Masimo Partners with Google to Develop a Reference Platform That Helps Device Manufacturers Bring High-performing Wear OS Smartwatches to Market
Comprehensive Smartwatch Reference Platform to Include Key Hardware and Software Components, Including Industry-leading Masimo Biosensing Capabilities
Masimo (NASDAQ: MASI) a leading global medical innovator, today announced a partnership with Google to develop a new reference platform for original equipment manufacturers (OEMs) building Wear OS by Google™ smartwatches. By incorporating Masimo’s breakthrough biosensing technologies – based on its decades of expertise developing industry-leading hospital monitoring solutions – and standardizing smartwatch devices using the Masimo reference platform, OEMs will be able to more efficiently build and bring high-performing Wear OS smartwatches to market. The robust reference platform is designed to support the fast-growing Wear OS ecosystem – including with a suite of health and wellness tracking tools that consumers can trust to provide accurate, reliable data, seamless integration with Android™ smartphones, and a high-quality, high-performance experience.
Joe Kiani, Founder and CEO of Masimo, said, “We’re excited to partner with Google to develop a reference platform for Wear OS that leverages our expert engineering capabilities. Our ability to craft next generation biosensing technologies, precision components, and advanced signal processing algorithms, with rigor and discipline honed over decades, is an excellent foundation for creating a world-class smartwatch reference platform. From hardware to software, Masimo engineers are optimizing the ‘guts’ of the smartwatch – and working with Google to offer OEMs an incredible Wear OS smartwatch solution. Much as numerous leading hospital monitor manufacturers incorporate Masimo monitoring technologies to offer hospitals the best possible patient monitoring solutions, we expect this new wearable platform to supercharge smartwatch OEMs’ abilities to create innovative, competitive, and truly compelling Wear OS smartwatches for consumers everywhere.”
Bjorn Kilburn, GM of Wear OS at Google, added, “Building quality smartwatches with premium features that users have come to expect can be time consuming and costly. With Masimo's reference platform, smartwatch makers are able to benefit from state-of-the-art biosensing technology and quickly bring their Wear OS devices to market, at scale. Together, we're promoting innovation across the Wear OS ecosystem that provides end users with high-performing, feature-rich devices to choose from.”
OEMs who adopt the new Masimo platform, which is expected to be compatible with existing Google apps and services created for the Wear OS platform, will continue to design and produce their new smartwatches’ physical exteriors and have creative control over the appearance of the user interface. The devices’ interiors, including optimized hardware and software components, biosensors, and companion Android smartphone app, will be designed, provided, and tested by Masimo – ensuring superior performance and unmatched user experiences. Health and wellness capabilities will feature the same biosensing innovations and analytics that power the Masimo W1® wearable and forthcoming Masimo Freedom™ smartwatch – technology based on Masimo’s clinically proven, industry-leading Signal Extraction Technology® (SET®). The Masimo reference platform will make all of these components, features, and benefits available for smartwatch manufacturers building Wear OS smartwatches in an easy-to-implement, standardized package.
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