Did will.i.am really invent his own smart watch? Not directly, but he did finance the people who did, Mashable reported.
Known for being one of the better celebrity endorsers based on his successful partnerships with Coca Cola, Intel, and Eko-cycle, the musician/producer apparently decided he wanted to back a product with which he had a more direct impact. The smart watch also holds a special place in will.i.am's increasingly downsized technological repertoire.
"I don't carry my phone anymore - this is my phone," he said of the sleek black watch that adorned his left wrist in an interview with UK talk show host Alan Carr.
Unlike current versions from Sony, Motorola, and others, will.i.am's is supposedly capable of operating as a stand-alone device. His will be able to replace smartphones rather than working alongside them. If it does, it could transcend the smart watch's current niche as a glorified beeper.
"There's a lot of smartwatches that need phones [to operate]. Mine doesn't need a phone; this is the phone," he said.
According to a will.i.am tweet, the watch will release sometime in June. No word yet on the name of the musician's company or the name of the watch. Based on its debut on "Alan Carr: A Chatty Man" (a very British sounding talk show name, by the way), the device resembles the futuristic look chosen by most smart watch makers. It bears a particular resemblance to Samsung's version.
"I started the company myself; I funded it, used my own money to develop it," Will.i.am said. "It's a phone; it has all my music in it."
