It’s building a “Swiss-made ecosystem” for smartwatches

Swatch Group announced last month that it’s developing smartwatches that will run on a Swatch-created operating system. And it seems it’s off to a promising start.

This morning, the company announced that it’s created a Bluetooth chip “with exceptional features unrivaled by any existing product.” The integrated circuit was designed in partnership with EM Microelectronic, Swatch Group’s research and development department, and the Swiss Center for Electronics and Microtechnology (CSEM).

Swatch claims the circuit has already broken a few records for Bluechip greatness: It’s reportedly the smallest Bluetooth chip on the market; “has the lowest energy consumption–compared to its competitors—for different scenarios of use, thus increasing the autonomy of connected objects, an essential factor in this field,” reads a statement on the technology; and “its high-speed start-up capability is unparalleled, which makes it possible to improve the reactivity and the lifetime of, for example, electronic beacons.”

Swatch Group and the CSEM, which are both based in Switzerland, are working to develop “a unique Swiss-made ecosystem” that will be specially designed to “meet the needs of small connected objects…and, above all, watches.” 

(Photo at top of a Lady Violet Swatch watch)

Emili Vesilind

JCK Senior Editor