Smartwatches are certainly becoming the new smartphone, with lots of companies trying to figure out just how this new technology will work for consumers. This time, it's Adidas that just unveiled its new "miCoach Smart Run" watch.
Others, like Samsung, Sony, startups like Pebble, and many others, all have smartwatches on the market, and their devices have been met with varying degrees of success. Apple is rumored to be working on a revolutionary "iWatch" as well.
For Adidas, the smartwatch is more of an exercise accessory, a limited capacity where smartwatches and other wearable computing devices have been proven to be popular - and useful. Unlike the Sony or Samsung smartwaches, which have to be tethered to smartphones or bulky phablets in order to work at all, the Adidas "Smart Run" works alone.
This makes sense, as athletes who are training would not want a smartphone bouncing around while exercising, but it does limit the amount of functions the Smart Run can carry out - you won't be checking your email or receiving calls with this smartwatch.
That said, the Smart Run has every feature and hardware spec needed in order to carry out its limited mission successfully: inside there's a built-in accelerometer to count every step, a GPS to track your speed, distance and route, and an MP3 player with Bluetooth capability to keep runners on pace with audible coaching and their favorite training tunes. There's also a heart rate monitor to track runners' physiological progress.
There's also miCoach, Adidas's personal training system, baked into the device.
"By combining the latest innovations, such as the Mio Wrist Based Continuous Heart Rate Technology, design and ease of use navigation, we consciously broke the template that defines other running watches," said Simon Drabble, director of miCoach at Adidas in the company's press release.
"But it's not just that which sets us apart from the competition. As part of the miCoach training system, it truly unlocks human potential by making smart training easy and accessible. Whether you're starting a new running program, training for a 10k or competing in another marathon, miCoach SMART RUN will make your training more efficient so you get the results you want," continued Drabble.
The miCoach system is focused on interval training, with four colored zones, depending on intensity, that guides you through your workout. The 1.45-inch colored display will let you know which interval you're working in, along with vibration feedback and the audible coaching feature, if you've attached a Bluetooth headset.
Adidas is hoping the miCoach system, geared towards serious athletes, will make the $400 price tag worth it.
By aiming the Smart Run at such a niche audience, Adidas avoids a lot of the pitfalls of recent companies trying to make their smartwatches do too much and failing. Wearable technology is still in its infancy, and attempts by Sony and Samsung at smartwatches have generally been met with an "interesting, but also stupid" response from critics. It seems that no one has figured out the all-in-one wearable approach yet, and Adidas is smart to avoid that entirely.
That doesn't mean the Smart Run isn't going to face competition. Nike's new wristband device, the FuleBand SE, features a coaching system and has a much lower footprint on your wrist, and other rivals like Jawbone UP and Fitbit have been on the market for a while, for lower prices.
The Smart Run will launch on Nov. 1 for $399.
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