Is a smartwatch in your future?
Rumors about a smartwatch heat up again after an Apple trademark filing in Japan. Would that float your boat? Take our poll and weigh in on the debate.
Maybe it's the arrival of the dog days of summer and a respite from hard news, but the rumor of a possible wearable computer from Apple is again making the rounds.
Apple has reportedly applied for a trademark for the "iWatch" name in Japan. The June 3 filing with the Japan Patent Office was made public last week, according to Bloomberg, which first reported on the application.
That would fit with the run of rumors throughout the year that Apple management is developing a wearable device -- in this case a watch or "smartwatch" that could run iOS. Meanwhile, drips and drabs have leaked about Google working on bringing out a smartwatch that runs Android, while Samsung has voiced its interest in developing a smartwatch. Even Microsoft is rumored to be studying the idea.
Smoke, fire? No doubt, Google's debut of Google Glass has helped pique consumer interest in this nascent product category, though it's really too early to predict in which direction the technology is likely going to evolve. But if smartwatches do turn into the next new computing category, would you be in the market to buy one? Let us know in our accompanying poll.