Patent reveals a Google fitness band might be on the cards
A newly discovered patent reveals that Google might be working on a fitness band.
To remind, we’ve been hearing rumours about a Google-branded smartwatch for years now. It was supposed to be called Pixel watch. But nothing yet has materialised into a real-world product.
The last we heard of this was a report in the Nikkei Asian Review from late 2019. Citing an unnamed source, the article says the Mountain View company will unveil “two new 4G Pixel smartphones and possibly a new smart watch and notebook too”. But again, we’ve not seen the wearable.
Now, Google might have something different in the works. This time there’s the possibility of a fitness band.
The patent
As first spotted by 91mobile, there’s a new patent in town. Registered by the US Patents and Trademarks Office (USTPO) the filing refers to a Google branded “wristband for tracking fitness”.
No specs are revealed but there are quite a few drawings of the device which provide some clues as to functionality. You can see them below.
If this fitness band ever sees the light of day, it will be without a display. There are also no visible buttons on the sides.
Instead, it takes the form of a stylish, sporty looking bracelet. Which means you’ll need to use your smartphone for a detailed look into the statistics. There could also be some sort of ‘Ok Google’ feature to control the wearable.
Some other companies have also taken this route. The Whoop fitness band has no display, and the same is the case for the recently launched Amazon Halo.
The front of the band appears smooth while the rear has ridges to help keep it snug. The back of the band also reveals that this will be a very fitness-focused device. A heart rate sensor can clearly be seen along with some other lights and pins for charging. Other than that, it’s anyone’s guess as far to the specs.
The timing of a possible Google entry into the wearables space is a little suspect. We are expecting the nod of approval from the European authorities on its $2.1 billion Fitbit acquisition anytime now. When that fully goes through, along with approval from other regulatory authorities, Google will have a solid footing in the fitness space.
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