Skip to main content

Qualcomm launches Toq smartwatch with always-on touchscreen, out late 2013

Check out our review of the Qualcomm Toq smartwatch. 

Attention at IFA 2013 may appear to have centered around the Galaxy Gear smartwatch, but another watch has also been given its official debut at the show, and it’s made by a most unlikely manufacturer. It’s called the Toq, and it’s produced by Qualcomm, the company best known for making the Snapdragon processor range.

Recommended Videos

The device has already been partially announced, but this is the first time we’ve been given a good look at the hardware, and learned about the specification. At first glance, it’s not all that different to the Gear and other smartwatches. For example, the screen measures 1.55-inches and has a 288 x 192 pixel resolution, while the processor is a 200MHz Cortex M3, which can also be found inside the Sony SmartWatch 2 and the Pebble.

So, not all that exciting, but the devil is in the details. The screen is a Qualcomm Mirasol panel, and the Toq has been designed to showcase its benefits. The screen doesn’t have a backlight, so consumes very little power, and instead remains visible using reflected ambient light. It’s really clever, and ideal for a device which benefits from an always-on display, and high legibility even in bright sunlight.

The Toq has built-in wireless charging using Qualcomm’s own WiPower system, and will be available with a set of wireless earphones, also charged wirelessly, and equipped with a Bluetooth connection so music can be controlled using the watch. According to a report published by Anandtech.com, the Toq will also be waterproof, and the battery should last around three days, which is triple the stated time for the Galaxy Gear. It’s also thinner at 9.9mm, but slightly heavier at 90 grams.

Like the Gear, it’ll only be compatible with Android phones and tablets, but the requirement is far more all-encompassing, as it only needs Android 4.0.3 or higher to function. Qualcomm will put the Toq on sale before the end of the year, but hasn’t stated how many will be produced, or how much it’ll cost.

Andy Boxall
Andy is a Senior Writer at Digital Trends, where he concentrates on mobile technology, a subject he has written about for…
Samsung Galaxy Z Flip 7: the upgrade we’ve been waiting for?
Thre Flip 7 models next to each other

I never really thought that I'd want to go down the route of owning a flip phone, ever since I swore off my Nokia in the early 2000s (you know, the one with the weird felt covering and tiny notification window).

Fast forward two decades, and I'm considering rejoining the race, thanks to the Samsung Galaxy Z Flip 7. Coming in at $1,100, it's not cheap, but it's definitely something different compared to the world of black rectangles, and it it feels like Samsung’s Flip family has finally come of age.

Read more
I used the Galaxy Z Fold 7, here’s why I’m completely smitten
The back of the Galaxy Z Fold 7

We’ve waited several years for Samsung to join the party, but it’s finally here: Samsung has followed rivals like Oppo, OnePlus, and Honor in building a thinner, lighter, and sleeker Galaxy Z Fold 7. It’s an impressive feat of engineering and a major upgrade over previous years.

It’s easy to consider the Fold 7 nothing more than an update to the Galaxy Z Fold 6, but in many ways, it feels like a huge step forward, not just for Samsung but for all folding phones. I spent a few hours with the Galaxy Z Fold 7 in an exclusive preview, and here’s why I absolutely love what Samsung has done this year.

Read more
I tried the Samsung Galaxy Watch 8 series – they’re sleek, but with a lot to prove
Watch 8 on a wrist

Trying out the Samsung Galaxy Watch 8 and Watch 8 Classic is a tough gig - not in terms of it being a hardship to try out two high-end models, but that it's impossible to assess them with only 30 minutes’ use.

I can easily talk about the improved design and the fit of the straps etc, but the real changes are within the health ecosystem, and they'll need sustained testing to really understand if they're any good.

Read more