$350 Smart Jean Jacket By Levi’s And Google Is Now On Sale

Clothing company Levi’s and Google showed off a concept last year that involved a jean jacket that would allow wearers to take calls or interface with apps. Now, the so-called Project Jacquard is going on sale this Wednesday and it will cost $350. The jacket was largely marketed to commuters or bikers who needed more options in using their smartphones while on the move.

Officially known as Levi’s Commuter Trucker Jacket, the clothing item was apparently developed to use the Advanced Technology And Projects (ATAP) group by Google, which involves multi-touch sensors being weaved into clothing, TechCrunch reports. It’s basically what allows anyone wearing the jacket to do things like adjusting the volume of the smartphones or answer calls with a certain gesture.

The sensors are found on the jacket’s cuffs, which makes sense since it is where specific gestures are easiest to detect. The sensors are then connected to a tag via electronics that run the length of the sleeve. If there is an incoming call or notification, this tag would provide haptic feedback and light up to alert the users.

The jacket is apparently compatible with both iOS and Android devices, which is great news for customers. This will remove one of the bigger restrictions that might turn off a lot of potential customers from buying the jacket.

As for how it looks, publications like The Verge have pointed out that the jacket actually looks quite fashionable. This is even more good news because, as Levi’s pointed out during the announcement of the product, designer jackets can go up to $400. In comparison, $350 doesn’t sound too unreasonable, especially given the functionality that it comes with.

The two companies also explained why the jacket took so long to become available. Apparently, the answer has to do with the seasons, as people are more apt to buy jackets in the fall.