Microsoft has been working on a “wrist-worn device” for a year: 1.5” screen, removable bands

We’ve recently heard that Microsoft has placed orders for 1.5-inch screens in what seemed like a move towards an upcoming smartwatch, and now The Verge confirms that Microsoft has indeed been working on a “wrist-worn device” for around a year now.

And while work on it started under the idea of bringing an Xbox heart-rate monitor, plans have changed along the way and Microsoft has decided to instead build a smartwatch. The device is still in a prototype phase, but it’s got some talented engineers from the Xbox and Kinect teams working on it.

Sources once again confirm the device will indeed be using that 1.5-inch touch-enabled display with removable bends. Interestingly, it will also feature a magnetic power connector like the one on the Microsoft Surface tablet. It can power up the device and transmit data at the same time, but it is not yet confirmed whether it will indeed be in the final device.

source: The Verge