Pine64 has revealed it is currently in the
process of developing an affordable US$ 25 smartwatch specifically designed for
Linux smartphones. The aptly named PineTime smartwatch uses an already
available smartwatch casing with custom internal hardware supporting Bluetooth
5.0, heart rate monitor and more.
The smartwatch has been designed to run open
source software, based on ARM Mbed or FreeRTOS and will also support the
company’s new Linux smartphone the PinePhone currently under development.
Initial indications from Pine64 suggest that the smartwatch will be powered by
a low-power, ARM-based processor, possibly in the form of a NORDIC nRF2832 ARM
Cortex-M4 chip.
The US$ 25 smartwatch is currently a “side project”
for Pine64 and is not one of the company’s priority at the current time, but
they are seeking software developers interested in contributing to the project.
Other development projects of higher priority from the company include the
PineBook Pro laptop and PinePhone smartphone which is expected to be priced at
around US$ 150.
