Google’s Project Jacquard is the company’s expansion into the clothing market. It consists of a touch-sensitive fabric technology implemented into our everyday wears.
Digital connectivity struck into the fashion world with this smart clothing through a partnership with Levi’s with the Smart Trucker Jacket, but now Google is planning to release a backpack in association with Yves Saint Laurent: The Cit-E smart backpack.
This luxurious backpack features a touch-sensitive control panel in its left strap to control your phone after connecting to the Jacquard app with four gestures: swipe up, swipe down, double-tap and covering the stripe up. Just like the jacket, this backpack is powered with a removable tag that contains the battery and internal hardware.
It is unknown what other functions it will feature but we know it is a product primarily meant for cyclists who couldn’t access their phones on the go, for having control on their music, listening to incoming messages, request Google navigation pings for directions, light notifications among other useful features, similar to the Levi’s jacket. It is also useful for those people who don’t want to take their phones out on the streets or in the subway.
The bag itself has a nice simple look, along the lines of Yves Saint Laurent. It is black, its exterior is made of nylon, with canvas lining on the inside, along with a few internal pockets, one of them is meant for the phone and another for a laptop or tablet.
Google’s Advanced Technology & Projects (ATAP) @googleatap stated that the backpack will be sold exclusively through Rive Droite, an e-shop located in Paris and Los Angeles, though Yves Saint Laurent’s website has a pre-order button for a delivery date “no later than” October 15th, 2019.
The pricing is unknown, but due to being Yves Saint Laurent, we should expect something around $800. Project Jacquard is teaming up with already expensive brands, unfortunately for those wanting to get this backpack.