HTC will present three new wearables at MWC 2014, including two different smartwatches and a music playing device. Certain elements of Qualcomm's Toq smartwatch will be incorporated into one of the smartwatches, while the other will prominently feature Google Now.
Recently, HTC confirmed that it will reveal the HTC One's successor in March, leaving MWC wide open. Now, new reports indicate that MWC will be all about the wearables for HTC. An unnamed source familiar with HTC's plans told Bloomberg that one of the new smartwatches would feature the same Mirasol display as Qualcomm's Toq smartwatch. Other features from Qualcomm's design will also be integrated, but the low-power Mirasol display is definitely the highlight.
Early reviewers of Qualcomm's Toq responded enthusiastically to the Mirasol display for several reasons. One, it consumes less energy and therefore requires the user to charge their smartwatch less. Two, the Mirasol display is matte and therefore viewable in full sunlight, which is something you generally want in a watch. And three, the display is always on, so you don't have to push a button to see what time it is - another important function for your average watch to have.
If HTC is adopting Mirasol's display and embracing Qualcomm's ideas for the perfect smartwatch, the wearable world will be a much better place. The highest recommendation for any smartwatch is that it is functional and practical - Qualcomm's Toq is the only smartwatch so far, with the clear exception of Pebble, that has earned that distinction.
Apparently, HTC is really listening to tech pundits because it is also reportedly planning a Google Now smartwatch, too. Google Now is sort of the ideal app for a smartwatch because it combines everything you need in one place. The idea behind wearable technology is that it's all about the here and now, the present moment. The smartphone and tablet are for introspection and browsing - the smartwatch is for a quick glance or a brief update. Smartwatches are on-the-go devcies. You don't have time to flip through dozens of apps; you don't have time to press a power button. You need the information now.
Hence the Google Now smartwatch from HTC.
The music playing wearable that HTC has planned seems a little less relevant, since we already have all our music on our smartphones. After all, if we wanted to put our music on a different device, don't we already have iPods for that? Although the music bangle seems far less interesting in comparison with the two smartwatches, HTC could still surprise us with it. One report says that the bangle is more like a boom box that plays music aloud rather than over headphones. The merits of such a device are definitely questionable.
Regardless, HTC is clearly making MWC the stage for its wearable debut. Let's hope the smartwatches live up to our expectations.
