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Apple's 'iWatch' Said to Run Full iOS, but Battery Life an Issue in Prototypes

Don't know if any of this was said before but this would make me order one the second they went on sale:

It needs to have built in GPS, bluetooth, and some storage for music. If I was able to use the "iWatch" for tracking my runs similar to how I use my Garmin GPS watch, while allowing me to listen to music through bluetooth headphones-that would be a game changer.

That and allowing apps to use the GPS such as golf shot apps. Being able to look down at my watch and see how far I have to the hole without having to take my phone out of my pocket every time I want to hit a ball would be amazing.

Just my .02
 
jrlcopy said:
Haha, it's as if the iTV that was supposed to come out last year has just vanished, yeah? I think all these publications just get together, toss a dart at a random electronic, and spend the year all pointing each other to each others headlines and newspapers making a ton of money.
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I think you're right on the money with this. Nothing makes people flock to websites for more info like unsubstanciated information about someones speculation that Apple might at some stage make something they personally wish they'd make :D

I know rumours is what this whole site is about but there's so much iOS, iGadget and iSpeculation headlines, it should be renamed AppleRumors at this point :)
 
The fundamental problem is that the iWatch will require an iOS device to get internet access to drive its apps. That is tethering which the carriers(AT&T, Verizon) will not want people being able to use for free. Look for a huge struggle there!

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scottness said:
I can't imagine even wanting one of these. I like my old analogue watch with real physical hands. Something about it being real...
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In 2007 I'm sure someone said "I can't imagine why anyone would want an iPhone". I'm not saying that an iWatch is particularly useful in 2013. Honestly I haven't worn any watch in years, I hate the feeling of the band on my wrist all day long. How many people are going to make themselves physically uncomfortable because they have to own another iThing?

Thing is the iWatch will be yet another iOS device that happens to be made into a watch form factor. Does anyone honestly think Apple has perfect the flexible display so they can extend it into the wristband? Do they even have a patent for a flexible display?
 
I charge my phone every night, so I would expect that a watch with the same capabilities would need to be charged the same amount. On the other hand, I can't remember the last time I changed the battery in my watch, which is what I expect from a watch.
 
levitynyc said:
can't wait to have to charge my watch every day.
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Don't you take it off every day? If it has wireless charging you only have to plop it down on the charger and you're ready to go in the morning. It shouldn't be too much of a problem.
 
I remember back when this site was all about TVs and watches, not iBoats and iScooters.
 
This is not a new product its the evolution of the iPod.

The only reason you need one anymore is if youre working out or doing something where the phone is too cumbersome.

People already would buy those arm-band straps to take their phone to the gym.

This is the evolution of that. Plus the capability of Siri.

But where will it get its data from? I surely am not gonna add a bill for this.

Maybe a hotspot type relationship.

Another benefit is in situation where "You shouldnt be on your phone" like at work.

I wasnt on my phone boss, I was on my watch.

I dont know. I think this is a no-go.

Im not gonna wear anything on my wrist anymore ever. Unless im about to workout.

If Im doing squats the phone in my pocket gets in the way. But if it was on my wrist it would be cool. But then again I could just get a bluetooth headphone set from my phone which would be strapped?

I dunno. I cant call it. I doubt it will be revolutionary. And I was all for the iPad before it was a critical success.
 
dragje said:
http://cdn.macrumors.com/article-new/2013/03/hex_vision_ipod_nano_watch-250x404.jpg

This is such an ugly device. My god, they really need some serious designers :eek:
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That's a picture of a nano attached to a custom wrist band. That isn't an iWatch (since no pictures of said device actually exist).

That said, I don't get this rumor at all. The iWatch should just be marketed as the next nano - shrunk just enough to be really comfortable as a watch, running full iOS with 5 day battery life. If you want, slap it on a watch band. If not, it's just a better nano.

Why is this any kind of a big deal?
 
Sky Blue said:
I remember when this site was about iPhones and iPads, not these kiddy iWatch toys. What has happened to Apple?
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This makes you sound so old...

Sky Blue said:
Technology is progressing!? OH MY GERD I CAN'T KEEP UP!!!!
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dernhelm said:
That's a picture of a nano attached to a custom wrist band. That isn't an iWatch (since no pictures of said device actually exist).

That said, I don't get this rumor at all. The iWatch should just be marketed as the next nano - shrunk just enough to be really comfortable as a watch, running full iOS with 5 day battery life. If you want, slap it on a watch band. If not, it's just a better nano.

Why is this any kind of a big deal?
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Why would they change the nano back to the old design? This needs to be a separate product. Let the nano be a little iPod and let the iWatch be a watch with some iPod features built in, but it's very important that it is a watch first.
 
Bobby Corwen said:
This is not a new product its the evolution of the iPod.

The only reason you need one anymore is if youre working out or doing something where the phone is too cumbersome.

People already would buy those arm-band straps to take their phone to the gym.

This is the evolution of that. Plus the capability of Siri.

