Will.i.am Smartwatch Goes Head to Head with Apple Watch

Rapper Will.i.am is set to launch his smartwatch on 16 October, the same day as Apple is hosting an event in Cupertino.

The device was first demonstrated by Will.i.am on Channel 4's Alan Carr: Chatty Man in April, and also on the last series of The Voice.

During the show, will.i.am told Alan Carr: "I don't carry my phone anymore, this is my phone.

"A lot of these smartwatches need phones - mine doesn't need a phone.

"I started the company myself, I funded it, I used my own money to develop it.

So, it's a phone. It has all my music in it so I can work out with it, without wires using Bluetooth headphones. It's got Twitter, Instagram, Facebook."

The watch is expected to have Bluetooth capability and unlike the Apple Watch, doesn't need to be paired to a mobile phone in order to make and receive calls. It is reported to run on Android and have apps such as Twitter, Facebook and Instagram.

One of the main highlights is a music service powered by 7digital. The UK company saw its share price soar 44pc on Monday. Will.i.am and 7digital are said to be working with the record labels to deliver an attractive music service.

It will work with each artist and music group equally, to differentiate from other music services that required different rates from independent music producers. Will.i.am's watch will also have the ability to store music which can be updated over its internet connection.

Other features are said to include a curved screen and it will also have the ability to update software over the air, according to a report in the Mail on Sunday.

In an interview with Pocket-lint, Will.i.am, he admitted to Pocket-lint that Apple would still have the best "tethered watch" but that his would be the best "untethered watch".

The Black Eyed Peas frontman was named by Intel in 2011 as their director of creative innovation. His role was to assist in developing the firm's products including phones, tablets and laptops. The American rapper, born William James Adams Jr., has an estimated net worth of $75m.