April 5, 2013
Android unit reportedly working on
rival to iWatch and Samsung's effort Google's Android unit is working
on a smart watch, according to the Financial Times. With rumours floating
around for what seems like years that Apple is working on a smart
watch. Samsung too recently confirmed that it too is developing such
a product. So it's not really that surprising that Google is looking into the
area, if the FT's sources are correct. The report says that Google is
considering lining the technology up with its upcoming Google Glass device, but
that it is being targeted as a more everyday type device.
According to the FT: "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 paper continued.
Analysts recently said that smart
watches will result in a wearable technology boom. As many as 485 million such
devices could be sold by between now and 2018.
Reports have suggested that Apple is
aiming to launched what has been dubbed by the press the 'iWatch' before
the end of the year. However, some analysts have suggested it could be up
to three years before the technology to support such a device is
commercially viable.
Earlier this year, images leaked of
what is purported to be Samsung's smart watch user interface. Only this
week, Samsung vice president Lee Young Hee confirmed to Bloomberg
that the company is working on a smart watch, but that it may take sometime
before it is ready to be launched.
Samsung has confirmed that the
company is working on a smart watch.
Speaking with Bloomberg, Samsung vice
president Lee Young Hee admitted that the company is working on a smart watch.
"We are preparing products for the future, and the watch is definitely one
of them."
Hee refused to elaborate on when the
company was planning to launch the product, stating only that Samsung had to
take it from being a concept and commercialise it so that customers could use
it meaningfully.
Samsung does have a history of
producing watch/phone combinations, such as the S9110, which was launched in
2009.
However it is likely the company will
want to add in many health monitoring features, such as those in the recently
announced S4, to ensure Apple's iWatch doesn't surpass it functionally.
