Apple's iWatch Said to Feature Round Design, Production May Start This Summer

[jrswizzle]

Knowing Apple it will look very sleek and well made but need an OtterBox case to protect it because it will break if you look at it wrong.....

I'm not sure I want another gadget I have to worry about constantly.

My wife just broke her 3rd iPhone screen yesterday.... ordered her a Moto E for $129.- to tie her over until iPhone 6 is released.

http://www.amazon.com/Motorola-Moto-GSM-Unlocked-Black/dp/B00K0NRVNG/ref=cm_cr_pr_product_top

My wife did that ONCE (the day after she got it) and I bought her an Otterbox......

I hated that case, so I switched her to a Speck case. So far so good *fingers crossed*

 

[bencjedi]

I hope the watch band is indestructible. I don't care if it is round or square, but I hate when watch straps break. They are annoying to replace and are overpriced! So sapphire for the face and indestructible strap are the winning features I need to see!

I bet Apple uses the same technology that the Alpha MIO is using to measure heart rate from the capillaries in one's wrist. If you have ever been to an ER and the medical people slip that thing over your finger to measure pulse.. that is what the MIO is doing too.

 

[BigHonkingDeal]

Hopefully you can import her contacts to her Google account, or does iCloud just work with Androids too?

She has been using a gmail address for years and used a Galaxy S4 for a while so contacts, calendars will not be a problem. There are also migration tools available.

The phone has a Micro SD slot by the way and its splash proofed

 

[sdz]

Who needs Beats per Minute?

Give me Blood Pressure. Way more informative!

 

[peterdevries]

I am pretty sure it's the point at which the average person with 20/20 vision can no longer noticeably see pixels. So its pixels per inch and distance from eyes.

Sure, but the point I was making is that the shape of the screen doesn't matter for the retina definition.

 

[RabbitLuvr]

That mockup is hideous. I guess it's ok for a man's watch, but I would never wear that, and don't know any other women who would either. Which would be a shame, as I'm interested in replacing my FitBit Flex with iWatch when it comes out. Unless it looks like this. No.

 

[lilo777]

I do not share the enthusiasm about the round shape. Even if it looks as pretty as the mock up does the iWatch would still look like a cheap imitation of a real watch. In looks department, LCD/OLED screen is not a match for a real metal stuff.

More importantly people forget that most of the time the screen will be off and the watch will look like a black dummy. $15 Walmart watch will probably look better. So I am very skeptical that anyone would buy it for looks. The target customer is still a nerd. And if you commit to wearing something pretty ugly and have to charge it daily why not to at least try maximizing its usefulness by using a rectangular screen?

 

[MH01]

Yes, but if Apple would put more effort into making the phones more durable that would help as well.

I think that is the 5C, in unapologetic durable plastic.

 

[BigHonkingDeal]

I think that is the 5C, in unapologetic durable plastic.

You try selling that to your wife

 

[mojolicious]

That mockup is hideous.

It is, but no-one should read *anything* into it. It's the Triwa Havana Nevil Brown with some pseudo iCrap in place of the face.

I'm curious to know why the 'Triwa' is retained, though. Perhaps it's Triwa (nope, never heard of them) who released the mock-up in order to gain some hits?

*****

EDIT: reading the first post again, there's absolutely no reason for that particular mock-up to appear in the article.

 

[RedOrchestra]

Another round watch ... that'll be stylin'.

Hmmmm ... how will the world know that you're wearing an Apple iWatch?

 

[paul4339]

Up to 21 million units for second half of 2014? They must be pretty confident!

 

[kavika]

Novice observation here - When it comes to introducing new hardware, it seems Apple either (1) perfects what others have created, or (2) finds a gap, a problem, that no one else can solve and does it themselves.

I don't see either with iWatch. I'm an Apple fanboy through and through, but I literally cannot think of one problem (even a light-hearted problem) the iWatch solves. I am hopefull, though, that if it comes out I'll have an 'a ha!' moment where I realize I'd overlooked something.

But so far I just.don't.see.it.

