Microsoft Shifts Smart Watch Prototype Testing to Surface Hardware Team

[samcraig]

I never said there wasn't any interest or any developments in the area before Apple came tumbling in. I was suggesting that interest certainly HEIGHTENED when other companies saw this as a potential area that Apple might pursue, seeing as Apple places bets carefully and generally has a good track record. And don't give me that, smart watches have been pursued for many many years, and they've never had any traction. Interest certainly picked up again in recent years, but nowhere near the point of it being "the next battleground" in tech like its being played up today.

You know, its incredibly annoying when people like you come to fan sites, knowing full well that the site is populated by fans (or fanboys, depending on your maturity level), and playing the whole game of "look at me everyone, I'm above you because I'm unbiased and think logically and you're just a lousy fan with distorted insight." Congratulations, here's a trophie. You're the first person to ever come on Macrumors with a REAL sense of reality. Way to go.

I never suggested you were anything remotely like that. If that's your interpretation - well... I'm not sure I can help you with that.

if you're saying the press and/or the public has a renewed or 'heightened' interest in smart watches because of Apple that's possible. But if you're saying manufacturers have a heightened interest - there's simply no way to assess that.

Btw - where can I pick up my trophy? Or is this one of those scam things that I have to pay to get it engraved and mailed to me?

 

[ctdonath]

Just like the iPhone wasn't just an iPod that made phone calls, or just like the iPad wasn't just a Macbook with a touch screen, they will likely zig where others zag.

They also have a long-term plan for getting users somewhere they won't go at first.

The iPod was, at first, just kinda neat, a cool non-sequitur; infamously "No wireless. Less space than a Nomad. Lame." It was really the entry point to a new customer space: get users hooked on a pocket-sized computing platform, something that could be grown over time into the iPad and create a market as big as PCs.
Original iPod refined & improved capacity, battery, screen, and processing to become the iPod Touch - a "music player" so capable that web browsing and apps were almost an unavoidable no-brainer.
Then they slapped in a cellular circuit, and touch computing anywhere anytime arrived. Even then, it was painfully limited - but in part because users had to learn how to think & interface a new way.
Once the world was ready for apps & touch computing, just make "a big iPod Touch" and a whole new industry (chewing up much of the PC market in the process).
All because of a music player decried as "No wireless. Less space than a Nomad. Lame."

And everyone else is running behind, throwing everything they can at beating now without realizing that they need to beat 5-10 years from now - now.

Now we face "wrist-top computing". Everyone has learned that if you get a whiff of getting into something, get there first. Alas, they haven't learned that it's not just getting there before , it's getting to where will be years hence.

 

[egoistaxx9]

would love to see windows 8 on my wrist watch.

 

[Iconoclysm]

Image

Need I say more?

At least use the more current BSOD.

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They might be perfect for the watch, but if all holds true, Microsoft doesn't care what the customer wants or thinks is perfect (Exhibit A: Windows 8.1 update).

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Pip-boy 3000...errmmm... iPip-boy 3000.

How did MS not listen to consumers with Windows 8.1?

 

[SoAnyway]

This will be vaporware.

 

[asthamapheo]

but i dont like the design of surface product, bad decision microsoft.

 

[MacDav]

The real question is...will it boot Windows XP?

 

[cmichaelb]

'watch this space'

'only time will tell'

any others you can think of?

The clock is ticking?

 

[Glideslope]

The "Surface Team" is taking charge. Good news for Apple.

 

[beaniemyman]

i wish the homescreen of the watch looks the same like the windows phones'

 

[lord e55ex]

Newsflash: Apple shifts attention to a television set!..... Microsoft follows suit. Zzzzzz

 

[cmichaelb]

Apparently they are experimenting with transparent aluminum according to the verge article.

When did Scotty become a Microsoft engineer?

 

[samcraig]

Now we face "wrist-top computing". Everyone has learned that if you get a whiff of getting into something, get there first. Alas, they haven't learned that it's not just getting there before , it's getting to where will be years hence.

Or maybe they have a difference idea of the future and/or different business model.

Plus you're damned if you do damned if you don't. "Copy" Apple and you're a copy cat. Don't copy Apple and according to some here - it's lame or stupid or head scratching.

Apple doesn't always know what's best. What will work. What the future holds. I think Steve Jobs himself was quoted that he was "scared" or "nervous" about either the iPhone or iPad before it actually launched.

 

[cogitodexter]

Just looking at the concept picture...

Gotta wonder - that smart watch must be very heavy... looks like it's broken or deformed the wrist of the person wearing it. My wrist certainly isn't that shape!

 

[jm001]

I don't think you want to suggest that the blackberry wasn't a smart phone. Nor that generally people weren't interested in smart phones. The treo was doing very well too. The average joe might not have needed or wanted one. But you also have to remember - initially - iPhone sales weren't anything to get excited about. It took quite awhile before it was "popular."


And I'm not sure why people think companies live in bubbles only paying attention to press or product launches. It's as if they think companies aren't developing products all the time and either haven't released them and/or have they tabled until technology comes around that makes it more affordable or can produce the results they want.

But I guess it's easier to believe that every company twiddles their thumb waiting on an Apple "rumor" to go to the chalk board

That's my point, the average Joe. Sure people bought mp3 players before the iPod, but how many iPods have been sold in comparison to the total number of mp3 players from other manufacturers? The average Joe is the majority of consumers. You speak of the Treo, but I use to work for a large company back then and no one had a Treo. Everyone wanted a Blackberry.

I separated the Blackberry due to it's immense popularity at that time. It was THE brand to get if you wanted a smart phone.

