It’s been rumored for a while now that Google has been working on a smart watch. As it turns out, Google actually had a prototype at one point, but it was scrapped.
Android Police reports that Google and Motorola were collaborating on a smart watch back in 2013 back when Google wasn’t in the process of offloading the mobile device manufacturer onto Lenovo. The watch was called the Google Watch, but went by the codename of Gem.
So, what was this Google Watch like? According to the report and photos, it featured a rubberized strap, a small square display, one back button on the bottom of the device, a button on the side and two buttons on the top. Here’s what it looked like:
Image via Android Police
So, what happened? It’s hard to say, but I would guess that Google’s sale of Motorola to Lenovo got in the way of development. The project was therefore scrapped before it could get out of the prototype phase.
Despite the apparent death of the Google Watch, Motorola is still working on a wearable. The company announced its intentions to pursue the smart watch space on Twitter earlier this week:
Rick – We are working on a watch that will be available this year. We aim to address consumer issues like style & battery life #MotoMWC
— Motorola Mobility (@Motorola) February 25, 2014
As for Google, the company will reportedly be teaming up with long-time Nexus partner LG to produce its smart watch. Whether that smart watch is anything like the Motorola prototype remains to be seen.