Date 2013-10-29
Category Gist & Gossip
Lucky technophiles who get in on the next production
round of Google Glass may soon be able to p!ck up a
Googley wristwatch to go with it. A new report says
Google is very close to producing its own Android-
based smartwatch, following Samsung’s roll out of
the Galaxy Gear earlier in October. And unlike
Samsung’s multipurpose wrist rider, Google’s watch
will reportedly center around delivering Google Now
updates.
It’s not clear when Google’s watch might show up,
but The Wall Street Journal reports the search giant
is in “late-stage development” of its wristwear.
Google is currently talking to suppliers in Asia in the
hopes of ramping up mass production in the coming
months, the Journal said, based on discussions with
“people familiar with the matter.”
The Journal’s report follows an earlier story from 9to5
Google that said the company was putting the
finishing touches on a smartwatch design.
Driving design
There are few details about the purported Google
smartwatch beyond the claim that Google Now will
play a big role in its design. The Journal says Google
is focused on making a smartwatch that is more
useful than current products from companies like
Samsung and Sony.
Google is also reportedly focusing on providing a
device with great battery life that won’t need
frequent charging. During our review of Samsung’s
Galaxy Gear we found the device fell far short of
Samsung’s 25-hour battery life claim.
Google Now would certainly be a killer feature for a
smartwatch (or any wearable technology, including
Glass).
Google Now is all about timely notifications that
deliver information just as you need it. That’s harder
to do with a smartphone that sits in your pocket for a
big chunk of the day. A watch, however, can qu!ckly
light up when it’s time to get moving to your next
appointment, calculating your departure time based
on local traffic conditions. At-a-glance notifications
for upcoming flights, shipments headed to your
house, and even sports scores (especially on Sundays
during the fall) would also make more sense on a
watch.
But are people still willing to invest their money in a
wristwatch? The general popularity of watches has
waned in recent years as smartphones became
replacements for telling time and checking the date.
Smartwatches—especially ones featuring Google
Now—could give people a reason to strap a tiny
gadget to their arms. Short of Apple releasing a
mythical iWatch, however, it’s hard to imagine
smartwatches going mainstream given their
relatively high cost. Samsung’s Galaxy Gear, for
example, will likely remain a niche product since it’s
as expensive as a tablet at $300—and nearly a third
of the Gears that are selling at Best Buy are rumored
to have been returned .