Despite all of its might and resources, Samsung’s first shot at the emerging smartwatch category was definitely a misfire. The Galaxy Gear was universally panned by reviewers, including us, and it felt like a device that Samsung rushed out in response to an Apple product that doesn’t even exist. Samsung’s slip up won’t stop other big vendors from taking a swing at wearables though, and the next to step into the batter’s box may be Google. A new rumor from Android Police’s Artem Russakovskii suggests that Google will unveil its first smartwatch, code-named “Gem,” toward the end of this month alongside the launch of Android 4.4 KitKat. No other details were provided, though an earlier rumor suggested that Google’s smartwatch may actually carry Motorola “X” branding and will complement the Moto X smartphone. Google may also unveil its new Nexus 5 handset at the same event alongside its smartwatch, however, which would make Motorola branding less likely.

Zach Epstein has worked in and around ICT for more than 15 years, first in marketing and business development with two private telcos, then as a writer and editor covering business news, consumer electronics and telecommunications. Zach’s work has been quoted by countless top news publications in the US and around the world. He was also recently named one of the world's top-10 “power mobile influencers” by Forbes, as well as one of Inc. Magazine's top-30 Internet of Things experts.