Apple Watch Designer Shares Development Tidbits on Device's Fifth Anniversary

[MacRumors]

Today is the fifth anniversary of the original Apple Watch, which has soared in popularity since its 2015 launch. To celebrate the device's anniversary, designer Imran Chaudhri, who worked on the original Apple Watch team, shared some interesting tidbits about its development on Twitter (via TechCrunch).

Chaudri shared a reproduction of his original sketch for the Apple Watch's Home screen, with the circular icon shape inspired by the clock of what was originally called the dock. Prior to launch, the Digital Touch feature was known as Electronic Touch, for its potential as a "new form of emotional connection." The "ink" for drawing on the watch face was inspired by Chaudhri's graffiti days.

https://twitter.com/x/status/1253727031742705664

The very first Apple Watch prototype was built using a 6th-generation iPod Nano strapped to an Apple Watch band, created to demonstrate Siri and the Notification Center as key early Apple Watch features.

https://twitter.com/x/status/1253727065393618947

Many other interesting little tidbits were included in Chaudhri's reflections:

• The butterflies in the Apple Watch Motion face were dead when they were captured in images to prevent harming live butterflies. Chaudhri owns the blue one.
• The mechanism for the Loop straps was an evolution of velcro speedmaster straps worn by Apollo astronauts.
• The Solar Watch face was created as a way for Muslims observing Ramadan to quickly see the position of the sun.

The Apple Watch has undergone multiple changes over the course of the last five years, transforming from a device entirely reliant on the iPhone to an LTE-equipped watch with its own App Store that can be used in lieu of an iPhone.

Major features have been added and refined over the years, with major leaps in processing power and the addition of health and connectivity features like the aforementioned LTE capabilities, GPS, ECG functionality, irregular heart rate notifications, fall detection, emergency calling, and more.

In the future, rumors suggest the Apple Watch is going to get even more helpful features like monitoring of blood oxygen level and sleep tracking, which will make it even more indispensable than it is today.

Article Link: Apple Watch Designer Shares Development Tidbits on Device's Fifth Anniversary

 

[mtneer]

I hope he ran this by Apple before posting! If he did, its refreshing to see a slight change in heart for the secretive company declassifying/ de-gagging this information after only 5 years.

 

[gugy]

I was skeptical of the AW at first. I bought the S2 and was hooked. Can't live without it due my workouts. Miss my Omega Seamaster. I would love Apple one day to have a band with most AW capabilities, so I can go back to wear my Omega with it. Maybe someday.

 

[phenste]

Man. What an amazing product. Fascinating to see into the mind of people who originally conceptualized it; I wish Steve could’ve seen it.

Five year anniversary of owning one!

 

[Rogifan]

Just looked up this guy and he’s on over 3K Apple patents including many of the original iPhone UI patents.

 

[badatusernames]

This was really stood out for me

“The butterflies in the Apple Watch Motion face were dead when they were captured in images to prevent harming live butterflies. Chaudhri owns the blue one.”

 

[MrT8064]

I’m still using my Series 0 every single day. What other first gen Apple product has stood the test of time like this!

 

[OafTobark]

Nice to see some insight from a team that probably still exists, and works together to this day.

 

[Muramasa]

I’m still using my Series 0 every single day. What other first gen Apple product has stood the test of time like this!

How the heck has your battery even lasted all this time?! Mine wouldn't really hold a charge after 2 years.

 

[ipedro]

I really like the original concept of a layered UI.

It still kind of exists but doesn’t remain true for most of the user interface. If a time comes for a major watchOS redesign, I hope they give this another look.

Watch Face at the top layer, dock below that (replacing the app honeycomb) and apps run at the bottom. Using the Digital Crown to move between them at any time.

 

[mazz0]

features like monitoring of blood oxygen level and sleep tracking, which will make it even more indispensable than it is today.

Erm, that’s a bit of a leap! Also a strange bit of obvious opinion in what otherwise came across as a mostly factual article.

Personally I don’t find blood oxygen level monitoring or sleep tracking remotely indispensable. Come to think of it, I don’t find my current Apple Watches indispensable, just very nice to have.

