Tag Heuer’s $2,000 Super Mario Smartwatch Is Ugly

We’re in a bizarre transition interval with Android smartwatches, and meaning try to be very cautious about shopping for a Wear OS smartwatch proper now—particularly ones just like the restricted version Super Mario smartwatch that Tag Heuer introduced right this moment.

Tag Heuer’s Super Mario Connected smartwatch is a whopping $2,150. For that worth, you’re paying for exclusivity—Tag will solely be making 2,000 of those. As for the Super Mario half, you’re getting refined {hardware} touches like Mario-themed pushers and watch faces. According to Tag Heuer’s press launch, there’s additionally a gamification system the place you see particular animations if you hit 25%, 50%, 75%, and 100% of your every day step aim. When the clock hits 3 p.m., Mario will get large with a Super Mushroom. He travels down a pipe on the 6 o’clock place, a Super Star at 9 o’ clock and climbs the Goal Pole if you hit 100%. Tag Heuer says that is impressed by the “famous Easter egg concept” that avid gamers go bonkers for.

But afacet from the Mario theme, it is a pretty primary smartwatch. It’s obtained a 45mm case, it’s waterproof as much as 50 meters and lasts a few day on a cost. Since it’s a Wear OS watch, you’ll get the same old options like Google Assistant and entry to the Play Store for third-party apps. Tag Heuer can also be together with its personal Sport, Golf, and Wellness apps. There are additionally primary sensors, like a coronary heart fee monitor, compass, and accelerometer. Luxury smartwatches have been round for some time, so it’s not like that is the primary to overcharge for a reputation model. Montblanc, Louis Vuitton—they’re all responsible of it.

But Google and Samsung introduced in May that they have been engaged on a brand new, unified model of Wear OS that can launch later this 12 months. It was an enormous announcement that can probably alter the smartwatch panorama. As far as we all know proper now, the primary watches which are confirmed to function the brand new unified platform might be two forthcoming Samsung Galaxy Watches. (If rumors are to be believed, we could get an official glimpse as soon as Aug. 11.) This probably means this restricted version Mario smartwatch might be working the present, soon-to-be-outdated Wear OS. Nowhere in Tag Heuer’s press supplies does it say whether or not it’ll assist an improve to the brand new platform. Gizmodo reached out to Tag Heuer to make clear these particulars, however didn’t instantly obtain a response.

That makes issues tough. We presently don’t know which smartwatches working the present Wear OS will get an improve. Any smartwatch working the Qualcomm Snapdragon Snapdragon 3100 or 4100 processors ought to be capable of deal with the brand new software program, however that doesn’t imply present Wear OS smartwatches with suitable {hardware} will get the brand new platform. For occasion, Fossil simply outright mentioned its present Wear OS smartwatches is not going to get any improve. Fossil smartwatches are far more reasonably priced than Tag Heuer or different luxurious smartwatches, however they nonetheless fall into the identical design-first class. Google itself has additionally remained vague as to eligibility, timelines, and the way a lot assist present Wear OS smartwatches will get as soon as the brand new unified platform launches. And look, whereas we at all times like to see prolonged software program assist, it’s not cheap to count on Google to half-heartedly assist the present Wear OS indefinitely—particularly not after its been criticized for years for neglect and incremental updates.

It bears repeating: Be tremendous skeptical of any new Wear OS smartwatch launches proper now. Be much more skeptical if the corporate doesn’t make clear whether or not the watch might be eligible for upgrades to the brand new platform. If you’re curious about an Android-friendly smartwatch, you’re significantly better off ready to see the place the mud settles earlier than making a shopping for resolution. Or, if you happen to don’t have a lot religion within the new platform, a minimum of Samsung’s dedicated to 3 years of assist after launch for its Tizen OS smartwatches.

So taking all this under consideration, who the hell is that this Super Mario smartwatch for? Rich folks with no ounce of tech savvy? Also, in response to Engadget, there’s a risk that the Mario watch faces will grow to be accessible to different Tag Heuer Connected watches down the road. So some of these items could not even be exclusive to this specific watch. At the tip of the day, you’re actually paying $2,150 for refined Super Mario {hardware} finishes on a smartwatch that won’t final you a really very long time.

It’d be one factor if this was probably the most elegant Super Mario smartwatch to ever exist. But it’s not. At a look, it seems to be like practically each different round-faced smartwatch I’ve ever seen, with fewer options, and not-so-great battery life. Let me prevent some bother and a few cash: Here are some lovely Seiko watches with a retro Mario theme on eBay. Go wild.