NYT: Apple is Working on a Curved Glass Smart Watch

[apolloa]

Originally Posted by Chupa Chupa

If I had such a brilliant mind to be able to predict Apple's moves before it does I'd be on magazine covers everywhere and have multi-million $ offers piling up. Alas, I'm just a slightly above average person, no prodigy, for sure. Judging from your posts, you are no different, so I don't know why you pretend otherwise.

You are correct though that Apple has a knack for reinventing devices, i.e., taking and existing product that has decent sales and moderate adoption and transforming into something the great masses from all walks of life want.

Take a few of Apple's most famous reinventions... the iPod looked & worked nothing like any MP3 player at the time. It was similar and just completely different, and in a way none of us could have predicted.

The iPhone too smartphones to and entirely new level. At the time the reigning champs were the Palm and the Blackberry, both severely clunky and obnoxious compared to the iPhone's interface. Again, not anything that was expected.

Then there is the iPad. Apple redesigned the concept of a tablet computer to make it the first widely consumer accepted device of its kind. Previous Windows tablets were niche devices at best and the other other similar tablets were limited function eReaders. The iPad was the most obvious feature wise ("a big iPhone," was the cry @ announcement) but developers have carved out uses for it unthinkable even a five years ago.

So yes, I'm going to hold my thoughts on the specific device until I know the facts. This isn't the case of the jury being out. The trial hasn't even started yet.

On your first comment, I am no prodigy, however we are both on an Apple rumours website which tries to be that future predicting prodigy are we not?

As fot the rest of your post, I agree, and it reaches a sensible conclusion of being the reason why you won't attempt to predict anything. I am going by the features of the device won't be different to what we have now, again based around the same ideology. I would never try to predict what it looks like but I think a touch screen is a safe bet.

As for those saying it won't sell, yes it will, I may or may not have a need for a smart watch, but many will, their wouldn't be a market for them otherwise. Their is a market for a smart watch as much as a 10 dollar Casio to a million dollar Patek Philippe, and their are several other watches for over a million too! If they didn't sell, they wouldn't make them.

[isil]

Apple is producing a watch?
Now licensing the Swiss clock design makes more sense.
http://www.macrumors.com/2012/11/11/...-clock-design/

[cire]

Originally Posted by AZREOSpecialist

Those things already exist, it's called an iPhone. Why would I want to wear it on my wrist? I haven't worn a wrist watch in decades and have no desire to wear one ever again. I also feel the same way about underwear.

While I disagree with you about the watch, I do agree about the underwear. Glass underwear, even if it bends to me body, can only do harm!

[apple-win]

Originally Posted by isil

Apple is producing a watch?
Now licensing the Swiss clock design license makes more sense.
http://www.macrumors.com/2012/11/11/...-clock-design/

Apple stole a Swiss clock design?

No wonder Apple want to make an iWatch.

Designed in Swiss, assembled in China.

[JAT]

Originally Posted by AZREOSpecialist

Those things already exist, it's called an iPhone. Why would I want to wear it on my wrist? I haven't worn a wrist watch in decades and have no desire to wear one ever again. I also feel the same way about underwear.

I feel the same, I would never wear underwear on my wrist.

[numbersyx]

Originally Posted by Bubba Satori

Hopefully this is finished before the new Mac Pro.

They will have the iWatch 2 out before the new Mac Pro.

But seriously, just how many areas is Apple entering? TV and now this? Isn't it stretching itself a little thin?

[TheNextBigThing]

Originally Posted by BvizioN

Combination of hardware+software= great user experience.
You could argue all day you want, it still stands out from the entire army of thick giant plastic smart phones.

PS: Besides, if you read my comment i was referring to a new products to the market (by new i mean first iPod, first iPhone, first iPad etc)

Thanks for explaining it to me.

[SockRolid]

Originally Posted by MacRumors

Wearable fitness-focused devices were popular at CES this year...

Great. Maybe smartwatches and fitness bands will help those millions of super-sized fat American kids you see everywhere. Nothing else seems to work. Not shame, not the Department of Agriculture's "Healthy Eating Pyramid," not even their parents' knowledge that their obesity will cause serious health problems later.

