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PARIS, France — TAG Heuer will start selling a smartwatch for about $1,400 in October or November as the brand becomes Apple Inc.'s biggest Swiss competitor for connected timepieces.
TAG Heuer’s smartwatch battery will last about 40 hours, said Jean-Claude Biver, who heads the watchmaking activities of the brand’s owner, LVMH Moet Hennessy Louis Vuitton SE. The Apple Watch battery was designed to last 18 hours, though that can stretch out further if fewer functions are used.
The Apple Watch may get younger consumers more interested in wearing watches for the first time, Biver said in an interview. Cupertino, California-based Apple is selling sport and mid-range models for $349 to $1,099, and versions in gold for $10,000 to $17,000.
“I hope they sell millions and millions and millions of them,” Biver said, speaking ahead of the official opening of a Hublot boutique in Dubai Mall. “The more they sell the more a few people will want something different and come to TAG Heuer.”
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TAG Heuer formed alliances with Google Inc. and Intel Corp. to develop the watch, the company said last month.
Apple can’t keep with early demand for its new watch and is rushing to increase supply, Chief Financial Officer Luca Maestri said Monday. Online pre-orders began April 10.
By Matthew Martin, with assistance from Corinne Gretler. Editors: Dale Crofts, Thomas Mulier, Kim McLaughlin.
