Before its CES 2015 press conference in Las Vegas, Sony announced a brand new stainless steel version of the Smartwatch 3. And just after the press conference we managed to find one to have a quick first look at. And it's exactly what you think it is. It's the Smartwatch 3 but with a metal band in place of the rubber one.
The design of the Smartwatch 3, the fact that it's a module that slots into a watch band, means that the stainless steel band has to follow the same pattern. So while the band itself is what you'd expect from a regular watch band, when you come round the front it has essentially the same look as it did before. Only metal, not rubber.
And that makes a big difference. One of our least favorite parts of the Smartwatch 3 has always been the band, and with this new version, Sony has gone a long way to appease that. Actually, they've gone further, because alongside the stainless steel band, a holder was also announced that will allow you to attach your own watch bands to the Smartwatch 3.
The holder itself resembles the front of the regular Smartwatch 3 bands but has standard pins in place of a moulded strap. As such, you can attach any of your favorite watch bands, and Sony showed off some examples here at the event of how it would look. Including some wild looking floral efforts.
So, it's purely a cosmetic change, but how a watch looks is a pretty big deal. And the Smartwatch 3 has never looked better.
More: Sony Smartwatch 3 review
