Microsoft’s much awaited wristwatch has had a lot hype recently with several rumours suggesting a launch this fall and the latest bullet point in the list is from Paul Thurrott, historically a reliable source, claiming it to be a smartband rather than a smartwatch.
WinSuperSite reports, citing Microsoft insiders, that the upcoming wearable will be more like a fitness band, similar to Fitbit and Samsung’s Gear Fit that will also display smartphone-based notifications.
According to Paul Thurrott, the company is preparing on a smartband that works with all the platforms – Windows Phone, Android and iOS and will feature a range of fitness sensors for tracking heart rate and calories burned. The wearable will reportedly integrate with smartphone apps like Bing Health & Fitness and Healthvault and other third-part apps also.
This falls in line with the earlier rumours suggesting fitness sensors and support for Android and iOS. Previous reports also point to a Microsoft patent applications recently published that discuss wearable interface concepts with focus on health and fitness tracking. One of the patents also hints at a vertical charging dock for the wearable.
Thurrott’s report also backs the details revealed by Tom’s Hardware last week, citing unnamed company sources, that confirmed one of the important features – cross-platform compatibility of the smartwatch. The report also noted the design profile of Microsoft’s upcoming wearable to be similar to a flatter version of the Nike FuelBand.
The report claims a launch in the fourth quarter of 2014, and the wearable will likely ship with a price tag same as Samsung Gear. Thurrott noted that he hasn’t heard about the branding of the smartband, but “presumably Nokia/Lumia or Surface.”
However, there isn’t any official word from Microsoft related to the wristband in the works as of now.
