Gucci teams with Will I Am for wearable smartband

Gucci Timepieces has announced that it will partner Will I Am’s technology brand I am+ to create a wearable tech smartband. 

The announcement was made by Stéphane Linder, president and CEO of Gucci Timepieces, and Will I Am yesterday at Baselworld.

The device will operate as a stand-alone smartband, meaning it will not need to be connected to a smartphone. Functions of the smartband will include  the ability to make and receive calls, send and receive text messages and emails, maps, calendars, fitness apps and a ‘personal assistant’ activated by voice command.

Linder said: “Today, through this innovative collaboration with I.am+ and Will I Am, Gucci Timepieces is fully embracing the future of wearable technology that is now ahead of us, with the objective of launching a wearable device concept that is a fashion accessory, incorporating the most comprehensive and advanced technological functionalities.”

Will I Am said: “I.am+ and Gucci Timepieces are setting the pace with our vision for a untethered wearable. In creating a device that is both fashionable and technologically advanced, we aim to define this category. I coined the term ‘fashionology’, a merging of the worlds of fashion and technology, and that is exactly what this collaboration with Gucci represents.”