Microsoft is reportedly gearing up to launch a fitness-focused smartwatch within weeks, boasting cross-platform functionality that will allow it to be compatible with iOS and Android devices.
With the wearable device industry on the rise, smartwatches have gained solid ground and more companies are expected to release their own wearables. Microsoft has been long rumored to be working on a smartwatch, and more details have now surfaced in this regards.
According to a new report from Forbes, Microsoft is preparing to launch its first smartwatch within weeks, just in time for the lucrative holiday shopping season. The publication offers no exact launch date for this purported fitness-focused smartwatch, but claims that Microsoft plans to have it in stores in time for Christmas. If this turns out to be accurate, Microsoft would beat Apple to the punch and have its smartwatch on sale before the Apple Watch hits retail.
Moreover, Forbes claims to have learned from sources that this upcoming Microsoft smartwatch will boast an impressive battery life, offering a better performance in this department than the Moto 360 and Samsung Gear 2.
"Microsoft is gearing up to launch a wearable device within the next few weeks, Forbes has learned. The gadget is a smart watch that will passively track a wearer's heart rate and work across different mobile platforms. It will also boast a battery life of more than two days of regular use, sources close to the project say," reveals Forbes.
"That could put it ahead of Samsung's Galaxy Gear smart watch and Moto 360 which both need to be charged around once a day. The wearable will hit stores soon after launch in a bid to capture the lucrative holiday shopping season, a timeline Apple was reportedly targeting before it delayed its own Watch to early 2015."
"With a battery that lasts more than two days, Microsoft could get a leg up on big-name competitors who have entered the wearables space. Battery life is frequently cited as one of most important factors that consumers consider when buying a smartphone, yet the topic was conspicuously glossed over at Apple's Watch announcement last month. Apple CEO Tim Cook has since revealed the gadget will have to be charged every night, just like the Gear and Moto 360."
Moreover, the Microsoft smartwatch will also have an edge over rivals due to its cross-platform compatibility, allowing users to pair it with devices on other operating systems including iOS, Android, and Windows Phone. Forbes further claims that Microsoft's gadget will be the first wearable to boast an always-on heart rate sensor, which would make use of the company's Kinect technology.
Previous reports, meanwhile, suggested that Microsoft's wearable device will look very similar to the Samsung Gear Fit, and sport a full-color touchscreen on the inside of the wearer's wrist in order to make it easier and more private to check notifications.
Keep in mind, however, that everything is still in the rumor state at this point. As always in such cases, it is highly advisable to take all such reports with a grain of salt until Microsoft makes an official announcement.
