Skip to main content
  1. Home
  2. Wearables
  3. News

Digital Trends may earn a commission when you buy through links on our site. Why trust us?

Michael Kors jumps on smartwatch bandwagon with new Access collection

Robert Nazarian
By
Michael Kors Access | Women's
It was only a matter of time. After other traditional watchmakers likes Fossil,
Recommended Videos
Tag Heuer, and
Related
Nixon unveiled smartwatches, Michael Kors has now jumped on the bandwagon.

Announced at Baselworld in Switzerland, the Micheal Kors Access collection features a “glamorous style” and an “innovative design.” The collection will cater to both women and men with stylish and sporty versions.

The presser was vague, but at least one model will include interchangeable silicone and leather straps. However, we also know that metal straps will be available with more expensive models based on the picture and video.

Michael_Kors_Access_Smartwatches_Official-
Image used with permission by copyright holder

As far as specs go, we don’t have much to go on, but we’re hopeful these watches will sport the new Qualcomm Snapdragon 2100 Wear processor for wearables. If not, the Qualcomm Snapdragon 400 will likely be onboard. We can also see the display isn’t fully round, and has the “flat tire” look similar to the Moto 360.

Access runs Android Wear, but it’s unknown if any custom apps will be included. We do know that custom watch faces will be pre-installed for different looks. These include a digital chronograph design for sports enthusiasts and a glittering, animated pavé for a classier look. The presser also mentions the usual Android Wear features such as the ability to receive notifications, voice searching via Google, and fitness tracking.

Michael Kors Access | Men's

Android Wear not only works with all Android phones, it also works with the iPhone as well. However, the experience won’t be the same as what is offered by the Apple Watch since many Apple apps such as Apple Pay and Apple Music aren’t compatible with it.

Baselworld is the premier trade show for watchmakers and jewelers. The majority of watches displayed at the show are traditional watches, but smartwatches are making some noise this year. We already saw announcements from Fossil, Nixon, and Samsung.

The Michael Kors Access collection starts at $395 and will be available in the fall of 2016 at Michael Kors stores, MichaelKors.com, and select department stores.

Editors' Recommendations

Topics
Robert Nazarian
Robert Nazarian
Former Digital Trends Contributor
Robert Nazarian became a technology enthusiast when his parents bought him a Radio Shack TRS-80 Color. Now his biggest…
Fossil is preparing 5 new designer smartwatches, and we can’t wait to see them
diesel on full guard denim straps news 25 2

New designer smartwatches are coming soon from Fossil, if listings on the FCC’s website are to be believed. Some detective work by droid-life.com suggests the watches will be released under the Diesel, Michael Kors, Emporio Armani, and the Fossil brand names. Fossil is responsible for all these designer smartwatches, along with models from Kate Spade, Skagen, and Misfit.

The FCC is certifying the new watches for use with Bluetooth and Wi-Fi, and therefore isn’t revealing much about the specifications and nothing about the designs — which are the most important aspects of a smartwatch. What we can see is a selection of model numbers, all of which begin with DW10, followed by another letter that signifies the brand name associated with the watch.

Read more
Samsung adds One UI and battery boosts to Galaxy Watch and Gear smartwatches
samsung galaxy watch active

Samsung has announced a software update for the Galaxy Watch, Gear Sport, and Gear S3 smartwatch lineup that will not only bring the new One UI interface first seen on the Galaxy Watch Active, but it will also deliver battery life enhancements, as well as improved health and fitness features.
Updated interface
The latest software update, available now, adds Samsung's One UI, a simplified and colorful interface unveiled last year, and until now, available only on the Samsung Galaxy Watch Active model. One UI is designed to ease navigation and decrease watch face clutter for more intuitive operation. Simplified visual settings let you more easily customize and control the watch. It's the same design theme as the interface on Samsung's latest smartphones, so Samsung's wearables and phones will feel and look more unified.

The updated interface also features new advanced settings, including enabling and disabling Touch wake-up, controlling the frequency and timing of Daily briefing updates, and a more flexible Goodnight mode control. New watch faces that were only available for the Galaxy Watch Active are also now available for these three models from the Galaxy Store.
Battery optimizations
The update also adds better battery optimization -- the watches will automatically close apps operating in the background to prevent battery drain. You can also customize battery saving settings, such as by adjusting brightness and screen timeout for better performance.

Read more
Michael Kors updates its Sofie smartwatch, but still uses a processor from 2016
Michael Kors Access Sofie review

Michael Kors announced a refresh of the Sofie smartwatch, boasting a number of great new features in a nice-looking device. Unfortunately, the device also has some decidedly outdated features -- like the fact that it still includes the 2016 Qualcomm Snapdragon Wear 2100, instead of the newer Qualcomm Snapdragon Wear 3100.

The original Michael Kors Access Sofie smartwatch first launched in 2017 and while it looked good, it lacked some of the features other smartwatches were getting. Now, however, it has finally added some of those new features.

Read more