Apple's Rumored iWatch as an 'Even More Personal Personal Computer'

Camera

Carniphage said:

Yep - I am imagining all of that. I am really good at imagining products. It's like my job.



Nope. It wouldn't. It would be lame. It would be a terrible input device and a useless output device. A bad place for a microphone and a worse place for a camera.

Apple don't do this sort of stuff. Ever.
They identify real consumer needs and create products that satisfy those needs. Apple excel because they don't do stuff just because it is possible.

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Hey dude, actually the camera here would be more useful than on any phone or tablet (like 10 time more useful). Think about it Mr. Imagineer of products, especially in situations where you want a quick shot. Funny enough, now that you have said it's a worse place for a camera I am imagining snapping photos by turning my arms just a bit (it doesn't necessarily have to be point at 90 degrees from the face of the phone, it could be parallel to the face) and tapping the screen or a quick button. THAT would be awesome.

If it were on the face, I'd imagine turning the back of your hand towards the scene (try it now with your hand, it's easy...) then tapping a button on the now facing top part of the wrist band. Try it... and imagine the combination of holding your finger on the button for a video and using that same hand for stabilization while you hold your arm pointing at the scene. It would be the ultimate camera in fact, taking "spy cameras" to the next level. Being able to snap a shot so quickly, no one will know that you've taken it.

Also, Mr. Imagineer, it would be a capable input device if it utilized voice recognition. Heck, typing on a phone has been not exactly desirable since the beginning of mini keyboards. Apple has only made it barely manageable with the iPhone. There is simply no way to represent a whole keyboard on a tiny watch (am I going to eat my words on that one?). It will have to rely on information from your other devices, or voice, and in many cases one or two button tapping inputs.

kteman said:

It would be the ultimate camera in fact, taking "spy cameras" to the next level. Being able to snap a shot so quickly, no one will know that you've taken it.

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So this item will be marketed specifically towards perverts?

The real question is.. is safari faster.


No but really. I hope it is shatter proof. I for one bang my watch on corners sometimes.

first quarter students at my school can come up with better designs than this piece of crap render. Everyone saying it's the end of apple or what's apple HQ doing...This design is one person's view of what apple "may" do. They thought cramming all the components of an iPhone onto your wrist was the point of this device and it simply isn't. I may just render my own to show it's going to be a mix of the pebble and iPod nano "watch" style with functionality as a utility and accessory to the iphone, not an iphone on your wrist.

xxhatchxx said:

first quarter students at my school can come up with better designs than this piece of crap render. Everyone saying it's the end of apple or what's apple HQ doing...This design is one person's view of what apple "may" do. They thought cramming all the components of an iPhone onto your wrist was the point of this device and it simply isn't. I may just render my own to show it's going to be a mix of the pebble and iPod nano "watch" style with functionality as a utility and accessory to the iphone, not an iphone on your wrist.

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Yeah but if you think about it like a designer you quickly ask a question like what screen tech?
To me the answer is none of the current screen tech would give a decent experience.

you guys think that apple will use this watch as sort of a 'beta' test for a revised IOS? think about it, lets say apple is planning a major refresh of IOS. rather then drop it on ipod, ipad and iPhone(biggest $$$ maker), they can load it into a watch and see the public reaction to it. obviously of people love it they will incorporate it into other devices. if they hate it it will get scrapped.

It's quite ironic to read Jean-Louis Gassée writing about what "Apple’s only business is". His own company - Be Incorporated - failed because he never knew what its business should be. And it took a lot of my money with it...

Battery

I'm interested in where apple go with this, for sure it will have usb built into the strap like the nike fuel band. The biggest obstacle i can see is the charging and battery life. If this watch was kinetic or had some photovoltaic technology in the glass then it's a winner. Regarding classic watch wearers i suspect the customisation of the face will be a bonus and allow it to be individual. I can't see it being just white or black i expect a rainbow of colours. I also suspect after market straps or some sort of accessories. BTW i think seiko have nailed the kinetic thing and citizen already do solar. The trouble is this device will need to draw more power. This is the revolutionary thing i hope. The screen will also have to be beautiful so perhaps new tech here as well i don't think the greyscale e ink ? tech will cut it so perhaps some hybrid tech.

Ceviche Lover said:

you guys think that apple will use this watch as sort of a 'beta' test for a revised IOS? think about it, lets say apple is planning a major refresh of IOS. rather then drop it on ipod, ipad and iPhone(biggest $$$ maker), they can load it into a watch and see the public reaction to it. obviously of people love it they will incorporate it into other devices. if they hate it it will get scrapped.

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Apple are always doing this sort of stuff:

Making major revisions to software - and then trying them out, on 1" screen devices, in order to see if the public really like it. Because Apple are a bit lacking in confidence about what the market wants..

Oh, wait....

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kteman said:

Also, Mr. Imagineer, it would be a capable input device if it utilized voice recognition.

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So instead of talking into my phone. (which is lame)
Or instead of my nice white headset. (which is lame)
I could talk into a wristwatch!!!!!. Just think how awesome that would be!

I certainly intend to walk around all day, talking into my wristwatch, so that I can imagine this even better.

For those of you that don't or haven't worn watches because you carry an iPhone, you need to realize that the iPhone has the same problem the pocket watch had. You have to stop what you're doing, dig into your pocket, open the case, (or turn on) just to find out what time it is.... As opposed to glancing at your wrist.