I'm not saying that the other companies sit and twiddle their thumbs waiting for Apple, but they do pay attention to what Apple is doing. Sure these other companies are innovating probably 24/7, but they do watch the companies that seem to affect market share. Love them or hate them, Apple became a trend setter by the mid 2000's. If it wasn't then we wouldn't have had companies trying to make the next iPod killer, then the next iPhone killer or the next iPad killer. Apple did/does have influence (not so much lately). Look at smart watches, even Samsung had a nice looking one a few years ago. Sony has one and MS came out with one a few years ago endorsed by celebrities, but no hype, not much media coverage. The Pebble comes out and has been somewhat of a success, but not much media coverage. Then a rumour goes out that Apple has dedicated part of it's staff in creating the iWatch and now you've got companies interested in this technology again.

 

[samcraig]

That's my point, the average Joe. Sure people bought mp3 players before the iPod, but how many iPods have been sold in comparison to the total number of mp3 players from other manufacturers? The average Joe is the majority of consumers. You speak of the Treo, but I use to work for a large company back then and no one had a Treo. Everyone wanted a Blackberry.

I separated the Blackberry due to it's immense popularity at that time. It was THE brand to get if you wanted a smart phone.

I'm not saying that the other companies sit and twiddle their thumbs waiting for Apple, but they do pay attention to what Apple is doing. Sure these other companies are innovating probably 24/7, but they do watch the companies that seem to affect market share. Love them or hate them, Apple became a trend setter by the mid 2000's. If it wasn't then we wouldn't have had companies trying to make the next iPod killer, then the next iPhone killer or the next iPad killer. Apple did/does have influence (not so much lately). Look at smart watches, even Samsung had a nice looking one a few years ago. Sony has one and MS came out with one a few years ago endorsed by celebrities, but no hype, not much media coverage. The Pebble comes out and has been somewhat of a success, but not much media coverage. Then a rumour goes out that Apple has dedicated part of it's staff in creating the iWatch and now you've got companies interested in this technology again.

Or maybe they were interested in the Pebble like Apple was. Or maybe it was in their pipeline. One just doesn't know.

And Apple looks towards other company's as well. They ALL do.

 

[Gigaman]

It looks kinda nice, actually.

 

[nylonsteel]

re: original article
ok so the winds are shifting towards a smart watch
my big question is how are people over 40yo starting down the path of presbyopia gonna be able to read info on a small watch?
You people under 40 may be ok with it
But me being a old guy need readable smart devices without taking out my freakin reading glasses.
aapl get your retina ipad mini out soon - i would be on that unless a competitor gets to it first that is "insanely great"

 

[Mums]

All this focus on damn watches. I couldn't care less about watches. I wish the tech industry would focus on something else.

Yeah like a 17" MacBook Pro!

 

[OrangeSVTguy]

https://www.macrumors.com/2013/07/1...h-prototype-testing-to-surface-hardware-team/Image


Following last week's management shuffle at Microsoft, the company's Surface team has taken over testing its prototype smart watch, including variations with the same connector that Microsoft uses on its Surface tablets. According to The Verge, Microsoft's smart watch prototypes were previously tested by the Xbox accessories team.

Image
Microsoft Smart Watch Concept via Fortune.com​

In addition to a potential Surface connector that could allow a smart watch to interface with existing Surface tablets, Microsoft is also said to be testing smart watches that have 1 1.5-inch display, a heart rate monitor, and are running a modified version of Windows 8.

As Microsoft experiments with its smart watch, it appears Apple is in the prototype stages as well. According to a report yesterday, Apple has begun "aggressively" hiring new employees to help with the smart watch, which is now expected to be released in late 2014. Apple's own smart watch is expected to run the full version of iOS and could include a heavy focus on biometrics and health related applications.

Along with Microsoft and Apple, both Google and Samsung are said to be working on smart watches of their own. At this point in time, it seems all companies are in the testing phases with no indication of which smart watch might hit the market first.

Article Link: Microsoft Shifts Smart Watch Prototype Testing to Surface Hardware Team

That "Blue Theme" will go really well on a Windows watch.

 

[bacaramac]

Regardless of OS, it needs to be clean and look stylish. I think this mock-up looks pretty good.

 

[marc11]

re: original article
ok so the winds are shifting towards a smart watch
my big question is how are people over 40yo starting down the path of presbyopia gonna be able to read info on a small watch?
You people under 40 may be ok with it
But me being a old guy need readable smart devices without taking out my freakin reading glasses.
aapl get your retina ipad mini out soon - i would be on that unless a competitor gets to it first that is "insanely great"

This is a really good point. I for one hope it works like my fitbit. A single data point in the screen, but captures a lot more stats and integrated to a dashboard app in my phone or computer.

If done right this thing cold really help those of us that are fitness abs health buffs as will as offer so great ways to stream iTunes in the cloud and itunes radio to bt headsets. (In the case of ash Apple device)

Imagine it reading text and email over bt or responding to questions ala siri via bt. All with just a small device on your wrist when the use of or carrying a phone is not available. Like while riding a bike, driving, working out, etc.

 

[bungiefan89]

Good for Microsoft! They figured out the whole smartwatch thing is just a joke with no market and no practical application. Sure hope Apple doesn't pull a hockey-puck mouse here...

 

[otismotive77]

nah, the iWatch will definitely defeat the microsoft smartwatch with a huge margin.

 

[Zerotolerance]

Surface connector? Ha. The Surface is barely treading the surface as it is. Connecting this watch to a Surface is like anchoring it to a sinking ship. Microsoft might as well start discounting it even before it hits store shelves.