Casio announces the first Wear OS smartwatch in the iconic G-Shock range

Casio has announced the first Wear OS smartwatch in its long G-Shock line: the GSW-H1000. The watch will cost $ 699 in the US or £ 599 in the UK, and it will be available in red, blue or black. With impact resistance and water resistance up to a depth of 200 meters, Casio claims the GSW-H1000 is a fitness-focused laptop designed for everything from surfing to snowboarding.

The watchmaker has been marketing devices using Google’s smartwatch operating system since 2016, when it launched the Casio Smart Outdoor Watch powered by Android Wear. But this is the first time that Google’s software has appeared on a G-Shock watch. The G-Shock line dates back to the 1980s and watches have a reputation for being among the most resistant to wear and tear.

Image: Casio

The GSW-H1000 comes with many features expected on a fitness-focused smartwatch. There is an optical heart rate sensor and Casio’s built-in software supports 15 activities and 24 indoor training options. The watch supports GPS and has a built-in compass, altitude sensor, accelerometer and gyrometer. Wear OS means there’s Google Assistant and Google Fit support, and you can download apps from Google Play.

In terms of hardware, the watch has a 1.2-inch 360 x 360 dual-layer display that combines an always-on monochrome LCD with a color LCD panel. Battery life is estimated to be around a day and a half if you use the color display, up to a month if you only use the watch for timing and sensors. A full charge takes about three hours, according to Casio.

With rumors of an extreme sports-focused Apple Watch on the horizon, Casio and other rugged smartwatch makers may soon face much stronger competition. But on paper at least, the GSW-H1000 seems to be up to the challenge.