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Apr 12, 2001
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While some hints about the functionality of Apple's upcoming smart watch have surfaced through software leaks and the company's hiring of a slew of sensor experts, the design of the product still remains a total mystery.

It is unknown what kind of screen the device will have, how the band will work, and how it will incorporate the myriad sensors it is rumored to include. For that reason, a wide variety of concept images have been surfacing, ranging from the Nike Fuel-style band shared by Todd Hamilton to a new, thicker design concept shared today by Swiss industrial design site DesignerEI.

These concept images feature a wide band with a deeply curved screen that would wrap around the front and sides of a wrist. A home button is built into the band, while a metal clasp potentially houses some sensors.

iwatch1.jpg
The underside of the band houses a sensor that would be in contact with the skin, an important design element as many of the sensors that are rumored for the iWatch, such as the heart rate or hydration monitor typically require direct sensor-to-skin contact.

iwatch2.jpg
While the creator of the concept suggests the iWatch might be powered via kinetic energy, such a concept is unlikely to provide enough power to the device, which is said to be powered by standard lithium-ion batteries rather than motion or solar energy.

It is unlikely that the iWatch will take on such a thick and bulky design, but this concept does give a look at how various sensors might possibly be incorporated into the product.

Article Link: iWatch Concept Images Show Curved Screen, Thick Band, and Sensors
 

Flood123

macrumors 6502a
Mar 28, 2009
624
62
Living Stateside
I like the thicker band very much. These concepts are getting better for certain. I still can't see myself wearing one though. Maybe I am wrong, but wearables like this just kind of look like girl repellent.
 

Nieval

Suspended
Mar 13, 2008
534
93
It may just be me but that design reminds me of the original iPhone rumours (see image below). It's lazy; take what we know of apple (read iPod/iPhone) and take what we know of watches (read wristband), add them together, presto!

I'd be disappointed if Apple's motivation is "We can do some stuff a bit better, or a bit flash-ier, than what's out there." Personally I want a game changer or don't enter the market at all.

Then again, it would be easy money for them but I'm a romantic... let me dream.
 

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ianKent

macrumors member
Feb 3, 2014
74
144
Looks too fitnessy...
Products in the Apple universe usually look timeless and "right" on the eye, this concept is more for style-at-the-gym, than high-end we expect from A.

I do love only one part on this though, the clasp area... this is a good start.
 

fluchtpunkt

macrumors member
Aug 16, 2013
92
45
Not wide enough. Everybody knows that the iWatch will cover the whole forearm! Basically like a landscape iPad that is bent around the arm.


Trust me. I have sources.
 

Parasprite

macrumors 68000
Mar 5, 2013
1,698
144
glad to see they got flappy bird on the watch :D

Passive-aggressive trolling is best trolling, I love it. :cool:

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It may just be me but that design reminds me of the original iPhone rumours (see image below). It's lazy; take what we know of apple (read iPod/iPhone) and take what we know of watches (read wristband), add them together, presto!

I'd be disappointed if Apple's motivation is "We can do some stuff a bit better, or a bit flash-ier, than what's out there." Personally I want a game changer or don't enter the market at all.

Then again, it would be easy money for them but I'm a romantic... let me dream.

I had honestly not been around MR when the iPhone was released. That mockup is hilarious both in foresight and hindsight.
 

unplugme71

macrumors 68030
May 20, 2011
2,827
754
Earth
This seems more like a cuff bracelet than a watch.

This is the reason why I hate the fitbit and Nike. It doesn't contour around your wrist like most rubber, fabric, or stainless steel/gold watches do.

I want it to feel natural when wearing it. I bet Apple does too and this is why its being delayed so long. Probably to the point that they are waiting longer to release it with iOS 8 which has a health app built in rather than using the built-in Nike app.
 

Lepton

macrumors 6502a
Apr 13, 2002
855
299
Cold Spring Harbor, NY
No. It's not going to be a bracelet. It's not going to be huge or thick. It will be much like a.. watch.

Hardware: A squarish but not square case, slightly taller than wide but with a square 1.6" 320x320 color retina screen, tapered smoothly into a tapered segmented watchband. The band will have the battery in it (Apple has a patent for a segmented watchband battery), and likely the antenna. The watch case will be unibody liquid metal.There will be zero or one button. The sapphire watch cover will be touch sensitive. The case is sealed, waterproof. Control with tap and swipe, recharge with induction. No speaker or audio jack. Vibrator. Built in mic. Bluetooth smart. Accelerometer. If the band has a sensor to will be for pulse.

Software: Arm movement turns on the screen to see time, stocks, whatever you set for the screen display. No obvious flick needed, any little movement lights it up, but it goes dark again fast. Connects to an iPhone with Bluetooth. Your input is tap, swipe, talk. Tap the watch and talk to Siri. Siri answers on the watch (it already gives perfectly acceptable text answers on the iPhone screen, those go to the watch). Right there you have tons of power. Notifications go to the watch, caller ID goes to the watch. You can decline a call with a tap, or reply with a text. Answering you do as usual on the phone or headset cause its the only way to hear the caller. This setup is fine - if you are in a meeting you typically don't take a call, you refuse it or text you'll call them later, these you can do on the watch unobtrusively. A health app for the M chip plus pulse plus arm motion that sends that data to the M chip.

Security: The watch knows when it is attached to a wrist or detached. So you attach the watch and tell the phone or watch with a pin or print its indeed you and you are now authenticated until you remove the watch.

Oh, and even when not synced to your phone, as a bonus, it still tells the time.
 

Nieval

Suspended
Mar 13, 2008
534
93
I had honestly not been around MR when the iPhone was released. That mockup is hilarious both in foresight and hindsight.

Steve Jobs actually showed the rumoured mock-up on stage and proceeded to laugh (real one was much more ridiculous than the image i managed to find).

Those were the days..
 

Parasprite

macrumors 68000
Mar 5, 2013
1,698
144
Another concept, another day. Yawn.

I very much doubt iWatch will look anything like that.
I wonder if I can get on the Front Page by constructing a mockup in AutoCAD which, among other things, happens to make toast.

You know, because rumors.

Steve Jobs actually showed the rumoured mock-up on stage and proceeded to laugh (real one was much more ridiculous than the image i managed to find).

Those were the days..

I miss Steve. He somehow complemented Apple's personality in a way I can't put into words.
 

Flood123

macrumors 6502a
Mar 28, 2009
624
62
Living Stateside
Looks like an android version of an iWatch concept from a year ago:

http://www.yankodesign.com/2013/02/18/iwatch/

Image

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I also doubt it is going to run what looks to be android at worst, or a terribly skinned iOS at best.


Now this concept looks much nicer. It looks much more like a cuff, which I personally like. I would hope that they would dress it up a tad more though. The black rubber is slick, but I would image a brushed aluminum, titanium, or gold option would do better. Maybe have a less expensive black, or white option along side the nicer light weight metal versions?
 
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