Not everyone wants to wear a smartwatch, and we’re going to guess even fewer want to play games on one, but Acer may think this is a niche that’s ripe for filling, if the latest rumors turn out to be right. Acer may be working on what’s described as a, “smartwatch for the gaming market,” according to DigiTimes, an industry publication known for its hit-or-miss accuracy when it comes to predicting future product releases, but is quoting a Chinese report here.
While a gaming smartwatch sounds unlikely, if any company is going to give one a try, it’s Acer. Its Predator range of gaming hardware covers monitors, desktop PCs, laptops, tablets, and smartphones already, so a smartwatch is perhaps the next logical stage. Logical to Acer, anyway. However, while games can be played on a Predator tablet, PC, and smartphone, it’s definitely not going to be easy on a watch.
The rumor report doesn’t go into any detail about Acer’s possible definition of what makes a gaming smartwatch, so all we can do is speculate for now. It’s obviously doubtful Acer will want anyone playing games on a watch, so may follow in Razer’s footsteps and come up with a social-focused gaming wearable, although this has proved to be an up-and-down product niche for Razer.
Acer has considerable experience in the world of fitness wearables, such as the Leap Fit, but none quite ascend to smartwatch status — they don’t use Google’s Android Wear operating system, for example. It has also dabbled in adding smart technology to analog watches in a partnership with Victorinox, although we sincerely hope it won’t adopt a similar style again in the future.
If a Predator smartwatch is coming, Acer may use the IFA technology show in Berlin, which starts at the beginning of September, to show it off. At the time of writing, Acer’s official Twitter account tells us to prepare for “endless possibilities,” as it prepares to show off some new products soon. We’ll keep you updated right here.
