“The first high-end smartwatch that runs on Wear OS by Google with eSIM support and 4G connectivity capable of operating in fully autonomous mode”
Montblanc is among such high-end smartwatch pioneers. In 2017, the maker with the snowy cap logo launched the Summit, its first luxury smartwatch. It was the watchmaker’s way of showing it could, by joining forces with Google and its wearables-dedicated OS, reinvent itself and equip its chronograph with Bluetooth and a Wi-Fi connection.
Summit 2+, packed with connectivity
Three years later, the company is releasing Summit 2+, the first high-end smartwatch to run on Wear OS by Google™ with eSIM support and equipped with the Snapdragon Wear™ 3100 platform by Qualcomm®. Its onboard 4G LTE connectivity and Orange Multi-SIM option allow it to operate without a smartphone.
As one of the first operators to market eSIM-connected watches running on Watch OS and Tizen, Orange is now sharing its cellular connectivity expertise and deploying it within the Wear OS by Google ecosystem. Wear OS by Google has evolved over the last several months to provide eSIM compatibility with dedicated management within its companion app. “Orange and Google are taking the same approach of democratising connected devices with cellular,” explained Orange’s Connected Objects Marketing Director Lionel Bonnet. “The Wear OS by Google ecosystem gravitates around several market segments including luxury, fashion, and sports. As an operator, we are very invested in eSIM because it can connect more products, especially smartwatches, and their related remote devices.” The launch of the Summit 2+ is the culmination of concerted efforts between Montblanc, Orange and Google to bring a new standard of eSIM support, in both hardware and software, to the smartwatch market.
Optimised activation experience
The watch, which users can activate 4G LTE service traditionally using a QR code, also offers an On Device Service Activation for a smoother and seamless user experience. The Wear OS companion app natively integrates everything required for activation, including eSIM profile initialisation and to the optional eSIM Multi-SIM Calling and Data setup required to connect in 4G, and, lastly, to send and receive mobile calls on both watch and smartphone. “This approach and the resulting interface have undergone GSMA standardisation to offer users a seamless eSIM provisioning experience. Users will be able to rely on their smartwatch to continuously stay connected to their world even when away from their phone.”
A watch assistant
With its cellular connectivity, Google Assistant on Summit 2+ can be accessed simply by swiping right. Users will be able to search, call, and respond to voice messages as part of an optimised experience. “As operating systems continue to evolve to enhance the user experience, we are encouraging and pushing app developer and publisher ecosystems. The goal is for them to design and offer fully autonomous services on 4G for connected watches.”
Orange is the first operator in Europe to launch the Montblanc Summit 2+ smartwatch in France and Spain on 4G networks in the second quarter of 2020.
