It’s funny how many companies are trying to sell smartwatches by making them look like anything other than a smartwatch. Sony’s doing the same thing with new Wena Wrist, which stands for “wear electronics naturally,” according to the company. The device recently appeared on First Flight, Sony’s crowdfunding platform in Japan, and is expected to launch sometime next March or April.
The latest product to hit First Flight, Sony’s own crowdfunding platform in Japan, is a smartwatch called the “Wena Wrist.” What’s a Wena? It stands for “wear electronics naturally,” apparently, and takes the form of a fairly traditional-looking watch. The Wena Wrist focuses on three main features — an NFC wallet compatible with the Japanese Felica standard; notifications through vibration and a customizable LED light on the band; and activity tracking, which seems to work the way you’d expect except that the app is only for iOS. The “Chronograph” model tells time with three separate hands and dials for hours, minutes, and seconds, while the “Three Hands” model just has a regular watch face. Both models are 42mm across; the Three Hands watch itself is expected to run for three years, while Chronograph should last for five. The band, however, is rated for a week before it needs to be charged via a cradle. The Wena Wrist is expected to ship in March and April next year. Prices range from ¥34,800 ($287) for a silver Three Hands model up to ¥69,800 ($576) for the Chronograph in black.
