Sony to extend SmartWatch line with a variety of models, price ranges?

Sony is apparently planning to extend the SmartWatch family with more models and is already looking for suppliers in Taiwan for the product, says Digitimes.

Whenever we cite Digitimes, we have to offer this caveat – the Taiwanese publication got a lot of things right over the years, but they messed up in just as many cases. This is probably because Digitimes often issues reports based on hearsay, which seems to be the case with today’s post.

Sony recently launched the second generation of the SmartWatch, with a new design, NFC capability, a larger screen, and a revamped user interface. The Japanese sold 200,000 units of first SmartWatch, but is apparently more optimistic about SmartWatch 2, which will cost 199 euros:

[quote qtext=”Sony aims to release a variety of models for its SW2 family, targeting different market segments with different price tags, and orders for each model is likely to reach one million units, revealed the sources.” qperson=”Digitimes” qsource=”” qposition=”center”]

We find it a bit hard to believe that Sony is actually hoping to sell millions of SmartWatches, given the tepid reaction to last year’s model, and that the new SmartWatch 2 isn’t revolutionary in any way. Even with an explosion of interest in smartwatches fueled by giants like Apple and Google entering the market, it would be an amazing feat for Sony to sell even a million units. So, it may be that the production targets quoted by Digitimes are inaccurate or based on a misunderstanding.

Still, there might be some truth behind this report. With the impending arrival of mass appeal wearable computers, the Japanese giant may be trying to position itself at the forefront of the race, before competitors swoop in for the kill. If that’s the case, expect to hear a lot more about Sony’s SmartWatch.

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