The G-watch may hit before the iWatch.
While Apple’s “iWatch” has long been rumored, Google appears to be getting a jump on its rival with a wearable wrist device that could be “ready within months,” a new report said.
Google’s smartwatch is in “late-stage development” and the company is in talks with suppliers in Asian to begin mass production, the Wall Street Journal reported on Tuesday, citing people familiar with the matter.
Google’s new device will run on Android and will be integrated with Google Now, the company’s intelligent personal assistant that answers questions, according to the report.
Meanwhile, Apple CEO Tim Cook avoided discussing its plans for new products on the company’s fourth-quarter conference call Monday.
Despite sagging sales growth, Wall Street has been growing increasingly bullish on Apple in recent months on anticipation of new products and innovations for 2014, including a high-tech watch.
If Google gets its watch out first that could undermine Apple’s device, which isn’t expected to roll out until the second half of next year.
Still, some analysts dismissed talk of competition, saying Apple’s loyal users are unlikely to stray.
“There’s a certain subset of customers out there who would buy anything Apple sells,” said Michael Levin, co-founder of research shop Consumer Intelligence Research Partners. “If Apple sold underwear they’d buy it.”
Levin, however, questioned whether a smartwatch will be the game-changer some analysts have predicted.
“Is this going solve enough user problems to make it worth people changing their habits and spending the money?” Levin said.
Last month, Samsung debuted its Galaxy Gear smartwatch to poor reviews. A growing number of tech companies, including Microsoft, LG and Sony, also are said to be working on similar devices.
Apple’s stock has been getting squeezed in recent months amid concerns about its ability to report the kind of double-digit growth numbers it did when visionary co-founder Steve Jobs was running the show.
On Monday, Apple reported lower year-over-year quarterly profits despite record sales.
Apple shares traded lower Tuesday, recently down 1 percent to $524.37.