Three weeks into its campaign, the hybrid smartwatch ZeTime from Swiss wearables brand MyKronoz has raised over $3 million on Kickstarter. A first-of-its-kind timepiece that combines mechanical hands over a full round color touchscreen, ZeTime is not only one of the Top 50 most-funded projects ever on Kickstarter and the second most-funded wearable campaign, but the first and most-funded hybrid smartwatch in crowdfunding history.
Using groundbreaking technology to enable a hole to be cut in the center of a round TFT color display allowing mechanical watch hands to pass through, ZeTime blends the classic design of a traditional timepiece with the most advanced features of a smartwatch, at an accessible price.
Designed to be worn all day, every day, ZeTime allows users to see the time even when the smartwatch screen is powered off, thanks to the mechanical hands that will function for up to 30 days with a single charge. Integrated ‘Smart Movement’ technology also means that the hands will automatically adjust to a user’s timezone, as well as aligning to make sure they do not obstruct visibility of the screen when reading notifications.
This makes the ZeTime part of the fast-growing segment of hybrid smartwatches, which at first glance look and function like traditional analogue watches but include smart features such as activity tracking, heart rate monitor and notifications. Accounting for a 7% share of smartwatch sales in 2016, market research firm Counterpoint Technology predicts hybrid smartwatches will rise to a 12% share in 2017, doubling in revenues to more than US$ 1 Billion. Though both luxury traditional watch makers and wearable tech brands are turning towards hybrid models, MyKronoz ZeTime is the first to integrate always-on mechanical hands with a full round touch screen.
