Apple Licenses Swiss Railway Clock Design for iPad's iOS 6 Clock App

[george-brooks]

It is on the iPad. However, on your phone, if you ask Siri what time it is, she will respond and show you a clockface identical to the clock on the iPad (the SBB design). This is different that the design in the iPhone Clock app.

Interesting. If they bothered to put it in at all, why did they put it in the most pointless place? Why would I ask Siri the time when I can clearly see it on my home screen or lock screen? I wish this was the clock used in the Clock app as well. It is a beautiful design.

 

[vivithemage]

no way, money shut them up!

 

[Gravity]

Whenever I read something like this I feel like the person who wrote it is putting themselves down because it reads like: "that's not impressive because I could have done it." I see fellow musicians do this all the time. Once they've learned the trick, it loses its magic and they become critics, losing their music.

I don't believe for a second that this was ever intended to be a work of art. It's a clock. Of course it's derivative - unless you intend to recreate the analog clock, you're going to be deriving your clock from the well-known form of a clock.

This design is both striking and simple and so it represents my favorite kind of design. Simple doesn't mean easy - usually one's ego leads lead one to over-design, or over-play if you're a musician. The design in question here is something I consider to be somewhat enlightened actually.

As I said in an earlier post, I actually think it's an effective design. But it's so familiar that it's boring. I like to see new designs that don't go overboard. I agree about "over-designing." That needs to be avoided. But as there are infinite possibilities in this universe, there are no shortage of possible clock designs. I don't wear wristwatches, typically, because I'm never happy when I see one. Only recently I saw a company in japan put out some gorgeous watches with innovative designs that I'd love to try on. Tokyoflash.com

 

[bsolar]

Which is exactly my point? My questions ("why is there a circle on the second hand") were rhetorical, showing that the design is not just the result of paring down what is obviously non-essential, and that that's not a trivial task.

I know it was your point, I just wanted to explain some of the details of the design to those who didn't know about it. Sorry if it came out antagonistic, it was not meant to be that.

 

[thasan]

This is a clock-face that I could have designed. It's so basic and derivative. I wouldn't be surprised if Apple's designer came up with it on his/her own coincidentally. But yeah, it would look like a total ripoff if it weren't so generic. I would have rejected this design.

Disagree. It's a very elegant design. I clearly remember the first day I saw this clock face. It's so simple yet so beautiful. Apple done well to license it and recognize where the credit is due

 

[*sundek*]

why there is not the SAME app also for the iPhone? I mean, with the same layout and of course the beautiful watch design?

 

[RVdave]

Women are beautiful, sunsets are beautiful, music can be beautiful..... But a CLOCKFACE?? OK, maybe when it's on an Apple product.

 

[kdarling]

The second hand is there because trains are supposed to depart at the full minute.

Correct. It's so travelers know exactly how long they have before the train leaves.

Actually in the rail version the second hand does a full circle in slightly less than a minute and then waits for the synchronization signal from the central clock before starting again, so that all swiss railway clocks are always syncronized every full minute. I guess in 1944 it was good enough.

It's good enough even now

As you said, all the clocks are synchronized every minute by a central electrical signal. This is to guarantee that all trains are synchronized; something that is critical for safety if not just convenience.

The stop-sync motion at the minute point can be seen in this video:

 

[SgtPepper12]

Now, I must admit that I have no use for a clock with no numbers on it. When I buy a new watch which I do about every four or five years, it must have arabic numerals on it. Not hash marks, not Roman Numerals, but Arabic numerals. I want to be able to look at my watch, or clock, and know what time it is. I do not want to have to sit there and count hash marks to figure out what time it is.

In Germany we learn that in elementary school.

 

[lazyrighteye]

It's not just the iPad. Try asking Siri "what time is it?" on an iOS6 iPhone.

It's one thing that the clock icons on iPhone and iPad (both running iOS 6) are different. It's an entirely other thing that the clock icons on one device (iPhone) are different: depending on whether accessed via Siri (Swiss clock icon) or Clock app (original clock icon). Regarding UI consistency, that's sloppy.

It all matters.

 

[GorgonPhone]

It's one thing that the clock icons on iPhone and iPad (both running iOS 6) are different. It's an entirely other thing that the clock icons on one device (iPhone) are different: depending on whether accessed via Siri (Swiss clock icon) or Clock app (original clock icon). Regarding UI consistency, that's sloppy.

It all matters.

its sucks that i have to jailbreak to get the clock and weather icons to show the real weather and the real damn time..

