The idea of adding a sensor pack to regular watches is not new. Nor is the idea of expanding regular watch functions with a smart band quite new. But the French startup RIFFT has what appears to be a particularly smart approach, and they’re unveiling it at CES.
The CT Band comes in seven colors of leather (stitched or unstitched) and 11 colors of silicone. There are three widths — 18mm, 20mm, and 22mm — which will fit most watches.
The technology? The straps have, built-in, a 14x7mm OLED screen, a 3-axis accelerometer, a heart-rate sensor, Bluetooth (it syncs with your phone), and a mic. Claimed battery life is 24-48 hours, with wireless charging optional, and time-to-charge claimed at 1 hour.
A 5mm thick, these bands are not svelte, and we don’t expect that they’d be especially flexible what with all the electronics and the battery. But if there’s some watch that you love, this may be better than nothing.
Prices start at 149 euros (about $160) and go up to 209 euro (about $220). You can pre-order them now, for shipping later 1Q17.
For more coverage of CES 2017, click on the CES2017 tag.