Both the Pebble Watch and Apple Watch are due some fierce competition as a new modular brand, UNA, is gaining some serous backing and excitement.
The UNA Watch is the creation of a Scottish company that wants to give everyone modular control of smartwatch upgrades and repairs.
In the wake of more smartwatch companies demanding subscriptions, and closing their doors to third-party developers, UNA wants to offer options.
The UNA Watch itself has been kickstarted as “the world’s first” repairable and upgradable GPS sports watch. And with over £200,000 (US$255,000) raised in just two days, there’s clearly an appetite for it.
The features on this watch are impressive with – deep breath – dual-GPS, a 10-day battery life, altimeter, accelerometer, plus continuous heart rate, blood oxygen, steps and floors climbed all measured. It also offers heart rate zone training, pace, laps and even downloadable GPX routes to follow.
It also uses USB-C charging, so most phone chargers can top you up when needed. It should go for 20 hours in constant GPS mode, says UNA.
But what’s really being pushed here is longevity. The company says that due to fragile screens and quickly outdated hardware, “most GPS sports watches end up in landfill after only a few years.”
UNA says its watch can help fix that as upgrades and replacement parts can easily be installed using one simple tool.
The software is also being sold as modular as it can let you control what you want to see and play with. Plus it will play nice with other platforms like Strava, so you can easily integrate this new wearable.
Crucially, UNA is working with the community to make changes, meaning people should have some say over what they want in upgrades – both software and hardware. At a time when that is becoming less and less accessible with the big-name brands, UNA has timed its entry perfectly.
The UNA Watch is due for release in August. You can back at time of publishing with $275 and that gets you a watch at discount from the usual $350 price.
