Will.i.am has partnered with fashion house Gucci to create a luxury smartband, which was announced exclusively in Vogue today and simultaneously show off at the Baselworld watch show.
The smartband has been designed as a standalone device that can operate without having to be tethered to your smartphone. With its own SIM card, the smartband can make and receive calls, send texts and emails, store your music and calendar and track your fitness. It also has its very own Siri- or Cortana-like personal assistant, which can be activated by voice.
“A lot of people are creating wearable devices from a tech background. Gucci has been putting things on your body for years” will.i.am said.
“[Wearable technology] is being dictated by the wrong folks. We like to call it fashionology. It’s where fashion and technology meet.“
Will.i.am discussed some of the band’s features, including a front-facing camera for video calling on the move, a heart-rate sensor, temperature sensor and GPS. The band will be 3G-enabled, allowing it to make calls, send texts and connect to social networks without being tethered to a phone.
Pricing and availability for the fashion-led wearable are still to be announced.
