Jefferson Graham

USA TODAY

LOS ANGELES — For those times when a swipe of the smartphone or smartwatch won't cut it, Google and Levi's want you to consider the "smart" denim jacket.

Initially announced in 2015, Google and Levi's is showing off the new "smart" jacket, a new denim jacket with special material that will enable you to control the music on your smartphone or hear direction details at the South by Southwest festival in Austin, Texas.

The jacket, a joint venture, will sell for $350, is aimed at cycling commuters and will be available for purchase in the fall.

But before you rush out and put in your pre-order, take a deep breath. Google's new jacket is a step forward technologically, but according to our reporter on the scene, Marco della Cava, it might not be any more useful than the phone or smartwatch you already have. Della Cava tried on the jacket at the SXSW interactive festival in Austin, Texas.

Basically a handful of gestures can be pre-programmed to announce, via your earbuds, for instance, your time or arrival to a destination.

"It feels like the iPhone when it first came out with just 3 apps," says della Cava. "If you're a hardcore commuter, I could see interacting with your clothes. But if you can access your watch or phone, it will give you a lot more information."

The jacket is from Project Jacquard, part of Google's Advanced Technology and Projects division. The idea is to "weave touch and gesture interactivity into any textile ... using standard industrial looms," according to the Project Jacquard website.

"Using conductive yarns, bespoke touch and gesture-sensitive areas can be woven at precise locations, anywhere on the textile," says Google. "Alternatively, sensor grids can be woven throughout the textile, creating large, interactive surfaces."

The jacket was shown off at a SXSW panel. Ars Technica attended the session and described the jacket as a "dark, dark denim piece of clothing that contains a seamless practically invisible fabric touch interface on the left wrist." That in turn allows the owner to communicate with the smartphone.

Google says the interactive area on the jacket is on the left sleeve cuff. "You can brush or tap on the cuff to trigger abilities to do things like play your music, or get your ETA to a place."

Digital connectivity is provided through a USB tag that attaches to the cuff.

"When the jacket detects your gesture, the tag sends a signal wirelessly to your phone," says Google.

Google hopes to get developers enticed with the possibilities, and see the technology used for other clothing and furniture.

Follow USA TODAY's Jefferson Graham on Twitter, @jeffersongraham and subscribe to the daily #TalkingTech podcast on iTunes and Stitcher.