At Google I/O on June 25, Samsung is expected to announce its latest smartwatch, this time running on Google's Android Wear. Android wear is an operating system built around Google Now specifically for wearable devices.
The new watch will not be Samsung's first smartwatch design. However, it will be the first to use Android Wear. The Galaxy Gear watch was built on the normal version of Android. After finding that Android consumed too much power, the Gear 2 was built on Tizen, an operating system created by Samsung. Although creating a smartwatch based on a rival operating system may seem like an odd move, Samsung has a history of putting a wide variety of similar products on the market in order to determine what consumers are most interested in.
LG will also be presenting a smartwatch at Google I/O, and Motorola may show off the one it's working on as well. Apple is rumored to be working on a watch of its own, built around iOS rather than Android Wear. With so many major companies entering the market, the sale of wearables is expected to increase to over 19 million units in 2014, according to a report by International Data Corporation. Although the competition will be fierce, Samsung is currently leading the pack.
"Finally, according to the latest IDC ConsumerScape 360° survey of more than 50,000 consumers in 26 countries, Samsung, which has already unveiled multiple wearable computing devices, was identified as the most trusted brand for wearables, ahead of Apple, Sony, and Google," the report says.
Sales of smartphones and tablets are slowing, as most devices don't offer any revolutionary new features that would convince customers to switch from those purchased in previous years. This phenomenon is largely responsible for the sudden rush of companies to enter the wearable technology market. It appears that devices like smartwatches may soon become more than just a gimmick or a quirky fashion statement, and with multiple products using different operating systems, Samsung had put itself in position to benefit greatly from the predicted influx of new customers.
The name, cost, and release date of the device are currently unknown, but Samsung should be officially announcing the product and providing more information at the Google I/O conference.
