Dell contemplating getting into wearable computing space

There is no doubting that wearables indeed are the next-big-thing as far as computing devices go. After the fabled iWatch, Dell is considering jumping onto the bandwagon with a device of its own.

According to a report by The Guardian, the struggling computer manufacturer is considering a move to the wearable computing space even as its PC business is taking a beating. The company’s Global Vice President of Personal Computing, Sam Burd, affirmed that Dell was “exploring ideas in that space”.

Wearable computing next for Dell? (Image credit: Reuters)

Dell has been facing issues with not just its PC sales but also turmoil within the company too. The company could do well with a profitable department and wearables seem like the way to go for it. “There are challenges in cost, and how to make it a really good experience,” Burd said. “But the piece that’s interesting is that computers are getting smaller. Having a watch on your wrist – that’s pretty interesting, pretty appealing.”

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Even as the PC market, the one Dell built itself upon, seems to get smaller and smaller, Dell will have to consider thinking mobile. “Looking ahead five years, we expect devices and form factors to continue to change. “There will still be a need for ‘static’ computing on desktops, but there will be a real need for mobile devices,” asserts Burd. “There’s a lot of discussion about how that fits into wearable devices like we’ve seen with Google Glass and watches. We’re looking at a world of lots of connected devices.”

The wearable computer industry is still in its nascent stages. Google Glass has only just made its way into the market and so has the Pebble smart watch. The biggest competition Dell will face even while it contemplates getting into the space is the yet-rumoured Apple iWatch.

The wristwatch like device has been in the news since the beginning of this year with rumours about the purported device flying thick and fast. Apple has already trademarked the name “iWatch” in Japan and Mexico and applied for a patent with the USPTO. Dell will need to get out of the contemplation stage faster to be able to make the most of being one of the first players in the wearable computers market. Meanwhile, we still wait for Apple to announce its smartwatch.