With Allerta’s Pebble Smartwatch breaking Kickstarter history and Samsung and Apple rumoured to be the midst of development, Google too is developing a Smartwatch
A person briefed on the project told the FT the watch is being developed within Google’s Android unit, instead of X Labs, Google’s secret facility for experimental development overseen by Sergey Brin birth place of Google Glass, Google Driverless car and Google Brain.
Although a Google spokesperson declined to comment on the rumour smartwatch to the FT Google filed a patent application for a ‘smartwatch with flip up display’ in 2011, which states: ‘A smart-watch can include a wristband, a base, and a flip up portion. The base can be coupled to the wristband and include a housing, a processor, a wireless transceiver, and a tactile user interface. The wireless transceiver can be configured to connect to a wireless network. The tactile user interface can be configured to provide interaction between a user and the smart-watch.’
Rumours of an Apple iWatch have been circulating for years, gathering steam with unconfirmed reports 100 designers are working on the project under Apple’s Senior Director of Engineering James Foster.
Samsung’s VP for Mobile Business Lee Young Hee confirmed the existence of a smartwatch product: “We are working very hard to get ready for it. We are preparing products for the future, and the watch is definitely one of them. ”
A wearable device with wireless connectivity that can communicate with a smartphone to receive notifications would be a logical step for Google, Apple and Samsung. Comparatively cheap to produce it would provide similar features and of course another channel to entice people onto an operating system.
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