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Apple's 'iWatch' Trademarking Spree Also Includes Taiwan and Mexico [Updated]

I wonder if the iWatch (watch as a verb) is the TV and the whole wrist thing (watch as a noun) was a massive curve ball thrown at the speculators. That'd be an awesome move. Not sure about an actual watch (as a noun) though, but I'll have to wait and see.
 
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Apothe0sis said:
Also to your point about replacing Tags or Rolex or Nixons... I don't think an iWatch will target the people who buy/wear $2k status symbols. I would expect it to target practical users, people who wear $100 watches to tell the time (and be a little stylish.) I have a really nice Skagen that I can't wait to ditch for an iwatch. In fact, I've been holding off buying a bulky gps running watch in hopes that apple will release something cool that will fill that purpose. (the same way I rarely ever pull out my point & shoot camera anymore, thanks to the iphone.)
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Currently, Apple largely targets these people who buy/wear $2,000 status symbols (and more realistically try $200,000+ status symbols). The iPhone is the absolute top of the range smartphone you can buy that has brilliant design and build quality. The iPhone is something celebrities and millionaires alike love to flaunt, because it's a stunning looking product. Same goes for all of Apple's current products.

These people love using iPods, iPads, iPhones, iMacs etc because they're the best things they can buy and they come with a sense of prestige. It's also why we all want the devices.

But I don't see Roger Federer walking around using his iPhone sporting the iWatch ... I think the iWatch is going to be targeting a very, very different audience than Apple's current target market and I don't think it's going to be anywhere near as successful because of this.
 
frisken said:
Currently, Apple largely targets these people who buy/wear $2,000 status symbols (and more realistically try $200,000+ status symbols). The iPhone is the absolute top of the range smartphone you can buy that has brilliant design and build quality. The iPhone is something celebrities and millionaires alike love to flaunt, because it's a stunning looking product. Same goes for all of Apple's current products.

These people love using iPods, iPads, iPhones, iMacs etc because they're the best things they can buy and they come with a sense of prestige. It's also why we all want the devices.

But I don't see Roger Federer walking around using his iPhone sporting the iWatch ... I think the iWatch is going to be targeting a very, very different audience than Apple's current target market and I don't think it's going to be anywhere near as successful because of this.
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At least in the U.S., iPhones are not status symbols. Most middle-class people can afford them; they're nothing like high-end Rolexes.

And Apple targets average consumers, not millionaires and celebrities. They market themselves as the premium brand but not a luxury brand.
 
frisken said:
... I kind of wish Apple wouldn't be the first in on this one, let the competition make the mistakes and bring out a brilliant product further down the track.
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Wasn't that the strategy with the Apple Television? Say, "we've cracked it", and let the other companies scramble to make a TV and see how it goes. I don't think there have been any noteworthy TV's since, but I could be wrong.
 
iWatch! Apple is joking, right?

Seriously though. I'm just waiting for this thing to fail because everyone has smartphones, thus watches aren't even a thought anymore. In reality, of course Apple will charge some ridiculous price for it and the iSheep will purchase it just because of the Apple logo and/or just because they claim it's "cool".
 
Virtualball said:
It's.... it's happening! 😀
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All that is happening is that Apple is protecting the name. It didn't do this with the iPhone or iPad in most countries and had to negotiate it w/ the other, often under pressure of litigation. So Apple's grabbing the name while it can, especially after so much rumor publicity thus far. But whether we ever see an iWatch will have to watch and see. I wouldn't put too much into all these trademark registrations. Apple trademarks a lot of names it never uses.
 
Clubber said:
I wonder if the iWatch (watch as a verb) is the TV and the whole wrist thing (watch as a noun) was a massive curve ball thrown at the speculators. That'd be an awesome move. Not sure about an actual watch (as a noun) though, but I'll have to wait and see.
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I was thinking the same thing but it would be a deviation from their branding. All products are i<noun>, no?
 
Bathplug said:
Common knowledge to skip a first gen apple product.
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Based on what?
Has the first gen iPhone been less reliable than newer gens?
What about the first-gen iPod touch?
Or the first-gen iPad?
Or maybe the first-gen MacBook Air?

AFAIK they've all been as reliable as their updates. The worst problems I've heard were actually with updates (iPhone 4's antennagate, iPhone 5's scuffs out of the box, iPad 3's/2013 MBA's Wi-Fi issues, 2007 MBP's faulty GPU, 2010 iMac's yellow tinting…).

Or unless you meant feature-wise the second model will be significantly better.
 
pgiguere1 said:
Based on what?
Has the first gen iPhone been less reliable than newer gens?
What about the first-gen iPod touch?
Or the first-gen iPad?
Or maybe the first-gen MacBook Air?

AFAIK they've all been as reliable as their updates. The worst problems I've heard were actually with updates (iPhone 4's antennagate, iPhone 5's scuffs out of the box, iPad 3's/2013 MBA's Wi-Fi issues).
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First Generation = First time production of any brand new thing.

