Microsoft smartwatch to pack two-day battery life

Microsoft is planning to imminently launch a smartwatch, as the firm is keen to ensure it does not miss out on the next big mobile trend.

The as-yet unnamed device is expected to offer two-days' of battery life and multi-platform support, sources have told Forbes.

Microsoft hopes these two features will help its device stand out in what is shaping up to be a fiercely competitive sector. An exact unveiling date has yet to be confirmed, with sources claiming the smartwatch will be launched within the "coming weeks".

Rival products like the Apple Watch, Moto 360 and Gear devices all need charging on a daily basis and are locked into the iOS and Android platforms, respectively. When released in 2015, the Apple Watch will also need to be connected to an iPhone as it cannot function as a standalone product.

News of a Microsoft-based smartwatch started to circulate earlier this year after the firm filed multiple patents with the United States Patents and Trademark Office.

Based on the patents, the device is expected to include heart rate monitor, speech input, as well as provide notifications and directions.

Microsoft is slowing gaining traction in the smartphone market with its Windows Phone operating system sitting comfortably in third place. However, according to figures from IDC, Microsoft has only 2.5 per cent of worldwide market share.

The firm has also gone on the record to admit it only has 14 per cent of the total device market share when PCs, smartphones and tablets are counted, showing that the firm has some work to do.