Microsoft is planning to launch a smartwatch within the next few weeks, according to a Forbes report.Forbes has reported the device will hit stores shortly after launch as Microsoft looks to capture market share ahead of the holiday season.
Sources close to the project state the device will passively track the wearer’s heart rate, work across different mobile platforms, and will boast a battery life of more than two days of regular use, Forbes reported.
With Microsoft yet to confirm details of the device, its reported features would appear to place it somewhere between smartwatch and fitness band in what is becoming an increasingly crowded and diverse wearables market.
As the market grows, smartwatches have been a particular focus for manufacturers in 2014, according to technology research firm Gartner.
A recent Gartner report found nine out of the top 10 smartphone vendors have entered the wearables market to date or are about to ship a first product, while a year ago only two vendors were in that space.
Gartner has predicted that by 2016 smartwatches will comprise about 40 per cent of consumer wrist-worn devices.
Global brands Samsung and Sony have been comparatively active in the smartwatch market, while another tech heavyweight Apple recently unveiled its much anticipated Apple Watch.
The reported timing of Microsoft’s release would see the device introduced to market ahead of the Apple Watch, which has been slated for an early 2015 release.
