Tag Heuer, a brand better known for its luxury sports watches, has dabbled in the mobile phone business for a few years now. It got into the business back in 2011 with the Tag Heuer Link smartphone which sold back then for about €4,700 (US$6800). Its latest model, the Meridiist Infinite, is billed as coming with “the world’s first Perpetual Power reserve” and promises perpetual stand-by time.
Rather than using arm motion as high-end watches do to eliminate the need for batteries or manual winding, the Meridiist Infinite uses light to keep running. Tag Heuer squeezed a layer of transparent photovoltaic cells between the LCD display and the sapphire screen. Certain natural or artificial light sources will keep the mobile phone powered, leading to that perpetual power claim.
Full specifications have not been announced but it will come with a 2.4-inch QVGA (240×320) dislay as well as a monochrome OLED panel at the top to display additional information. It will also pack 8GB of onboard storage, a 5MP rear camera and dual-SIM functionality. It will be constructed of titanium grade 5 and carbon.
The Tag Heuer Meridiist Infinite will launch in July 2014 in a limited edition run consisting of only 1911 pieces. As with other Tag Heuer watches, it will come with a concierge service that is only a phone call away. Pricing was not announced but is likely to fall in the “if you have to ask, it’s not for you” category.