2013 appears to be the year of the smart watch, with Google reportedly working on their own Android powered Google smartwatch. The news comes on the background of a much-rumored Apple iWatch and a more recent admission by Samsung execs that they too are working on a Samsung smartwatch.
Google Smartwatch in the Works
The Financial Times have today reported that Google are currently hard at work on developing a smartwatch which will run a version of the Android operating system. While Google have garnered a lot of attention for their foray into wearable technology with Google Glass, the widespread appeal of such a device has always been questioned by industry analysts.
While Glass is being created in its X Lab, home to experimental “moonshot” projects such as the self-driving car, Google’s smart watch is being developed by its Android unit, according to a person briefed on the project, to act as an extension to the smartphones using that operating system. The project is separate from Samsung’s efforts, the source said, although there is no indication of when it might launch.
The report also makes mention of the fact that Google filed a patent for a “smart watch” back in 2011. This would seem to indicate that a Google smartwatch product that been in development for a couple of years and isn’t just a timely jump on the 2013 smartwatch bandwagon. The Google patent application featured a dual-screen display and interactive UI.
There’s no word yet on when the Apple iWatch will launch, but the company is rumored to have a 100-strong team working on the project in Cupertino. The Apple smartwatch is also said to be running a “full version” of iOS.
Are you excited by the news of a Google Smartwatch in development? What do you think of the growing trend towards smartwatches this year? Let us know your thoughts in the comments.