Will.i.am To Launch His Own Smartwatch In July

Will.I.Am, the X-factor judge, maker of gaudy iPhone accessories has announced he will be releasing his own smart watch in July.

Unlike other smartwatches that rely on a connected mobile to make calls, his will include a dialling function (and so, presumably, a SIM card) built directly into the device, the Black Eyed Peas’ frontman said.

During a segment on Alan Carr: Chatty Man, Will.I.Am showed off a bulky prototype, promising that it had access to the usual social media site (twitter, Instagram, Facebook) and it could also be used to “work out with,” with the addition of a pair of wireless Bluetooth earphones.

There was also a brief glance at the interface, which showed an animated circular icon similar to Cortana – Microsoft’s digital personal assistant for Windows Phone devices – while hevlater tweeted on his twitter page that the device would be launching this July.

It’s entirely possible that the whole thing is just Will.i.am pouring money into an indulgent tech fantasy, but it’s not like this has stopped him in the past – as per his ludicrously named range of i.am+ foto.sosho iPhone cases.

The pricey accessories (with the cheapest on sale for £199) did little more than add extra camera functionality to an already well-equipped smartphone and the devices were panned by critics. Will.i.am himself was resolute, saying that the idea was not sell lots but to “seed” the device to “the right cultural influencers”.