Microsoft's smartwatch with fitness features coming soon: Report

Microsoft is said to be preparing to launch a smartwatch within the next few weeks that will passively track a user’s heart rate and work across different mobile platforms, according to Forbes. The wearable, which is expected to take on the likes of the Apple Watch and the Moto 360, is tipped to boast of a battery life exceeding two days of regular use, adds the report, citing unnamed sources close to the project. It has also reported that unlike the Apple Watch, the smartwatch-like wearable will arrive in stores soon after being unveiled in an effort to capture the holiday season. While Microsoft has declined to comment, The Verge has confirmed that the launch of the wearable is “imminent”. The wearable by Microsoft can be expected to have smartwatch features, though it will largely aim at those who need a device to help them stay fit. According to The Verge, “the fitness-based wearable will track steps, heart rate, calories burned, and other key health features” using a number of sensors built-into the device. Apple unveiled a smartwatch on 9 September that will combine health and fitness tracking with communications and will go on sale in early 2015, while Samsung unveiled its Galaxy Gear smartwatch in September 2013. It is rumoured that the Microsoft watch will have two-day battery life, which if true would give it a big advantage over Samsung and Apple’s watch. As pointed out by Forbes, the device may have to work with devices other than Microsoft’s own Windows Phone-based smartphones in order to reach a wider market. This makes sense as Windows Phone has just 2.5% of the global smartphone market, according to IDC. With inputs from Reuters