Not long ago, it looked like the South Korean tech giant would keep its family of smartwatches Android-free, but according to recent rumors, the company might have a surprise for us in the form of an Android Wear smartwatch, which would be launched at Google I/O 2014.
After launching 3 Tizen OS wearables and leaving the impression that it was severing its relationship with Google, Samsung returned the search giant to the BFF status. The Android Wear smartwatch that Samsung will launch on June 25 and 26 is said to be similar in functionality to the ones running Tizen OS, and the design shouldn’t differ much, either.
In terms of hardware, rumor has it that there will be two versions, one based on Samsung’s own chips (a new version of Exynos, I assume), and another based on Qualcomm. At the time being, it is unknown which of the two will be showcased at Google’s event. If I were to take a guess, I’d say that the Korean company would take more pride in launching a device based on its own chip.
While the Korean company didn’t specifically say that it has an Android Wear smartwatch in the works, it did mention that it’s continuously looking to innovate, and a device based on a version of Google’s mobile operating system that’s specifically tailored for wearables would be a firm proof of that. Moreover, sources close to the company stated in an interview with Cnet that there is a tiny possibility that all the attendants at Google I/O 2014 might receive a Samsung Android Wear smartwatch.
Unlike LG and Motorola, which will also be launching Android Wear smartwatches at Google’s event, Samsung has a lot more experience in this field, so it’s probably not wrong to assume that its product will outrank the others. On top of that, Samsung has made wearables based on more than just Android, so it has a different perspective on how things work.
Google definitely enjoys teasing us. Android Wear, the new version of its mobile OS built with wearables in mind, has been launched in March, but there are still no commercially available devices based on it. Things might change at the end of this week, when we’ll get to see at least to smartwatches running Android Wear. As far as Samsung’s new smartwatch is concerned, it remains to be seen if the rumors are true.
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