 

[DeepIn2U]

This was really stood out for me

“The butterflies in the Apple Watch Motion face were dead when they were captured in images to prevent harming live butterflies. Chaudhri owns the blue one.”

likewise, how does one own a butterfly as a pet?! Lol 😂 😩 ?

 

[Mr. Dee]

I love my Apple Watch Series 3; I was skeptical at first because I kinda gave on them after many years of wearing a Seiko. Owning a smartphone kinda made owning a watch redundant. I was right regarding the initial Apple Watch release, but subesequent revisions, it just kept getting better. I would love one of the newer ones, but I just can’t justify it right now. I certainly will upgrade when the S3 stops getting updates.

 

[haddy]

Erm, that’s a bit of a leap! Also a strange bit of obvious opinion in what otherwise came across as a mostly factual article.

Personally I don’t find blood oxygen level monitoring or sleep tracking remotely indispensable. Come to think of it, I don’t find my current Apple Watches indispensable, just very nice to have.

Yeah very nice to have and I wear my series 5 cellular all day every day

 

[PostApple2016BrainWash]

No doubt, it's not as ubiquitous as the iPhone and that's why it needs more improvements for the upcoming model instead of just adding always-on display in the fifth generation of iWatch.

 

[jonblatho]

No doubt, it's not as ubiquitous as the iPhone and that's why it needs more improvements for the upcoming model instead of just adding always-on display in the fifth generation of iWatch.

Since when does every iPhone need to be paired with an Apple Watch? I’m reasonably certain that while Apple would obviously love that, they understand that the Watch will never be as ubiquitous as the iPhone and it’s not really a goal of theirs.

 

[Applebot1]

Not bought one as of yet. Wife has a S5 Cellular and loves it. Constantly uses it as a phone which surprised me since it was bought more for the health functions.

 

[gregglesspiked]

They really need a new design and thinner watch. It’s clunky and too easily damaged for the tradesman

 

[Wanted797]

I’m still using my Series 0 every single day. What other first gen Apple product has stood the test of time like this!

I only updated my series 0 last September for a series 5. Such an awesome device. The battery however started failing to fully charge. I still have it in the box.

 

[Feyl]

Imran Chaudhri, Bas Ording, Greg Christie.. the holy trinity of UI design from the Steve Jobs era. These guys are brilliant.

 

[twinlight]

I just read an article about a hospital in my country (Norway) that got all the SpO2 meters they could find and used for early screenings of patients during this covid-19 crisis. They had really good results and very few really sick people because of early indications of the sickness.

Erm, that’s a bit of a leap! Also a strange bit of obvious opinion in what otherwise came across as a mostly factual article.

Personally I don’t find blood oxygen level monitoring or sleep tracking remotely indispensable. Come to think of it, I don’t find my current Apple Watches indispensable, just very nice to have.

 

[trashmac]

I was skeptical of the AW at first. I bought the S2 and was hooked. Can't live without it due my workouts. Miss my Omega Seamaster. I would love Apple one day to have a band with most AW capabilities, so I can go back to wear my Omega with it. Maybe someday.

Yeah I'm with you on that one. I love watches (I own about 20 - nothing fancy or expensive) but since buying the first Apple watch I have not worn anything else. Notifications, motivating me to move more and Apple pay are worth the price alone for me.
But... I miss wearing my variety of watches even my TinTin swatch watch a smart band would be great.

 

[lmlphx]

How the heck has your battery even lasted all this time?! Mine wouldn't really hold a charge after 2 years.

Good point. I wonder is Apple will implement the "80% charge" nighttime protocol, similar to the iPhone 11 to extend the battery live. And I wonder if this software update would work on older generation watches.

 

[chucker23n1]

How the heck has your battery even lasted all this time?! Mine wouldn't really hold a charge after 2 years.

I’m also still on a 0, but the battery is definitely showing its age. Activity sync also often takes more than a day. And apps are almost useless; too slow.

 

[cmaier]

I’m also still on a 0, but the battery is definitely showing its age. Activity sync also often takes more than a day. And apps are almost useless; too slow.

Yeah, I went from a 0 to a 4 and it was night and day. The 0 was useless for anything but built in apps. The 4 is always instantly responsive, the battery lasts much longer, and it tracks activity much much more consistently.