Tag: microsoft smartwatch

New Microsoft patents have strengthened wearable technology rumors.

Rumors about Microsoft’s smartwatch have faded into the background, particularly with the latest reports regarding Google Android Wear and the many rumors surfacing about Apple’s iWatch, however, two recently published patents hint that Microsoft is still on target to release its own range of wearable devices and a source close to the plans said that this could happen as earlier as October of this year.

Two patents show wrist-worn devices that connect with a smartphone.

Apparently, this same source also mentioned that the watch’s display may be on the inside of the wrist, which would allow the screen to be seen by the wearer when they turn their wrist upwards. Some believe this would make using the smartwatch more “natural” compared to other similar gadgets currently on the market.

Another rumor is that the gadget would not be as bulky as Motorola’s Moto 360 or Samsung’s smartwatches. Instead, the wearable tech from Microsoft is anticipated to be thinner and sleeker in its design, similar to a fitness band like the Nike+Fuelband.

The latest two patents published were initially filed in December 2012. Both patents displayed wrist-worn gadgets that link with a smartphone or other smart device. The wearables are equipped with GPS units, accelerometers and heart rate monitors.

While this technology is nothing original compared to what is currently available on the market, Microsoft’s patents existed before devices presently on the market. Thus, it is possible that patent infringements may result.

Microsoft’s smartwatch is rumored to be a cross platform.

Another rumor is that the smart watch may be a cross platform, which means that it could be used with any operating system or phone. This would make it the first smartwatch to be able to sync with Windows, iOS and Android phones. Currently, Samsung’s watches only connect with its own phones. Likewise, it is anticipated that if a watch is released by Apple, it is likely to only work with its handsets and other propriety devices.

The smartwatch from Microsoft has also been rumored to have 11 sensors inside it that include, among other features, a microphone, GPS and accelerometer.

Although the wearable technology hasn’t been confirmed by the tech giant, it could be a meaningful play.

If rumors are correct, then Microsoft will be the next giant to enter into the smartwatch marketplace, with the Surface Watch to be released at some point, likely this year.

The technology news to watch will be the importance of this play in the overall market.

At the moment, there are already a large number of smartwatch devices that have made their way into the market, and there is more than a handful ready to launch before the end of the summer. This can make it very challenging for any single device to stand out and for later additions to carve their way into an already crowded ecosystem. That said, among this considerable crowd of devices, it seems to have been missed that there are very few apps for wearables, which makes it difficult to build a solid appeal for mainstream customers.

Without the apps, it is challenging to show consumers that a smartwatch is worth the added expense.

A recent BI Intelligence report suggested that the entire wearables app ecosystem is experiencing some significant fragmentation. The cause of this problem is that every new device that is added to the marketplace runs on a platform that is shared by very few others. As of yet, there is little standard in the experience provided by smart gadgets.

Without a dominant operating system or two, or three, it makes it difficult for mobile app developers to come up with a pool of applications that is sizeable enough to make it worthwhile for the average consumer to drop a few hundred dollars on a device that is essentially a nifty accessory to go with his or her smartphone and/or tablet.

That said, BI Intelligence pointed out that Microsoft may be able to stand out from among much of its competition by providing a smartwatch that is not limited in that way. Instead, it could provide cross-platform functionality so that it would function with both Android and iOS platforms as well as with the Xbox One and with desktop PCs.