Water-resistant Sony SmartWatch 2 Unveiled

Sony’s initial foray into the market of wearable electronics was not that big a success, given that the company’s first smartwatch went by largely unnoticed.

But Sony SmartWatch 2 is a modified, improved version of its predecessor and will surely make some waves, especially in a market that seems to be currently obsessed with smartwatches.

Unveiled earlier this week, the SmartWatch 2 is equipped with a 1.6in touchscreen display made of a transflective LCD panel, which is likely to offer good visibility outside. Screen resolution is 220×176 and the display is slightly larger than in the previous model, which used OLED technology.

The Android-powered smartwatch basically retains the same functionality as Sony’s original smartwatch and allows users to read texts and emails, take photos, answer calls, and so on. The new gadget also supports NFC and Bluetooth 3.0 connection, which makes for a very easy pairing with other devices that run Android 4.0 or later versions.

A major improvement is the fact that the SmartWatch 2 is water- and dust-proof. Not that much that you can take it swimming or in the shower, but it will definitely survive if you accidentally spill a cup of coffee on it.

The SmartWatch 2 also looks good and reliable. It has an elegant design, with its aluminum body and the removable 24 mm strap – you will be able to choose between a standard strap customized to your liking and a stainless steel wristband.

Sony says the smartwatch has a battery life of two to four days for moderate use, which can be prolonged to one week for light users. The device can be easily recharged with a standard micro-USB cable. It is also compatible with any Android headset.

No pricing information is yet available for the new gadget, which is expected to be released in September. Its predecessor retailed for about $130, so we’re curious to see what price tag Sony will put on the SmartWatch 2, especially that this year will most likely see the release of rival products from Apple and Samsung.

[Images via blogs.sonymobile]