It may seem that all the most anticipated products of the year have already been announced, but 2014 is far from over. Microsoft is reportedly working on a fitness wearable that will be announced in the coming weeks and could be available for sale this holiday season. Price information is not yet available.
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According to Forbes's Parmy Olson, who spoke with sources close to the project, Microsoft's wearable will passively track your heart rate and be compatible with different mobile platforms. The device will likely carry an onboard heart-rate monitor, such as the one on the Samsung Gear Live, and may work with iOS and Android along with Windows Phone devices.
More intriguing is the claim that Microsoft's tracker has a battery that will last for more than two days of regular use before needing a recharge. That's longer than the day or so of juice provided by the Gear Live and LG's G Watch.
Those two watches run Android Wear, Google's made-for-wrists operating system. Apple also recently announced its own smart timepiece called Apple Watch that will run a version of iOS and be compatible with iOS devices.
It's not clear yet if Microsoft's fitness band will run a version of Windows, but, according to Forbes, the device will draw on the company's optical engineering experience from its Kinect division.
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Staff writer Cherlynn Low needs a smartwatch because she keeps losing her dumb watches. Follow her @cherlynnlow. Follow Tom's Guide at @tomsguide and on Facebook.
