Microsoft is reportedly readying its first smart watch product, which will work with smartphones powered by rival platforms as well as its own Windows Phone software.

According to Forbes, the company is looking to deliver a product that constantly monitors heart rates, rather than requiring this feature to be switched on. And the full-colour touchscreen will be placed on the inside of the wrist rather than facing outward, in order to keep notifications private.

While the recent acquisition of the rump of Nokia’s Devices & Services unit indicates that Microsoft is not wavering in its commitment to Windows Phone, equally the company is not shy when it comes to supporting other platforms.

It recently announced a version of its Office applications suite for Apple’s iPad, which ties into Microsoft’s cloud services – enabling it to generate revenue from the Apple ecosystem.

While the smart watch space has been the subject of rumour and speculation for some time, Microsoft has been one of the few companies that has not featured strongly – attention has instead been focused on players such as Samsung, Apple and Sony.

And where products have officially been announced, these are generally positioned as supporting a specific vendor’s smartphone portfolio, rather than having wider compatibility.