Kate Spade is refreshing its popular "Scallop" Wear OS smartwatch with new strap options and dramatically improved features and functionality to match its already beautiful exterior. The latest version isn't substantially changed in its exterior hardware, but the design and style wasn't at all an issue before. The problem was that it felt like a fashion-only watch, rather than a fashion-first smartwatch.
Now, the Kate Spade Scallop is fully featured as a smartwatch, with the addition of NFC for Google Pay, GPS for fitness tracking, a heart rate sensor, and 3ATM water resistance. That brings the Scallop up to speed with the rest of the Fossil Group lineup of smartwatches in terms of features and specs, so you can choose this Kate Spade design without missing out on all of the features that make a modern smartwatch compelling.
If you aren't familiar with the current Kate Spade Scallop smartwatch, here are the basics: it's a circular display smartwatch with a 42mm case size and a 16mm strap size, which makes it compact and appropriate for smaller wrists. The battery is 300mAh, which should be good enough for a day, and it has the standard 4GB of storage. Yes this is still a Snapdragon Wear 2100 device, like most of the market, but I find it hard to believe that will deter any potential buyers from getting this watch. The only notable hardware change this year is an extra mappable button on the side to quickly launch an app or service.
This is exactly the kind of update this fashion-focused smartwatch needed.
These are obviously very feminine designs, so they won't appeal to everyone, but that's the point. This is an iconic and unmistakeable Kate Spade design, following right alongside the mechanical watches and other accessories the brand offers. The metal is well sculpted, and includes nice little touches like the spade logo on the rotating side button. The fit and finish are typical for the price point and for the other smartwatches in the Fossil Group portfolio. On the software side this is the latest Wear OS release, plus Kate Spade also includes some exclusive watch faces, and has a "your look" micro app that lets you tailor your smartwatch style to match your clothes for the day.
Kate Spade is releasing the new and improved Scallop smartwatch this Spring, with prices starting at $295 — a little higher than many of the Fossil Group watches, but not surprising considering the fashion branding. There will be two different versions of the case, one gold and one two-tone gold and silver, and they'll be paired with one of three straps: a black silicone strap, pale vellum leather strap, or a pink gold-tone bracelet. The bracelet model is priced at $335.
Look for the new Kate Spade models to be available within the next few months from all of the usual retailers.