 

[MartinSpoon]

There are so many posts in here about what is art, what is design, and what is not. Like previous posters have already said, it's simplicity is its genius, and that it may not seem remarkable to you now is a sign of how successful it has actually been.

You can take any object that seems utterly obvious to us now - a chair for example. Actually go and have a look at the history of one of these objects, and you'll see that there is a real story of progression, and that certain key designs have had a significant impact on future design.

Have a look a this link of chairs from the early 20th century - how many do you recognise, and how many have been copied ever since? Nearly all of them!

http://designmuseum.org/exhibitions/online/a-century-of-chairs/1920s

 

[Gasu E.]

Now, I must admit that I have no use for a clock with no numbers on it. When I buy a new watch which I do about every four or five years, it must have arabic numerals on it. Not hash marks, not Roman Numerals, but Arabic numerals. I want to be able to look at my watch, or clock, and know what time it is. I do not want to have to sit there and count hash marks to figure out what time it is.

In other words, you don't want to "tell time". You want time to tell you.

 

[JRoDDz]

In Germany we learn that in elementary school.

In America we do too.

 

[kdarling]

The posts about needing numbers reminds me:

I've run into a lot of parents who say that their kids cannot tell time on an analog clock.

By "kids", I mean 20-30 year olds, too!

Let's hope they don't have the same problem with analog speedometers, etc. Actually, hmm... this might explain a lot.

 

[RemE]

You knew they would settle fast, wasn't it Tim or Steve, or Both that said at one time or another, "We love inovation and competition, we just want people to invent their own stuff". I'm sure some "artist" just saw this cool clock and liked it enough to code it in. Probably got a hand slap, oops!

 

[dukebound85]

The posts about needing numbers reminds me:

I've run into a lot of parents who say that their kids cannot tell time on an analog clock.

By "kids", I mean 20-30 year olds, too!

Let's hope they don't have the same problem with analog speedometers, etc. Actually, hmm... this might explain a lot.

As a 27 year old, I know of no one near my age that can't read an analog clock nor an analog speedometer.

Just saying lol

 

[RemE]

The posts about needing numbers reminds me:

I've run into a lot of parents who say that their kids cannot tell time on an analog clock.

By "kids", I mean 20-30 year olds, too!

Let's hope they don't have the same problem with analog speedometers, etc. Actually, hmm... this might explain a lot.

+1, my daughter in college wears a nice watch but can't read it! She uses the iPhone...

 

[TelevisionTV]

I dont know..

This is a clock-face that I could have designed. It's so basic and derivative. I wouldn't be surprised if Apple's designer came up with it on his/her own coincidentally. But yeah, it would look like a total ripoff if it weren't so generic. I would have rejected this design.

Look at their website

http://www.mondaine.com/mondaine-watches/display_family/3
http://www.mondaine.com/mondaine-watches/display_family/4
http://www.mondaine.com/mondaine-watches/display_family/5
http://www.mondaine.com/mondaine-watches/display_family/6


I highly doubt its coincidence. ALL of their watches have this face. When you see how obvious of a rip off it was, it's shameful they didn't ask to license it in the first place.
Although, I'm sure after all this Apple will have helped them sell some watches and clocks

 

[picciano]

This is a clock-face that I could have designed. It's so basic and derivative.

But you didn't.

And if you did, you'd probably complain too.

 

[craftytony]

If it were Samsung that did this, they would say that the Swiss Railway can't patent circles and dots lol

 

[Anuba]

This is a clock-face that I could have designed. It's so basic and derivative. I wouldn't be surprised if Apple's designer came up with it on his/her own coincidentally. But yeah, it would look like a total ripoff if it weren't so generic. I would have rejected this design.

1) Generic or not, a company that filed a patent application for rectangles with rounded corners (how's that for generic?) should keep their hands off the intellectual property of others.

2) It didn't occur to you that you perceive the design as generic because every damn clockface you've seen is derivative of this one? The Swiss Railway clock is from 1944 and is on display at both the Museum of Modern Art in NYC and the Design Museum in London as an example of outstanding 20th century design.

 

[Lancer]

Glad they worked it out quickly

Probably cheaper than fighting Apple in court!

 

[Iconoclysm]

no its boring and a damn waste of money.. apple needs to re do the entire IOS ui please

I'd bet that next year, we see major software changes.

 

[MacDav]

Good to see. It's such a cool clock design.

I think just the opposite. Your entitled to your opinion of course. I would have preferred a different clock face. A different and more original design. They could have saved a little money too. Oh well, I guess I'll have to get used to them using a totally unoriginal design. Steve Jobs would never...just kidding.