Black Eyed Peas member and producer will.i.am has revealed the Dial smartwatch, which will be the second wearable device to be released by his company i.am+ after the Plus smartband.
Mobile network Three was able to gain exclusive rights to the device, for which preorders have started.
The Dial will have its own 3G SIM card, which will allow users to make calls and send text messages through the smartwatch. The device can also connect to a Wi-Fi network, and has 32 GB of internal memory with a 2MP camera.
The Dial's 1.63-inch AMOLED screen does not have a way for users to type on though, as it instead features a built-in voice activated system named AneedA. Through the system, users can control the various functions of the smartwatch, including playing a certain song, looking up information, sending a tweet, taking a selfie, and many more.
To be bundled with the Dial is a new music streaming service that will.i.am is launching, which will only be available through the smartwatch and not on smartphones and computers. The service will feature over 20 million songs upon its launch, with more to be added. In comparison, other music streaming services such as Spotify and Apple Music currently feature 30 million songs.
Preorders for the Dial will cost customers £19 (equivalent to $28), followed by a two-year contract with a monthly fee of £25 (equivalent to $37). There is no word yet on whether the device will be picked up by a carrier in the United States though.
In February, will.i.am said in an interview that he is looking to develop screenless devices that users will be able to have a real conversation with, as opposed to only being able to answer questions and perform tasks such as today's digital personal assistants. It remains to be seen, however, whether the Dial's AneedA will grow into such a system.