Then again, smartwatches and fitness bands probably won't do a bit of good for fat kids. Or fat adults, really. The smartwatches will be used as second screens for smartphones and tablets. And maybe as Siri microphones. But the fitness bands? They'll be bought as gifts for said fat kids, who won't use them. They'll be bought by fitness-aware adults who are, well, already fitness-aware. The net effect on health? Near-zero.

Oh well. Better than those idiotic 3D TV sets that were all the rage at last year's CES.
And a whole lot cheaper too.

[iamPro]

Originally Posted by Chupa Chupa

1) Consumers & business owned typewriters and adding machines in the 70s, which is what computers did replace, and then some.

2) You must not own a luxury watch. I do. I also own a Fuelband. The two do not in any way compete with each other. I love my Fuelband, but wouldn't wear it to a formal event or anywhere else where it didn't fit the scene, just as I wouldn't wear a t-shirt and jeans to a wedding. I'd wear a suit or tux, as requested, and my dress watch. The "watch" we hear Apple looking into is more of a wearable computer than a traditional watch. Not sure what so many people can't get that concept wrapped around their head.

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I most certainly do own one... and a quite expensive one I might add. Just as you said, I don't wear it all times. Only on special occasions.

Which is my point. In most cases, a watch, like it or not, inherently associates fashion, brand imaging, etc with the person wearing it (hence, only wearing it on special occasions).
In that sense, anything that wraps around my wrist, whether its a wearable computer or a watch in a traditional sense, can't be the same thing that everyone else is also wearing, as it is an extension of what I am "wearing."

The same applies to glasses (google project). Regardless, of its functionality, I'm hesitant to wear a glass that everyone else is wearing.

No, this idea does not apply to all. But, my point is that Apple has to consider "fashion" as a factor when it comes to making watches. And fashion is an extremely subjective area. This, probably, is something Apple did not have to consider as much in the past.

For the fashion sensitive, would they have to wear a different color apple watch based on what color clothes they're wearing that day? What if I just don't like how it looks, despite its function?

On a special occasion, would I have to ditch my Apple Watch for my luxury watch?

When I travel, should I take both and have to determine what to wear day by day?

What about mid day? Should I carry both at all times, so I can readily swap one out at anytime?

A phone works. Its a daily necessity, and it just goes in my pocket or bag, which is why I'm less concerned of what phone others have. A desktop PC works, because its not an extension of what I wear...

Apple, is good at determining what Apple think is good for its consumer, which works for many computer devices. I'm just skeptical when it comes to fashion, again, a very subjective area.

Whether you agree or not, I think it will just become another Apple TV like product. It'll be useful to some and completely irrelevant to others. Nothing like the iPhone.

The next "iPhone" IMO is a TV not a watch.


*BTW, a fuel band is not a "watch." The use case for fuel bands are very specific, which is why it'll never compete with a special occasion watch for most.

[maxosx]

Originally Posted by Chupa Chupa

I do detect some bitterness...

You might have a point if the products people were lining up for weren't great, just fashion or novelty. For example, I've never seen any lines for a next gen Apple TV. Where are those Apple lemmings then?

Also, what is the point of bragging about something that isn't all that exclusive? Practically everyone and their grandma owns some Apple product. My 73 y.o mom has an iPhone 4S and and iPad 3. No one is impressed one owns an iPhone or an iPad. It's not a Bentley, it's a massed produced consumer device.

But it's a mass produced consumer device that can greatly help one's productivity and workflow which is why people are addicted to them. Just last week Home Depot announced they were switching from Blackberry to iOS. There was also a story how CACI was securing iPads for gov't employees in sensitive areas. I'd hardly call two of the stodgiest organizations on the planet lemmings out to have the latest fad.

Obviously you've been watching too many Samsung ads and taking them to heart. Talk about a lemming....

Just a bit of observation based sarcasm...

I'm not married to any brand / platform / technology. Yet that said, after quite a long time I remain a very enthusiastic Apple customer, without fail.

I'm happy to recognize their accomplishments... or voice an unbridled opinion when they seem to drift away from the terrific standards they've set. I'm not going anywhere, just eager to see them do a better job of testing before they release updates to either iOS or OS X so the product they release is less buggy.

