Microsoft is apparently readying up a touch enabled smartwatch, to join the line of companies preparing to explore eyewear and wearable technology. Already Samsung, Apple and Google have had rumours about new smartwatches being developed.
The odd thing is Microsoft just recently cancelled a “smartwatch” branch in their company, called SPOT (Smart Personal Object Technology), they designed the product in 2004, and kept it going until 2008, it was finally destroyed last year.
SPOT was capable of using FM radio signals to send instant messages, find news headlines, stock info and weather updates, as part of a paid subscription service.
The product was never really a big hit with anyone, and like many of Microsoft’s moves into the technology world, they are either two late or two early, or lack the real core design and user interface to be an incredible experience.
Now smartwatches are coming into fashion and we have seen from Pebble’s Kickstarter what is popular, Microsoft may reinvest their time into developing another smartwatch.
This time, we suspect it will be a quite common design, similar to Pebble but with a Surface design, to match the Windows 8 appeal. The smartwatch will be touch enabled and have all sorts of UI functionality.
We expect the UI to be some undercooked Windows 8 client, offering small application user experiences on a smartwatch. Last week we heard Apple were adding iOS to their iWatch, so perhaps Microsoft can add Windows 8 phone.
This comes just as other rumours are floating across the web about Microsoft adding a seven-inch cheaper Windows Surface tablet, despite the bad luck they had with Surface RT, which we suspect they will discontinue.
For now, this may just be the buzz of the smartwatch, spurred on by Pebble. We have yet to see anyone but Samsung come out and say they are developing a smartwatch.
