Apple assembly partner Foxconn announced this week that it will be releasing a smart watch that will work with Apple’s popular iPhone. The announcement comes amidst rumors that Google, Samsung, and Apple are all preparing the launch of a smart watch of their own.
The product has yet to be named, but Foxconn outlined some of its features at a shareholders meeting. The device can measure a user’s respiration and hearbeat, as well as check phone calls and Facebook posts, all over a wireless interface. While not specified, the unit most likely sends data over Bluetooth 4.0, a low-energy protocol used in many small form factor peripherals.
“With such a device, you can keep your phone in your pocket and simply check all kinds of messages on your watch,” Hon Hai chairman Terry Gou said.
Gou reports that the company is working internally with its communications and medical research groups to add features such as a fingerprint reader. As the firm moves into marketing its own products, such a device could prove to be a handy new income stream.
