Tech

Puma is launching its own smartwatch — and it costs $275

Key Points
  • The gadget comes in three colors — black, white and yellow.
  • It has a nylon and aluminum case and a silicone strap.
  • Puma's watch starts shipping in November for $275.
Puma's first-ever smartwatch, created in partnership with Fossil Group.
Puma

Puma on Thursday announced it will launch its first smartwatch, in partnership with American brand Fossil Group.

The German sportswear giant unveiled the new device at the IFA consumer tech show in Berlin. It comes with Qualcomm's Snapdragon Wear 3100 chipset and Google's Android operating system for wearables, Wear OS.

The gadget comes in three colors — black, white and yellow — and includes features like heart rate monitoring, GPS tracking and Google's virtual assistant.

The company touted its first touchscreen watch's design: it comes equipped with a nylon and aluminum case, which Puma says makes it more lightweight, and a silicone strap to minimize sweat. The watch is primarily aimed at athletes.

Apple Watch Series 4 review – the best smart watch you can buy
VIDEO4:0504:05
Apple Watch Series 4 review – the best smart watch you can buy

"We're thrilled to introduce our first smartwatch, which embodies the Puma brand DNA shown in activewear and footwear," Adam Petrick, global director of brand and marketing at Puma, said in a statement Thursday. "The watch will truly allow users to lace up, connect, and go."

The move sees Puma enter into a crowded space dominated by technology giants like Apple, Samsung and Fitbit. Market research firm IDC forecasts that nearly 92 million smartwatches will be shipped this year, with that figure growing to 132 million by 2023.

Puma's watch starts shipping in November for $275. That's cheaper than Apple's top-tier Watch Series 4, which costs around $400, and slightly less expensive than Samsung's Galaxy Watch, which costs about $330.