Apple's 'iWatch' Planned to Launch 'As Soon As This Year', Could Include Biosensors and Mapping Features

[Aeolius]

A studio apt on the upper West side in NYC is worth more than a 5 bedroom house in Des Moines. Size doesn't always matter.

True... so why would anyone want to live un NYC? What a rip-off!

Seriously, though, to each there own. I loathe cities and would never voluntarily travel to NYC. I live in a town of 7,000 folks next to a city of 250,000 and I don't even like going there; one-way streets, parallel parking, tall buildings, and crowds... pure torture.

 

[firewood]

Biosensors?.

The population in most Western countries is aging. The killer app for that demographic might be a smart wristband that is always monitoring your vitals, and can instantly call 911 with your geo coordinates after your heart attack, or even if you fall hard and don't get up. If it can warn you when you need to take your meds (and maybe incidentally tell you the time-of-day as well) that would be great as well. They already sell stuff like that on late night TV, but those probably have a cr*p UI designed by the same people who designed VCRs that only blink 12:00.

That's just one app out of probably hundreds possible if Apple opens this up to App Store developers.

Another bio app is sport watches. I saw a whole bunch of people wearing those at the last 5k run. The GPS ones with heart monitors are not cheap.

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I think a Watch is a MUCH better solution than Glasses.

It will be a lot easier to get today's normal consumers to strap a slim smart device to their wrist than to convince them that they want to be seen with some pod hovering in front of one eyebrow. That look is for geeks and maybe some future generation.

 

[luffytubby]

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Apple's long-awaited smartwatch could launch as early as this year, claims a Bloomberg article.

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The article also claims to have information on planned functionality from sources familiar with Apple's plans. Although there has been much speculation about what Apple is planning for its smart watch, there has until now been very little in the way of specific claims of functionality from sources deemed to be reputable by mainstream news organizations.A Citigroup analyst quoted in the article estimates that an Apple smartwatch could generate twice as much profit as an Apple television.

Oliver Chen, an analyst specializing in luxury goods, says that while the global TV market at $119 billion is larger than the global watch market at $60 billion, margins on watches are four times greater: 60% versus 15%. If Apple were to achieve a 10% market share in each, that would mean a gross profit of $3.6 billion for watches, versus $1.79 billion for televisions.

Article Link: Apple's 'iWatch' Planned to Launch 'As Soon As This Year', Could Include Biosensors and Mapping Features

the materials used is OLED. its bendable and water resistant.


the battery life is gonna suck.

 

[D-a-a-n]

Maybe, but a classy one. A nice watch is a sign of success and maturity. Even kids at better unis wear them to upscale events. It's just the basement crowd that rejects them out of hand... cool lot that they are.

your snobbish comment makes me sick

 

[rdlink]

Yep. Whenever I see someone wearing a watch I always think to myself "Gads, what a dinosaur."

Funny how perspective changes our reaction. Whenever I see someone pulling out their phone to check the time I say, "Gee, what a hipster doofus."

 

[damir00]

When did Apple's iWatch become "long awaited"...?

 

[djst]

I like the rumours of the pedometer and heart monitor,along with other functions.
Currently using fitbit and it fits my lifestyle great.
If Apple can give the watch more health and lifestyle functionality the possibilities and combinations sound interesting.

 

[Aeolius]

Funny how perspective changes our reaction. Whenever I see someone pulling out their phone to check the time I say, "Gee, what a hipster doofus."

Fair enough. I suppose what I really want is a Star Trek style communicator badge: CommBadge

 

[Liquorpuki]

Would that many put their Rolex's, Breitling's, Omega's (etc), in a drawer an wear this?

I think I would still prefer my Tissot.

Yeah this is what I was thinking. I read that Bloomberg piece arguing the watch market is a better market for Apple than TV's because of higher margins. That's a dumb argument. Apple is not going to be putting out $10K - $20K watches that can match Rolex profit margins. And consumers buy conventional watches as jewelry and fashion statements, not as computing devices. They don't have the clout to make Rolex, Tag Hauer, even Movado unfashionable so at worse this'll be niche like the Fuelband. At best, it'll be a market expansion of the Fuelband's niche market.

Personally I think it's gonna bomb but who knows. Maybe Apple has some secret strategy