Google reportedly enters home stretch of smartwatch development, launch 'within months'
Android's benefactor has begun talks with Asian manufacturers to mass-produce a wrist-worn smart watch device "within months," according to a new report.
Steve Jobs and Google chairman Eric Schmidt during the iPhone's introduction at MacWorld in 2007
The smartwatch will be powered by Android and lean heavily on Google Now for functionality, according to a new report from the Wall Street Journal. Google's goal in releasing the watch, according to the paper, is to prove that the devices can be more than just oft-recharged novelties --?the company has "been working to reduce power consumption on the smartwatch so it won't require frequent battery charges."
Wearable devices are fast becoming the next key battleground for consumer electronics companies. New Microsoft acquisition Nokia has been rumored to have a smartwatch in the pipeline, and talk of an "iWatch" from Apple is said to have spurred Samsung's development and release of its beleaguered Galaxy Gear product.
Google, whose interests have grown beyond search into mobile phones, tablets, and home entertainment hardware, has been known to be pursuing wearable technology for years. Earlier in 2013, the company released their new Glass augmented reality headgear to developers and last year purchased smartwatch maker WIMM Labs.
Rumors of an Apple wearable device have steadily picked up steam over the last few months, with Cupertino now said to have a team of more than 100 employees on the project, including fashion and lifestyle imports like former Yves St Laurent CEO Paul Deneve and former Nike design director Ben Shaffer. A report emerged from South Korea earlier Tuesday that consumer electronics giant LG may be close to winning a contract to supply flexible OLED screens for a so-called "iWatch."
Steve Jobs and Google chairman Eric Schmidt during the iPhone's introduction at MacWorld in 2007
The smartwatch will be powered by Android and lean heavily on Google Now for functionality, according to a new report from the Wall Street Journal. Google's goal in releasing the watch, according to the paper, is to prove that the devices can be more than just oft-recharged novelties --?the company has "been working to reduce power consumption on the smartwatch so it won't require frequent battery charges."
Wearable devices are fast becoming the next key battleground for consumer electronics companies. New Microsoft acquisition Nokia has been rumored to have a smartwatch in the pipeline, and talk of an "iWatch" from Apple is said to have spurred Samsung's development and release of its beleaguered Galaxy Gear product.
Google, whose interests have grown beyond search into mobile phones, tablets, and home entertainment hardware, has been known to be pursuing wearable technology for years. Earlier in 2013, the company released their new Glass augmented reality headgear to developers and last year purchased smartwatch maker WIMM Labs.
Rumors of an Apple wearable device have steadily picked up steam over the last few months, with Cupertino now said to have a team of more than 100 employees on the project, including fashion and lifestyle imports like former Yves St Laurent CEO Paul Deneve and former Nike design director Ben Shaffer. A report emerged from South Korea earlier Tuesday that consumer electronics giant LG may be close to winning a contract to supply flexible OLED screens for a so-called "iWatch."
Comments
People who hate Apple will buy Spamdroid. People with Money, Brains or Apple ecosystem will buy iWatch!
Losers will buy Shamesung!
I'm not convinced it's even a viable market.
I've been saying this since the idea was floated that Apple was working on an "iWatch", but the naysayers told me I was crazy and it would be the next best thing since sliced bread. Funny though, they never could articulate why it might be life changing.
I rather prefer to believe it's Apple trolling the competition so they waste their R&D trying (and failing) to outsmart Apple.
To be honest, if Apple does come out with such a product, I'll be disappointed in the company. People may say I'm not a visionary, but neither is Mr. Cook.
I think Apple is just using the rumor mill to get the competition all fired up bringing ill conceived and rushed products to market. I, for one, do not believe Apple will ever release a watch.
No, there is no market for wearables, generally.
PS: Apples iWatch -- it's their new TV.
I surely do hope that Apple has zero plans in this market whatsoever. I surely do hope they’re just forcing Google and Samsung to make pieces of Schmidt in a pathetic attempt to create an “ecosystem”.
Why does anyone who buys a Google smart watch need Google Glass, then? Having both is superfluous. Great going, Google! You just completely destroyed the point of wearing your stupid headband!
iWatches use will be home automation control. Personally I'd hate to tug a remote or smartphone to control the temperature, lighting, securtiy system, TV, stereo, oven, ect. But with a watch it's much easier.
Outside of the home there isn't much use for a watch that a phone can't do. Thus Samdung Gear fails.
iWatch + iHome is the future.
Only a small population has the money to automate their homes, Ask AT&T, VZ and Comcast about this, they all offer products to do this for people who have the money. This is not the next great consumer product it is a niche market.
"Wearable devices are fast becoming the next key battleground for consumer electronics companies"
LMAO. The only people who believe this are the "All Things Digital" silicon valley posers who are so desperate to stay relevant with the "next big thing". Smartphone and tablets have quickly become commodity items like personal computers. That does not get many web hits. Only fan bois are desperate for gadgets like this that will end up in a box in their closet next year.
Here is what to expect from Google for wearable devices...
"No one uses an MP3 player."
"Smartphones are only for super nerds and ultra business types."
"Tablets have never worked."
"The motorcar is loud, there aren't enough places in which to obtain petrol and the roads are better suited for horses."
The list goes on and on throughout time. You're discounting the possibility because you can't see the bigger picture of wearable electronics. I'm quite happy with direction and plan to be enjoying my Fitbit Force soon.
Hi, first time poster, long time reader on this site. Enjoy the articles and the commentary.
So supposedly Google is going to be fielding two wearables? A watch device and Glass? Not sure either are going to be widely embraced by the public. I can see privacy and etiquette issues for Glass alone. As far as a watch or wrist device… I don't know. As Tim Cook said, that is a difficult thing when you have a whole generation (or two) that really don't use watches much.
I am really thinking that Apple is playing deception ops here big time. What better way to get the competition to look the wrong way and do the wrong thing? I think it is interesting that Apple has hired on some medical sensor developers. That would be a whole new potential market in itself, though highly regulated.
As an Apple customer I am looking forward to what Cupertino will be bring to the market in the future.
If there will ever be a wearable-technology market, it will never belong to Google or Microsoft. Wearables are fashion items, a company will have to come out with many unique colors and designs to satisfy the wide spectrum of adult and teen fashions. Not even Swatch nor Rolex can monopolize a watch market, and nor can Ray Ban or RL monopolize a glasses market. It would take a feature so brilliant so simple, that you wouldn't mind buying into one brand to wear it. Apple is the only tech company, that I can think of, that has the fashion sense and boldness to pull it off, but it'll also be Apple's largest product-line.
Get ready .... set .... 3...2...1
Here comes google watch with Ads to sell you Viagra online .... exactly when you want to know the damn time!
This may all be a huge smokescreen. Let the competition spend time and money to try and fail to make a smart watch because people without a clue have decided that a smart watch is the next big thing. I may be proven wrong, but personally, I don't feel that a smart watch is the next big thing at all.
Apple is probably developing some sort of wearable tech, but I highly doubt that it will resemble anything that Samsung or Google try.
As usual, Apple will show the market what the next big thing is, and how it should be done. Then their competition will copy them saying it was obvious. Sure, it's obvious -- once someone shows you how to do it.
Schmidt: (thinking) "Can Steve see that I've got my fingers crossed in my palm?"
Double-crossed a dying man. What an "evil" creep.