Blocks Modular Smartwatch Will Run On Android Lollipop

Last year a concept smartwatch called Blocks surfaced. The idea was somewhat radical as its creators basically wanted to create a modular smartwatch in which various components could be swapped in and out depending on your needs. Now previously we reported that the developers behind Blocks planned for the device to run on Tizen, but it looks like they have since have had a change of heart.

According to its creators, it seems that they have changed their minds as the device will now run on a modified version of Android Lollipop. It’s an interesting choice as many would have expected them to go with Android Wear, especially when you consider that Android Wear is designed for wearables, not to mention there are also apps that are designed for Android Wear in mind.

So why Android Lollipop and not Android Wear? According to the company’s co-founder Alireza Tahmasebzadeh, “Android Wear does not support cellular connectivity, at least yet. That’s why we are basing Blocks on a version of Android Lollipop, optimizing it for power consumption, changing the User Interface for a circular display, and adding the necessary changes to Android’s Linux kernel to reflect modularity.”

Tahmasebzadeh also adds that by using Android instead of Android Wear, it could potentially allow the device to be compatible with non-Android devices in the future as well. The company also provided updates on the development of the device and revealed that the main component of the watch would be a Qualcomm Snapdragon 400 chipset powering it.

They are also expected to launch a crowdfunding campaign soon. Last we checked they had planned to launch a Kickstarter campaign in June and assuming nothing has changed, we should expect it to be announced soon.

Tyler Lee
Categories: Gadgets
Tags: blocks, Smartwatch, Wearable Tech