Sony launches the Wena watch range in the UK, bringing traditional watchmaking into the 21st Century, truly modernizing the luxury of timekeeping. The Wena watch has been created by a new business creation programme within Sony, known as the Seed Acceleration Program (SAP). Wena stands for “Wear Electronics Naturally” and the strap has been designed exactly with this in mind. The interchangeable nature of the watch allows the technology to be isolated to the clasp of the watch strap, rather than being linked to the face.
The design of the watch not only allows the wearer to choose any watch face, but it makes everyday activities easier to do. For example, when making payments with the watch, there is no need for the wearer to twist their wrist to tap the face onto the terminal, which many find uncomfortable and unnatural – instead, it can all be done with one simple, easy movement.
The new watch bands utilize NFC technology to give wearers the ability to make contactless payments with just a tap of the wrist – a simpler, faster and safer way to make day-to-day transactions for those with a busy lifestyle. Working closely with Mastercard and NXP, Wena will offer not only the simplest solution to make payments but also the safest. Global digital financial technology leader Wirecard will be the launch issuer for the UK and Ireland. Using Wirecard’s boon app for iOS and Android, customers will be able to add a virtual card to the Wena app and set up automatic top ups, providing a simple way for everyone to access funds, no matter who they bank with.
The smartwatch strap also provides wearers with phone notifications including calls, mail and app notifications with a one or two-line display. What’s more, notifications can be customized using the 7-coloured LED lighting and vibration, giving the wearer greater control of how the watch communicates with them.
The strap is also perfect for those on a fitness push, logging steps, and calories burned, whilst the Wena wrist active version also comes complete with GPS tracking and heart-rate sensors to provide calories burned and distance traveled.
The strap is available in two styles – metal and silicone– with each designed to suit different lifestyles. The range also comes complete with watch faces designed to match perfectly with the watch straps. Sony has worked with some of the finest Swiss watchmakers in the market to ensure premium quality. The new Wena watch range is priced at £349 (∼ $454 USD) and the pro strap is priced at £399 (∼ $519 USD), faces vary from £100(∼ $130 USD) to £400(∼ $521 USD).