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Having ventured into the luxury phone market with the Meridiist feature phone, Tag Heuer is at it again with a new offering. The Link smartphone represents Tag Heuer's foray into smartphones and it has chosen Google's Android OS powered by a 1GHz processor.
At a starting price of S$8,000 (US$6,214) for the basic calfskin leather version, you are undeniably paying for a status symbol.
Is the Link smartphone an inspired piece of craftsmanship or should the Swiss luxury watch maker stick to what it knows best--sports watches and chronographs?
This hand-assembled phone is built to last, like its watch cousins. For one, the Link is claimed to be as "fully shockproof" as a Tag Heuer watch casing. The 3.5-inch WVGA touchscreen is made of scratch-resistant Gorilla Glass, which also adorns high-end smartphones like the Samsung Galaxy S II. In addition, it is also airtight and watertight. We would have tested this function if we had a review unit, but we only had a few minutes with a pre-production set.The hefty price tag stems from the premium materials used. You can choose from a battery cover dressed in basic calfskin, as well as more premium alligator or lizard skin. You may match the materials with detailing ranging from premium grade 316L stainless steel (corrosion-resistant and hypoallergenic), 18k rose gold or even 1,007 diamonds totaling 2.53 carats. The autolock system hides the SIM card, microSD slot and microUSB port. It is ingeniously unlocked by turning the Tag Heuer timepiece crown.
Tag Heuer fans will like the meticulous attention to detail: From the Tag Heuer logo replacing the home symbol, to the bespoke app icons. This will be one Android phone that users may not bear to root. The Tag Heuer Mobile Security app comes bundled with the phone to give high-flying users the option to locate or even wipe their device in the event that their phone is lost.
You'll either love or hate the phone's looks. It's heavy (weighing in at 200g) and comes in a clunky form factor which reminds us somewhat of Vertu phones. Let's just say that we like specific portions of the phone, for example the autolock system, rather than the sum of its parts.For tech enthusiasts, the phone comes with Android 2.2 Froyo out-of-the-box. This may be upgradeable in the future, but Tag Heuer has not announced a timeline yet. At a time when smartphone makers are releasing Android phones packing Gingerbread--and soon to come, Ice Cream Sandwich--the Link is a little behind the times.
Finally, we leave you with two words: Price tag.
The Link is not a smartphone for everyone, although it should attract its fair share of looks--either of envy or disgust. Other than the ostentatious finishing and premium price tag, it's a pretty basic handset in terms of features. Compared with other luxury phones in the market which come with premium services like a 24-hour concierge, the Link pales in comparison.If you have the deep pockets--and want to diversify your luxury watch collection--you can get your hands on the Link from the middle of this month in China, South Korea, Japan and Singapore.