For the first time, photos of a prototype xbox Watch have just leaked onto the web. This smartwatch project dedicated to video game players, started by Microsoft in 2013 before being abandoned at the last minute, has long remained at the legendary stage for lack of official confirmation. These images finally prove that such an accessory was actually intended by Redmond's firm.
It all starts in 2013. At the time, rumors spread on the internet that Microsoft was preparing an Xbox Watch. The gamers are euphoric, and even if it is not yet known what the accessory will be used for, the product seems promised a commercial success. Alas, not everything will go according to plan. While the launch was planned for 2015, Redmond's firm finally changed its plans at the last moment and decided to cancel the project.
Today, however, two photos of a prototype have just been posted online. The images show the back and façade of the accessory. We discover a watch with a classic appearance, with a metal dial of rectangular shape covered with a fast. Away from the design of an Apple Watch, the screen is surrounded by thick borders that take us back a few years. On the back of the smartwatch is the Xbox logo and a connector and sensor.
This sensor suggests that the Xbox Watch was equipped with a heart rate monitor. While this feature seems basic on recent smartwatches, it was still very rare in 2013, and these sensors were expensive to produce. All indications are that the Xbox Watch was thought of as a high-end accessory, aimed at the most demanding players but also the most financially well-off.
Xbox Watch: a smartwatch dedicated to video game players
According to the source behind the image leak, the Xbox Watch had to offer a 1.5-inch screen and 6GB storage space. The magnetic connector was similar to that of Microsoft Surface devices. Like the Apple Watch, Microsoft also planned to offer a system of interchangeable wristbands. The watch was probably thought of as an accessory to assist players during their games.
You might think that the Xbox Watch would have allowed access to an Xbox Live interface to communicate or interact during online games. The heart rate sensor could have allowed players to measure their stress during games, or perhaps even quantify physical activity by playing Kinect. In any case, it is difficult to find a usefulness really relevant to this watch, and that is probably the reason why Microsoft decided to abandon the project.
It is regrettable, however, that this product was cancelled, as it was part of a diversification approach on the part of Microsoft. The firm's failure in the smartphone market, along with the abandonment of this watch project, suggests that Microsoft is doomed to confine itself to the computer industry and of course game consoles, with the Xbox One X which seems destined for great success.