14 DAY TRIAL // Remember how will.i.am of the super group The Black Eye’s Peas talked about developing a smartwatch with phone calling capabilities? Well, according to word on the street, it will see the light of day soon enough.
Back in April the device was given some prime time, being showcased on the Alan Carr: Chatty Man show. But what we saw a few months ago was merely a prototype, not a fully-fledged design.
According to a report by the Telegraph, the device’s arrival is said to be quite impending. Sadly, we’re not being told a whole bunch about the internal specs of the device, but we have an interesting detail to share with you.
The watch marks the advent of a brand new music service
Apparently, the watch will come pre-installed with a brand new music service most likely curated by 7Digital. And since the watch will take advantage of 3G connectivity, the brand new music service will work in concert with the Internet connection.
According to the information in the report, deals with major record labels have already been signed and sealed, so expect the app to come with an impressive library at launch. will.i.am hopes this bountiful kick start will encourage new acts to jump onboard of the 7Digital platform.
Back in April when we first saw the smartwatch, it appeared the intelligent time piece will look more like a bracelet than anything else.
The will.i.am smartwatch will face a lot of competition
As we already mentioned, the smartwatch is expected to be one of the few products of its kind to sport a 3G connection, meaning users will be able to place phone calls and such without necessitating a smartphone companion.
This ability might come in handy when owners are planning to go out for a run and don’t want to feel the bulk of the smartphone in their workout pants, but is a standalone smartwatch really needed on the market today?
In an earlier piece we argued this was not the case, but the embedded music service might draw customers' attention, at least in the preliminary stage until we find out what the exact specs of the watch are.
The device was initially expected to arrive in July, but for various reasons the deadline was pushed forward. When it comes out, the will.i.am watch will face avid competition as Apple has just announced the Watch, a premium device that should go on sale around February.
Moreover, Samsung, LG and Motorola all have new smartwatches in various form factors and configurations.
