A smartwatch focused on fitness appears to be being prepared by Microsoft, according to reports based on a recent patent publication.
The patent application "Wearable Personal Information System" was submitted in 2012 and was recently granted and describes a small device with a screen that is applied to a strap for use as a "smartwatch", which can, however, be detached from it and placed on other devices, such as fitness equipment.
The smartwatch will track the user's location and route via GPS, as well as their movement via special sensors. At the same time, it will monitor the user's heartbeat, like other similar devices.
It is noted that Microsoft recently launched an initiative to bring Windows to small devices, targeting the so-called "Internet of Things." The first software development kit (SDK) is expected relatively soon.
This sector is expected to be a hotly contested one in the near future, especially since Google announced that it is preparing a dedicated Android platform for wearable devices. Giants such as Samsung and Sony are already active in the field, while many expect a similar move from Apple. However, wearables have not yet become mainstream.
According to an analysis by Forrester Research, the future of wearable computing will be driven by software. As reported in a related article by the New York Times, Forrester analyst Julie Ask estimates that “the success of wearables will not depend only on the hardware… success will depend on mobile applications and how effective they are in changing their ‘behavior’, based on data, their ‘intelligence’ and suggested actions on the use of mobile devices by consumers.”.
Ask is one of the authors of the company's book "The Mobile Mind Shift," which will be published in June and examines how mobile software will continue to impact businesses in the future.
According to a Forrester report in February, while hardware certainly fascinates consumers, software is the key to creating "bonds" between companies and their customers.
Source: naftemporiki.gr
