Former Xbox & Kinect teams allegedly working on Microsoft smart watch

Posted:
in Future Apple Hardware edited January 2014
Microsoft's anticipated wrist-worn accessory originally began as a health rate monitor, but is now a full-fledged smart watch under development, according to a new report.

The project is being worked on by Microsoft employees who were formerly members of the company's Xbox and Kinect teams, according to The Verge. The device is said to be in the prototype phase, with a 1.5-inch touch display attached to removable bands, as was reported earlier this week.

Wearable Device


Rumors of smart watches and other wearable technology have been heating up in recent weeks, as industry insiders claim such devices will be the next big thing in tech. Apple is also said to have a 100-person team working on its own smart watch, a rumored product frequently referred to as a so-called "iWatch."

Any potential wearable devices from Apple, Microsoft or others would compete with Google Glass, a smart headset accessory in development by the search company. Unlike rumored products from other companies, Google has been very public in its development of Glass, and recently began providing the first test units to developers and others.

One report from earlier this month alleged that Microsoft is also working on a headset accessory similar to Google Glass. It's been suggested that Microsoft's wearable technology push could be unveiled to the public as soon as early 2014.

Also potentially in the mix is Samsung, which is reportedly working on its own smart watch accessory. Samsung has already tried and failed to grow the niche market with two products released over the years, neither of which made much of an impact.

Still more reports have claimed that Google is working on its own smart watch in addition to Glass, while LG is said to be developing its own wrist-worn accessory. Interest in smart watches picked up last year when a Kickstarter campaign for the Pebble watch earned more than $10 million. That product began shipping to the first backers this year.

Comments

  • Reply 1 of 14
    tallest skiltallest skil Posts: 43,388member


    Of course they are. 




    It'll be called the XBwaoxtch and half the instruction manual will be on how to pronounce the name.


     


    Oh, and keeping in line with the first Xbox, it'll cover your entire forearm.

  • Reply 2 of 14
    jkichlinejkichline Posts: 1,369member
    Do these people not have an ounce of original creativity?
  • Reply 3 of 14
    MarvinMarvin Posts: 15,309moderator
    industry insiders claim such devices will be the next big thing in tech.

    Assuming these people are insiders, is it too far fetched to expect them to offer more than to say 'everyone is making a watch'? There's no photos, no supply records, no specifications, no watch parts, no indication that a $200-300 guess price is in any way realistic for a digital watch, no realistic sales projections. Is this to somehow distract people from the television rumour that hasn't come about after at least 4 years?

    Why the hell would the XBox team at Microsoft be making a watch? Their business team would have a reason so you could get notifications and emails on the watch but what possible use do gamers have for a watch? The rumours wouldn't be so bad if they were at least in some way plausible.

    edit: I notice it says 'former XBox team' but that's another thing, there's another XBox coming out so when did they become 'former'?
  • Reply 4 of 14


    And then people will struggle to see the time coz the start screen sucks /s

  • Reply 5 of 14
    joshajosha Posts: 901member


    Doesn't it take  smart company to build  smart watch? image


     


    AppleInsider you're increasingly letting us down.


    You've taken to publishing general stock market industry crap talk, definitely not Apple Inside REAL info.


    I can read such dribble at Yahoo.


     


    All the negative to Apple rumors you've been publishing are stock market insiders trying to set themselves up for short term profit on Apple.


    Nothing to do with Apple's actual activities.


     


    Get back on track with REAL Apple Inside news or I'll cancel my subscription!    image

  • Reply 6 of 14
    tallest skiltallest skil Posts: 43,388member


    Originally Posted by spacerays View Post

    And then people will struggle to see the time coz the start screen sucks /s




    HA! The watch runs Metro, but there's only enough room on it for ONE tile, and that's the desktop tile. You have to touch that to see your full Windows Phone 8 desktop, which is too small to see or manipulate anything, given that the watch's screen is 2x2. image

  • Reply 7 of 14


    Seriously doubt Microsoft are actually going to release the watch. Totally believe there working on one, a few years ago they created a version of the .net framework that was small enough to fit on a watch.


     


    But Microsoft work on a huge amount of stuff with no plans to ever release it. e.g. They recently took the title for producing the highest pixel density tv. Still no plans to sell TV's though.

  • Reply 8 of 14
    The media is running the Stock Market. Apple has nothing to say, so they pull a few items from rumor sites and make them facts. Boom, down goes Apple. The hysterically funny part of this is with the RUMORED iWatch and iTV, Samsung (another way of spelling Crooks), Microsoft and everyone you can think of in Tech is announcing these same products all of a sudden.
  • Reply 9 of 14
    maccherrymaccherry Posts: 924member


    You're right. They are all over this so-called smart watch thing.


    And if Apple drops their smart watch the rest will follow. The we'll have the so-called smart watch showdown.


    You fill in the narrative on that one. Oy vey!

  • Reply 10 of 14
    paul94544paul94544 Posts: 1,027member
    In others news:

    The New Windows 8.1 OS to replace the disaster called Windows 8/RT is code named "BLUE".

    The reason for "BLUE" is because not only will the START button be re-introduced due to user fondness, so will the famous "BLUE" screen of death feature be brought back after mass riots for it's re-introdiction at Redmond a favorite feature of Windows.

    Other great titles:
    Windows RT (Retread)
    Windows Vista (Viruses, Intruders, Spyware, Trojans, Adware)
    Windows XP (Extra Problems)
    Windows NT (Nice try)
    Windows 4
    Windpws ME (More Excrement)
    Windows 98
    Windows 95
    Windows 3
    Windows 1
  • Reply 11 of 14

    Quote:

    Originally Posted by Tallest Skil View Post




    HA! The watch runs Metro, but there's only enough room on it for ONE tile, and that's the desktop tile. You have to touch that to see your full Windows Phone 8 desktop, which is too small to see or manipulate anything, given that the watch's screen is 2x2. image



    Well it won't run WindowsRT 8 since that OS was a total stinker, so I'm sure the watch will run the full versions of Windows 8 along with the required 128 GB of needed RAM. You won't be able to do anything useful on the watch without clicking on a full-sized keyboard and display. This won't be enough of a problem to keep you from break dancing and jumping off of tables in slo-mo in bitter disappointment.

  • Reply 12 of 14
    stelligentstelligent Posts: 2,680member
    Of course they are. 


    It'll be called the XBwaoxtch and half the instruction manual will be on how to pronounce the name.

    Oh, and keeping in line with the first Xbox, it'll cover your entire forearm.
    So you're like me - we wear our Xbox on our sleeve.
  • Reply 13 of 14
    stelligentstelligent Posts: 2,680member
    This is not Microsoft's first go at a smart watch. Have ye all forgotten SPOT?
  • Reply 14 of 14


    Honestly these are Microsoft's two most talented teams. If anyone at Microsoft was to develop this, this would be the team to do it. Say what you will about Microsoft but they have a lot of great talent. 

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