As most of us know, bugs are a normal part of day to day computing. It's the significant ones like the link below discusses, that I believe are avoidable.

http://www.forbes.com/sites/timworst...pples-ios-6-1/

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Originally Posted by jadot

Says the troll who joined MR 2 months ago. Those internet forums, draws them in every time

Whoops, must have hit a nerve

[chumpy34]

I haven't read through all the comments on this subject, but if an iWatch comes out I would line up for it. I have never worn a watch in my life, but this is a product that definitely gets me excited as the possibilities for integration with my iPhone or iPad or other devices is endless. To be able to flick up your arm and read a text or email or use Siri to communicate, would be a step forward in the watch industry and a cool one at that.

[phreebsd]

this rendering is beautiful

[studio¹³¹]

make it look like this:

[benspratling]

Using a watch to avoid device security seems like a bad idea to me. It means anyone can log in as long as they're, what, behind my back, literally?

[mdelvecchio]

Originally Posted by Maddix

I wear a Swiss automatic quite often as jewelry. I'll pass on buying an Apple watch.

color us impressed, dude.

[iomar]

Originally Posted by SmokyD

This wouldn't happen on Steve's "watch"

The last cool watch i owned was my calculator watch when I was 12. Ever since that, I didn't see a need for owning a watch. Lets see what Apple can do if this is true.

[kikima]

Unless it calls up a gigantic holographic screen with Tupac instead of Siri, I don't know wtf I'd even use an iWatch for.

[bt2184]

[QUOTE=kikima;16829354]Unless it calls up a gigantic holographic screen with Tupac instead of Siri, I don't know wtf I'd even use an iWatch for.[/QUOT

A few years ago we didn't know what we would use a smart phone for either. Trust me, there will be uses for this that we haven' even dreamed up yet.

[bigchrisfgb]

Originally Posted by mouser45

Am I the only one who thinks the whole smart-watch thing is a gimmick?

No, me too.

I just don't get it, I mean in the 80's digital and computer watches were in fashion but that was then and now people just want a watch to be simply that, a watch. We have gone back to the days of nice and expensive watches being classic designs from likes of Rolex and lesser expensive ones being made from quality materials, gold, white gold, titanium etc. What can they possible put in a watch that an iPhone, iPod touch, iPad etc can't do? It would have to be significantly cheaper than the existing iOS devices to be worth paying for and for that to happen would mean it would have to be under £150 or even under £100 and then you have to ask what are they going put in it for that price?

I'd much rather Apple make a TV set, a stand a lone camera, even possibly a games console, a watch should be left to the Swiss.

[Sedrick]

This is exactly the kind of innovation we've been looking for from Apple. Who needs an updated iOS and larger iPhone when you can have this?

[Gulo]

Originally Posted by studio¹³¹

make it look like this:

Image

I say more like this.

[erann]

Originally Posted by JoEw

iWatch starting at just $499

Wow, that's cheap! I'm wearing an Ebel Classic Gold&Steinless Steel watch ($2.700) for daily use and a Philipn Patek ($23.000) for better occasions. Yes I'm from the Old Continent, sorry!

[Xiroteus]

Since we have cell phones if I really need to tell time without having to look at it I would just grab some cheap clip watch, (under ten dollars) having a fancy watch along with my phone would seem rather pointless. (to me)

[iSunrise]

Originally Posted by Chupa Chupa

No, but imagination, foresight, and visionary thinking are traits only a sliver of the population possess. Everyone else just buys what these types produce after they are done mocking it.

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Just like only geeks would ever use a personal computer said your doppelganger back in the 70s.

Exactly. So good to read that there´s still some people who not only have brains, but also use them to think instead of just act like everyone else.

[GuitarDTO]

Originally Posted by Intarweb

Big, goofy and gaudy. I'd feel like a total attention whore if I wore that. "Conversation Starter?" More fitting would be the 'Look At Me. I'm compensating for something.'

haha, it's definitely not for everyone I'm not an attention whore though in the least bit, I simply don't care what other people think. I enjoy people's reactions in general good or bad. Why take life so seriously I figure.