Microsoft smart watch in the works

Competition looms for Apple Inc. in its efforts to create a smart wristwatch, with software giant Microsoft Corp. among the potential players.

 

A report on The Wall Street Journal cited suppliers who said Microsoft is considering designs for a touch-enabled watch device.

 

"We see growing demand for wearable gadgets as the size of the smartphone has become too big to carry around. A smart watch that is compatible with a smartphone and other electronics devices would be attractive to consumers," said RBS analyst Wanli Wang.

 

WSJ added research firm Gartner expects the market for wearable smart electronics to be a $10 billion industry by 2016.

 

It also said this was not the first time Microsoft has shown interest in wearable gadgets - 10 years ago, it unveiled a "Smart Watch" powered by its software, where subscribers could get news headlines, sports scores and instant messages beamed over FM radio.

 

However, it did not quite catch on, and sales stopped in 2008.

 

WSJ said some investors and big technology firms see a boom in wearable, computerized devices based on miniaturization of electronics that allow tiny devices to detect body temperature, geographic location and voice commands.

 

Startup Pebble Technology Corp. is selling a watch that syncs wirelessly with smartphones. The device also vibrates to indicate incoming phone calls, Twitter posts and emails.

 

Meanwhile, Google Inc. is testing an eyeglass-style device with a built-in camera that can display various information.

 

Watch-style device

 

An executive was quoted in the WSJ report as saying Microsoft has requested 1.5-inch displays from component makers for its possible prototype smart watch.

 

It added Microsoft asked suppliers in Asia earlier this year to ship components for a potential watch-style device.

 

WSJ quoted one executive as saying he met with Microsoft's research and development team at Microsoft's headquarters in Redmond.

 

However, it was not immediately clear if Microsoft will opt to move ahead with the watch, they said. — TJD, GMA News