Following the full unveiling of Android Wear and two wearables carrying the OS, the LG G Watch and Samsung Gear Live, it seems that a host of other manufacturers are also rushing to get their respective smartwatches in stores before the Christmas shopping season.
Apple, Asus and Acer all have their own devices on the way, and now you can also add Microsoft to that list as a new report reveals that the company aims to have its watch on shelves as early as October.
Alongside Apple (whose iWatch has all but been confirmed on the online rumour mill), Microsoft will be late to the party – big name manufacturers such as Sony and Samsung have had wearables on the market for a while now. Additionally, the Android Wear smartwatch that everyone is waiting for – the Moto 360 – should also be out beforehand, as Google appeased attendees that hoped to get their hands on the wearable at its I/O conference by announcing that it will be released later this summer.
Microsoft does have an ace up its sleeve with its new smartwatch, however, in the form of its cross-platform functionality. Consequently, it will be compatible with iOS, Android and Windows Phone (and presumably Windows PCs and Macs).
This is definitely a unique feature as Android Wear devices work exclusively with their smartphone OS counterpart, the same goes for Samsung’s Gear range of wearables.
Other details mentioned in the report state that the Microsoft smartwatch will be thinner than the LG G Watch and Samsung Gear Live. Apparently, it will look like a thinner flatter version of the Nike Fuelband fitness tracker.
Keeping in trend with the wearable sector’s obsession with health tracking, the device will feature a built-in heart rate monitor.
Further separating it from its rivals will be its unique design. As previously revealed, its display will be on the inside of the wrist in order to make it feel more natural.
Finally, like the iWatch, it will come with a vast array of sensors under the hood – 11 in total.
We’re still waiting on confirmation regarding the device’s OS. Smartwatches are a mixed bag when it comes to OS – the Gear 2’s Tizen-based system is particularly lacking, whereas Android Wear looks to have a lot of potential.
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