UPDATE: Tesla NOT Developing Smartwatch With Partners

There have been reports of a new Tesla Smartwatch floating around, and now a new graphic has emerged. Idahoreporter states that Tesla will be partnering with Huami to create the watch.

Update: Tesla CEO Elon Musk says these rumors are not true. Tesla is not developing a watch of any sort.

There have been reports of a new Tesla Smartwatch floating around, and now a new graphic has emerged. Idahoreporter states that Tesla will be partnering with Huami to create the watch. Huami Technology’s founder and CEO, Huang Wang, also shared the news via his Weibo account and stated that the official product release will be on September 15. I just want to know two things: How can I buy one and does it come in purple?

Tesla isn’t the only one partnering with Huami. Its brand for smartwatches and other wearable devices, Amazefit, has also partnered with Xpeng and Amazon.

Gizmodo Australia reported last month that Tesla was also named in a filing with the Federal Communications Commission (FCC) by Xplora Technologies, which is a Norwegian company that develops smartwatches for children. The filing is for an application for an FCC equipment authorization The application noted that these are “Necessary acts carried out by Shenzhen Balun Technology Co., Ltd. in connection with the Application shall have the same effect as the acts of Tesla Motors, Inc.”

Sanghyo Kim, of XPlORA Technologies, filed the application. The letter to the FCC also noted that the design of the smartwatch is a “basis form which future technological products will evolve,” and that Tesla “considers this information would be of benefit to its competitors.”

Gizmodo Australia mentioned that it wasn’t clear as to why Tesla is getting involved with the development of the XPLORA XP5. However, many Tesla owners and supporters can agree that since many often use their phones to unlock their cars, the next step would be a piece of wearable tech that does this at least as easily in the case that you don’t have your phone on you.

On that note, there is a special type of jewelry made by one innovative Tesla owner — the Tesla Ring. It’s a handmade, waterproof ring specifically made for the Model 3 and Y. The ring is made from wood and doesn’t need to be charged — unlike a smartwatch or your phone. What would you choose — a smartwatch or a ring? (Or both?)

Tesla’s Habit of Revolutionizing Industries

One of the most notable things about Tesla is that when the company sees a problem, even if it’s outside of its normal production and expertise, it finds a way to solve the problem. This has led to Tesla in-housing development and production of many products, including seats. Will it venture into genuine smartwatch development?

In order to solve a problem, one has to first think of solutions that might work. Aside from coming up with many effective and competitive solutions in the world of cars and solar energy, Tesla has been developing batteries for both and has established itself as one of the most advanced tech companies on the planet. Tesla has bought a major robotics company and a battery cell production company in recent years to work on this matter. There’s speculation that Tesla may get into the mining industry as well. (Note: In 2017, Kurt Kelty, former Senior Director of Battery Tech, pointed out that if Tesla was to move in the direction of becoming its own mining company, it would do so around nickel — not cobalt or lithium.)

Let’s not forget the insurance industry either. By creating its own in-house car insurance, Tesla is able to give its customers the closest thing to a personal insurance policy available on the market. “We’re building a great, major insurance company. If you’re interested in building a revolutionary insurance company, please join Tesla. Especially if you want to change things. This is the place to be. We want revolutionary actuaries,” Elon Musk said during Tesla’s Q2 2020 earnings call.

Automotive, energy, insurance, mining, and now smartwatches? Well, we’ll see about the latter two, but Tesla is clearly very involved with its partners in these industries even if it isn’t (yet) vertically integrating on these matters.

Those who still think Tesla is only a carmaker are either blind or intentionally refusing to look at the present carefully to see the future being created. Perhaps it’s time for the critics to come around and face the music, and enjoy it too!

What do you think? Is Tesla going to soon have its own smartwatch on the market? What will its level of involvement be in developing that?