Intel: Edison isn't a smartwatch chip

Intel's Edison development platform, which includes a low-power Atom CPU, isn't intended to be used for smartwatches or smartbands.

That's the message from Jim Chase, product manager for the Intel Edison platform, who Wareable spoke with at the Maker Faire in Rome recently.

"The concept was to create a small powerful form factor compute module for the internet of things," Chase explained. “In the wearable space where it fits well is first responders or industrial workers who need to keep track of personnel. If you’re wearing helmets and garb, it can be useful. It’s not intended to be a watch, not yet, or a bracelet."

See also: Intel want to show people what’s possible in wearable tech

First announced back in January at CES, Intel Edison is a tiny computer built on the chip giant's 22nm transistor technology. It's compatible with any variant of Linux - including Android Wear - and has built-in Wi-Fi and Bluetooth modules.

So far, devices rocking Google's smartwatch OS have come packing ARM-based architecture from the likes of Qualcomm and Texas Instruments. However, it seems as if Intel is already developing other wearable platforms, which could challenge the ARM brigade’s status quo.

“We’re not stopping with Edison on SoCs and we’re experimenting with ultra low power and ultra high performance," Chase told us.

"The cell phone chips we made Edison out of were one of several family types, so we’ll push down other types of chip to make simple wearable technologies.”

Now read: Can Intel Edison redefine wearable tech?