New in OS X: Get MacRumors Push Notifications on your Mac

Resubscribe Now Close

Samsung Confirms Work on Smart Watch Project

Tuesday March 19, 2013 5:40 am PDT by Eric Slivka
samsung_s9110_watchphoneBloomberg reports that Samsung has confirmed last month's rumors that it is working on a smart watch. With rumors of Apple working on its own "iWatch" project for launch as soon as later this year, it appears that the two rivals will be be going head-to-head yet again as the battle over mobile devices widens.
“We’ve been preparing the watch product for so long,” Lee Young Hee, executive vice president of Samsung’s mobile business, said during an interview in Seoul. “We are working very hard to get ready for it. We are preparing products for the future, and the watch is definitely one of them.”

Lee had no comment on what features the watch may have, how much it would cost and when it would go on sale.
The report notes that Samsung may be able to offer a pricing advantage over Apple given that it controls its own chip and display production, undoubtedly two of the highest-cost components of a smart watch.

Apple has been reported to have 100 product designers working on its smart watch project, toying with curved glass and considering such features as biosensors and mapping functionality. The watch will also reportedly run a "full" version of iOS, making for easier integration and developer access. Battery life is said to be a challenge for Apple, however, with current prototypes lasting only about two days between charges, roughly half of Apple's goal.

(Photo: Samsung S9110 watchphone)

[ 360 comments ]


Top Rated Comments

(View all)

Avatar
Gemütlichkeit
81 months ago
If by development, you mean waiting until Apple develops theirs for ideas :D
Rating: 96 Votes
Avatar
MonkeySee....
81 months ago

"We've been preparing the watch product for so long," Lee Young Hee, executive vice president of Samsung's mobile business, said during an interview in Seoul. "We are working very hard to get ready for it. We are preparing products for the future, and the watch is definitely one of them."

Lee had no comment on what features the watch may have, how much it would cost and when it would go on sale.


Translated to "we will see what Apple offers and do that"
Rating: 64 Votes
Avatar
Chmeeee
81 months ago
"We've been preparing the watch product for so long,"

This sentence seems preemptively defensive.
Rating: 55 Votes
Avatar
bbeagle
81 months ago
Who wouldn't want this?

Rating: 26 Votes
Avatar
haruhiko
81 months ago
Samsung will be kept busy if Apple keeps "leaking" some smoke screen projects every day.
Rating: 21 Votes
Avatar
dBeats
81 months ago
"We have been working on it for sooo long. I mean, like, really long. We can make a new smart phone every 10 minutes, but the watch....whew that takes a loooong time."

"Aren't you just waiting to see the specs on the Apple watch and then just copy it?"

"No, we're just waiting to get it just right."

"So when is your watch coming out?"

"About 3 months after Apple's"

"But Apple hasn't announced when/if it will be released."

"Buahahahahahahahahahah... ahem, sorry I have cold."
Rating: 21 Votes
Avatar
iGrip
81 months ago
Apple doesn't even make a watch and Samsung is already copying it!

Wah!
Rating: 21 Votes
Avatar
iekozz
81 months ago
So you are all slamming Samsung for comming with a product that is according to you based on Apple ideas?

The smartwatch from Apple is only a rumour and only a rumour. You can't base any argument on rumors. '' A source within Apple report the company is working on flying tv's.'' Yes, clearly a valid point to slam Samsung.
Rating: 17 Votes
Avatar
daveathall
81 months ago

Apple is probably leaking a few rumours saying they are working on the watch then *BAM* They introduce the new Apple Television instead. Right in the @ss, Samsung.


Don't Samsung already make and sell TV's? :rolleyes:
Rating: 17 Votes
Avatar
Renzatic
81 months ago
I'm with iGrip here. You're all accusing Samsung of copying an Apple product that doesn't exist yet. It's like some of you here don't have a personal opinion about other companies, rather a Pavlovian response. As soon as you hear something, you all start swawking "copy copy copy" like a bunch of trained parrots.

"What's this? Samsung's making a sleek antigravity driven flying car with crash control? Stupid Shamesung! Always copying. Apple should just buy them OLOL"!

----------

Don't Samsung already make and sell TV's? :rolleyes:


Yeah, and Smart TVs at that.
Rating: 15 Votes

[ Read All Comments ]