BERLIN, GERMANY –– When you hear the name Puma, you probably think of sports, sneakers and track suits. You might even think of a North American big cat whose range extends from Canada to the Andes mountains. But here at IFA 2019, Puma means smartwatches.
Partnered with renowned watchmaker Fossil, Puma is launching its first smartwatch –– the simplistically-named Puma Smartwatch. Available starting in November for $275, Puma’s watch is targeting athletes looking to take their training to the next level.
Design
Adorned in a black and neon yellow motif, the Puma Smartwatch just screams sports. The majority of the 44mm case is made from black aluminum and nylon. The bezel and 16mm silicone watch straps are colored neon yellow which adds an aggressive pop of color.
At 22 grams, the Puma is significantly lighter than the current reigning king of smartwatches, the 48g Apple Watch Series 4 (44mm case).
Since the Puma is a sports-centric watch, it has a measure of durability built in. The timepiece is swimproof up to 100 feet.
If highlighter yellow isn’t your cup of tea, Puma wisely offers two additional colors: white and black.
Display
The Puma Smartwatch has a 30mm full round, AMOLED display with 328 ppi (pixels per inch) resolution. Similar to other smartwatches, Puma will offer customizable faces to add a touch of individuality. For instance, you have the Scorecard dial which shows your heart rate along with the time and date. You can also adorn the watch face with pictures from your social media if you’re so inclined.
Specs
The Puma Smartwatch is outfitted with Qualcomm’s Snapdragon Wear 3100 Platform and runs Wear OS by Google. That means it will play nice with smartphones running Android 4.4 (KitKat) or higher and iOS 10 or higher.
It has 512MB of RAM and 4GB of storage. There’s also the standard heart rate monitor, GPS, Altimeter, Accelerometer and Gyroscope for all your activity tracking needs. You also have a built-in microphone in case you need to launch Google Assistant.
Google Fit
Since its running an Android OS, the Puma’s main fitness app will be Google Fit which can track a number of activities such as running, rowing, and spinning. It can even count reps during strength training sessions. Google Fit also keeps track of and keeps you informed about your fitness goals. And when workout mode is initiated, Fit will monitor your heart rate and inform you if it’s at the optimal range.
The Puma Smartwatch is not Google Fit exclusive. The watch will also work with a number of compatible apps. However, neither Puma or Fossil has revealed which apps are on the table.
Battery Life
Puma estimates that the smartwatch will last 24 hours on a charge (48 hours in battery saving mode) which is on a par with the Series 4 Apple Watch. We’ll see how close Puma comes to its claims once we get the watch in house.
Bottom Line
Puma first entry into the smartwatch arena is as bold as its color choice. Although it can perform all the duties you’ve come to expect from and Android smartwatch, Puma’s claim to fame is going to be its focus on athletes and fitness buffs. It’s no Apple Watch by far, but for people that want to keep it simple and workout, the Puma Smartwatch might just be the ticket.
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