Microsoft is working on new features for its first wearable device that's expected to be released next year

Sep 12, 2014 14:49 GMT  ·  By

Apple this week launched its very own smartwatch, intuitively called Watch, so Microsoft has every reason in the world to continue work in this regard and speed up the development of its very first wearable device.

Word is that Redmond is also creating a smartwatch, and according to new patent fillings, the feature lineup could include sensors for monitoring physical activities and automatic detection of exercises.

As Microsoft News writes today, there are three different patens filed today, all of which are related to fitness management.

This isn’t the first time we’re hearing that Microsoft’s smartwatch might actually serve as a fitness companion, so these new patents actually come as living proof that investments are indeed made in this regard, even though Redmond refuses to comment on such a project.

Automatic exercise recognition

The new smartwatch will be capable of automatically recognizing the exercises you make, with a total of 10 different sensors to collect information and display it to you at the end of the session.

Here’s what the abstract section of each patent reads:

Personal training with physical activity monitoring device

“A physical activity monitoring device receives a workout regimen including a plurality of exercises. For each of the plurality of exercises, the physical activity monitoring device indicates that exercise to a user and measures physical activity attributes of the user. The physical activity monitoring device outputs information regarding the user’s progress towards completion of that exercise based on the physical activity attributes.”

Extending gameplay with physical activity monitoring device

“A physical activity monitoring device receives an indication of one or more physical activities to be performed as an extension of a game being played on a game system and measures physical activity attributes of a user wearing the physical activity monitoring device. The physical activity monitoring device determines the user’s progress towards completion of the one or more physical activities based on the physical activity attributes and outputs to the game device an indication of the user’s progress towards completion of the one or more physical activities.”

Automatic exercise segmentation and recognition

“A physical activity monitoring device includes a sensor array with one or more sensors configured to measure physical activity attributes of a user. A controller automatically determines time intervals where the user is actively engaged in a physical activity based on the physical activity attributes. The controller also automatically determines a type of physical activity the user in actively engaged in during the determined time intervals based on the physical activity attributes. A reporter outputs information regarding the type of physical activity to the user.”

Cross-platform support and an odd design

According to previous rumors, Microsoft’s smartwatch might come with a very unusual design, as the display might be placed on the inside of the wrist. It appears that this decision is based on studies performed by the company itself which demonstrated that looking at the display from this position is possible with a more natural move than with a standard watch.

At the same time, people close to the matter said that early prototypes are cross-platform compatible, which means that they could be able to work not only with Windows devices, but also with iPhones and Android smartphones and tablets. This would obviously be a really important advantage in the battle against the Apple Watch which only works with an iPhone 5 or later.

Last but not least, some people said that the Microsoft smartwatch might come with a small 1.5-inch display and a stripped down version of Windows that would take care of every single feature.

As far as pricing is concerned, the software giant reportedly wants to make it extremely competitive in this regard, so a price tag of approximately $200 (€150) is expected to be announced. The Apple Watch will be available starting at $349 (€280).