MMT, Swiss Partners to Launch Smartwatches Powered by MotionX

RAPAPORT...  Manufacture Modules Technologies (MMT) of Geneva, a Swiss joint venture between Fullpower Technologies of California  and Union Horlogere Holdings, launched the MotionX Horological Smartwatch Open Platform. Fullpower will create and manage the schematic design, firmware and smartphone applications, as well as the cloud infrastructure for the watches, while MMT will manage the Swiss watch movement development, production and licensing and support for the watch industry.

Powered by MotionX®, the Swiss Horological Smartwatches offer bi-directional communication with iPhone and Android apps, while maintaining  traditional Swiss watch craftsmanship. There is no digital screen on a Swiss Horological Smartwatch, so the timepiece retains a classic look. The first smartwatches will support a two-year battery life, activity tracking such as sleep monitoring, sleep cycle alarms, active alerts and adaptive coaching and the MotionX cloud to backup and restore data.

The initial partners include watchmakers Frederique Constant, Alpina and Mondaine. MMT’s MotionX horological open platform allows for each brand designer to create its  own identity, and the brands anticipate launching 10 separate Horological Smartwatch models in June 2015 for men and women.

“We love working with Philippe Kahn and his team; their approach to technology craftsmanship very much matches our company culture,” said Peter Stas, the CEO of MMT and Frederique Constant. “Our intense collaboration and combined strengths have enabled us to realize the exciting Swiss Horological Smartwatch now and will lead to much more to come. The Swiss Horological Smartwatches released today truly show the strength of our partnership.”

Philippe Kahn, the CEO and founder of Fullpower-MotionX, said, “We looked for innovative partners in the Swiss watch industry and Peter’s efforts to develop his own high-caliber product was unprecedented. We immediately clicked and went to work to help reinvent the wonderful Swiss watch industry.”

Guido Benedini, the CEO of Alpina, added, “Our Horological Smartwatch is no less than a revolution for the Swiss watch industry by extending the concept of traditional craftsmanship and design to the actual improvement of personal lifestyle and fitness. Being the inventors of the original concept of the Swiss sportwatch in 1938, we are extremely proud at Alpina to reinvent such a concept in 2015, by partnering with the leading and proven MotionX technology platform.”

Ronnie Bernheim, the CEO of Mondaine, said, “Having launched the Mondaine Helvetica watch family, named after the most famous font, in fall 2014, this iconic timepiece will now be equipped with a true innovation in the watch industry. Uniting distinguished, modern, yet timeless Swiss design with the technology and functionality of the MotionX module, the new Mondaine Helvetica Swiss Smartwatch brings consumers the conventional look of an analog watch with huge opportunities to transmit essential information of daily life between the watch and a phone, tablet or computer. We are very happy to be part of the first brands to launch this MotionX technology.”