It was only a matter of time before someone came up with an idea to independently build a smartwatch based on Android Wear, a new platform that Google unveiled earlier this year that’s meant primarily for wearable devices. Com had the same idea which is why it launched the Indiegogo campaign to raise funds for its Com 1 Android Wear smartwatch. Google saw it fit to shut the campaign down, and it did, citing reason that its intellectual property had been used in the campaign without its permission.
There might be a couple of reasons why Google took this step. Com may not have permission from Google to use Android Wear marketing materials in its campaign, and that’s understandable, if they had taken permission perhaps this might not have happened.
The other reason could be the fact that Com 1 sounded too good to be true. The $150 smartwatch was reportedly going to have a bigger battery than any other Android Wear smartwatch out there and a host of sensors not found on any existing device. The company kept updating the specs page frequently and its pitch was poorly worded, which led many to think whether it was all an elaborate scam.
It wouldn’t be the first scam on Indiegogo. Since it doesn’t require funding goals to be met before payout or a working prototype from the company to release funds, its not surprising to see people trying to scam potential backers into donating for products that don’t exist at all.
Perhaps Google wanted to save those people the agony of wasting money on a product that wouldn’t even have shipped, and also wanted to ensure that Android Wear didn’t receive any negative press as a result of that.
This is pure speculation though. Com apologized to backers via Twitter and said that as a sign of good faith it has started processing refunds. The company says it has a backup plan in place so lets see if the Com 1 smartwatch ever materializes.
Filed in . Read more about Android Wear, Smartwatches and Wearable Tech.