Get ready for another big-name entrant in the smart watch business. Japanese electronics maker Casio is prepping a $400 device for next spring.
Casio president Kazuhiro Kashio sat down with the Wall Street Journal to talk about his company’s extensive history with electronic watch features and what it’s planning for the future. He didn’t reveal much in the way of specifics, but did say the device would be geared toward men in the sports and leisure segment — both in looks and function. That makes sense; many of Casio’s watches already play in that space.
A smart watch may not be a very big leap for Casio. The company already has watches that include features like altimeters, GPS, solar power and Bluetooth connectivity. The most expensive Casio watch we could find on its site is the one shown here, which carries a list price of $1000, although the vast majority of its products are below $200. Unlike many entrants to date in the smart watch business, Casio is well established in the mass-market watch business and has distribution channels in place.
The company, which sold more than $1.3 billion in watches in the last year, aims to sell $80 million in smartwatches next year, Kashio said.
A March introduction may indicate a product unveiling at next January’s CES. Stay tuned.