It's more than common knowledge, but not just Apple, almost every brand, you said it right, the iPhone 4 and 5 problems, they're considered first time productions, cars, the first year of a car after it changes model, cellphones every year, laptops with battery problems, the first production for xbox/ps3, the list can go on, and it more likely that it's the first production batch, they always rely on feedback and make the necessary adjustments for the line of production.
 
timehacker11 said:
iWatch! Apple is joking, right?

Seriously though. I'm just waiting for this thing to fail because everyone has smartphones, thus watches aren't even a thought anymore. In reality, of course Apple will charge some ridiculous price for it and the iSheep will purchase it just because of the Apple logo and/or just because they claim it's "cool".
Click to expand...

Yeah, because the "HAHAHA no keyboard?"/"A computer company is no threat to handset makers who have years of experience" iPhone and "Just a big iPod Touch" iPad have been total failures, hm?


You probably don't care, because you just want to troll, but that "quantified self"- and Lifelogger-stuff has been growing more important in recent years and we can be certain, that the iWatch will have all the sensors that Apple can fit in the case, so the iWatch will become THE thing to own for all those who want to track all the data necessary for all that "quantified self" stuff.

Companies that sell devices like the UP, Fitbit or Fuel Band (Tim Cook is wearing one) will face a real threat when Apple releases their next product category.
 
Will the iWatch be like the iPad (hugely innovative) or like the Newton (also by Apple but not really that successful)? I think only time will tell.

Will I buy one? Hard choice. What does the iWatch do that my iPhone does not?

- Tell the time - iPhone does that
- plays music - iPhone can do that
- email and other apps - iPhone can do that
etc etc

I think you get my point. Apple will have to really sell that to us (as in what is can do for us that the iPhone and others can not).
 
SILen(e said:
... that "quantified self"- and Lifelogger-stuff has been growing more important in recent years and we can be certain, that the iWatch will have all the sensors that Apple can fit in the case, so the iWatch will become THE thing to own for all those who want to track all the data necessary for all that "quantified self" stuff.

Companies that sell devices like the UP, Fitbit or Fuel Band (Tim Cook is wearing one) will face a real threat when Apple releases their next product category.
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Dude ... you got it, I'm almost sold. It's either that or the iWatch-as-a-verb switcheroo for a television.
 
I absolutely love my pebble- feels weird when I don't wear it- only wish it could do more, which is happening slowly. Can't wait for apple to put it to shame and once again make people need something they didn't even want. Lots of potential...
 
Apothe0sis said:
One of the things Apple does really well is combine devices that previously stood alone. So while they won't reinvent the fitness watch, or the wearable ipod, or the wrist notification center, they may successfully combine these things into one device in a way others haven't yet.

Also to your point about replacing Tags or Rolex or Nixons... I don't think an iWatch will target the people who buy/wear $2k status symbols. I would expect it to target practical users, people who wear $100 watches to tell the time (and be a little stylish.) I have a really nice Skagen that I can't wait to ditch for an iwatch. In fact, I've been holding off buying a bulky gps running watch in hopes that apple will release something cool that will fill that purpose. (the same way I rarely ever pull out my point & shoot camera anymore, thanks to the iphone.)

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Apple was the first to use capacitive touch screens, but they were out there for anyone to use first.
Part of what made it work was the programming behind it that made smart guesses - that if your finger is touching 3 things, it figures out what you meant to tap. As opposed to a pressure sensitive screen that needed the precision of a stylus.
I agree that there was a timing issue for apple getting this right, but if apple did it, clearly the tech was available for anyone to do it. Apple just thought of it first, and did it right.

In fact, even after the iphone came out, many companies were still coming out with pressure sensitive touch screen phones, they just didn't 'get' it. (my GF had a really ****** samsung "smartphone" that just wasn't up to snuff.)
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Actually the LG prada used a full capacitive touch screen a full year before the original iphone. I wouldn't refer to the original iphone upon release as a true smartphone on the original OS it shipped with. It had no third party apps and was essentially a fancy feature phone. The blackberries and Windows mobile phones at the time still were much more powerful.
 
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nikicampos said:
What's the big deal with an iWatch, it's nothing more than the previous iPod Nano that you could buy straps and make it a watch.

Just another device to get notifications.
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How do you know? Have you seen/used the device yet?

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blackhand1001 said:
Actually the LG prada used a full capacitive touch screen a full year before the original iphone.
Click to expand...

Um, ho it hasn't. While it was "announced" 8 months prior, it has been shown off only a month or so before the iPhone introduction and has been released to market several months later.

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the8thark said:
Will the iWatch be like the iPad (hugely innovative) or like the Newton (also by Apple but not really that successful)? I think only time will tell.
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While it was not successful in market (it was nuked by Jobs upon his return to Apple) Newton was innovative and cool device.
 
I've never worn a watch. I'm curious to see what it'll look like and does ( besides tell time ) ... but I doubt it will be a product for me.
 
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