Former Apple Human Interface Developer Speculates on Future 'iWatch'

[MacRumors]

Former Apple employee and human interface developer Bruze Tognazzini published a blog post earlier this week listing his thoughts on the iWatch, a potential Apple product that made headlines late in 2012.

The Pebble Smartwatch

Tognazzini's post encompasses a wide range of ideas on the design and functionality of the iWatch. He believes that an Apple-branded smart watch would have few standalone operations, instead being used to extend the usefulness of existing Apple devices by enhancing apps and other functions.

One of his more compelling ideas includes the elimination of passcodes. With a passcode, he speculates, the smart watch, which would incorporate a sleek, button-free design, could be used to unlock iPhones and Macs via proximity.

The watch can and should, for most of us, eliminate passcodes altogether on iPhones, and Macs and, if Apple's smart, PCs: As long as my watch is in range, let me in! That, to me, would be the single-most compelling feature a smartwatch could offer: If the watch did nothing but release me from having to enter my passcode/password 10 to 20 times a day, I would buy it.

As with passcodes, the watch could be used in conjunction with Find My iPhone, sounding an alert when a user moves out of range of the device.

Along with facilitating phone calls and incorporating sensors, Tognazzini believes that an Apple iWatch might also include NFC capabilities for making payments and temperature controls, similar to the Nest.

The NFC chip belongs in the iWatch, not in the iPhone! That way we'll know exactly where it is at all times, strapped to the end of an appendage expressly designed to be waved around at things. How handy! Reach. Touch. Done.

Meanwhile, our iPhone, handling any necessary communication, will stay hidden safely away, and, if someone does manage to get ahold of our watch, it will require reauthorization, having been removed from our arm. Net value to the thief: Zilch. Net loss to us: A whole lot less than an iPhone, with word on the street quickly making it clear there's no point in stealing an iWatch.

Of course, not every merchant will accept NFC right away, so the watch, linked to Passport, will also display QR codes, etc.

An iWatch could even potentially serve as a fix for Apple Maps, utilizing pressure data from watches to build an altitude map of the world, which would improve the functionality of Apple's 3D mapping.

Using pressure data from millions of watches, Apple could build a precision altitude map of the world. This map would indicate true altitudes everywhere that iWatch wearers travel. The granularity would be several orders of magnitude greater than ever before attempted for a wide-area map at a cost several orders of magnitude less than Flyover.

Tognazzini believes that via apps and design, Apple would revolutionize the smart watch industry, with its curved glass designs created by Jony Ive, Siri integration, and wireless charging.

Though Tognazzini admits to having no insider information, he points out that his ideas come from a "solid understanding of Apple, its products, the problem, and the opportunity."

His full rundown on the potential Apple iWatch is worth a read, and it can be found on his blog, AskTog.

Article Link: Former Apple Human Interface Developer Speculates on Future 'iWatch'

[jav6454]

iWatch? Seriously? Don't we have already that does something similar to this?

[Derekuda]

An iWatch is about 10 years too late! I don't know anyone who wears watches anymore because of the fact that they have cell phones!

[alent1234]

and what am i supposed to do with this iwatch thingy? it's like the google fans and google glass. its so cool but no one can figure out what they are going to do with it

[JoeG4]

some people think apple has to get their hands in everything huh. kinda reminds me of microsoft lol.

[TennisandMusic]

What about the one BIG problem...I don't (and I know many others) want to wear a watch. Ever. I don't want a watch tan, and I don't want that dorky thing strapped to my wrist.

The "problem" it's supposed to solve is that I don't want to take the phone out of my pocket? Why have the phone then? I think it sounds silly.

[iThinkIt]

quit wearing a watch 6 years ago...

[jayducharme]

I wonder if a gadget saturation point will be reached. I'm not sure I want to have yet another gadget, let alone wear one. If the "iWatch" was a workable substitute for my iPhone, I'd be all over it. But it's not that much trouble to pull my iPhone out of my pocket and wave it for a transaction.

Another consideration: how waterproof would the watch be?

[Fresh Pie]

Originally Posted by MacRumors

One of his more compelling ideas includes the elimination of passcodes. With a passcode, he speculates, the smart watch, which would incorporate a sleek, button-free design, could be used to unlock iPhones and Macs via proximity.
Along with facilitating phone calls and incorporating sensors, Tognazzini believes that an Apple iWatch might also include NFC capabilities for making payments and temperature controls, similar to the Nest.

