Last month, Skagen announced the launch of its latest smartwatch the Falster 2 complete with even more features than its successor offers — the company’s first-ever touchscreen smartwatch the Skagen Falster. The new smartwatch is officially available for purchase through Skagen’s site.
The Falster 2 starts at $275, but that’s if you want the black stainless steel case with the black silicone watch band. For $295, there’s also the rose-tone gold case with a rose-tone magnetic steel mesh band or the plain stainless steel case with a magnetic steel mesh band.
In terms of design, the second-generation smartwatch features a fully round touchscreen display and stainless steel case. But this time around, the company has added two additional pushers to allow for more customization when accessing specific apps. The case is also swim-proof, giving users the ability to track laps in the pool and also hop in the shower without ruining the watch.
While not much has changed aesthetically, the Falster 2 brings far more functionality than its predecessor. With a built-in heart rate sensor powered by Google’s Wear OS, it will automatically track your heart rate throughout workouts. And NFC is now integrated into the device, allowing users to make hands-free payments.
For those who like to leave their smartphones at home during their workout, the Falster 2 also includes built-in GPS. You’ll be able to leave your phone at home during runs, bike rides, or walks, and still have the ability to track your route without having to stay tethered to your phone.
Unfortunately, the Falster 2 comes with the same 300mAh battery as the Falster — which we experienced really poor battery life with. The addition of heart-rate monitoring and built-in GPS, will only cause the battery to deplete even faster. Skagen says its new smartwatch does include “battery-saving watch dials,” but whether the smartwatch can power through an entire day with all those features packed into it has yet to be demonstrated.
Under the hood, is Qualcomm’s Snapdragon Wear 2100 chipset which has been around for almost two years now. Interestingly enough, the Falster 2 launched on September 12 — around the same time Qualcomm was rumored to be launching its new wearable chipset. For now, there are no details on what we can expect if the company does launch a new one.
Additional features on the Falster 2 include smartwatch notifications, activity tracking, and customizable watch faces. The magnetic steel-mesh strap is also interchangeable for those who want to switch up their look.
Update: The Skagen Falster 2 is now available for purchase.
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