Real-life photographs of Microsoft’s rumored Xbox-inspired smartwatch with a focus on fitness have surfaced online, giving us a glimpse of what might have been.
Additional Reading: Best Always-On Display Smartwatches
It has been more than two years since the introduction of the Band 2, the tech giant’s most recent wearable device. Since then, Microsoft has pulled the sensor-packed fitness tracker from its online shop, and the company has suggested that it does not have any imminent plans to introduce a device from a subsequent generation. At least for the time being, the corporation has made the decision to abandon the entire notion.
Images that were published yesterday by the user Hikari Calyx (@Hikari Calyx) on Twitter show an additional fitness tracker that the corporation was working on some years ago. In spite of the fact that the Xbox-inspired smartwatch was ultimately scrapped, Hikari was successful in acquiring a prototype of the device and was even able to power it on. This is how the device appears when it is operational.
Images of Microsoft’s discarded Xbox Watch have been leaked online.
Additional Reading: Smartwatch Radiation - Health Risks & Protection Tips
The watch, which was built almost entirely out of tiles, included a touchscreen display measuring 1.5 inches square and a selection of interchangeable straps. It had a strong emphasis on athletics and provided features such as support for workouts, heart rate monitoring, and GPS tracking. Despite the fact that this may not strike you as very amazing in the present day, keep in mind that the prototype was created in 2013, back when the smartwatch category was still attempting to find its feet. This is the reason for the “poor resolution.”
Images of Microsoft’s discarded Xbox Watch have been leaked online.
These pictures take us back to the early days of smartwatches and bring back some memories. The device, much like countless other prototypes, was never released to the public. Nonetheless, it is highly likely that the technology was incorporated into the Microsoft Band. Microsoft is no longer interested in the wearables market and has instead chosen to concentrate its efforts on the development of mixed reality technology, Windows personal computers, the Xbox platform, and Surface products.