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•  Nov 10 2015 at 8:00 AM 
  

TAG Heuer Connected: time and apps will tell

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TAG Heuer hopes its Connected watch, developed with Google and Intel, will help turn around the flagging fortunes of the traditional Swiss watch industry.

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[img=620x0]http://www.afr.com/content/dam/images/g/k/u/e/l/y/image.related.afrArticleLead.620x350.gkugru.png/1447109557768.jpg[/img]The TAG Heuer Connected watch, the Swiss watch industry's answer to the Apple Watch, is a collaboration between TAG Heuer, Google and Intel.

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by Bani McSpedden
Full marks to Tag Heuer, who, rather than taking a stab at something a bit connected as some watch brands have done, has plunged in at the connected-device-deep end with Google and Intel as partners.
Tag-Heuer's intention with the Connected was not just a device for the future but also one that can keep the brand front-of-mind in an increasingly competitive environment.
Its quarry, the Apple Watch, couldn't have arrived at a worse time for the Swiss, with the most recent figures showing September 2015 is the third month this year to show a marked decline in Swiss watch exports, down 7.9 per cent in value to 1.8 billion Swiss francs ($2.5 billion) compared with September 2014, and down 9.5 per cent in units. The largest market, Hong Kong, showed a decline in value of 18.2 per cent, with the USA down 17.6 per cent, and China – until recently the mighty sales driver – down 13 per cent. Singapore also suffered a decline, down 14.6 per cent, while the North American figure is the worst monthly fall in five years.
What undoubtedly makes the Connected interesting is Tag Heuer's heritage as a watch brand rather than tech one, and its history of being at the forefront of things, from movements to marketing. (Who can forget Steve McQueen sporting his Monaco chronograph in the 1971 film Le Mans.)
[img=620x0]http://www.afr.com/content/dam/images/g/k/u/e/u/w/image.imgtype.afrArticleInline.620x0.png/1447045374737.jpg[/img]Tag Heuer Connected watch with the dial in off-mode.
But that was then and this is a rather different world, and herein lies the challenge.
Heritage and nostalgia generally appeal to an older demographic and it remains to be seen if the critical younger target group – males only at this stage given the size of the watch – want a device that replicates the looks of the mechanical watches they've been spurning. And want to pay $2000 for it.
Time, along with the apps that arrive with it, will tell.
It's worth remembering that Tag Heuer's CEO Jean-Claude Biver has a history of turbo-charging brands – Omega, Blancpain, Hublot among them – and should never be underestimated. If the Connected is not a success, he says he'll retire to play golf but the buggy's still well and truly in the basement.
[img=620x0]http://www.afr.com/content/dam/images/g/k/u/e/w/w/image.imgtype.afrArticleInline.620x0.png/1447045283425.jpg[/img]Tag Heuer Connected watch with black chronograph face.

Bani McSpedden is watch editor The Australian Financial Review and watch-next.com.
[img=620x0]http://www.afr.com/content/dam/images/g/k/u/e/x/t/image.imgtype.afrArticleInline.620x0.png/1447047885477.jpg[/img]TAG Heuer Connected watch showing time face.

Costs finally catching up?

http://infopub.sgx.com/Apps?A=COW_CorpAn...16_SGX.pdf

(12-11-2015, 08:23 PM)greengiraffe Wrote: Costs finally catching up?

http://infopub.sgx.com/Apps?A=COW_CorpAn...16_SGX.pdf

$3 million increase in operating expenses was due to donation to SG50. This donation should be a one-off expenses.
Also noticed that there was a forex loss as opposed to a gain last year,if we strip both away, costs still seems okay.

On a half yearly basis, overall profit still at least rise as much in percentage terms as revenue if we add back the $3mil donation.

(12-11-2015, 09:28 PM)nervesofsteel Wrote:

(12-11-2015, 08:23 PM)greengiraffe Wrote: Costs finally catching up?

http://infopub.sgx.com/Apps?A=COW_CorpAn...16_SGX.pdf

$3 million increase in operating expenses was due to donation to SG50. This donation should be a one-off expenses.
Also noticed that there was a forex loss as opposed to a gain last year,if we strip both away, costs still seems okay.

On a half yearly basis, overall profit still at least rise as much in percentage terms as revenue if we add back the $3mil donation.

thank you for yr clarifications...

THG is making donations worth a total of $5 million to three beneficiaries - the National Kidney Foundation, the Community Chest and the National Heritage Board.....
http://www.straitstimes.com/singapore/wa...p-worth-5m
Nice!

Also nice is THG's 2Q result first released on 12Nov15.....
http://infopub.sgx.com/FileOpen/THGL_1H_...eID=377808 [2Q result announcement]
http://infopub.sgx.com/FileOpen/Media_Re...eID=377809 [press release]

The Hour Glass ($0.76) - This company had proven its worth once again as one of the most resilient stock in this market downturn. Foreign houses likely the ones buying into this company in recent time.

always see this stock up during the last few days of the old/new year.

window-dressing sir!

http://infopub.sgx.com/FileOpen/_JCFORM1...eID=384840

Jannie Chan sold off 1.5 million shares...................
________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________

Her selling price is 78cts,
maybe she is loading up KeppelCorp/Sembmarine?

(07-01-2016, 05:48 PM)brattzz Wrote: Her selling price is 78cts, [emoji14]
maybe she is loading up KeppelCorp/Sembmarine?

I don't think she's such a bad investor.. ;P

(just kidding.)

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