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Apple Has Team of 100 Product Designers Working on a Smart Watch

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Apr 12, 2001
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Bloomberg is reporting that Apple has a team of about 100 product designers working on a wristwatch computer, according to "two people familiar with the company's plans." The New York Times previously reported that Apple had been "experimenting" with a curved glass smart watch, but Bloomberg believes that Apple's smart watch plans have moved beyond the experimental phase.

pebblewatch.jpg
The team, which has grown in the past year, includes managers, members of the marketing group and software and hardware engineers who previously worked on the iPhone and iPad, said the people, who asked not to be named because the plans are private. The team's size suggests Apple is beyond the experimentation phase in its development, said the people.
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Apple's senior director of engineering, James Foster, is said to be one of the managers working on the project, which happens to involve challenges like creating a smart watch that doesn't have to be charged every day. The smart watch, known colloquially by some as the "iWatch," would be able to do some of the same tasks as the iPad and iPhone.

Bloomberg also mentions that Apple had been planning a wearable fitness tracking device, much like Nike FuelBand or Jawbone Up, but that Apple had decided not to bring them to market. Apple CEO Tim Cook is a Nike board member and spoke about his own Nike FuelBand at the D10 Conference last year, also saying that wearable devices were an "interesting area" but that "the book hasn't been written on that one yet."

Article Link: Apple Has Team of 100 Product Designers Working on a Smart Watch
 
Article Link
https://www.macrumors.com/2013/02/12/apple-has-team-of-100-product-designers-working-on-a-smart-watch/
Squilly

Squilly

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Nov 17, 2012
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@Spink10, I won't, even if there were 1000 people working on this watch. Check the watch's statistics in the real world. Not very popular. I hate the idea anyways. Make something else if you're trying to be ambitious.
 
ob81

ob81

macrumors 65816
Jun 11, 2007
1,406
356
Virginia Beach
I kind of want them focused on products that people actually want. I am not sure this watch is that big of a deal.
 
Feed Me

Feed Me

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Jan 7, 2012
831
6
Location Location
A team of 100? Do you think we: Samsung, feel remotely scared now? Is that your tactic? I've yet to see a mortal man beat the power of the beast contained within our headquarters.
 

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appleguy123

appleguy123

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Apr 1, 2009
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15 minutes in the future
I'm doing just fine without a watch now. This thing will have to be pretty impressive for me to buy it.

Some covert way to text with the phone in your pocket would certainly be an interesting use, but it would require you to learn an entire new alphabet/language to use.
 
Stella

Stella

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Apr 21, 2003
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Such a watch would be awesome, would be definitely interested.

I'm sure the watch wouldn't have much functionality of its own and depend on iPhone, iPad, iPod. Possibly even integrate with Macbook, now they have Bluetooth 4 too.

There's so much potential in smart watches.. Give a new life to watch market overall.
 
arn

arn

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Staff member
Apr 9, 2001
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Squilly said:
@Spink10, I won't, even if there were 1000 people working on this watch. Check the watch's statistics in the real world. Not very popular. I hate the idea anyways. Make something else if you're trying to be ambitious.
Click to expand...

It'll be a "watch" as much as the iPhone is a phone -- which is to say, that wont be its compelling purpose.
 
F

Fatalbert

macrumors 6502
Feb 6, 2013
398
0
Squilly said:
@Spink10, I won't, even if there were 1000 people working on this watch. Check the watch's statistics in the real world. Not very popular. I hate the idea anyways. Make something else if you're trying to be ambitious.
Click to expand...

Just because it's unpopular isn't a reason not to buy it. I'm kinda excited about this, but I only have expectations.
 
mtneer

mtneer

macrumors 68040
Sep 15, 2012
3,179
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Wow.. Lost are the days when you would not even know what product was coming out, let alone how many employees are working on a product along with their manager.
 
nagromme

nagromme

macrumors G5
May 2, 2002
12,546
1,196
Here are my guesses as to what Apple's "next big thing" might be.