This is a no brainer. Bring it, Apple!

Why all these iWatch designs are like curved iPhones with same interface too

Cyclonemac said:

Ding, ding, ding. You get a cookie for being the 1000th person to post this comment.

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Yum,yum, yum...pays off stating the obvious

If you're perceived as one of the world's greatest personal technology innovators, then it would be remiss of you as a company not to investigate this concept, along with a whole other host of concepts, to see where they take you and to 'follow the thread.' I'm sure Apple has teams exploring all sorts of different ways to re-interpret old technologies and to foster new ones. This is one such investigation.

Cinnabar said:

If you're perceived as one of the world's greatest personal technology innovators, then it would be remiss of you as a company not to investigate this concept, along with a whole other host of concepts, to see where they take you and to 'follow the thread.' I'm sure Apple has teams exploring all sorts of different ways to re-interpret old technologies and to foster new ones. This is one such investigation.

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Yep. Apple build new products all the time. Jobs repeatedly explained this.

I am confident that Apple have investigated watch-like form factors. And probably more than once.

But Apple have the good sense to review these prototypes and kill them if they turn out as not-good-enough. Unless a product emerges which meets a genuine and universal need, it just isn't worth releasing.

No one in this entire thread has proposed a compelling usage case or a need that justifies a new category of product.

Sony on the other hand have no control over this process. Their engineers make stuff and it is automatically turned into a product without any curation or discipline.

Apple should look at the designs from rado watches.

High tech, minimalistic, high quality materials. Very elegant



I think the Iwatch should use a similar design , perhaps a taller and wider case.

Damn, pictures don' t work . Check rado.com and check the series ceramica and integral.

Apple could even buy rado.

ValO said:

Apple should look at the designs from rado watches.

High tech, minimalistic, high quality materials. Very elegant

I think the Iwatch should use a similar design , perhaps a taller and wider case.

Damn, pictures don' t work . Check rado.com and check the series ceramica and integral.

Apple could even buy rado.

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I have had my eyes on a Ceramica fake for a while. Really good ones can be bought for about $40 in South east Asia.

Oh I fixed the image for you.(use the IMG tags-although ideally youn should download it and then upload it as an attachment, because some site owners get pissed at people hot linking their images)

Look at the popularity of the Casio Gshock. So if Apple could put together a set of killer features song with the style and ruggedness of the G shock all hell could break loose. However, how would you convince someone to buy a pricey watch every 6 months to a year?
A G shock owner keeps their stuff almost decade.
That's my two cents.

iGrip said:

That would be like the iPad 2. Or the iPhone 3G.

Things didn't really get interesting until the 3GS and the iPad 3 with the Retina display.

Rev 3 is usually a turning point these days.

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Yeah, but it is better than being an early adopter.

After introducing the iwatch and selling the basic iwatch( which will be a very good design, jony Ive is a great designer). Apple should find a way in the high end/fashion market by acquiring a company like tag heurer or rado, etc. or licensing those companies to make a high end/high quality iwatch. This way they could infiltrate the basic market with a fair priced watch and serve the high end market. I would not buy an apple watch, I like my tag heurer carrera watch too much. If tag heurer would bring a high end version with high quality materials, design, etc I would definitely buy one.

ValO said:

After introducing the iwatch and selling the basic iwatch( which will be a very good design, jony Ive is a great designer). Apple should find a way in the high end/fashion market by acquiring a company like tag heurer or rado, etc. or licensing those companies to make a high end/high quality iwatch. This way they could infiltrate the basic market with a fair priced watch and serve the high end market. I would not buy an apple watch, I like my tag heurer carrera watch too much. If tag heurer would bring a high end version with high quality materials, design, etc I would definitely buy one.

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I think what we're all missing here is that the watch is an iDevice... not a watch. It will be as similar, but different, as the iPhone is to the iPod and the iPod is to the iPad. They're all essentially the same thing just different sizes and a few unique features on each.

If this watch ever comes to fruition, it won't be because of it's ability to keep time.

Buckeyestar said:

Must be nice to have a job where you don't actually work. Any job where you do actual work doesn't allow cellphone use on the job, if you're even allowed to have it on your person.

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If you mean a real dead-end, micro-managed job, then yeah, I agree. Plenty of us, however, are adults that can use a cell phone responsibly while working. Plenty of people also have company-paid cell phones that they use for personal use as well.

If I could ware a watch I would buy one. Also if it had a BT connection to you iDevice and was used as the face time display and cam. That would be sweet.
So you just hold up your watch instead of your ipad. Dick Tracy calling Joe Jitsu, come in Joe Jitsu!

Does anyone see this catching on with the 30+ market? Or with professionals?
I do see this taking off in the Chinese/Japan marketplace...or with the 'teens in the US.

Zealous said:

I think what we're all missing here is that the watch is an iDevice... not a watch. It will be as similar, but different, as the iPhone is to the iPod and the iPod is to the iPad. They're all essentially the same thing just different sizes and a few unique features on each.

If this watch ever comes to fruition, it won't be because of it's ability to keep time.

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But it will replace a watch. So releasing a high end iwatch would open up the high end market, otherwise it will be for geeks, kids and for fitness.