The smartwatch market is extremely competitive, with only a few models consistently standing out from the pack. The Apple Watch and Samsung Galaxy Watch have dominated sales in recent years, but the Spectra from Pocuter is poised to challenge that dominance.
The Spectra is emerging as a new contender, currently in the midst of its Kickstarter campaign. With its retrofuturistic design reminiscent of a vintage spy film, this smartwatch features an unusually thick aluminum casing. This distinctive design choice serves a unique purpose: every part of the watch is user-repairable.
Indeed, in an era where the right to repair is celebrated, the Spectra offers users the ability to easily access and fix their devices. The design philosophy centers around the right-to-repair movement, ensuring that all the components are readily accessible for anyone willing to tackle repairs themselves.
Perhaps most astonishing is the watch’s simplistic assembly—only seven screws. After witnessing the complex disassembly process required for an Apple Watch, I’d gladly take the ease of this model any day.
In terms of performance, the Spectra does not compromise. It boasts impressive specifications typical of high-end smartwatches, including a 368 x 448 OLED display, an onboard microphone and speaker, and a side crown for ease of navigation.
The smartwatch is equipped with 8MB of RAM and 32MB of flash memory, which may seem modest at first glance. However, it features a microSD card slot that allows users to expand storage to an impressive 512GB.
On the downside, this smartwatch cannot utilize the Google Play Store or Apple’s App Store just yet. According to its Kickstarter details, Pocuter has partnered with Moddable to create SpectraOS, which is reportedly only halfway finished.
While the app store is still a work in progress, there may be an opportunity to transfer some applications from the Pocuter One, their previous project. Currently, the app store is also 50% complete.
The Spectra appears to be a promising initiative, although it still requires considerable development. The Android and iOS apps are only 20% finished, while the SDK is 70% complete. There’s still a long way to go regarding app development and availability.
Participating in a Kickstarter project always involves a certain level of risk, but the Spectra offers an intriguing proposition that could significantly promote the right-to-repair concept. Interested backers can secure their own Spectra on its Kickstarter page for an early bird price of 199 euros (about $217).