Intel CTO hints at smartwatch-like concept in the works

By Joshua Pramis June 19, 2013

intel-justin-rattner — Image used with permission by copyright holder

The smartwatch concept is one every electronics manufacturer has on its radar, with a few – like Sony – that have already introduced them to the market. But the smartwatch market is extremely small, and it’s not likely to grow very much until more models are introduced and consumers become more aware of their existence.

According to VentureBeat, Intel’s chief technology officer, Justin Rattner, dropped a few not-so-subtle hints that the company is working on a smart device worn on the wrist that may or may not be used as a traditional watch. However, telling the time seems to be a much lower priority for the device’s functionality. “The watch it kind of … if you want to put the time on it, that’s fine,” Rattner said at the Bloomberg Next Big Thing conference, which wrapped up today. “But if you’re talking about texting today, wouldn’t it be nice if you could just look at your wrist?”

Other companies have shown that they understand the convenience of someone glancing casually at their wrist when alerted to a text, rather than pulling out their phone. This proves especially useful when in a social setting, letting you get the message without coming across as rude. So far, a lot of what we’ve seen has been fairly basic. We can only imagine that Intel would step it up, big time.

While Rattner’s response all but confirms that an Intel-powered smartwatch, in one form or another, is likely on its way, what remains to be seen is whether the company will be doing it on its own, or if it will be partnering up with another manufacturer. It was about a year ago that rumors began to surface suggesting that Intel was working with Apple on a smartwatch project. It was never confirmed, and whether Apple is involved in this project is yet to be seen.

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