Summarising recent activity on the (paywall) /r/WatchInvestorsSavant board:
Starting with some more from Swatch Group…
Swatch: Intend to be the major change agent in driving the re-imagining of communication from soul-less electronic devices to aspirational mechanical movements. Expect a full range of brands at various tiers, covering the “fun” market with multi-coloured BioCeramic cases sold in airports to serious high-end offerings which will be Boutique only.
Omega: Expected to launch with a model recreating the exact typeface used to print the Mercury and Apollo name cards. Current status is that they are ready to launch, just as soon as they have engineered the commemorative box down to less than the size of a suitcase.
Blancpain: Promising to never have (and never will) make an electric typewriter.
Casio: Testing a rugged model with very serious shock protection, suitable for writing important missives under the harshest conditions.
Patek Philippe: Controversially perhaps, sticking with traditional basket-shift. Not the most modern approach but historical provenance is most important to their market demographic. Conservative maybe, but you never really own one, after all.
Seiko: After experimenting for 20 years with their innovative kinetic platen, are now expected to revert to their tried and tested Magic Carriage Return Lever mechanism. Predicted to be reliable with little need for servicing, though not the best text alignment.
Grand Seiko: Exclusive home to the higher-end models featuring an innovative dual-impulse typebar. Extensive use of hand-polishing by experts who have been secretly training for the last 15 years at the revered Typo Artists Studio.
Rolex: The big one, working on a range of sport/professional models all expected to feature TripLock bail rollers and offer 200 WPM minimum. Keys will have white gold surrounds and ceramic inlaid caps. Every single model will take a year to make and be certified by the Contrôle Officiel de Clavier Keycáp, making them the only typewriters to be C.O.C.K certified.
Some debate is ongoing over whether 200WPM is excessive, most recreational typists seldom venturing beyond 30WPM. However, the added security of the higher rating is generally agreed to reassuring for a GATA device.
My advice remains to seek out older unmolested examples,
ideally with original spools, for the most chance of future appreciation. Not sure how long it will before the mass market pile in, especially as some 'slebs have
broken cover already, but this is the Bitcoin in 2012 moment.
Fortune favours the bold types.