Folks around the rumor mill have been hard at work today spreading news that HTC has ditched the effort to build a smartwatch of their own. The leading spark to this rumor came from Pocket-lint after receiving news from a source familiar with projects inside Team HTC. PL’s tipster claims that HTC was working on a model inspired by the Qualcomm Toq and that high costs paired with a lack of wow! factor forced the team to put development on the back burner “for the time being”. When we questioned HTC on the authenticity of the claim, we were told that the report was not solid enough for HTC to defend.
Qualcomm Toq was demo’d earlier this year to show that Qualcomm could provide the brains and even the display to support the smartwatch dream. Qualcomm’s mini display is optimized for viewing in direct sunlight.
In February of this year, we published an article that pointed out that HTC was working on a few angles in the wearables department; one option being Qualcomm Toq and another option a Google Now-focused device. It could make sense that HTC has evaluated the difference in cost and interest between a Toq and Android Wear device. These factors could be enough of a difference that it would be better to point the team in a single direction instead of altogether ditching the opportunity to bring an HTC smartwatch to the market.
Mobile technology has grown at a remarkable pace and so much so that people are currently, more worried about what gadget to wear on their wrist than which phone to buy when it’s time to upgrade to a newer device. How relevant is a smartwatch when we already get all the same info on our phones? Either way, people seem to be flocking towards the “wearables” concept which should give HTC enough courage to step out there and release a unique device.
With products from Motorola, LG, Sony, Samsung, and speculation that Apple is prepping to launch a watch of their own, HTC is already looking at an uphill battle. Although we’re not sure of the combo that could grant them the traction needed to climb over the competition HTC will likely change things up a bit to stand out from the crowd. How about some BoomSound speakers on the front of the watch? I’m content with the possibility of HTC dropping the Qualcomm Toq-focused device and hope to see an Android Wear watch by HTC in the near future. The holidays are quickly approaching us and we’ll know soon enough if HTC can bring the heat to competing manufacturers so let’s not count HTC out of the smartwatch game yet.
Source: Pocket-lint
Bravo, very smart move. HTC is on top of the game now if dont waste energy on silly watches. Why we have again bigger phones coming from small ones. To have little screen to charge everyday and heard some of them need extra sim card for full functionality.
Watch is Breitling, Ulysse Nardin etc. Those watches are toys for metrosexual boys.
When technology will be ready and really helpful HTC will have device.
Walking robocops machines, phone, watch and plug in ear.
the wow factor thing makes me think they want too pull in an apple in terms, of the iPad and tablet market
Apple sheeps will buy whatever they pull out from hut. They have easier and kind of like Toy Story franchise more “creatures” more sells.
As I said before in modern times we have few cars per family, more gadgets to set or fix and less time for LIFE.
I have windows 8 since day 1 and didnt set even ONE tile, hey its main feature for this incarnation and I didnt do it. People hate it, they have enough on their heads per day than set silly tiles. And this is space for windows 9.
Chose LIFE. Chose HTC.