Tag: microsoft

Glass could be the next powerful mobile gaming platform

Google Glass may come to play a major role in gaming, especially that of the mobile variety. As one of the largest technology organizations in the world, Google has a strong position in the gaming field, largely because its Android mobile operating system is one of the most popular mobile gaming platforms. The company’s augmented reality glasses could soon change the way people experience their games and independent game developers are turning to Glass to revolutionize gaming.

Indie developers are beginning to turn to Glass for its augmented reality capabilities

Glass has not yet been officially released, but a relatively small number of developers and tech industry professionals have advance models of the device. Glass is already capable of taking pictures, capturing video, and engaging in various forms of social media, but a growing number of indie game developers and crafting mobile games specifically for the platform. Because of the device’s augmented reality capabilities, it is quite popular among developers that are interested in producing highly interactive games.

Developers could use AR to create more interactive games

The majority of applications currently available on Google Glass are designed with social media and content creation in mind. Developers are beginning to bring ambitious mobile games to the platform, however. Games like Mind Pirate have recently found their way to Glass, aiming to provide an innovative gaming experience for Glass users. Some of these games focus on the augmented reality capabilities of the platform, leveraging this technology to turn the real world into a gaming environment.

Mobile gaming is becoming a priority for some large development studios and publishers

Mobile gaming has become a very powerful force in the overarching game industry. The field is primarily composed of small developers that are independent of publishers, but large game studios are beginning to enter into the mobile space. As large development studios begin to take mobile gaming seriously, they too may see the promise in augmented reality technology and Glass. Companies like Sony and Microsoft are already taking steps to develop their own AR headsets in order to capture the wonderment of interactive gaming.

The company has now filed for a patent for this type of wearable technology device.

It looks as though Microsoft is looking into becoming another player in the smartwatches game, as the U.S. Patent Office has now publically released an application that was made by the software giant for a design that could place the company in competition against Samsung, Google, and potentially Apple (whenever it makes its own entry into the market).

This application was just released last week, though it was initially filed back in October 2012.

The Microsoft application details various plans for a type of wristwatch that could be used as a music player, a fitness tracker, a messaging device, and to make phone calls. The face for these smartwatches would be able to detach from their bands in order to connect it to a charger. If the company is, indeed, pursuing wearable technology (and this patent application would suggest that it is), the Microsoft will be joining the companies that are making a rather late entry into the market, as Apple is doing.

Other smartwatches have not only been on the market for a while, but they have had multiple generations.

The Galaxy Gear wearable technology, and the Pebble, are good examples of devices that have now had the opportunity to start to build a customer base, to market themselves, and to release more than one version of the device as a better understanding of the use and the tech is created. Another large participant in this market will be Google, when the Moto 360 is released in the United States, this summer. Rumors of Apple’s wearables have been circulating for ages, but as is the tradition from that company, nothing official has been heard about a specific device.

There is also existing competition outside of the giants in the industry, as many startups have been creating their own devices that have started to become popular. Pebble may have only been a startup, but it is still grouped among the serious players as it managed to sell 400,000 of its devices in 2013.

The patent doesn’t make it clear exactly what Microsoft’s smartwatches will be or even if they will be released to the public. As of the time of the writing of this article, the company had yet to release a statement on the matter.