Whether just playing catch up or pushing for innovation, Microsoft is working on a smartwatch with touch, The Wall Street Journal says. According to the report the software giant has contacted an unnamed number of Asian suppliers to deliver the components for the wearable device.
If the rumor from the WSJ is legit, the folks at Redmond are jumping in together with Google, Apple, and Samsung to reinvent the wristwatch, which has been replaced by the mobile phone for quite some time. Thus far Microsoft still doesn’t comment on the topic.
Although, it seems that the company will just be joining other companies trying to make money with a new device. This is not the first attempt from Microsoft building a smartwatch. In 2004 there was a device named SPOT (Smart Personal Object Technology), a watch able to receive information from MSN (stock, weather, headlines, etc.) via FM signals. It was a big watch that costed around $330 in addition to the monthly or yearly subscription service; however, Microsoft killed SPOT in 2008.
There still not enough information to how exactly Microsoft plans to tackle the smartwatch, but what is certain is that the company is really taking its chances on building its own devices. Of course the company had its ups and downs with devices like the very successful Xbox or the now forgotten Zune player, or even with the Surface that has yet to convince many, it is a worthy piece of hardware. But at the end of the day the game can be for any company. Also it will be interesting to see if the upcoming Microsoft’s smartwatch will use Windows 8, Windows Embedded 8, or even Windows RT as its OS, or something totally new.
The news comes right after new reports show that the PC industry is down 13.9%, and after days of the rumor of a 7-inch Surface tablet that Microsoft is planning for later this year.
Source The Wall Street Journal via The Verge
Mauro Huculak is a Windows How-To Expert who started Pureinfotech in 2010 as an independent online publication. He has also been a Windows Central contributor for nearly a decade. Mauro has over 15 years of experience writing comprehensive guides and creating professional videos about Windows and software, including Android and Linux. Before becoming a technology writer, he was an IT administrator for seven years. In total, Mauro has over 21 years of combined experience in technology. Throughout his career, he achieved different professional certifications from Microsoft (MSCA), Cisco (CCNP), VMware (VCP), and CompTIA (A+ and Network+), and he has been recognized as a Microsoft MVP for many years. You can follow him on X (Twitter), YouTube, LinkedIn and About.me. Email him at [email protected].