It should perhaps come as no surprise that Sony is working on a successor to the Smartwatch 2 wearable, and with the IFA show in Berlin less than a month away any potential reveal should be just around the corner, but a new rumour has suggested the company's Smartwatch 3 won't use Google's Android Wear operating system.
According to a thread on digi-wo, which has some prior history in breaking Sony mobile news, Sony is hard at work the Smartwatch 3. It looks set to use the same square design as previous Smartwatch models and the same transflexive LCD technology, but the resolution could see a welcome increase. Transflexive panels are supposed to be easier to read in direct sunlight, but still need a backlight - unlike the AMOLED screen used by Samsung for its Gear 2 and Gear Live wearables.
It will reportedly include a Wi-Fi module for direct connection to a wireless network, meaning there would be no need to pair it with a smartphone, and should support wireless charging rather than needing a dedicated charging dock. We should also expect dust and waterproof capabilities, like Sony's flagship Xperia Z2 smartphone.
The biggest surprise should be Sony's decision not to use Google's Android Wear operating system. Although it's still in the early stages, having only appeared on LG's G Watch and the upcoming Moto 360 from Motorola, the OS was designed from the ground up for wearables - unlike the custom version of Android Sony used for its previous Smartwatch.
However, the report also suggests Sony has completely overhauled the interface for the new watch, so perhaps it will have a few unique features that set it apart from the Android Wear competition.
As ever, this is an unsubstantiated rumour and shouldn't be taken as fact until we hear otherwise from Sony. We shouldn't have long to wait to see if the rumours are correct, however - according to the Digi-Wo post, Sony will be making the Smartwatch 3 official at IFA. We'll be at the show in Berlin, so be sure to check back on the 4th of September to see what Sony has planned.
