Qualcomm joins the smartwatch fray with Android Toq device

Galaxy Gear competitor will feature always-on display, wireless charging and greater device compatabilty

Chip manufacturer Qualcomm has confirmed its own entry into the wearable tech race, with the announcement of its Toq smartwatch for Android phones. The news follows Samsung's Galaxy Gear watch unveiling on Wednesday, and Sony's recent release of its SmartWatch 2.

The limited-edition Toq device will feature a reflective, low-power touchscreen display. The American firm claims the device will offer "days" of battery life, despite its screen always being on. This is in stark comparison with Samsung's Galaxy Gear device, which has a screen that must be switched on and battery life of just one day.

Paul Jacobs, Qualcomm's chief executive, said the device gives consumers a "digital sixth sense, telling you what you need to know, when you need to know it, with just a glance at your wrist or a whisper in your ear." The device will pull notifications and second-screen apps from a paired smartphone, and works with all handsets running Android 4.0.3 or above.

The watch also features wireless charging, which can be activated by inserting the device into its moulded box. Furthermore, the Toq - which Qualcomm says is actually a play on the world "talk" rather than the sound of a clock - will also feature an optional extra Bluetooth headset, which can also be dropped into the watch's case and charged wirelessly.

The announcement of yet another piece of wearable technology, while only limited edition, certainly ups the stakes in the smartwatch race. If Qualcomm's claims are true - they are difficult to verify due to the lack of specification details - the device would appear to outclass the highly anticipated $300 (£190) Galaxy Gear in many areas, as well as being compatible with a much wider range of devices than Samsung's offering, which only works with a handful of its own-brand devices.

A price has not yet been confirmed, but Qualcomm says the device will be released during the fourth quarter of 2013. Combined with the enigma of Apple's yet-to-be-confirmed iWatch, however, Qualcomm's Toq may face an uphill struggle against better-known consumer brands.