Is the smartwatch the next big thing? LG also looks at wrist device

As if three weren’t already a crowd, the latest rumors now say LG is also working on a smartwatch, joining a crowded field that includes tech giants Apple, Google and Samsung.

The South Korean electronics maker is rumored to be working on a smartwatch product to compete with that of its rivals, according to a report Friday by the Korea Times that cites an unnamed source.

LG already sells smartwatches, including the GD910, but the company’s next generation smartwatch would compete in a market that is quickly gaining contenders and consumers’ attention. LG, which has fallen behind in the smartphone and tablet markets, may be hoping to leapfrog its rivals in the next generation of smart products.

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That includes smartwatches, which have come front and center to the tech world thanks to small companies like Pebble and Martian Watch, which took to Kickstarter last year to gain funding for watches capable of connecting with users’ smartphones. Smartwatches can show users their messages, emails, calls and other small bits of information and have the advantage of letting users control their phones without having to take them out of their pockets.

And now, it seems the giants of the tech world have taken a liking to the idea.

Apple was the first to be rumored to be working on its own smartwatch when a report surfaced late last year saying the Cupertino company was focused on wearable tech. Although Apple hasn’t confirmed an iWatch is on its way, the rumor has been perpetuated by other outlets.

Samsung was then thrown in the mix when one of its executives told Bloomberg this month that it too was working on smart products for users’ wrists.

And more recently, Google was tied to the smartwatch market by a report from the Financial Times, which pointed out that the tech giant has a patent for a smartwatch device.

Besides smartwatches, the Korea Times report also says LG may be working on “an innovative smart product” similar to Glass, the smartphone-like glasses Google is developing.

The report doesn’t provide much detail on that device, but one thing’s clear: LG doesn’t want to be left behind.

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