The Casio WSD-F10 Smart Outdoor Watch really impressed us when we heard of its announcement, but Casio's first smartwatch is all set for a competitor -- and there's one joining the Android Wear space this year. The name? The Nixon Mission smartwatch.
Let's get the familiar out of the way: it will be Android Wear-powered, bringing you the app selection that most consumers crave with their mobile devices. Android Wear is owned by Google and has Google's strong app developer base, so it's not surprising to see a lot of Android-longing manufacturers emerge with Android Wear (or full-blown Android) on their devices.
Next, the Nixon Mission will feature the new Snapdragon Wear 2100 SoC processor we mentioned some time ago, which brings all the power efficiency and battery life improvements one expects of the latest from Qualcomm.
As for the design, the Nixon Mission features a polycarbonate and stainless steel custom-molded case, AMOLED display, a 316L stainless steel bezel, Corning Gorilla Glass crystal (Corning Gorilla Glass is used in high-end smartphones such as the Galaxy S7, LG G5, iPhone 6s and iPhone 6s Plus, and even the Nexus 6P and Nexus 5X), with the Mission's silicon bands for ultra-ruggedness and durability. The Nixon Mission features a 100-meter water-resistance rating, making it the most water-resistant smartwatch in the smartwatch market currently (the Casio WSD-F10 only has a water resistance of 50 meters).
Along the way, you'll see weather condition and tracking apps that Nixon has teamed up with Surfline, Snocountry, and Trace to offer on the Nixon Mission that will keep you informed and in great shape. As for the price, Nixon hasn't yet offered one, but says that you can expect the device to be available "via select retailers" (exact ones unknown), at Nixon stores, and online at nixon.com later this year.
With the Casio WSD-F10 and the Nixon Mission on the market, Android Wear is getting a lot more interesting than before. What do you think? Interested in a ruggedized, well-crafted Android Wear smartwatch?
