dgstorm
Editor in Chief
Just like everyone else, Microsoft is also interested in smartwatches, recent patent discoveries have revealed, with a Forbes report saying that the company’s first such device will be iOS- and Android-friendly. While it’s not clear when the device would be launched, it appears that GearLive got its hands on a smartwatch prototype from a Microsoft tester.
According to the publication, the smartwatch has an elongated form factor, but isn’t “comically large” like the concept in the image above. “It is much more akin to something like the Fitbit One or Samsung Gear Fit in shape rather than taking on the shape of a traditional watch, like the Pebble did, or like what Google showed off with Android Wear,” the publication wrote.
“What we saw had a flat display, while the inner portion that would rest against your skin was curved.”
The unnamed Microsoft smartwatch – which GearLive refers to as the “Surface watch” – apparently has a Metro-like interface, with the same flat icons that are seen on devices running Windows 8, Windows Phone, and the watch connects to other smart devices via Bluetooth LE. The prototype unit did not have a high-resolution display.
The device is compatible with both iOS and Android, but also with other platforms including Windows, OS X and Xbox One.
Continue Reading @: Microsoft Surface watch specs and features | BGR
