Microsoft's smartwatch to be compatible with iOS and Android, may launch this summer

Posted:
in General Discussion edited June 2014
Over one year after word of a Microsoft-built smartwatch first surfaced, a report on Thursday says the Redmond, Wash. company's offering will be compatible not only with its own Windows Phone, but also Apple's iOS and Google's Android.

iWatch


Citing people familiar with the matter, Forbes reports Microsoft's smartwatch will be able to sync with iOS, Android and Windows Phone devices out of the box. The wearable is supposedly packed with sensors, including optical components designed by the company's Xbox Kinect team to constantly measure a user's heart rate at all times.

The sources went on to say Microsoft's watch is similar in appearance to Samsung's Gear Fit and will feature a touchscreen display positioned on the inside of the wrist for ease of viewing and privacy. Current smartwatch and fitness tracker wearables use everything from dot matrix to OLED displays, but most are placed on top of the wrist like a traditional watch.

Rumors of a Microsoft smartwatch go back to 2013 when the software giant was allegedly testing 1.5-inch displays to be used in the device. At the time, a number of divisions were supposedly working on the project, including the Xbox accessories and Surface tablet teams. One rumor even claimed the final product would be made of "translucent aluminum."

Sources said a rollout date has not yet been set, but noted Microsoft could have a product ready for consumers as early as this summer.

Microsoft previously attempted to market a smartwatch as part of the now defunct Smart Personal Object Technology (SPOT) platform that died in 2008. With SPOT, brand name watchmaker partners like Suunto, Fossil and Swatch incorporated Microsoft software into specially designed products. The program was based on a $59 per year subscription service that sent weather, traffic and other relevant data to SPOT devices over FM radio broadcasts.

Apple is also widely rumored to be working on a wearable of its own dubbed the "iWatch," though hard evidence that the device exists has yet to turn up. Most recently, a report from Rosenblatt Securities analyst Brian Blair said the future Apple device would feature a round display much like Motorola's upcoming Moto 360 watch.
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Comments

  • Reply 1 of 37
    jungmarkjungmark Posts: 6,927member
    But does it run Office?
  • Reply 2 of 37
    slurpyslurpy Posts: 5,389member

    Microsoft has failed with smartphones. 

    It has failed with tablets. 

    It was failed with Windows 8. 

    It has failed with its appstore. 

     

    I predict this will be a massive success. I mean, who WOULDN'T want to wear a Microsoft branded watch? Just screams style. 

  • Reply 3 of 37
    SpamSandwichSpamSandwich Posts: 33,407member
    It'll probably be better than the Samsung Gear, but it's still difficult to imagine myself going back to any kind of watch at this point.
  • Reply 4 of 37
    tallest skiltallest skil Posts: 43,388member
    Originally Posted by Slurpy View Post

    Just screams style. 


     

    Screams something.

     

    Ooh! The default alarm tone is this!

  • Reply 5 of 37
    SpamSandwichSpamSandwich Posts: 33,407member
    Screams something.

    Ooh! The default alarm tone is this!

    Maybe it'll be the Steve Ballmer Memorial Edition.
  • Reply 6 of 37
    mpantonempantone Posts: 2,222member
    Quote:
    Originally Posted by SpamSandwich View Post



    It'll probably be better than the Samsung Gear, but it's still difficult to imagine myself going back to any kind of watch at this point.

    In most cases these days, a watch is a piece of jewelry.

     

    That said, it's more of a indicator of a certain socio-economic class than ever before, much like shoes. 

     

    It is completely unsurprising that many commenters in tech forums such as AppleInsider have no interest in wearing wristwatches or decent shoes.

     

    That said, do what you want. 

     

    If you're not going to wear a watch, you're probably making my social life easier.

     

    :D

  • Reply 7 of 37
    dimmokdimmok Posts: 359member

    Who in their right mind would want a microsoft smart watch. DOA.

  • Reply 8 of 37
    hill60hill60 Posts: 6,992member
    Quote:

    Originally Posted by SpamSandwich View Post





    Maybe it'll be the Steve Ballmer Memorial Edition.

     

    Featuring Clippy the LA Clipper's new mascot.

  • Reply 9 of 37
    Microsoft has been at the smartwatch game on and off for like two decades. Twenty years ago, they sold this data watch with Timex:

    http://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Timex_Datalink

    It had a one-way optical wireless data link where you'd hold the watch to your CRT monitor and your PC would flash some lines on the screen and the watch would download your contact list, alarms, and calendar. That would seem quaint in the current era of BlueTooth and WiFi, but it was petty neat back in the Windows 3.1 era.
  • Reply 10 of 37
    andysolandysol Posts: 2,506member
    Where is the ballmer bought the clippers news? There will be some serious humor in that thread.
  • Reply 11 of 37
    calicali Posts: 3,494member
    stopped reading at "kinect".

    That thing is garbage.
  • Reply 12 of 37
    SpamSandwichSpamSandwich Posts: 33,407member
    andysol wrote: »
    Where is the ballmer bought the clippers news? There will be some serious humor in that thread.

    Apparently the early reports of him buying the Clippers were premature. There are still numerous complications.
  • Reply 13 of 37
    andysolandysol Posts: 2,506member
    Apparently the early reports of him buying the Clippers were premature. There are still numerous complications.

    I hope he gets the team. For the shear fact he'll have his own dedicated guywith the mop that wipes the sweat up off the floor during the games when a player falls.

    And can you imagine the reaction after a bad call?

    Please oh please oh please
  • Reply 14 of 37
    SpamSandwichSpamSandwich Posts: 33,407member
    andysol wrote: »
    I hope he gets the team. For the shear fact he'll have his own dedicated guywith the mop that wipes the sweat up off the floor during the games when a player falls.

    And can you imagine the reaction after a bad call?

    Please oh please oh please

    Actually, I hope he gets the team and does well. He was a weak leader at Microsoft, maybe owning this team is just what he needs.
  • Reply 15 of 37
    tallest skiltallest skil Posts: 43,388member
    I just want him to rename them the Developers.
  • Reply 16 of 37
    voanvoan Posts: 9member
    Microsoft can copy just as good as Samsuck.
  • Reply 17 of 37
    SpamSandwichSpamSandwich Posts: 33,407member
    I just want him to rename them the Developers.

    ????!!! That is the funniest thing I've heard all week!
  • Reply 18 of 37
    mpantonempantone Posts: 2,222member
    Quote:
    Originally Posted by Tallest Skil View Post



    I just want him to rename them the Developers.

    No, no. I want Ballmer to keep the team name the Clippers.

     

    However, I do want him to change the team mascot to "Clippy." That should strike fear into the hearts of their adversaries. (Or the opposing team players would be laughing so hard, they'd miss their free throws, commit a lot of "delay of game" penalties, fail to rebound.)

  • Reply 19 of 37
    tallest skiltallest skil Posts: 43,388member
    Originally Posted by mpantone View Post

    However, I do want him to change the team mascot to "Clippy."


     

    Ooh. Tempting.

     

    “It looks like you’re trying to shoot a layup. Would you like some help with that?”

  • Reply 20 of 37
    mpantonempantone Posts: 2,222member

    Exactly.

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