Google Inc (GOOG) To Come Up With SDK For Wearable Devices

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Google Inc (NASDAQ:GOOG) is all set to release a software development kit (SDK) for wearable devices in the next two weeks, according to Sundar Pichai, SVP of Android, Chrome & Apps. The SDK would be used to create a standard method for sensors to ‘talk’ to the Android operating system.

“We want to develop a set of common protocols by which they can work together,” said Pichai at South by Southwest (SXSW), reported The Verge.

Google focusing on platform level

Through SDK, developers could design apps for wearable devices like games and fitness trackers. The popular wearable devices are smart-watches, fitness bands and smart-jackets.

Pichai did not reveal if the company is making a new wearable device, but according to the rumors, Google Inc (NASDAQ:GOOG) is collaborating with LG electronics for a new smart watch. LG made a smart watch which is integrated with Google Now enabling a user to give commands any time and receive feedback. Google is expected to unveil the new smartwatch at the I/O developer event, in June.

Google Inc (NASDAQ:GOOG) designed Google Glass, the first wearable gadget from the tech giant. Google Glass is fitted with an optical head-mounted display that displays information on natural language commands. Google Glass sports a 5 megapixel camera, and can record at 720 pixels.

During the interview at SXSW, Pichai was asked if the company is hoping to integrate Android on devices made by Nest, a home automation company that Google acquired for $3.2 billion. Pichai not directly answered the question, but hinted that Nest could play an important role in the “mesh layer,” enabling devices to co-ordinate with each other.

Apple a formidable rival

Google Inc (NASDAQ:GOOG) faces a stiff competition from Apple Inc. (NASDAQ:AAPL) in the wearable segment, which is known pretty much to the market. Last year, in December, Apple operations head Jeff Williams held a meeting with FDA executives Dr. Margaret Hamburg and Dr. Jeffrey Shuren to discuss the “mobile medical applications.” The iPhone maker is said to be designing sensor technology under the supervision of Tomlinson Holman, inventor of Lucasfilm THX sound system and the first 10.2 sound systems.

Holman is doing research on predicting heart attacks by studying the sounds that blood makes while flowing through arteries. Apple is also hiring health and medical experts to launch new products. Also, the company could be gearing up to unveil a smartwatch or fitness bands that can predict health stats like heart rate, calories and step counts within the next year or two.

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