Move over iWatch, Microsoft could also be planning on bringing its own smartwatch to the game with sources telling The Verge that the company’s Surface team is now prototyping a smartwatch of its very own.
Microsoft throwing its hat into the wearable tech wars is no surprise, after all it’s a war that’s been hotting up recently with all the major company’s vying for a place at the top of the podium.
Apple is currently rumoured to be working on the iWatch, Google has the Glass Project and Samsung is also rumoured to be prepping a smartwatch.
We here at What Mobile are going to dub Microsoft’s efforts the xWatch — mostly because it has a nice ring to it, but also because it’s rumoured that it started life as an Xbox accessory.
This isn’t the first time we’ve heard about Microsoft’s plans for an xWatch, the Wall Street Journal reported in April that the company was looking to source 1.5-inch panels — and what else could Microsoft be planning that needs a screen that small?
According to The Verge, Microsoft has been working on its smartwatch for over a year and the current prototypes use an expensive translucent aluminium called “Oxynitride Aluminium” — which is said to be three times harder than glass.
Microsoft has a history of using high-end metals in its products, after all the Surface team uses a magnesium composite in both its RT and Pro tablets, so it’s not hard to believe that this is the material planned for a Microsoft smartwatch.
Amongtech has also revealed some details about the rumoured watch, with claims that it will feature 6GB of internal storage, LTE connectivity and what is understood to be a modified version of Windows 8.
Notification support and music controls are all set to be a key feature of the xWatch — but that’s all we know for now, with the company not saying anything about its plans.
