The smartwatch market will be a crowded one by the end of the year. Joining early entrants such as Pebble, Martian, Samsung and Sony are Acer, HTC, LG, Motorola and many others. Another major player is about to enter the fray. Rumours that Microsoft is working on a smartwatch are not new. Tom’s Hardware has landed new details and confirmed some older ones to shed light on what Microsoft is up to.
According to an unnamed but “trusted” source, Microsoft is doing a few things differently from most other players. For one, the Microsoft smartwatch will be cross-platform compatible, meaning that it could work with not only Windows Phone but also Android and iOS as well as other operating systems. Open APIs also promise to allow developers to add their own functionality to the watch. The interface is described as “slick” but there are no hints as to what makes it so.
Microsoft has opted for a slimmer form factor than we have seen with smartwatches such as the Samsung Gear line. The report suggests that it could look like a thinner and flatter Nike Fuelband. The display will be located on the inside of the wrist as opposed to the outside and says turning your palm up to look at the watch actually feels a lot more natural. Under the hood, the Microsoft smartwatch could pack up to 11 sensors. It appears that it would share more in common with a smartband than a smartwatch. Patent filings (shown above) describe it as an “electronic band,” also suggesting we may be looking at a souped-up fitness band.
The Microsoft smartwatch or smartband is reportedly coming in October. There are no hints on pricing yet.
Sources : Tom's Hardware // Google Patents