When Google unveiled its new Android Wear platform for wearable devices last week, it also announced that a number of hardware partners would be using the new platform for future smartwatches. Among them were ASUS, HTC, LG, Motorola and Samsung and noticeably absent was Sony Mobile which currently offers the SmartWatch 2. Ravi Nookala, President, Sony Mobile Communications (USA) confirmed to CNET that it will not adopt Android Wear for future devices and will instead continue to use its own SmartWatch platform. “We’ve already invested time and resources on this platform, and we will continue in that direction,” he explained during an interview.
Sony was among the first to unveil a smartwatch and a suite of wearables. It currently offers the SmartWatch 2 as well as the SmartBand activity tracker and its LifeLog app. Its own platform runs on Android but uses its own library of applications. Sony will continue to develop its own apps and plans to make LifeLog a common app across future devices as well.
Nookala also indicated that Sony was pleased with U.S. sales of the Sony Xperia Z1s. Sales are ahead of expecations and it is selling about 20 to 25 percent higher than the original Xperia Z did when it was launched. “The momentum is there,” he said. “We’re doing better than our forecast.” At the same time, he would not be drawn into discussions about the possibility of adding another carrier partner in the U.S. where only T-Mobile carries Xperia smartphones at this time.
Source : CNET