Come one, come all – step right up! Make your own smartwatch! Apple’s doing it, Samsung’s doing it, and so can you! Okay, maybe it isn’t quite that common, but it’s almost comical how many big companies are reportedly working on smartwatches. The latest company, Microsoft, knows a thing or two about being late to the party ... maybe it wants to make sure that doesn’t happen again.
The scoop comes from the Wall Street Journal, which says little birds in the supply chain point to Microsoft “working on designs for a touch enabled watch device.” The company is supposedly eyeing 1.5-inch screens for its wrist computer. The report continues:
- Earlier this year, Microsoft asked suppliers in Asia to ship components for a potential watch-style device, the executives said. One executive said he met with Microsoft's research and development team at the software company's Redmond, Wash., headquarters.
Assuming the report has solid information (the WSJ typically does) then this indicates Microsoft is considering a smartwatch. It could come to market, it could get killed beforehand, or the company could wait and see how rivals (like Apple's) do before pulling the trigger. Who knows.
A wearable revolution?
What is for sure is that big tech companies are eyeing wearable computing as the next big thing. And for good reason. Smartphones and tablets will still evolve, but it’s getting harder to come up with something new there. Smartwatches and smartglasses could give customers quicker, more immediate access to notifications and basic info. Who needs to yank a smartphone or phablet out of your pocket when you can flip your wrist or talk to your glasses? Or at least that’s how the thinking goes.
It will be interesting to see how customers respond to wearables. As a Gizmag reader, there’s a good chance you’re already curious (if not foaming at the mouth) about products like Google Glass. But will “regular" people respond to it? Or smartwatches for that matter? It will be interesting to see how this plays out.
Google Glass and Apple’s wrist computer are expected to ship towards the end of this year. No word yet on when Microsoft’s, Samsung’s, LG’s, or anyone else’s smartwatch will land. Can't wait? You can pre-order Pebble or order I'm watch right now.
Source: Wall Street Journal
