Sony Releases SmartWatch 3 Comes With Built-In GPS Chip
The smartwatch market is aggressively growing with the subsequent release of one product after another. This time, Sony comes with a release of the SmartWatch 3 which is now available on the Google Play Store. Sony's latest offering is to be the first in their wearables line to utilize the Android Wear system.
The watch was first introduced at the IFA trade show in Berline earlier this year and supposedly first appeared on the Play Store in October but only had the "coming soon" label. It retails for $249 and shipment of orders will be commencing in several days.
One of the most notable differences of the SmartWatch 3 is its standalone GPS functionality. The device has its own built-in GPS chip which allows the watch to track its wearer's distance, route, and time during a run. The latest Android Wear software apparently supports GPS, allowing the SmartWatch 3 to function without having to be paired with a smartphone.
Sony's offering also has an IP68 rating for water and dust resistance compared to the IP67 rating of other wearables. It can dive up to 2 meters under water and can probably be used in dusty environments. It would seem that Sony has focused more on the fitness aspect of the device, compared to other smartwatches available in the market like the Moto 360 or the LG G Watch R.
Spec-wise, the SmartWatch 3 has a 1.6-inch screen with a 320 x 320 display resolution, a 1.2GHz Cortex A7 processor, 4GB of internal memory, 512MB of RAM and a 420mAh battery.