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Apple's iWatch Said to Feature Round Design, Production May Start This Summer
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mrgraff
macrumors 65816
To me, the fact that someone thinks we need to be reminded that a "traditional" watch is round speaks volumes.
Reason077
macrumors 601
We need to get over the idea that a watch is an appropriate device for "content".
It's never going to be a good experience to read emails, or even text messages, on such a display.
That's not what the iWatch will be about - Apple are smarter than that.
I don't think Apple will make it look like a "traditional" watch, for the same reason that Apple never made the iPhone look like a traditional phone.
This is one of the few predictions before the iPhone came out:
Unless Apple lost their imagination (which they haven't), I don't think the "iWatch" will look like an old analog watch. I bet it's something much cooler, and a modern take on the time piece band you wear on your wrist.
This is one of the few predictions before the iPhone came out:
Unless Apple lost their imagination (which they haven't), I don't think the "iWatch" will look like an old analog watch. I bet it's something much cooler, and a modern take on the time piece band you wear on your wrist.
why would all the flexible glass rumors attached to the watch suddenly be abandoned? i get the idea of wanting something that mimics a standard watch but i'd think apple (think different) would do something a bit more revolutionary with design. i guess we will have to settle for a cool box??
the round click wheel was the brilliant user input method that made the iPod so easy to use. I wonder if they're planning on using the same concept for the iWatch - hence the round shape.
Technodynamic
macrumors 6502
Rogifan
macrumors Penryn
They might as well show a photo of the Moto 360 if they need to remind people what a traditional watch looks like.
if it has blutooth to link it to your phone it would be easy to ask siri to send and read texts into your headphone or small speaker from the watch. but you are right about it not being a fully functional, leave your phone on your bag/pocket device. it's gonna be more for health and fitness like a lot of the other bands. just with more functions.
mojolicious
macrumors 68000
The only fruit eaten by aardvarks is the aardvark cucumber.
iHeart alert: please consult a cardiologist at your earliest convenience.
Chinese and Indian railways account for 70% of global passenger mileage.
iHeart alert: this organ is no longer responding and will shut down in 15 seconds.
joelvega125
macrumors regular
I really hope they come out with a rugged version at some point. Like a G shock style. Be perfect for work.
somethingelsefl
macrumors 6502
This makes complete sense. Apple's design aesthetic has shifted sharply to circle-based rather than square-based over the last two years.
Contacts now have circle icons, almost all of the default iOS icons contain strong circles, even the newest Mac icons have circles. Heck, the new Mac Pro is a giant rounded circle!
This is all from a company that made the iPhone 4 more square than it's prior model, and the iMac line rigid rectangles. UNTIL recently, when "round" entered Apple's design language.
I know that circular-based design is the mantra of recent design (i.e. the recent Twitter, Spotify, etc icons) but Apple has clearly shifted away from skeuomorphism and into flat, round designs. Which is a good thing. They need to distance themselves from the competition, both internally and externally in order to survive.
A round iWatch would be a welcome alternate to the square-based Fitbit, Galaxy Gear, and Pebble.
Contacts now have circle icons, almost all of the default iOS icons contain strong circles, even the newest Mac icons have circles. Heck, the new Mac Pro is a giant rounded circle!
This is all from a company that made the iPhone 4 more square than it's prior model, and the iMac line rigid rectangles. UNTIL recently, when "round" entered Apple's design language.
I know that circular-based design is the mantra of recent design (i.e. the recent Twitter, Spotify, etc icons) but Apple has clearly shifted away from skeuomorphism and into flat, round designs. Which is a good thing. They need to distance themselves from the competition, both internally and externally in order to survive.
A round iWatch would be a welcome alternate to the square-based Fitbit, Galaxy Gear, and Pebble.
Related: I have never seen a product where the screen element has real round edges (edit: corners), just square ones covered by a fat bezel.
Simple, functional usability + not ugly + easily integrated into life = sales.
Huge ugly screen with too much content will give every competitor a marketing hay-day making fun of the ugly wrist brick. Not to mention kill battery life.
Let us have a simple UI using Siri as the primary interface. I could see LTE data being built in and connectivity to an iPhone for traditional voice.
How about a touch screen that only works for your specific fingerprint?
Huge ugly screen with too much content will give every competitor a marketing hay-day making fun of the ugly wrist brick. Not to mention kill battery life.
Let us have a simple UI using Siri as the primary interface. I could see LTE data being built in and connectivity to an iPhone for traditional voice.
How about a touch screen that only works for your specific fingerprint?
Well, I hope it's not a case of price of a Swiss luxury watch, made in China!
And a note to some on here, the watch featured in this article is NOT the I watch, it is a mock up someone made.
And a note to some on here, the watch featured in this article is NOT the I watch, it is a mock up someone made.
sprezz
macrumors regular
not much of use in an office setting, unforunately. and what about the winter months in the nordic regions? no sunlight for months!