But where will it get its data from? I surely am not gonna add a bill for this.

Maybe a hotspot type relationship.

Another benefit is in situation where "You shouldnt be on your phone" like at work.

I wasnt on my phone boss, I was on my watch.

I dont know. I think this is a no-go.

Im not gonna wear anything on my wrist anymore ever. Unless im about to workout.

If Im doing squats the phone in my pocket gets in the way. But if it was on my wrist it would be cool. But then again I could just get a bluetooth headphone set from my phone which would be strapped?

I dunno. I cant call it. I doubt it will be revolutionary. And I was all for the iPad before it was a critical success.
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Hell no, squats are always a problem when it comes to my phone. Granted I have big butt...but still. I do like using my shuffle, but sometimes that's a problem.

The best idea would be an iWatch+Bluetooth headest. I hope the iWatch is sweatproof!

Also, I'm thinking the iWatch might be able to use 3g or lte for free but it's limited. Like, you can use stream pandora on the iWatch, but can't watch vids without your phone or a montly fee.

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TallGuy1970 said:
Are you old enough to remember when you had to wind the spring in your watch every day? Not that much different!
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What?
 
Whether we like it or not, this is just a natural evolution into further mobility. Very few things can be as mobile as wrist watches and technology is going to change them again.

The iWatch concept is, I think, something more profound that just nano on a wrist strip.

Lunatik mode for iPod nano, silver black
lunatik_leather_black_checkout_400x400_db_120509.medium.jpg


kubxlab
ipod nano watchstrap
kubxlab-elemetal-round-silver_large.jpg


3 years ago, Engadget review said: You've got eight to 16GB of flash storage on your wrist -- you should never think about needing a USB stick ever again. All you need is the ability to partition some of that space to show up as a mass storage device -- it's not like iPod cables are hard to find anywhere you go.
If you're connected to an iPhone, that means you have access to the GPS -- that's instant Foursquare / Facebook Places check-ins from your watch right there. Or hey, just tap your watch while you're out taking pictures to store a log of geotagging data that you can sync up to your photos later on.
Why limit connectivity to the iPhone? We'd love to be able to see new IMs and emails from our PC on our watch, and the idea of a simple, wearable Apple TV remote control seems remarkably intriguing.
Trust us -- we can go on. Putting a multitouch display on your wrist opens up an entire world of limitless wearable computing possibilities, and we're sure we haven't even scratched the surface of what could be done here.

http://www.engadget.com/2010/11/18/ipod-nano-review-as-a-watch/

visually,
I think that removing limitations of nano's, well, nano screen creates various possibilities, including rolling information bar, for example, or wheel of icons. However, larger screen will also require larger battery (which the article mentions as a problem); wireless charging may be needed here. Also, the watch will definitely will of special type display, maybe color e-Ink?
panasonic_wordsgear.jpg


Now, being watch and being miniscule, it certainly will be bluetooth or NFC enabled to pair with iPhone (5S or 6).

Doesn't need a very good camera or speaker, no one will listen to music on it, mainly calls or voice messages.

Can monitor your health data every second, blood pressure, pulse, temperature.

Can inform you and your family about your location.

Can be used as an SOS activator in need.

Can be used for locating kids after school (if they wear iWatches)

Can be used as an early warning system for natural disasters if it has location abilities (wifi GPS or combined with iPhones' GPS).

Can be used for monitoring information on stocks, news, whatever.

Can be used for some specific games for that prolonged wristband type displays (sentinel?)

TV remote, gesture monitoring?

and so on.
 
I can't help but think.....

With all the lifestyle-monitoring devices out there, that one way or another plug into iOS (or just the apps running on an iPhone), I would be far from surprised if Apple would want to get in on the market.

A watch with a bit larger than normal display, that is GPS enabled and perhaps with wifi, using maybe a boiled down version of iOS (or just iOS), would make me buy it.

The ability to do what Nike Fuelband, Fitbit or whatever does, in a built in watch with gps and map, and dare I say... A wriststrap pulse-monitor, and I'd buy it in a heartbeat...

But then again, I use a slew of devices of the above type... One device to rule them all? Yes please.

Something a bit smaller that Leikr perhaps.
 
The only thing I'm worried about is that I doubt it'll fit on my wrist. It's very small you see.


Um... To all the people moaning about 'iToys' Apple was just about macs years and BILLIONS OF DOLLARS ago.
 
dernhelm said:
That said, I don't get this rumor at all. The iWatch should just be marketed as the next nano - shrunk just enough to be really comfortable as a watch, running full iOS with 5 day battery life. If you want, slap it on a watch band. If not, it's just a better nano.

Why is this any kind of a big deal?
Click to expand...

You're asking the wrong guy. I don't mind if Apple comes up with an iWatch or a refurnished nano device. It's no deal for me, but apparently it is for many others. I only replied to one design I saw, if that was an iWatch or not isn't very relevant, I simply don't like the looks of that particular device I saw. If it was from factory X then X should hire better designers I.M.H.O.
 
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