Microsoft plans to launch a smartwatch within weeks : Forbes

Being the next big player to enter the wearables space, Microsoft is reportedly planning to launch a smart watch that gives users more power and flexibility than some competitors.

According to a report in Forbes, Microsoft is set to beat Apple to the punch by delivering a feature-packed wearable ahead of the silly season. The device is said to feature passive heart rate monitoring and two day battery life, and will apparently work across all major smartphone platforms too, not just Windows Phone.

The report, which quotes sources ‘close to the project’, claims that Microsoft has drawn on its optical engineering nous from the Kinect to product the device, which implies that there could be some interesting features front and centre when it launches sometime in the next few weeks.

The device will have a battery life of more than two days of regular use. The long battery life will naturally put Microsoft's product ahead of Samsung's Galaxy Gear smart watch and Moto 360 as both these smartwatches need to be charged around once a day. The wearable is expected to hit the market soon.

Microsoft is yet to make any official announcement in this regard and the Forbes report also did not mention the name of the device and its price.

The launch of a wearable device would mark the entry of the company into a new device category under CEO Satya Nadella. Wearable market is rapidly expanding and it is estimated that this sector would be worth USD 7.1 billion in 2015.