 

[Stella]

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.

Never said any thing of the sort...

Its fine for *short* messages, i.e., SMS and iMessages.

Thats the key - of course your not going to read an entire novel-like email on your watch. You still need enough content space for this. This is something that works very well for the Pebble.

 

[Scarpad]

really does anybody even wear watches any more ?

 

[fullauto]

Can't see that design working in the gym as a fitness monitor :/

 

[BornAgainMac]

I kinda want to see a FaceTime watch.

 

[kdarling]

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.

Yeah, even though the Nest thermostat only has displays pixels in a round section, it's still set in a square backing.

However, LG and others started making real round displays a few years back, mostly for automobile dashboard designs, I think. Wastes a lot of material of course, which makes them more expensive.

The concept of any Iwatch ( ipad nano with a strap ) will flop. People's preferences for a large screen pocket computer (iphone) are now firmly established.

Actually, almost everyone I know who tries a smartwatch out, becomes quickly used to having silent notifications on their wrist, without having to yank their smartphone out of a pocket.

Plus, never underestimate the power of Apple to make something popular and desirable. Perhaps even integrate it into their whole house and TV control system.

 

[laurim]

I hope the watch band is indestructible. I don't care if it is round or square, but I hate when watch straps break. They are annoying to replace and are overpriced! So sapphire for the face and indestructible strap are the winning features I need to see!

I bet Apple uses the same technology that the Alpha MIO is using to measure heart rate from the capillaries in one's wrist. If you have ever been to an ER and the medical people slip that thing over your finger to measure pulse.. that is what the MIO is doing too.

I hope they use nickel-free materials. The last watch I bought didn't and even with a thick coating of nail polish on the clasp it still makes my wrist break out in itchy, weeping bumps. I'm sure this watch will be expensive so they better not cheap out on the outer materials like the clasp.

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really does anybody even wear watches any more ?

Yes, busy people with time-sensitive activities do.

 

[darkslide29]

Who needs Beats per Minute?

Give me Blood Pressure. Way more informative!

Beats by Dr. Dre per Minute

 

[bryanescuela]

Very...

Fugly!!

 

[laurim]

That mockup is hideous. I guess it's ok for a man's watch, but I would never wear that, and don't know any other women who would either. Which would be a shame, as I'm interested in replacing my FitBit Flex with iWatch when it comes out. Unless it looks like this. No.

I'm a woman and I think it looks nice. Maybe because I'm older and not very girly. This is the watch I have now:

Unfortunately, the clasp makes my wrist break out because it has nickel in it. I've tried coating it in nail polish but I still react a little

 

[Mousse]

Thank, God! Please mimic this design to a T while we're at it.

What?! What purpose would the crown and two buttons serve? I guess the crown can become a "home" button and scrolling. If history is any indication, I don't see Apple using more than one button. I'd be interested if sleep mode, allows me to mimic a mechanical watch face with a sweeping second hand.

I hope the watch band is indestructible.

Get a NATO strap. They're pretty durable enough for a war zone. On the downside, NATO straps would make even the fines watch look cheap.

Another round watch ... that'll be stylin'.

Hmmmm ... how will the world know that you're wearing an Apple iWatch?

A glowing icon on the back of the case. Or the watchband mibby? Oh, I know, the case will be milled aluminum.

 

[deyorew]

People keep focusing on the "watch" aspect of this iWatch.

I just had an epiphany.

I think this it is going to be less of a standalone watch and more of just an accessory to the iPhone. not unlike earbuds. I think its going to revolve around function and integration with iOS more than as a fashionable watch.

As a fashionable watch it would not sell to very many folks, but as a useful accessory to iPhones it will sell millions of units. Because of this I am thinking pricing will be similar to other Mac and iPhone accessories. $80 range.

Too bad it has to be visible. maybe they will make something less conspicuous that does the same thing...like an iBand that communicates all the health status features to your iOS device that the iWatch supposedly will do.

 

[MH01]

You try selling that to your wife

I could not do that to her, I still like her!