Casio F-B100W Smartwatch Launches in US After Japan Sellout
Casio has put its retro-styled F-B100W smartwatch on sale in the US for $64.95, after the device sold out quickly in Japan and became hard to find in parts of the UK.
The F-B100W blends a simple digital watch design with a limited set of smart features. TechRadar reported that it includes basic fitness tracking through a pedometer, a Find My device locator, a timer, a stopwatch, an alarm, and a two-year battery life. It does not attempt to match the broader feature sets of many modern smartwatches.
The watch originally went on sale in Japan in August, where it sold out within hours of becoming available, according to TechRadar. Its Japanese price was ¥8,800 including 10% tax, or ¥8,000 before tax, which translates to about $50.95. That means the US edition carries a premium of about $14 over the pre-tax Japanese price.
The F-B100W has also been available in the UK. TechRadar’s wearables guru Matt Evans bought one and was impressed enough to describe it as the watch that had provided him with “the most fun this year,” adding: “Reader, I am in love.” TechRadar reported that the device has also sold out in many places in the UK.
One reason for the response, according to TechRadar, is that the F-B100W balances just enough smart features with a simple, rugged design. That approach helped keep costs down, which TechRadar described as making it “an absolute belter of a watch for the price.”
With the US listing now live, American buyers can get the same model. TechRadar noted that they may need to move quickly, since the device sold out in Japan and has become increasingly difficult to find in the UK.
Editor's Summary Casio’s F-B100W has launched in the US at $64.95, bringing a retro-styled watch with limited smart features to American buyers. The device previously sold out in Japan within hours and has become difficult to find in many UK locations, suggesting US stock may also move quickly.