Alcatel OneTouch Watch First Look: Now Everyone Can Have Smartwatch in Budget

The wearable market continues to grow at a faster rate than many would've thought in the beginning. While the last year was full of surprises, and now, with the year already begun on a solid note, a new generation of wearable devices is set to throng the market scene.

The past week has been a hectic one, with CES 2015 taking all the limelight. Last week a number of gadgets got announced and showcased, including the Alcatel Watch, at CES 2015.

Simply called the ‘Watch', the new intelligent watch won't be ridiculously priced like the Moto 360 or the Apple Watch for that matter. Unlike smartwatches from other manufacturers, the Alcatel Watch will cost around $150 or about Rs. 9,750 when it goes on sale in several Asian counties and around the world.

The Watch, as seen in photographs, features a round display and runs a custom OS. To put things in perspective, the Alcatel Watch looks like a cheaper version of the Moto 360. Yes indeed, the watch does have its own merits and demerits.

We had a chance to explore the Alcatel Watch at CES 2015. Here are our first impressions.

PROS

• Circular Display
• Decent Looks
• Compatibility with Android, iOS
• Affordable

CONS

• Confusing UI
• Missing third-party apps
• Smaller Battery

Alcatel OneTouch Watch: Form Factor, Display, Design and Operating System

The Alcatel OneTouch Watch has a professional look, just like the Moto 360. In fact, it seemed like copying the Moto 360 in every sense. However, there are a couple of differences between the two "professional" looking watches.

The Alcatel-made watch has a smaller 1.22-inch screen, but the metal design resembles that of the Moto 360. Even though, it doesn't have as charismatic finish as the Moto 360, but a consumer could be easily swept by Alcatel's Watch design.

Nevertheless, the Alcatel Watch has an impressive design, which gives it a contemporary look. Alcatel says the watch will be made available in two options: one with rubber finish (red/white and black), and the other one with a metallic strap.

Now comes the most annoying part of the watch: the black bar at the bottom of the screen. It definitely annoyed us, though.

The Alcatel Watch comes with a 1.2-inch display. It has a 240 x 240 resolution, so the screen resolution will be lower than that of the LG G Watch. Well, we didn't test the device outdoors, but we can sense that the display seemed bright and vibrant.

Alcatel has included its own custom UI; instead, of opting Google's Android Wear OS. There's one big benefit why Alcatel went for its own custom designed user interface (UI): compatibility with iOS devices. Yes, you heard that right!

Even though the watch lacks a stable operating system, the device has a more-or-less familiar UI. The UI is pretty simple, and there's way one can install third-party applications. So you've got a selection of basic indigenous apps from Alcatel. The list includes a compass; find my phone; music remote and more.

Notably, Google's voice-enabled services are not present either. However, the watch is compatible with both Android and iOS devices.

We didn't find any lag during our limited time of testing; although the watch UI does lack fluidness.

Alcatel OneTouch Watch: Fitness, Heart-Rate Sensor and More

There's an interesting features which we would like to highlight. Open the camera app of your handset, and tap the camera icon in the app grid on the Alcatel Watch and with a flick of the wrist you can snap a photo without having to touch a shutter button.

There's no GPS included, but you'll get to see a standard heart-rate sensor placed on the back of the watch. The watch can record your heard-beat and related data. In addition to that, there's an app that keep a track on calories burnt, steps taken and exercise.

Alcatel OneTouch Watch: Battery, Charging and Early Verdict

Alcatel says they have used a 210mAh battery inside the OneTouch Watch, which seemed to be smaller in size compared to the Motorola 360 (320mAh) and LG G Watch (410mAh). Although the company claims it will give you 3 days of running juice.

Unlike other intelligent watches, the Alcatel Watch doesn't require a proprietary charging cradle. Instead, it uses a USB port hidden within the strap.

The Alcatel OneTouch Watch looks attractive, given its retail price. But we still recommend you to buy a Pebble watch or the G Watch. Firstly, the UI isn't pleasing enough. Secondly, there's no third-party system in place for downloading apps.

Alcatel OneTouch is planning to bring the watch to India by March end or April 2015. There's no word on pricing, though.

Stay tuned to GizBot for more updates!