Will.i.am first showed off his new wearable device in April at his appearance in the U.K. talk show "Alan Carr: Chatty Man." The second demo was done during the last episodes of "The Voice." The singer, entrepreneur, and creative director of Intel has collaborated with 7Digital, a popular online music company which has its headquarters in the U.K. The device, dubbed the 'Will-watch,' will be competing against Apple's own smart watch.
The Will-watch is said to have a new streaming music feature which will be made possible by the device's Internet capability. The music service will be delivered by 7Digital. The latter and Will.i.am are believed to have entered into collaboration with major record labels, thereby offering equal treatment among artists and music group as stated in the contract. This could place the venture on an advantage since other music services have experienced issues with independent music producers and labels that have varying rates.
The Will-watch is said to feature Bluetooth capability. It boasts of having an edge over the Apple Watch since users can enjoy the device's full functionality without having to sync it with their mobile phone. Moreover, it is designed with a curved screen which is in contrast with the flat screen offered by the device from Apple.
Will.i.am added that the wearable will feature built-in apps such as Facebook, Twitter and Instagram. With this information, several people have speculated that the watch will run on Android software.
Will.i.am also said that the 'Will-watch' is able to make and receive calls just like the new Gear S of Samsung. The unique design makes it look more like a bracelet and not a watch.
"I don't carry my phone anymore, this is my phone," said Will.i.am on Channel 4's 'Alan Carr: Chatty Man.' "A lot of these smart watches need phones - mine doesn't need a phone. I started the company myself, I funded it, I used my own money to develop it."
When Will.i.am was interviewed by Pocket-lint, he admitted that Apple is no doubt the maker of the best 'tethered watch.' However, he described his own Will-watch as the best 'untethered watch.'
The new Will-watch will launch on Oct. 15 at the 12th annual Dreamforce event which is set to be the largest software event of the year. Over 135,000 people are expected to attend the event in person and an additional number of three million are expected to join through the web. All attendees are asked to bring at least one can of food with them as their way to show support to the Dreamforce Million Meals Food Drive.
