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We’d hoped many current smartphone manufacturers would consider using Android Wear for future devices in their stable, but it looks like one prolific OEM won’t be joining the bandwagon. That OEM is Sony, who has revealed to CNET that they won’t be interested in using Android Wear for their SmartWatch platform.
Sony feels like they built something solid enough on their own, and they want to continue their own vision in future iterations of their product. Sony Mobile US boss Ravi Nookala revealed as much in a recent interview:
We’ve already invested time and resources on this platform, and we will continue in that direction.
Despite that, though, Sony says they’re excited about Android Wear, and hope to see its emergence push the entirety of the wearables movement forward. This doesn’t mean Sony will never consider making an Android Wear platform, but perhaps it’ll take a little more than announcements of a couple of fancy smart watches to get them to hop on board.
It’s a strange move by the Japanese company who is usually on-board for these things. We’d expected a stance like that out of Samsung of all people, but even they are billed as one of the first partners creating Android Wear products.
Whether Sony’s move is the right one remains to be seen, but it’s too early for assumptions in a market that’s only just begun.
Their funeral.
I truly wish them success. Competition is the heart of innovation.
This is the right answer. I’m glad there are OEMs with heft who aren’t afraid to go a different route. The smartwatch space needs more than two options.
That said, I’ll probably be getting an Android Wear-powered watch as soon as possible. That’s some sweet lookin’ stuff right there.
Exactly, who says you must live under Google’s umbrella for everything?
Android users say “no thank you” to anything Sony.
You misspelled “fanboys”
NOT a fan but you gotta love Sony to consistently branch out and do their own thing. They’ll be laughing all the way to the bank when they figure out a way to interface it with the Playstation.
Which doesn’t make sense, because Playstation App integrates seamlessly to the PSN Platform, and It’s an IOS/Android App. Why Branch Out from those ecosystems with this specific Product? I’m not a fan of either sides… I just don’t understand this decision.
for their upcoming smart watch that has been in development why would they “waste” money on a total switch of OS on a niche product that might not make a ton of money for them? They also stated which isn’t in this article that they would look into Android Wear in the future.
I don’t blame them honestly. Google doesn’t have the best track record on continuing to develop “branches” of android (read: Google TV). So unless android wearables has a short term merge strategy into the base Android like their tablet line did its likely smarter to just go it alone.
They’ve left the door open for future wearables using ANDROID. SONY has since modified their original statement, which may have implied they had no interest in ANDROID for wearables (see C-NET).
Pretty sure we will see one this June lol
I stopped reading anything Cnet posts after it capitulated to its parent company over certain content. Cowards.
The whole smart watch thing is stupid.
So were camera phones back in 2003. Things change. Give it time.
True. But my mind is set on this one. I don’t need ANOTHER device to be distracted by. I already spend too much damn time staring at my phone’s screen lol. I’m sure some people will dig these, just not me.
I don’t understand why Google doesn’t team up with Sony.
Well Sony Ericson is a member of the oha, so they are teamed up to help push android on mobile devices. The real question is why did sony break away from their team up? The answer, they either dont understand the market or think they have somthing that will appeal to non techys.
Screw you too Sony. This along with their past history with patent sales against Google show their true colors.
Your personally offended by this move from Sony?
Yeah I actually wanted as many options as possible in this new ecosystem. I’ve always liked Sony hardware but it’s always been missing something. I guess the only option I’ll be looking at personally now is Moto, LG, and HTC for my future wearable.
3 out of 4 ain’t bad. Well, if you include Samsung it’s 5 but they’re also moving away from Android for their watches. Yes, Sony hardware is pretty and maybe we’ll be able to flash Android on it down the road through some XDA dev skillz. Either way, that new Moto watch looks even nicer than what Sony has shown us so far.
Well, I know who’s definitely NOT going to be buying a Sony watch…
Hedging their bets – and rightly so, they have a shipping product, Google does not (yet). I reckon they’ll get blown away by the 360 and end up adopting Android wear within 12 months.
I’ve been a long-time Sony consumer..but this is definitely Sony’s way (and why they’ve declined from powerhouse to an also-ran). They’ll try their proprietary approach and when its unable to compete, especially with consideration to relevant third-party support and development, Sony will adopt the market champion.
Do I need to mention Beta, MiniDisk, UMD…they finally scored with Blu-ray.
Apparently he hasn’t heard of “sunk costs.” Just because you put time in something doesnt mean you should just stick with it.
You may just as well have titled this, “Sony decides they don’t want their smart watches to sell. Would rather use their horrible OS”.
Betamax
MemoryStick and MiniDisk
Relate everything to Google make them dependent, I think it is normal, no everything has to be Google or Android if those “OS” are compatible with Android.
We get a point where everything from Google is better and has to be adopted and I think that’s wrong.
Sony has responded to say that they aren’t sure what they’re doing yet as Android Wear is still very new. Will they work on Wear in the future? Who knows? This is most likely corporate fluff, just in case they decide to jump on the Android Wear train in the future.
https://twitter.com/SonyMobileNews/status/448535248520085504
“Lots of talk out there today. We’re focused on SW2 & SmartBand right now, but door’s def not closed to#AndroidWear – early days…”
Hahaha the arrogance of Sony. Ballsy move considering they are closing nearly al US retail stores
Moto 360 looking so much better now.
I honestly could care less about smart watches until I say the Moto 360…me want :)
Yeah, well. Sony also said no to VHS. Morons.
Sony is afraid of breaking its near perfect recent record of failure.