The Casio F-B100W is not a smartwatch: no touchscreen, notifications, or app store. It's a 55-pound digital watch that adds Bluetooth and step counting to the classic segmented interface, while maintaining a claimed two-year battery life on a single replaceable CR2016 cell. This move comes in a market dominated by devices requiring daily charging, like the Apple Watch Series 12 with its T8320 chip and advanced health features.

Add AlexTech.ai asPreferred Source on Google

Minimal connectivity, maximum battery life

The trick lies in limiting Bluetooth traffic: the watch sends only one Low Energy update to the phone at the end of each day to sync data. This approach drastically reduces power consumption, allowing Casio to promise two years of operation without compromising LCD display readability. The CR2016 battery costs about one euro and is replaced in seconds, a luxury modern wearables no longer offer.

The wearable market context

While Apple and Google push AI to the wrist — with Siri AI on watchOS 27 and Gemini on Wear OS 7 — Casio bets on simplicity. The F-B100W positions itself alongside devices like the Garmin Cirqa, which made headlines for its lack of screen and subscriptions. The difference is price: 55 pounds versus the higher costs of dedicated trackers, without the need for a closed ecosystem.

Limitations and open-source alternatives

Official syncing requires Casio's proprietary app, but FOSS alternatives like Casio G-Shock Smart Sync exist. A known limitation concerns date format: many entry-level models only support the American MM/DD format, while European formats require more expensive versions. Despite these flaws, the watch has attracted attention on Hacker News and Reddit for its "beyond retro" philosophy: essential technology that lasts over time, in contrast to the rapid replacement cycle of current wearables.