When Away launched the Carry On suitcase in 2016, it created the must-have travel accessory. It went viral for its sleek, simple polycarbonate design (plus a dash of smart social marketing). Its pioneering ejectable portable battery earned it the “smart luggage” moniker, and other bag makers quickly copied the concept.
\n\nA decade later, Away is launching the Series 3—its third generation. The battery is gone, but the features that attracted and retained a loyal following remain, with a heavy focus on invisible tech.
\n\n“We didn’t like to be called ‘smart luggage’,” Sarah Amidi, Away’s senior vice president of Brand, tells WIRED at the company’s design studio in New York City’s SoHo district. When the first Carry On was conceived, charging solutions weren’t as ubiquitous as they are today, Amidi says, which created a unique travel pain point for Away to tackle. It may have seemed gimmicky, but a quickly accessible USB port to charge a phone made sense. The ejectable design was forward-thinking, given evolving regulations around traveling with batteries.
\n\nAway's new Series 3 luggage and Signature Bags collection of travel bags.
\n\nWhile the battery hasn’t been available in Away luggage since 2023, Amidi says tech isn’t entirely gone; the…
Original source: https://www.wired.com/