Tick, tock, minimal shock

ZURICH: Swiss watchmakers are warily eyeing Apple’s progress towards creating a “smartwatch”, but say they are not too worried about the tech goliath’s possible incursion on to their turf.

Apple has been tight-lipped about its plans to wrap some of its iPhone and iPad capabilities into a wearable wrist device.

The entry by Apple and other technology giants into the traditionally narrow watchmaking field could revolutionise the market, some say.

“I think this will lead to a changing of the guard,” said Jerome Bloch, of Parisian style agency Nelly Rodi.

But, in the Swiss Alps, Apple’s suspected ambitions have so far caused no panic.

“It would be pretentious to think that this kind of watch would fail to compete with Swiss watches,” said JeanClaude Biver, the head of the luxury brand Hublot.

“But they will clearly not be competing with the high-end Swiss watches, which account for most of the exports.” – Sapa-AFP