Microsoft Patent Application Details Smartwatch Design Efforts
We don’t know much about Microsoft’s smartwatch efforts beyond the assumption that the company is surely making one if for no other reason than all of its competitors are, but a patent application granted to Microsoft a few days ago gives us a number of clues as to what its smartwatch will be like.
First, according to the drawings, the smartwatch looks quite nice. The face is flush with the surface of the watchband so you wouldn’t snag it on clothing or gear. Further, the device itself--which boils down to a tiny, square computer with a built-in display--is removable from the watchband.
In a sense, the watchband is a kind of dock, and the watch affixes to it with magnets and a tongue-and-groove connection. The bottom of the unit has an optical sensor reading biometric data from your skin, and it’s clear from the detailed descriptions in the patent that this is a very exercise and health-focused device.
It appears that this device will be waterproof, or at least to the extent that it won’t be damaged in any way by sweat. Further, as you can see from the illustration, there’s at least one data port (as well as an electrical one), presumably so you can connect the smartwatch to a smartphone or PC.
Count Microsoft as joining the smartwatch race, but note that Redmond is competing more with FitBit and FuelBand than the likes of Samsung’s Galaxy Gear.
First, according to the drawings, the smartwatch looks quite nice. The face is flush with the surface of the watchband so you wouldn’t snag it on clothing or gear. Further, the device itself--which boils down to a tiny, square computer with a built-in display--is removable from the watchband.
In a sense, the watchband is a kind of dock, and the watch affixes to it with magnets and a tongue-and-groove connection. The bottom of the unit has an optical sensor reading biometric data from your skin, and it’s clear from the detailed descriptions in the patent that this is a very exercise and health-focused device.
It appears that this device will be waterproof, or at least to the extent that it won’t be damaged in any way by sweat. Further, as you can see from the illustration, there’s at least one data port (as well as an electrical one), presumably so you can connect the smartwatch to a smartphone or PC.
Count Microsoft as joining the smartwatch race, but note that Redmond is competing more with FitBit and FuelBand than the likes of Samsung’s Galaxy Gear.
