Apple Watch Sales Estimated at 5.1 Million in Holiday Quarter, Swiss Watch Sales in Trouble

[nviz22]

Ha, can you imagine trying to apply for a patent for a circular watch? lol

I bet you would genuinely have people on here claiming Apple had copied Samsung though if the next watch was circular!

The Moto 360 was the first circular Android Wear watch. It is nice, but the flat tire thing does kill the design at times. Battery life is bad too.

 

[The-Real-Deal82]

The Moto 360 was the first circular Android Wear watch. It is nice, but the flat tire thing does kill the design at times. Battery life is bad too.

Yeah I was just mocking the fact that there will be people out there that will think a round smart watch is somehow an innovation. With watches in general it's fact that round watches are more popular. For a smart watch a rectangular design is no doubt more effective for the user due to it being a screen but will limit its appeal due to its shape.

Personally I only go for round watch faces but then again smart watches don't appeal to me either.

 

[nviz22]

Yeah I was just mocking the fact that there will be people out there that will think a round smart watch is somehow an innovation. With watches in general it's fact that round watches are more popular. For a smart watch a rectangular design is no doubt more effective for the user due to it being a screen but will limit its appeal due to its shape.

Personally I only go for round watch faces but then again smart watches don't appeal to me either.

To me, it's just common sense to make both because it caters to both markets. I want circular since it's more traditional and classy looking.

 

[kdarling]

Ha, can you imagine trying to apply for a patent for a circular watch? lol

I bet you would genuinely have people on here claiming Apple had copied Samsung though if the next watch was circular!

Well... Samsung DID patent a round smartwatch with both a rotating bezel AND a digital crown, a year before the iPhone even publicly existed

And some people claim Samsung never innovates.

 

[The-Real-Deal82]

Well... Samsung DID patent a round smartwatch with both a rotating bezel AND a digital crown, a year before the iPhone even publicly existed

View attachment 619213

And some people claim Samsung never innovates.

I do find that astonishing but I suppose the key term is 'smart' being in the title. The round part isn't the innovation but the other aspects are. Did this ever go beyond a proposal and get prototyped or produced?

 

[kdarling]

I do find that astonishing but I suppose the key term is 'smart' being in the title. The round part isn't the innovation but the other aspects are. Did this ever go beyond a proposal and get prototyped or produced?

The rotating bezel input did, with the Gear S2 that came out last year. Universally praised as being much easier to use than a smaller crown.


New 18kt rose gold and platinum plated Classic models.

On the good side, the UI is fluid and fast, and the people I've run across with one love theirs. On the downside, it's running Tizen which limits the number of apps available. But man, that rotating bezel input is something I've wanted for years and I might have to learn Tizen just to program on this watch!

 

[I7guy]

Well... Samsung DID patent a round smartwatch with both a rotating bezel AND a digital crown, a year before the iPhone even publicly existed

View attachment 619213

And some people claim Samsung never innovates.

My fathers ancient chronograph wrist watch circa 1960s had a rotating bezel. So the idea is not new.

 

[The-Real-Deal82]

My fathers ancient chronograph wrist watch circa 1960s had a rotating bezel. So the idea is not new.

I think it's more to do with converting the feature to a digital purpose. My dive watches all have rotating bezels so you know how long you've been under water, but I couldn't access an email at 100m lol.

 

[I7guy]

I think it's more to do with converting the feature to a digital purpose. My dive watches all have rotating bezels so you know how long you've been under water, but I couldn't access an email at 100m lol.

That's the point...Taking a familiar analog equivalent and converting it to a familiar digital equivalent. But you still don't need a rotating bezel to get your emails under water. Nonetheless it's a cool concept and probably why Apple stayed away from round watches; which at some level may have worked out better.

 

[kdarling]

My fathers ancient chronograph wrist watch circa 1960s had a rotating bezel. So the idea is not new.

Right, but as I said, I've always wanted to be able to program a watch with a rotating bezel input.

It's PERFECT for applications such as a pilot's watch slide rule.
Or using it to rotate a bearing on a circular map.
Or James Bond apps where you dial in the laser power or set a remote bomb timer

A rotating bezel is one feature a square watch cannot have.

 

[I7guy]

Right, but as I said, I've always wanted to be able to program a watch with a rotating bezel input.

It's PERFECT for applications such as a pilot's watch slide rule.
Or using it to rotate a bearing on a circular map.
Or James Bond apps where you dial in the laser power or set a remote bomb timer

A rotating bezel is one feature a square watch cannot have.

Ah true, but a square watch can have a pressure sensitive Digital Crown if the patent has not been taken.

 

[samcraig]

Right, but as I said, I've always wanted to be able to program a watch with a rotating bezel input.

It's PERFECT for applications such as a pilot's watch slide rule.
Or using it to rotate a bearing on a circular map.
Or James Bond apps where you dial in the laser power or set a remote bomb timer

A rotating bezel is one feature a square watch cannot have.

Well I wouldn't say couldn't. You could have a type of chain link type of dial that could rotate around the square watch. the corners would have to be slightly rounded.... And not as exciting, it could be all done via touch technology with no moving parts (or perhaps haptic feedback that might feel like it was moving?)

But I agree - a round watch is far more logical and "easier" to accomplish the spinning wheel

 

[kdarling]

Well I wouldn't say couldn't. You could have a type of chain link type of dial that could rotate around the square watch. the corners would have to be slightly rounded..

l o l

I KNEW someone would bring up a tank track kind of bezel

Actually, that would make for an interesting custom wood and plastic slide rule. Hmm...

 

[OllyW]

You could have a type of chain link type of dial that could rotate around the square watch.

Forget the Hermès Watch, you could have a special Caterpillar edition with a bright yellow strap.

 

[BarracksSi]

A pilot's watch slide rule is already near the limits of legibility. I don't think the dpi of current displays is enough to match a printed dial and bezel (never mind that most slide rule watches are 44mm and up).

I've wanted to set the timer by touching the face near my desired minute marking, but the target is awfully small and placed near the selectors for Hours and Minutes and the Reset and Start buttons.

 

[kdarling]

A pilot's watch slide rule is already near the limits of legibility.

Ah, but that's the beauty of a digital display: the bezel can be used for input while the output is displayed in the middle.

E.g use bezel to first easily set wind direction and speed, and of course you have preset your GPH, etc.

Then you can do things like rotate the bezel to your desired track to get a heading displayed in the middle. Or flip to altitude or TAS mode and use the bezel to dial in calculations, using your known regular cruising speed. Etc.

I think you get the idea. Not a true slide rule with all result variations always visible, but useful without requiring lots of digit punches or peering at a rule edge.

 

[greenmeanie]

I don't know one person who bought the stupid watch.