Qualcomm unveiled its Toq smart watch as it joins an increasing number of big names in making a play for the wearable computing market.

Like the Samsung Galaxy Gear, announced yesterday at the IFA conference in Berlin, the Android-based Toq is designed to be a second display for smartphones. Users can manage phone calls, text messages, meeting reminders and a number of notifications via the smart watch.

Announced at Qualcomm’s Uplinq developer conference, the Toq features the company’s low-power reflective Mirasol display (which can be viewed in bright sunlight), wireless charging and Bluetooth stereo audio. Qualcomm claims the Toq offers long battery life of several days meaning it doesn’t require an on/off button.

Developed by Qualcomm Connected Experiences, the limited-edition Toq is due to be launched in the final quarter of 2013. No pricing details were given, but CNET reported that the Qualcomm smart watch will be priced similarly to Samsung’s Galaxy Gear, which costs $299.

Qualcomm CEO and chairman Paul Jacobs described the device as 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”.

He added that the device represents Qualcomm’s commitment “to delivering the breakthrough technologies that redefine the ways we interact with each other and the world around us”.

Qualcomm will add functionality to the device via software upgrades, including health-related tools through integration with the 2net platform. Developers can use Qualcomm’s AllJoyn open source interoperability software to push notifications to the Toq.

There will be a Premium Audio Edition of the device, which adds wireless stereo headphones for users to listen to music on their smartphone and make and receive calls.

Sony unveiled its SmartWatch 2 in June, which was touted by the company’s president and CEO Kazuo Hirai as a second screen for the Xperia Z1 smartphone, launched yesterday. An Apple smart watch has been rumoured for some time.