The latest update on Microsoft’s upcoming Smartband suggest that not only will the device display messages from the mobile device it’s paired with, but also that it will work with iOS, Android and Windows Phone.
To call Microsoft’s entry to the wearable tech party ‘news’ isn’t entirely accurate…various sources have been banging on about the subject for years. However, it’s only as of late that the leaks and rumors have taken a decidedly more believable slant, with the latest example having spilled the beans on a pretty crucial feature for the unannounced Smartband.
We’ve come to know/expect that the Microsoft Smartband will have a broad target market as it is being designed to work with Android, iOS and Windows Phone alike. What’s more, it’s recently been suggested that the device also display messages and notifications, which will be displayed on the inside of the wrist for better privacy.
Sources claiming familiarity with the project told Tom’s Hardware that the first wearable from Microsoft will look relatively similar to the Nike FuelBand, only with a slimmer, sleeker and generally sexier design. Up to 11 sensors are said to have been fitted into the tiny device in order to keep tabs on various facets of health and fitness – the primary purpose of the Smartband. From calorie burning to heart rate monitoring to distance travelled and so on, the device appears to be following a similar path to several other wearables set to hit the market over the coming months.
With an estimated price of $199, the Microsoft wearable may have a distinct advantage over its rivals simply due to its wider compatibility. So far, the vast majority of big name Smartwatches have been designed to run only with their makers’ respective mobile operating systems – Apple’s iWatch is also completely unlikely to support Android or WP.