Why Intel put a smartphone chip in Tag Heuer’s $1,600 smartwatch

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Do smartwatches need upgrades every few years like PCs? It's not clear yet, but Intel's powerful chip in the Tag Heuer Connected Modular 45, a US $1,600 luxury smartwatch, will ensure the wearable isn't outdated anytime soon.

The smartwatch, which runs Android Wear 2.0, uses Intel's Atom Z34XX, a smartphone chip. The Atom processor seems like overkill but extends the wearable's shelf life and adds processing power for artificial intelligence, a feature Google is building in Android Wear.

The watch has a 1.39-inch AMOLED touch screen, and modularity is a big selling point of the wearable. The smartwatch's heads, straps, and other parts can be easily swapped, and buyers have the option to pick one of 56 versions. The smartwatch can be turned into a mechanical watch by replacing the head.

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