One of the most recognizable luxury names in smartwatches may be quietly walking away. A report that spread across tech sites on October 15, 2026 says TAG Heuer has stopped producing its Connected watches, with remaining stock set to sell through 2027 and no successor planned. If true, it ends an experiment that began in 2015, when the Swiss brand shipped a $1,500 Android Wear watch and made every traditional watchmaker nervous.
The important caveat comes first: this is a report, not an announcement. Here is what has actually been said, what the latest Connected model offered, and what it means if you already own one.
Quick take
French outlet La Lettre reports that TAG Heuer stopped making Connected smartwatches over the summer of 2026, and that unsold watches will be cleared through 2027. Neither TAG Heuer nor parent company LVMH has confirmed it. The newest model, the Connected Calibre E5, launched in October 2025 and still appears on the brand’s website.
What Has and Has Not Been Confirmed
Everything circulating now traces back to a single source. La Lettre, a French business publication, says production ended this summer. Some outlets date the original report to late August, which means the story took about seven weeks to go viral. Coverage on October 15 from sites like Notebookcheck, Android Authority and Gadgets & Wearables did the rest.
| Claim | Status |
|---|---|
| Production of Connected watches stopped in summer 2026 | Single-source report, unconfirmed |
| Remaining stock sells through 2027 | Single-source report, unconfirmed |
| No successor to the Calibre E5 is planned | Reported, no official comment |
| Connected Calibre E4 is discontinued | Confirmed on TAG Heuer’s own product page |
| How long existing watches get software updates | Unknown |
Based on coverage of the La Lettre report and TAG Heuer’s website. TAG Heuer and LVMH had not publicly commented at the time of writing.
It is also worth noting that the brand’s site gives shoppers no hint that the line is being wound down. That is not unusual. Companies often keep selling a product page while inventory runs out, and a quiet exit is easier than a press release admitting a category did not work.
The Last Model: Connected Calibre E5
The E5 is the watch that would be left holding the baton. It launched in October 2025 and made one big change from earlier generations: TAG Heuer dropped Google’s Wear OS for its own TAG Heuer OS. The company said the move was driven by its customers, since iPhones are used by roughly 70% of Connected buyers. The E5 became the first smartwatch other than the Apple Watch to carry Apple’s “Made for iPhone” certification.
| Spec | Connected Calibre E5 |
|---|---|
| Launched | October 2025 |
| Software | TAG Heuer OS (replaced Wear OS) |
| Display | AMOLED |
| Chip and GPS | Snapdragon 5100+, dual-band GPS |
| Battery (reported) | About 2 days, up to 3 in low power mode |
| Extras | NFC payments, voice calls, 50 meter water resistance, golf maps for 40,000+ courses |
| Starting price (reported) | About $1,600 in the US |
Launch-era figures vary between outlets, particularly on battery life and price. Treat them as approximate.
A Short History of the Connected Line
The first TAG Heuer Connected arrived in 2015 with a Google and Intel partnership and a price tag around $1,500. It was a bold bet that a luxury brand could win over people who would not otherwise buy a Swiss watch. Later generations moved to Qualcomm chips, added the Calibre E4 and a 42mm size, and eventually the E5 with its own software. The line lasted about eleven years, which in smartwatch time is a very long run for a product that never sold in Apple Watch numbers.
Why Luxury Smartwatches Keep Struggling
The problem is not that nobody wants a smart luxury watch. It is that the two halves of the product age at different speeds. A mechanical watch can last decades. A smartwatch battery fades in a few years and its software support ends in about the same time. Paying $1,600 or more for something with a shelf life like a phone is a hard sell, and the E5’s own price shows the squeeze.
Compare that with how the rest of the market prices premium wearables. Garmin sells titanium, sapphire and ceramic with LTE and satellite SOS, and its new MARQ Gen 3 starts at $2,500. The difference is that Garmin’s buyers also get a deep training platform and weeks of battery life, so the luxury premium sits on top of real utility.
The market data points the same way. Global shipments fell 4% in the second quarter even as a few brands grew, a trend we covered when Huawei took the smartwatch crown. In a shrinking market dominated by Apple, Huawei, Samsung and Garmin, a small luxury line has little room to grow.
What Owners Should Do
If you have a Connected on your wrist, nothing stops working today. But the unknowns are real. TAG Heuer has not said how long it will push software updates or repair watches, and the move to a proprietary operating system means there is no Google update pipeline to fall back on, unlike older Wear OS models. For a sense of what a support cutoff looks like in practice, see what happened when Pixel Watch 2 support ended.
If you already own one
- ✓ Keep using it, nothing changes yet
- ✓ Install every available update now
- ✓ Ask TAG Heuer in writing about support length
- ✓ Keep your receipt and warranty card
If you are thinking of buying
- ✕ Do not pay full price for a discontinued line
- ~ Discounts through 2027 are likely if the report is right
- ~ Get a written support commitment first
- ✓ Consider a Garmin or Apple Watch for long support
Frequently Asked Questions
Has TAG Heuer confirmed it is ending Connected smartwatches?
No. The claim comes from French outlet La Lettre, and neither TAG Heuer nor LVMH has publicly confirmed it.
What is the latest TAG Heuer smartwatch?
The Connected Calibre E5, launched in October 2025. It runs TAG Heuer’s own operating system and carries Apple’s “Made for iPhone” certification.
Will my TAG Heuer Connected stop working?
Not because of this report. Existing watches keep working, but the length of software updates and repair support has not been stated.
How much did the Connected Calibre E5 cost?
Reports put standard versions at around $1,600 in the US, with the New Balance edition around $2,000. Figures vary between outlets.
Why would TAG Heuer quit smartwatches?
The company has not said. Industry watchers point to high prices, short product lifespans and competition from Apple and Garmin.
Final Verdict
The Bottom Line
If the La Lettre report is right, TAG Heuer’s eleven-year smartwatch experiment has quietly ended. Until the brand says so itself, treat it as likely but unconfirmed. Current owners should stay calm and get support promises in writing, and anyone tempted by a clearance deal should remember that a luxury watch only stays luxurious if someone keeps updating it.
Sources: La Lettre report as covered by Notebookcheck, Android Authority, Trusted Reviews and Gadgets & Wearables. Featured image: Pexels. Illustrative stock photo, not a TAG Heuer Connected.
About this article: GeekBlog covers U.S. technology news, AI, phones, smartwatches and gaming. Every story is written and checked under our Editorial Policy. Spotted a mistake or have a story tip? Contact our editors.
