Consumer electronics manufacturer Huami on Tuesday officially launched its latest wearable in the United States, confirming the Amazfit Verge will be available to consumers in time for Christmas. Much like originally expected, the versatile smartwatch is set to retail at $159.99 and can already be pre-ordered from the official Amazfit e-shop. The initial wave of devices will start being shipped to consumers from December 18 onwards and while the firm has yet to clarify what kind of a production batch it’s targeting, it heavily implied it should have plenty of stock to tempt any American consumer into buying a full-fledged smartwatch this holiday season.
One product, two shipping dates
The Shadow Gray, Moonlight White, and Twilight Blue variants of the Amazfit Verge are all available for purchase in the U.S. and have the same estimated shipping date attached to them. They don’t differ in terms of size or price and come down purely to one’s style preferences. Huami’s new gadget strives to be a solid combination of a dedicated sports tracker and a conventional timepiece, not just in regards to its features but also in terms of design – the Verge features a minimalist, clean look that shouldn’t have major issues with blending into any particular outfit.
Originally announced in mid-September, the Amazfit Verge is being positioned as a highly versatile wearable capable of facilitating everything from workouts to more basic activity tracking for the purpose of improving the effectiveness of one’s physical activities. The gadget will also be receiving support for Amazon’s artificial intelligence service Alexa which is currently planned to begin rolling out before the end of the year, Huami previously said. From a purely technical standpoint, the Amazfit Verge provides good value for money by packing in virtually every major feature under the sun: a 1.3-inch AMOLED display, Bluetooth, NFC, GPS, GLONASS, five-day forecasts, built-in music playback support, and a broad range of modes meant to accommodate particular sports such as soccer, running, and cycling.
Coupled with the fact that the device is relatively affordable compared to its direct rivals and the Amazfit Verge may just be the sleeper hit of the year in the wearable space. Everything about this watch screams adaptability, including its massive-capacity battery capable of delivering up to five days of autonomy on a single charge. Huami is unsurprisingly seeking to monetize the device both through sales and services such as Facebook’s chatbots. Once Alexa support rolls out, placing an Amazon order should be as easy as speaking to your new wearable for a few seconds.
Say goodbye to fitness bands (soon)
While Huami is still releasing fitness trackers, the sole fact that the Amazfit Verge takes the front and center of its 2018 wearable lineup is reason enough to believe the firm is now gradually transitioning to full-fledged smartwatches. The rest of the industry has been following a similar strategy over the last several years as consumers proved reluctant to upgrade their fitness bands on a remotely frequent basis, with Fitbit being arguably the most high-profile example of that new product philosophy shift.