Microsoft's Rumored Smartwatch Could Have A Distinct Competitive Advantage

Microsoft is the next tech giant looking to break into the smartwatch market with the rumored Surface Watch, according to a report from Gear Live.

There are already so many wearable devices on the market, and many more soon to launch, it's becoming difficult to keep up. But all this enthusiasm among device makers for the wearables category misses the fact that there still aren't enough apps out there to really make wearables compelling for mainstream consumers.

Why are there so few wearable apps?

In a recent report from BI Intelligence, we found that the the entire ecosystem for wearable apps is highly fragmented.

And the reason is that all the new devices run on different platforms and are only compatible with a handful of devices.

Since many wearable apps still function simply as an extension of smartphone and tablet apps - a way to receive notifications or record data without having to grab your phone, tethering the watch to be compatible with only specific devices limits a smartwatch maker's potential audience.

Microsoft's rumored Surface watch, however, will purportedly have cross-platform functionality. It will work with the iOS and Android platforms as well as other devices including desktop PCs and the Xbox One.

Since the wearables market currently is hindered by its multitude of walled-off devices, BI Intelligence believes the Microsoft watch's ability to link with various platforms will give it a significant competitive advantage.

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In full, the report:

• Navigates through the current state of wearable apps markets and the devices surrounding them.
• Examines the successes and failures developers have faced in early wearable app development.
• Identifies some of the most popular mobile apps and outlines their wearable crossover potential.
• Pinpoints wrist-worn devices and their companion health and fitness apps as early leaders in the space.
• Considers the scale of Apple's and Google's existing mobile platforms and qualifies their potential to take over the entire wearables market.