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5 Things Microsoft's Smartwatch Needs

This article is more than 9 years old.

Even though it hasn’t been formally announced, Microsoft ’s smartwatch is on the tech world’s radar. The USTPO first published Microsoft’s application for a “wearable personal information system” on May 1, and shortly thereafter Forbes’ own Parmy Olson had the scoop about what features the company’s smartwatch might offer, like cross-platform compatibility with not just Windows Phone, but also iOS and Android devices.

Winning in the world of wearables means being able to stand out among the crowd. Here are five things Microsoft’s smartwatch needs to thrive in the wearable market.

1) Make it a bonus for Windows Phone fans.

Cross-compatibility with non-Windows devices is a huge potential point in favor of Microsoft’s smartwatch. That said, Microsoft would do well to reward loyal users who have stayed exclusively within its Windows ecosystem. To do that, Microsoft’s smartwatch should have some exclusive features or functions that only come alive when used in conjunction with a Windows Phone device. Maybe it could be as simple as a boost to your OneDrive’s storage capacity, or special Skype messaging features that can’t be found when the smartwatch is paired with devices running non-Windows operating systems. Whatever it could be, Microsoft’s smartwatch should act as an ambassador to invite users into the Windows ecosystem.

2) Feature deep Xbox One integration.

The Xbox brand is one of Microsoft’s most valuable assets because of its longstanding reputation with gamers. Just as Windows Phone users should see extra functionality with a Microsoft wearable, so too should Xbox One owners. Microsoft has already admitted defeat by unbundling the Kinect with the Xbox One, but games could still take advantage of voice recognition from users wearing the company’s smartwatch. Moreover, having a second screen attached to a player’s wrist could realize the full potential of Microsoft’s underutilized SmartGlass app.

3) Make Cortana the smartwatch’s centerpiece.

One of the biggest draws for Windows Phone’s latest iteration is Cortana, Microsoft’s take on Siri that’s named after a character from its hit Halo game franchise. The digital assistant’s on-screen representation is a small blue circle that could easily animate into and out of a watch face, and it could be the perfect control hub for the company’s smartwatch. Since a smartwatch’s interface is already small in terms of touchable screen space, having a voice-activated device makes much more sense. Featuring Cortana prominently would give the Microsoft smartwatch a unique UI, and it could once again make a solid case for users to make the switch to the Windows Phone platform.

 4) Keep it affordable.

No matter what Microsoft’s smartwatch can do, it will have to tackle the conventional wisdom that wearable gadgets are accessories, rather than must-buy standalone products. As such, the smartwatch ought to carry a price that brings potential customers in, rather than turn them away. It’s possible that Microsoft has already learned this lesson: when Sony ’s PlayStation 4 was revealed to cost a full hundred dollars less than Microsoft’s Xbox One console, the former easily outsold the latter in the months that followed. Let’s hope Microsoft wouldn’t make that mistake again by pricing customers out of buying its latest tech.

5) Above all, it has to have style.

Simply put, Microsoft’s smartwatch needs to look good. One of the biggest hurdles facing Google Glass’s acceptance is that it just looks silly. The Samsung Gear line of smartwatches has received similar criticisms for its chunky, gaudy profile. The fact that Microsoft subsidiary Nokia has been making brash, neon-colored Windows Phones for the past several years doesn’t bode well for the wearable’s fashion potential. Hopefully Microsoft CEO Satya Nadella knows better than to rely on Nokia’s designers for the company’s first foray into wearables.