Martian Watches, an Irvine-based maker of “smart” watches, has partnered with Guess? Inc. in Los Angeles to develop “interactive, voice-command wrist accessories.”
Martian said it plans to announce specific products by early 2015. They will be marketed globally by Sequel AG in Switzerland, an exclusive distributor of Guess Watches.
“This partnership validates our fashion-first approach in this new market,” said Stan Kinsey, Martian’s president. “It assures that Martian technology will be distributed not only in the consumer electronics space but also in the fashion market.”
Martian, which was established in 2007, handles design and development in Irvine, while its manufacturing is done in Taiwan. The company made a splash last year at the International Consumer Electronics Show in Las Vegas when it introduced what it billed as the world’s first smart watch with voice activation.
Its Martian Notifier analog smartwatch debuted in Best Buy stores in June. The device, priced at $129.99, can handle email, calendar, text messages and a handful of pre-populated social apps.
