A number of device makers have released smartwatch hardware over the past year or two, and more recently we’ve started to see traditional watch makers like Fossil and TAG Heuer get in on the action, too. Casio is the latest watch company to dive into the smartwatch arena.
Casio today introduced the WSD-F10 Smart Outdoor Watch, an Android Wear smartwatch that’s meant to withstand the elements. The ruggedized smartwatch can withstand being submerged in water up to 50 meters, and because it’s been tested to military standard MIL-STD-810, it can withstand shock, vibration, extreme temperatures, and more.
When you do decide to brave the elements, you can use the Casio’s ViewRanger GPS app during your trek to access route info, location data, and navigation guidance, and MyRadar app to track the weather. There are also tools that can display things like compass direction and altitude, and you can link the WSD-F10 to a smartphone to use the Moment Setter+ app to get alerts for events like fishing times and sunrise or sunset.
One other notable feature its Timepiece Mode. When activated, features like smartphone communication and the color LCD will be disabled and the display will turn monochrome to help prolong battery life. In normal mode, the WSD-F10 battery is expected to last “roughly more than 1 day,” but Timepiece Mode can push that out to “more than 1 month.”
The Casio WSD-F10 also includes a 1.32-inch round display with a resolution of 320x300, and it’ll be available in green, orange, black, and red color options. It’s expected to launch in the US and Japan around late March or early April for around $500.
With the WSD-F10, Casio is targeting outdoorsy folks that want a watch that can feed them helpful info during hikes our other activities, but also be smarter than a regular analog watch. The concern with the WSD-F10 is that you could run out of battery life if you’re taking part in a multi-day excursion, but at that point you could bring a battery pack or turn on Timepiece Mode to extend your device’s current charge.