AT&T Plans to Bring Data/LTE Smartwatches to Market This Year

[dgstorm]

A recent interview with AT&T's Glenn Lurie, president of emerging devices, revealed that the company plans to bring working data/LTE smartwatches to market sometime this year. According to the Lurie, AT&T already has a group in Austin, Texas, developing thousands of wearable-device prototypes. He also confirmed that AT&T is exploring the possibility of certifying third-party devices for use on their network.

According to Lurie, AT&T has always taken the stance that wearables need to evolve to become a stand alone device, not just require tethering to an existing device. Here are several quote in which Lurie shares more details,

“I think you’ll see wide-area, high-bandwidth [smart]watches this year at some point.

"A majority of stuff you’re going to see today that’s truly wearable is going to be in a watch form factor to start. If smartwatch use takes off—“and we believe it can.”

“We’ve been very, very clear in our opinion that a wearable needs to be a stand-alone device.”

On the subject of other wearable devices like Google Glass, Luri said,

“It’s one thing if I’m buying it to go out for a job, it’s another thing if I’m going to wear it everyday. Those are the things people are debating right now—how that’s all going to come out. There’s technology and there’s innovation happening, and those things will get solved.”

Luri added,

"I think the future is you don’t have to hit a button because the band or watch will know it’s you, the car will know it’s you, and you’ve already pre-described when you walk up to the car what you want to do. That’s kind of where we’re headed.”

His perspective seems to be spot on. What do you guys think? Can AT&T shake up the industry with the first true LTE enabled smartwatches?

Source: techhive

 

[UltraDroid]

It's an interesting, even BOLD, move on the part of AT&T but I don't think it will be a game changer.

 

[pc747]

It's an interesting, even BOLD, move on the part of AT&T but I don't think it will be a game changer.

Looks like a move to add a "device" to a share plan = more money. If this even hints at being a money make you can bet Verizon will be next. So get ready to start seeing smart watches with the verizon logo on the band and verizon apps pre-loaded.