Microsoft is rumoured to be working on a touchscreen smart watch device behind the scenes.

The Wall Street Journal reported that Microsoft has requested components, including 1.5” displays, from its suppliers for a watch-style device, citing executives at the suppliers – one of whom has apparently met with Microsofts R&D team in Washington.

The device is still in the early stages of development, however, and its still unknown whether Microsoft will move ahead with it.

Microsoft actually launched a range of smart watches back in 2004 with its SPOT devices, which beamed news headlines, sports scores and instant messages over an FM radio connection in exchange for a hefty monthly subscription of $60. However, the devices were a failure, and were pulled in 2008.

The market is a very different place now, however, with a growing number of watches hitting the market which work together with Android and iOS handsets, and Apple rumoured to be working on  a watch device itself.