14 DAY TRIAL // Even though it bets big on touch computing, the Redmond-based technology giant Microsoft is reportedly showing up a growing interest in wearable tech, as the company is believed to be working on a new device that would compete with Google’s very own Glass.
Analyst Brian White revealed during a conference with investors that Microsoft is very likely to come up with a new technology similar to Google Glass, possibly running Windows or a modified version of its core operating system.
Google Glass is still in concept stage, but the project is enjoying a terrific success, especially thanks to a worldwide advertising push put in place by the Mountain View search giant, a longtime Microsoft rival, not only in the field of search engines, but also when it comes to some other products, such as email platforms.
If rumors are true and Microsoft is indeed working on a Google Glass rival, the Windows maker is very likely to go well beyond the features believed to be part of Google’s final project, such as Bluetooth, Wi-Fi, GPS, and cameras.
The company will most likely go for a deeper integration of its Windows operating system that would allow those wearing it to connect to a number of services on the go.
Brian White claims that Microsoft is working on this project as we speak, so expect the first prototypes to be revealed in early 2014, before eventually going on sale later that year.
“It appears to us that Google has made significant breakthroughs around software applications as it relates to this new product,” he was quoted as saying by Apple Insider.
“As such, we believe this initiative will kick off a major push into the field of wearable electronics and therefore will be closely scrutinized.”
As usual, Microsoft has refused to release a comment on its future projects, but it’s pretty clear that 2014 is going to be a very interesting year for the company, as the next major release of its OS, new Surface tablets and several other key products are also expected in about 12 months.