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HTC rumored to launch smartwatch in September

Taiwanese device maker may be working on an Android Wear-based smartwatch called the HTC CWZ, claims rumor page @upleaks.

Don Reisinger
CNET contributor Don Reisinger is a technology columnist who has covered everything from HDTVs to computers to Flowbee Haircut Systems. Besides his work with CNET, Don's work has been featured in a variety of other publications including PC World and a host of Ziff-Davis publications.
Don Reisinger
2 min read

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HTC is hard at work on a new smartwatch that is rumored to hit store shelves in September.

Twitter account @upleaks, a relatively new rumor page based in China, claimed Friday that HTC's upcoming smartwatch will run Google's Android Wear software and be called the HTC CWZ. The device is slated to hit store shelves in September, according to @upleaks, and will be available in North America, Japan, Brazil, Korea, and other markets around the world.

CNET has contacted HTC for comment. We will update this story when we have more information.

In February, HTC Chairwoman Cher Wang promised an HTC smartwatch by the holiday shopping season. She wouldn't say, however, exactly when the device would be made available or what features it would offer.

Rumors have been swirling for months that the Taiwanese device maker would announce its smartwatch soon. Just last month, an unannounced HTC smartwatch briefly appeared in an official video, though the company claimed it was not a actual product it planned to release. An earlier report suggested HTC's smartwatch would be called the One Wear and launch in late August or early September.

When HTC does decided to launch a smartwatch, the company will face increasing competition in the wearable space. Samsung this week unveiled its latest smartwatch, the Gear S, and several other companies -- including LG, Sony, and Motorola -- have already launched wearables or plan to do so in the near future. Apple is also expected to announce a wearable device, possibly the so-called "iWatch," at its iPhone 6 launch event on September 9.

Still, it's impossible to verify the latest HTC smartwatch leak from @upleaks. The Twitter account's accuracy rate is still a major question mark, and HTC has not made any official announcements about its smartwatch. Until the company does, it's important to take this rumors with the proverbial grain of salt.