Lose your watch, lose your identity. Jeez, it sounds so much like a cheesey Sci-Fi plot, I just had to:

[bjsterilite]

Originally Posted by Derekuda

An iWatch is about 10 years too late! I don't know anyone who wears watches anymore because of the fact that they have cell phones!

Ten years ago we weren't all exactly playing video games on our cell phones though and i think the watch has been long forgotten as a utility device. I think if this were to come true, it would definitely push the smart watch market just like the original iPhone did.

[iomar]

This is not something for me. I don't care how cool, this is not something I will purchase.

[pixelpro]

Next: An iShoe. Eliminates the need of a GPS in phone, monitors your weight, and improves dating chances!

[Krazy Bill]

It's sooooo 1963...

[Daalseth]

Tognazzini believes that via apps and design, Apple would revolutionize the smart watch industry,

Smart Watch Industry?!?
Sorry but there is no smart watch industry. There's fewer and fewer wearing watches at all, aside of for fashion reasons. There are chronographs and there are people like my wife that have her older iPod Nano on a wrist band, but to call this theoretical idea an "industry" is silly.

[gmanist1000]

Everyone says the dont want or don't need one, but how many of these people said the same thing when the iPhone and/or iPad came out?

[Small White Car]

Skip to 2:25

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dTa7rC1oUnkz&t=2m25s

[macsrcool1234]

i can only hope Bruze Tognazzini doesn't ever work for a bank....lose your watch and have your entire identity stolen!

[jrswizzle]

I personally think the iWatch is a fantastic idea and would buy one the second it was released.

Then again, I'm a watch fan (I have quite a few) and would like the ideas he presented for added usefulness.

----------

Originally Posted by macsrcool1234

i can only hope Bruze Tognazzini doesn't ever work for a bank....lose your watch and have your entire identity stolen!

Is losing a watch more common than losing your cell phone? Better putting an NFC tag in my watch than in my cell phone IMO.

[bjsterilite]

Originally Posted by Small White Car

Skip to 2:25

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dTa7rC1oUnkz&t=2m25s

knowing apple the watch wouldn't be worth a few bucks so if you let someone get close enough and long enough to do that, then you're just asking for it. hopefully though, it would implement that "near field" feature to alert you when the both separate.

[GQB]

Watches are pretty much 100% for fashion nowadays.
That doesn't make the idea a bad one. Fashions come and go, and if Apple (or anyone) were to be able to make a really stunning piece of wristwear that became a 'must-have', this idea could have legs.
But the key is that it has to be orders of magnitude better looking than ANY of the watch ideas I've yet seen floated. They all look like ass.

[AppleScruff1]

Originally Posted by gmanist1000

Everyone says the dont want or don't need one, but how many of these people said the same thing when the iPhone and/or iPad came out?

Exactly. People don't know what they need or want until Apple tempts them.

[Giuly]

People don't wear watches - but they wear Nike+ Fuelbands.
I have yet to see someone who ditched his or her watch because it was uncomfortable, so that's not the point. They ditch is because it's useless with a smartphone, just displaying the time or at best having a calculator or IR remote build-in. And if you complain that iOS hasn't changed since it's introduction and ditch it, chances are that you don't like a device that hasn't changed a lot in a century.

And that is where Apple fits in.

[guzhogi]

I kinda like the red watch in the picture. Just remember: there are 10 kinds of people in the world: those who understand binary, and those who don't. And for those who don't, it says it's 12:15:26.

[Shrink]

Originally Posted by Derekuda

An iWatch is about 10 years too late! I don't know anyone who wears watches anymore because of the fact that they have cell phones!

I, as the only remaining person on Earth who wears a watch, will explain that I do so because it is more convenient to glance at my wrist for the time than take my cell phone out of whatever pocket in which it is stored and push the home button to see the time.

Glancing at my wrist is clearly an antiquated and old fashioned way to learn the time.

But, according to the poster above, I am the only quaint fogey who still does that.

[ianmacc]

"...........using pressure data from millions of watches, Apple could build a precision altitude map of the world. This map would indicate true altitudes everywhere that iWatch wearers travel. The granularity would be several orders of magnitude......."

What is granularity and how is it measured in orders of magnitude?

Sorry, this is enough to scare the c*** out of me. I don't want to sound defeatist, but thank God I'm in my mid 50's and hopefully wont be around (ie: I'll be dead!) when every single person on the planet will be trackable/contactable/accountable...

Why don't we all iOFF, get a life and appreciate the things that are important like gorgeous sunsets, bird song - anything but this junk...

iPis**d