Google cooking up Android smart watch, report says

Google has joined Apple and Samsung on the list of companies rumoured to be cooking up a smart watch, with fresh reports suggesting the Big G's Android unit is beavering away on a wrist-based gadget.

There's no word on when we could expect to see such a device become official, though the Financial Times reports that the smart watch is being developed to act as an extension to Android-powered smart phones, citing "a person briefed on the project".

That suggests that Google's plan could be to develop an interface for answering calls or reading messages -- acts that are often inconvenient to perform with a smart phone as they require hauling your mobile out of your pocket.

Apple is tipped to be cooking up a smart watch too, rumoured to feature curved glass and have a 100-strong design team. Take every smart watch rumour with a pinch of salt however, as neither Google nor Apple has officially declared their intention to occupy your wrists.

Samsung also seems to be trying to strap new types of technology onto your hands, with an exec recently declaring that the South Korean company was "definitely" working on a smart watch.

Supposed leaked screenshots for Samsung's watch point to a Windows Phone-esque tile-based interface, as well as the code name 'Altius'.

Meanwhile Chinese manufacturer Shanda is rumoured to be getting in one the watch-based action too, Geek.com reports -- supposedly building a smart watch powered by Android, as well as a second variant running the fledgling Firefox OS.

What isn't yet known is how any possible smart watch would last for more than a day before running out of battery. Perhaps all three companies are considering the kind of e-ink display that features in the Pebble watch, which is famed for its tiny impact on battery life.

What would you like to see in an Android smart watch? Let me know in the comments or on our Facebook wall.