Smartwatch patents are being snatched up by Swatch

smartwatch iwatch time

The watchmaker has been scooping up patents for wearables to the point that it is now believed they have 173 of them.

Many experts and consumers, alike, have been waiting for a smartwatch to be released by Swatch, but that watchmaker appears to be taking its time before coming out with a device of its own within this category.

That said, it hasn’t been idle in the area of wearables, as it has been purchasing dozens of patents.

In fact, a recent estimate issued by Bloomberg Business has shown that the company has accumulated at least 173 different patents that are somehow related to wearable technology. In one way or another, they are making sure that when they come out with a new device in that category – assuming they are – they are going to be covered from the legal side of the tech they choose to use. Bloomberg Business did quite an investigation into the patents held by Swatch and found that among those that have been acquired, there are some very interesting smartwatch concepts involved.

For example some involve a smartwatch that includes data transmitting batteries and unique proximity sensors.

smartwatch iwatch timeThere are some sources that are now stating that Smartwatch could potentially have enough tech patents among its possessions to be able to create a wearable technology device on its own. Most other watchmaker companies, such as TAG Heuer, have had to partner up with tech giants. In TAG Heuer’s case, that tech giant was Intel.

Intellectual property is currently ruling the world of mobile technology, as companies initiate one lawsuit after the next with their competition in order to avoid allowing those other businesses to succeed while using tech that belongs to someone else. Patents are often making more money through settlements than the technology they’re protecting.

Clearly, Swatch is aiming to ensure that legalities won’t be an issue that will stand in the way of the development of one of their own smartwatch devices and that they will be properly armed to protect the unique nature of those gadgets if anyone else should come along and infringe on their large accumulation of patents.

Leave a Comment


This site uses Akismet to reduce spam. Learn how your comment data is processed.