Sony may be cutting its mobile business down to size, but that doesn’t mean the Japanese company is giving up on wearables. The company s planning a unique E Ink smartwatch design, according to anonymous sources familiar with its plans.
The sources told Bloomberg that the next Sony smartwatch will feature an E Ink screen that encompasses the entire surface of the watch, from its face to its strap. The entire watch will have touchscreen functionality and be able to change its appearance whenever the user wants a different look. Sony recognizes the importance of design to wearable customers, and the company will reportedly focus on style more than technological features with this unique smartwatch.
CEO Kazuo Hirai, who is in charge of the business creation division at Sony this year, is reportedly in charge of the project. He hopes to recapture the glory days of Sony’s brilliant past innovations like the Walkman and Triniton TV. Seeing as wearables are the next great frontier, designing an attractive and distinctive smartwatch seems a logical step for Sony, especially since the company has years of experience with the form factor under its belt.
Hirai’s E Ink smartwatch could hit the market as early as next year, once it goes through Sony’s testing — that is, assuming the company deems it a worthwhile venture. Sony recently unveiled a new plan to restructure and revitalize its business. At this point in time, smartwatches are still considered a risky venture because they remain niche products. However, if Sony’s design is different enough and wearables start to take off in 2015 the way many analysts expect, this E Ink smartwatch could become a reality.
