Microsoft was once working on an Xbox smartwatch

Back in 2014, Microsoft delved into the market of fitness watches by introducing the Microsoft Band. According to new photos, however, it looked like the company was once working on a very different type of wearable that carried the Xbox brand.

The potential Xbox smartwatch was unearthed by SuomiMobiili, with images showcasing the face of the device without the band. It doesn't look too different from other smartwatches on the market at the time, remembering that this came during a time where thicker bezels where normal in comparison to today's bezel-less designs.

The watch is said to have been in development during 2013 with a planned 2015 release window. It would have worked in tandem with Microsoft Surface branded tablets, charging via a magnetic connector similar to that of the Surface Pro.

A heart-rate monitor attached to the rear of the device suggests that it would have had health functionalities like the Microsoft Band, however the Xbox branding prompts thoughts that this would be a gaming device first and foremost.

Potential reasons for the cancellation of the smartwatch could be due to Microsoft failing to match mobile competition, later resulting in the Lumia brand winding down. Or perhaps Microsoft failed to see a market for its gaming-branded smartwatch when the direction of the devices was headed in the direction of affordable fitness wearables. Either way, the company has yet to fully engage the smartwatch audience or tell us why the original device never saw the light of day.

KitGuru Says: It would have been nice to see what Microsoft has in store for smart wearables, however with the mobile market having gone the way it did, I am unsure if it ever would have lived up to what the company wanted. Do you think the Xbox Smartwatch was a good idea?

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