Apple Inc. iWatch vs. Samsung Smart Watch and Others Available in 2013 (VIDEO)
With rumors swirling that Apple Inc. has applied for patents in both Japan and Mexico, competitors have been eager to respond to the frenzy. In addition to major companies also offering a possible smartwatch release this year there are some companies who have already introduced them.
Apple, Samsung, and Google have all been rumored to be in the process of developing a new smart watch that is compatible with consumers' smart phones or tablets. On Monday, Bloomberg reported that Apple attempted to trademark "iWatch" in Japan, causing huge speculation about its possible release.
But despite some analysts predicting a 2013 release, the actual existence of such a device has yet to be confirmed by Apple. Samsung on the other hand, has been more upfront about announcing it plans.
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"We've been preparing the watch product for so long ... We are preparing products for the future, and the watch is definitely one of them," Executive Vice President of Samsung Electronics' Mobile Department told Bloomberg in March.
Few details on either smart watch have been released, but existing smart watches could hint and some of the future watches' capabilities.
One of the more complex smart watches on the market at current is the Italian based i'm Watch. With a price tag of $299, the watch is developed for Android and capable of hosting a number of apps. Its also one of the few touch screen watches available at current. The watch is capable of reading out text messages and emails by syncing to phones via Bluetooth. It also allows the user to make phone calls from their contact list in addition to apps for Facebook, calendars, and fitness.
A less sophisticated version of the smart watch is the Pebble, which is available on iOS and Android. Available for preorder now, the $150 watch also boasts apps but does not have touch screen abilities.
