With technology moving forward at the usual rapid rate, we’ll begin to see many of the more well known tech companies try their hand at a smartwatch as they become more mainstream and user focused. There are already a good number of offerings from the likes of Google and their many partners like Samsung, LG, ASUS, Motorola and Sony, and many of those OEM’s have their own line of smartwatches too. Even regular Watch brands like Fossil have come forward with offerings in the smartwatch market through their off brand called Meta, which as it turns out, is the company actually behind the making of the Chronowing smartwatch.
Yes, we all thought HP was doing this on their own with the help from designer Michael Bastian, but that isn’t the case it seems. Meta has recently produced the M1 smartwatch which up until now was one of the devices that looked the most like a regular watch, but with entry of the Chronowing coming that title is about to be taken. The question is, why the smoke and mirrors about HP being the company behind the watch in the first place when sources close to the matter have confirmed that Meta is the true OEM behind it? Well, what seems to be happening is that Meta is simply sourcing out their talents, and HP has bought the rights to sell the watch, while still leaving Meta to manufacture the product, so there really isn’t any smoke and mirrors at all depending on how you look at it.
The Verge points out that there are numerous(also obvious)similarities between both the Meta M1 and the Chronowing, which while not actual evidence of Meta being the manufacturer, it gives further credence to the idea that Meta is making this watch for HP. To be completely honest, it shouldn’t matter whether HP is actually behind the manufacturing process or not, especially when you consider that Meta already has experience in the smartwatch market where as HP has none. However, HP has a globally recognized brand presence, Meta does not, which makes this a win/win for both parties involved. HP gets to sell a smartwatch under its brand made by a company that has had their hand in the business for years, while Meta still gets to sell tons of their products to a larger brand that has the recognition to put its face out there.