Some of these might happen in a small way instead, but when Apple does something big (probably only seen as big in hindsight!) I think it will be one of these:

• Wearable computing (whether standalone or as a companion device; wristwatch-style most likely)

• Automotive interfaces done right

• TV done right (may include apps, may serve as a game console)

• Home integration done right (remote control and timed control in new/easier ways?)

• Desktop touch computing done right (not just OS X with touch awkwardly shoehorned in, not just large-size iOS)

• Siri becoming something more (may include 3rd-party API, may include Siri’s AI in non-voice uses)

• VOIP done right (audio-only, evolution of FaceTime, breaking the US carrier mess)

• Mobile “wallet” functionality (ubiquitous payment, ID, keys; evolution of PassBook; fingerprint scanning)

I do NOT think it will be anything to do with augmented reality or virtual reality. I think those are awesome, but my list above is all things that MIGHT be of use to just about anyone. I see AR and VR being of interest to only a subsegment; AR because making it be widely useful would mean wearing something silly, and VR because it’s broadest appeal is only for certain kinds of gaming. (But give me a Rift! I’m the subsegment!)

And I’m not counting the many smaller enhancements to existing categories. We’ll see iOS 7+ (and OS X) drive lots of that evolution and it will be great, but I’m speculating on the next big thing that either becomes a new category or redefines an old one.
 
Squilly

Squilly

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Nov 17, 2012
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Stella said:
Such a watch would be awesome, would be definitely interested.

I'm sure the watch wouldn't have much functionality of its own and depend on iPhone, iPad, iPod. Possibly even integrate with Macbook, now they have Bluetooth 4 too.

There's so much potential in smart watches..
Click to expand...

How often do you see teens these days wearing a watch? Not every day do you hear the next generation saying: "OMG I NEED THIS NOW! NEW WATCH!"
 
S

sebseb81

macrumors member
Dec 12, 2010
88
3
Why wouldn't they also make the watch a fitness tracker? Seems like a natural fit.

As for those not interested in a watch and yet posting here nevertheless about how uninterested they are... what is up with that?
 
Idgit

Idgit

macrumors 6502a
Mar 14, 2004
551
158
I'm going to call BS on this.

Tim Cook said Apple will only enter a field if they can greatly improve it or disrupt it. I don't see how a "curved" glass watch disrupts anything. And I can't imagine that Apple would sell that many of these.

Or could this be a device targeted strictly for fitness? A combo pedometer, GPS device, radio, and phone for exercising?
 
Stella

Stella

macrumors G3
Apr 21, 2003
8,837
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Squilly said:
How often do you see teens these days wearing a watch? Not every day do you hear the next generation saying: "OMG I NEED THIS NOW! NEW WATCH!"
Click to expand...

Well, not at this moment in time.. but if watches became more appealing then this would change.

Anyway such product won't be aimed solely at teenagers and instead would have broader appeal.
 
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arn

arn

macrumors god
Staff member
Apr 9, 2001
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5,795
Idgit said:
I'm going to call BS on this.

Tim Cook said Apple will only enter a field if they can greatly improve it or disrupt it. I don't see how a "curved" glass watch disrupts anything. And I can't imagine that Apple would sell that many of these.
Click to expand...

Does software not count for anything? Are you really picturing a curved watch that just shows the time?

arn
 
Poncho

Poncho

macrumors 6502
Jun 15, 2007
470
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Holland
Doesn't interest me, but say you could things like turn the central heating up, down or off while out of the house by talking into the watch, or when you come in at night you could tell it to switch on your Mac, or turn your Mac off when leaving the house, or lock all the doors behind you when out the house, or monitor your house using an app like iCam when out and about or talk to it and get it to send texts without having to take your iPhone out of your bag...

Actually, still not interested...
 
Idgit

Idgit

macrumors 6502a
Mar 14, 2004
551
158
mtneer said:
Wow.. Lost are the days when you would not even know what product was coming out, let alone how many employees are working on a product along with their manager.
Click to expand...

Maybe this watch thing is actually a rumour misdirect from Apple. Cook did say they were going to "double down" on secrecy. If he was telling the truth, then why so many stories about this watch? Maybe the smart watch rumours are a lie, planted to satisfy the rumour mongers and to keep them off the scent of what Apple is really working on.
 
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