MyKronoz ZeTime: The Hybrid Smartwatch Makes Crowdfunding History Raising $5.3M on Kickstarter

In just 35 days, Swiss brand MyKronoz, has now entered crowdfunding history: at $5.3 million, the game changing timepiece ZeTime has become the most-funded project from a European company, as well as the most-funded hybrid smartwatch ever. Pre-orders for the ZeTime are now continuing on Indiegogo. With this achievement MyKronoz aims to become the worldwide leader in the hybrid smartwatch market segment.

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Having already sold more than 2 million wearables since its launch in 2013 thanks to its “smartwatches for everyone” approach, accessible price points, a wide variety of models, and on-trend designs, MyKronoz is today an established and leading player in Europe.

The latest success of its crowdfunding campaign confirms MyKronoz bold leadership ambition to conquer the world outside Europe, especially in North America and Southeast Asia where thousands backers have supported this Swiss innovation. MyKronoz is determined to accelerate its expansion across a network of strategic retail partners and increase its global market share, both with ZeTime and the rest of its $39 - $199 product range.

Today, MyKronoz is the first to offer a smartwatch with mechanical hands over TFT color touchscreen. This pioneering engineering means ZeTime is able to blend the classic design of a traditional timepiece with the most advanced features of a smartwatch, while making no compromises in quality of the materials, water resistance or battery life.
Proprietary ‘Smart Movement’ technology enables these always-on hands to function for up to 30 days with a single charge, while adjusting to users’ timezone, as well as aligning to make sure they do not obstruct visibility of the screen when reading notifications.

Combining the best of Swiss watchmaking with wearable tech expertise

"We are achieving this success in the context of a wearables market where mainstream adoption has not yet taken off. So we decided to create a new dynamic by delivering the perfect hybrid smartwatch without compromises. Bringing the best of Swiss design and watchmaking expertise into a wearable device. ZeTime embodies this vision, and demonstrates our position as a game changer and fierce challenger to both established watchmakers and wearables players.

The huge momentum of this Kickstarter campaign has really been another market validation for us: both on the potential of hybrid smartwatches, and the international growth of our Swiss Brand thanks to this fantastic innovation. We have really felt an incredible amount of passion from our backers, and impatience for our product. This helps us to pursue our ambition to become tomorrow’s leader in new generation watches” said Boris Brault, CEO and founder of MyKronoz.

Behind this groundbreaking success story lie 26,828 backers, a community that truly collaborated to build the ZeTime together. After raising 500% of their original funding goal in less than 24 hours on Kickstarter, MyKronoz surveyed contributors for stretch goal ideas. Suggestions flooded in, ranging from “Kickstarter exclusives” such as a limited-edition watch engraving and “Kickstarter Green” stitch carbon wristband, to the more technically demanding such as upgrading the watch’s original Gorilla Glass protective screen to Sapphire Glass. While pursuing its mission to make the perfect and most universal smartwatch, MyKronoz was able to integrate not only these features, but also to launch a much-requested 39mm “Petite” version of ZeTime, ensuring that all consumers could find the model that fits their wrist, however wide or small.

This community engagement, visible in the over 8,000 comments posted on the campaign’s front page alone, was amplified further during its two Kickstarter Live broadcasts: more than 3,000 simultaneous users attended to meet and chat with the company CEO, CPO and CMO, and see close-ups of product prototypes.

MyKronoz is extremely grateful to Kickstarter community for ZeTime’s success: the $5.3 million total has earned the campaign a solid place in the platform’s hall of fame.

However, the Swiss challenger is not stopping there: with pre-orders now available on Indiegogo from $149, a discount of the future retail price of $199.90 (shipping in October for Regular version, December for Petite version), it is not too late for those who missed the Kickstarter to claim a piece of this smartwatch revolution.

ZeTime: Breaking tech barriers to be an elegant daily companion

A classic take on wearable technology, ZeTime has a sleek stainless steel watch case available in two sizes (44mm & 39mm) inspired by the finest Swiss design, along with a variety of interchangeable digital watch faces and straps created to fit every style.
ZeTime is set for action with a 3-axis accelerometer and an optical heart-rate sensor to track activity and sleep. With waterproof performance (up to 30 meters’ depth), ZeTime provides the quality and versatility expected from traditional high-end timepieces, at a much lower price.

ZeTime belongs to the fast-growing segment of hybrid smartwatches, which at first glance look and function like traditional analogue watches but include smart features such as activity tracking, heart rate monitor and notifications. Accounting for a 7% share of smartwatch sales in 2016, market research firm Counterpoint Technology predicts hybrid smartwatches will rise to a 12% share in 2017, doubling in revenues to more than US$ 1 Billion.

Though both luxury traditional watchmakers and wearable tech brands are turning towards hybrid models, with ZeTime, MyKronoz is the first to drill a hole in a TFT color touchscreen display to incorporate mechanical moving hands.

Product specifications

Bluetooth			BLE 4.2
Dimensions (diameter/thickness)			ZeTime Regular: 44mm x 12.8mm ZeTime Petite: 39 x 12.6mm
Material & Colors			Stainless steel watch case available in Silver, Black, Titanium, Pink Gold & Yellow Gold
Watch band width and finishings			22mm / 20mm; Silicon, leather, carbon fiber, jean, NATO, metal and more in multiple colors
Battery type			ZeTime Regular: Li-iOn 200mAh ZeTime Petite: Li-iOn 180mAh (TBC)
Display size and resolution			ZeTime Regular: 1.22”; 240*240 pixels ZeTime Petite: 1.05”; 240*240 pixels
Display type			TFT (Color touchscreen with hole)
Sensors			3-axis accelerometer & optical HR sensor
Charging system			Contact charging
Water resistance			30m
OS compatibility requirements			Android 4.3 or iOS 8 above, supports Bluetooth 4.1 BLE

ZeTime press kit
Kickstarter campaign
Indiegogo campaign

About MyKronoz:
Founded in January 2013, MyKronoz is a Swiss company based in Geneva that designs and develops wearable devices intended to improve increasingly mobile, connected and digital lifestyles. MyKronoz strives to expand and facilitate the mobile-user experience with stylish, intuitive and functional techcessories. Now present in 40 countries, carried by major retailers and partners worldwide: Orange, Auchan, Carrefour, Best Buy, Walmart, Yodobashi, HMV, MyKronoz offers a full range of connected devices spanning across 4 product categories: activity trackers, smartwatches, hybrid smartwatches and watch phones. With a unique DNA mixing mobile tech and fashion, MyKronoz’s goal is to cater to the needs and tastes of the world’s most various user types thanks to a full iOS, Android and Windows Phone compatibility at an affordable price.
For more information, visit www.mykronoz.com or follow @mykronoz on Twitter.

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Contact information

Press:
MyKronoz
Sarah Segre
press@mykronoz.com