Alcatel OneTouch Watch: First Impressions from CES 2015
The wearables market continues to grow at a phenomenal rate and now, with the foundations set, a new era of copycat devices are starting to appear. Taking more than a few design pointers from certain market leaders, the Alcatel OneTouch Watch falls firmly within this category.
A first foray into the smartwatch space for the French manufacturer, the OneTouch Watch pairs a round display with a custom OS – there’s no Android Wear here. The usual mixture of ‘smart’ credentials such of message alerts, call notifications and fitness tracking are also present.
Unlike its market-leading rivals, however, this device isn’t going to break the bank. Set to hit retailers in March, the LG G Watch R rival will cost just $150 (£99).
The first thing you notice about the Alcatel OneTouch Watch is just how much it looks like the Moto 360. Alcatel has been shameless in its copying. The watch might be slightly smaller than the 360 at 1.22-inches, but the 10.5mm thick, metal bodied timepiece looks remarkably similar to Motorola’s much favoured effort.
Sadly, the OneTouch Watch’s mimicking of the 360 incorporates both the good and the bad. The compact, round screen is sufficiently detailed and sharp, but it has its flaws. Like the Moto 360, it features a ‘flat tire’ bottom in order to incorporate the device’s light sensors.
Within minutes of use, I found this unwanted black bar to be an irritant and an eyesore. Damaging the entire user experience, it cheapens the OneTouch Watch, cutting a section off the base of each and every screen.
Screen woes aside, this is an attractive looking wearable – especially at this price point. Build quality looks and feels the part, and the subtle curves of the design have been elegantly implemented. There will even be a number of strap options available – two standard resin options (black/red and white) and a pair of metal offerings.
The only thing keep this from being a carbon copy of the Moto 360, is the omission of Android Wear. Presumably wanting to avoid Google’s cloak of restrictiveness, Alcatel has instead opted to persevere with its own wearable OS.
This nameless software, however, has again been heavily ‘inspired’ by rival services. Closely echoing the Android Wear experience, the UX is navigated through a selection of directional swipes. During my brief time with the watch, I found all navigation, screen transitions and swipes to be gleefully smooth. There is even a physical wake/sleep button on the device’s side.
Despite lacking Android Wear, the OneTouch Watch’s features list is almost identical to those of 90 per cent of its smartwatch rivals. It nears a full house on the check list of wearable expectation and mediocrity. Accelerometer, check. Bluetooth 4.0 connectivity to accompanying app, check. Optical heart rate sensor, check.
The only thing missing is Google’s voice-activated Now credentials. Instead, however, the Alcatel offering brings something far more valuable to the table – compatibility with both iOS and Android devices. A feature that sees it match the Pebble, this dual OS support is sure to win the device many fans.
What is less likely to win the watch plaudits is its staying power. The device’s battery life has been pitched as being between two and five days, depending on usage rates. While this is typically underwhelming, the OneTouch Watch does have one saving grace. Unlike many leading smartwatches, the Alcatel offering does not require a dedicated, bespoke charging cradle.
Instead, the techy timepiece features a USB port hidden within the tip of its strap. Echoing the efforts of the Nike FuelBand SE and the Huawei B1 TalkBand, this seemingly basic inclusion is a serious boon to travelling users and one I would like to see on more wearables.
Early Verdict
Despite – or perhaps because of – some blatant plagiarism, the Alcatel OneTouch Watch is one of the more exciting ‘affordable’ smartwatches heading to market – at least based on first use.
Priced the same as some basic fitness trackers, the device pairs a strong, albeit samey features list, with impressive styling and a bespoke OS which ticks all the boxes. It is only a shame that not all of the ideas behind the Watch were originally Alcatel’s.