the quality of the 0.9-inch touch screen display revealed in the photos does not look as sharp as it was depicted in the official renders – due to the low pixel resolution. On the up side, it is still good enough to clearly display information and get the job done.
With pricing expected to be in the region of €250, the Montblanc e-Strap showed off in the latest photos certainly does not match up with its portfolio of high-end watches and fancy writing instruments. Functionality wise, it will also lag far behind Android Wear devices or the upcoming Apple Watch. The accessory is designed to work with a handful of Montblanc Timewalker watches and perhaps the watchmaker has got eyes on its current customers who maybe up for trying something a little more techy.
Source: Watch-Insider Via: MacRumours
