michaelkorsaccess
Latest
Michael Kors' Sofie 2.0 smartwatch is about more than just fashion
When Fossil's Michael Kors label unveiled the first Sofie smartwatch, it had eye-catching looks... and not much else. You can't say the same for the just-unveiled Sofie 2.0, at least. Michael Kors has updated the wristwear with the same posh-looking exterior, but much more functionality under the hood. It now has heart rate monitoring, NFC payments, GPS tracking and the latest version of Wear OS. Much like a few other Fossil upgrades in recent months, the Sofie 2.0 is now far more functional.
Michael Kors' latest Wear OS watch features a popular design
Michael Kors is going back to its roots for the next model in its ever-expanding Access smartwatch line. It's reviving its long-serving Runway watch as a Wear OS smartwatch, giving it the familiar case and steel bracelet options while throwing in new silicone strap options and, of course, some digital underpinnings. The new Runway models still use the old Snapdragon Wear 2100 processor (a bit ill-timed with Qualcomm's next chip on the way), but they won't be hurting for features. The resurrected Runway includes heart rate monitoring, NFC for Google Pay purchases, GPS tracking and a "swimproof" (3 ATM) design.
Michael Kors offers Android Wear smartwatches in more colors
Fossil introduced a plethora of smartwatches across its brands last year, including quite a few options under the Michael Kors Access line. Now, MK is giving you even more choices by releasing new Sofie and Grayson Android Wear 2.0 watch colors as part of its Spring 2018 collection. The MK Access smartwatches both have access to Google Assistant, have customizable faces and can track activity. Both devices will get My Social, the microapp that connects the smartwatch to your Instagram or Facebook account, so you can use photos there as watchfaces. MK will also roll out a new microapp called My Next in January, which you can use to start a countdown on the device to an important event like birthdays or anniversaries.
Michael Kors Access smartwatches' value is face deep
Not gonna lie. I'm a giant smartwatch nerd, and an even bigger Michael Kors fan. So when I received the invitation to review the company's new Android Wear timepieces, I was stoked. The Michael Kors Access range falls in line with partner company Fossil Group's mission to smarten up its range of wristwatches across its brands, from Fossil (duh) and Kate Spade to Emporio Armani, Diesel and Skagen. And that should only mean good things for the fashionable wearable industry. But, try as I might, I'm having a hard time staying excited about the new MK smartwatches.
Michael Kors' Android Wear smartwatches can change faces
Michael Kors already has a healthy lineup of watches in different shapes and sizes, but he still clearly wants a piece of the smartwatch action. The American designer has launched a new line of Android Wear devices called "Access" at Baselworld 2016. Its introduction videos (embedded below the fold) show a black "for him" version and a gold "for her," but it sounds like the brand's releasing more variants with interchangeable bands. Expect the ones for women to look glamorous, which most likely means that at least some of them will be studded with crystals, and those for men to look sporty.
