iWatch Component Production Said to Start Gearing Up This Month, September Launch Speculated

[lowercaseperson]

Unless Apple accomplishes with the "iWatch" what is equivalent to their success with the iPhone on day 1, I think most people are going to poo-poo it. Which is sad, bc if you look back at the first iPhone (or if you had one - which I assume many of you did) you realize it was pretty limited in its capabilities (vs. almost anything in today's world). I had the first iPhone, and maybe I'm in the minority here, but frankly I didn't use safari much and I didn't have a ton of apps - I checked the weather, set alarms, and looked at photos which was amazing enough for me. The technology wasn't there for the iPhone to be what it is today - nobody had any idea of what it would become (again I use "everybody" very loosely here). I think we need to be ready for the same thing from iWatch, hopefully an impressive design base that Apple will perfect over the next couple years.

That being said - I do want one. I have a Pebble and in my line of work the notifications are very convenient (dare I say essential). I would like to upgrade to an iWatch though. I will say, as bad as I would like one it would be almost worth it, if it turned out there was never an iWatch and we were all fooled by an Apple smoke screen. ha!

 

[solamar]

The only issue here is that iOS 8 and OS X Yosemite need to release at the same time. The iCloud features are dependent on each other, and you need both for the collaboration features.

Not true.. they've released iOS and OS X at iPhone events before, only to release a new Macbook later in the year that would come with the new OS X..

Don't forget.. people would UPGRADE to 10.10.. they don't need new hardware to do that.. thus they could easily release the new MacBooks later..

 

[AppleScruff1]

I wonder if the the carriers will have some kind of subsidy for these like they do phones? It's possible it's more of an iPhone accessory than a stand alone device, at least initially. If it's going to be iOS 8 on your wrist, you'll probably need to upgrade every 2 years, probably more frequently at first since the first version or two will have minimal specs and get stronger in a year or two, like the iPad. Just a thought.

 

[bunnicula]

For the day apple announces that it never had any intention of making a iWatch

They'll make SOMETHING. The partnership with Nike and the Nike discontinuation of the Fuelband means there's something happening.

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My apologies. On re-reading your original post it does make sense as you explain it. I got mentally tangled up in the "as a man" qualifier b/c I usually just say "personally" and leave it at that and made a snap post. I should have reread first. You are 100% correct.

The shape is spot on, but so is fuel band or baseball seam bracelet. The latter is not something I'd wear, not because I'm a man but because it's not me. I do wear a fuel band, and the funny thing is women tell me they want one but never wear one because it's not pretty.

This is what's so baffling about all the people who swear that nobody wants something that everyone else has. Plenty of people wear Fuelband, UP band, Fitbit, etc.

Why would it be so very shocking that those same people would prefer to wear an Apple product with similar (and likely, better) features?

I think this whole "watch" thing is throwing people off. I don't think this is going to be a watch in the traditional sense. But, it will be something that people wear on their wrist, and it will tell time, and it will have other features that are compelling.

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It needs to be a band like the UP band but better and much, much thiner - fully water proof (not resistant) with inductive charging.

It does NOT need to be a watch - for all the reasons people have already given here.

iWatch sounds like a better name for their rumoured TV product to me...

I was thinking of "iBand" several months ago. It will be a fitness and health band that will display the time. So, iBand isn't at all far fetched.

 

[JoEw]

The only issue here is that iOS 8 and OS X Yosemite need to release at the same time. The iCloud features are dependent on each other, and you need both for the collaboration features.

Expect Yosemite with IOS8, or when new iPhone drops.
Apple never waits to release OSX with new mac hardware. Only IOS/iPhone.

 

[Imaginator]

Not until Q1 2015 at least, ala the iPad.

 

[SHNXX]

Watches are important to many men.
Swiss watch industry is a multi-billion dollar industry and this product won't be positioned to compete in the luxury segment.
So what will they go after? They disposable watch segment like G-shocks and Swatch? Meh.

As I have said before, i would not want to wear a watch from apple everyday, because I don't like to wear watches which are disposable except when I'm working out, doing chores, etc.

I think a discrete bracelet would be a much better product for many people who are not looking for Apple to give them a fashion product.

 

[iBreatheApple]

Please please please Lord Jobs* let it be more of an athletic style (with submergible water resistance) rather than a formal-style watch.


*Kidding. No offense to anyone. I'm an aspiring Christian.

 

[SHNXX]

Please please please Lord Jobs* let it be more of an athletic style (with submergible water resistance) rather than a formal-style watch.


*Kidding. No offense to anyone. I'm an aspiring Christian.

agreed.

*except the christian part.

 

[Mactendo]

Say No to the bracelet above.

Yes, yes, yes, yes, yeeeesssss, PLEASE YES.

And the iWatch name is actually a good one. Apple will redefine the watches as they did with the iPhone and phones.

absolutely yes

YES!!!

 

[iMacBooked]

I hope this means we're finally going to get some leaks.

 

[69Mustang]

My apologies. On re-reading your original post it does make sense as you explain it. I got mentally tangled up in the "as a man" qualifier b/c I usually just say "personally" and leave it at that and made a snap post. I should have reread first. You are 100% correct.

The shape is spot on, but so is fuel band or baseball seam bracelet. The latter is not something I'd wear, not because I'm a man but because it's not me. I do wear a fuel band, and the funny thing is women tell me they want one but never wear one because it's not pretty.

No need to apologize, but it's appreciated. I think I can speak for everyone D) when I say we've all made snap posts based on a mis-read or misinterpretation. More importantly, you owned it and corrected it. THAT says more about you than any little mistake. Thanks

 

[SockRolid]

... prices could start at $199 to $229 to compete with other smart watches ...

How about free with iAds?

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I hope this means we're finally going to get some leaks.

For that to happen, someone would need to double down on leakiness.
Actually, there may be zero blurry-component-photo leaks before the announcement.
Apple could pre-announce it. Exactly the way they pre-announced the first iPhone.
Because there are no current Apple wrist-top products to Osborne.

Wikipedia links for the youngsters out there:

Osborne effect: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Osborne_effect
Wrist-top computing: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Wrist-top

 

[SHNXX]

How about free with iAds?

This is obviously too cheap for a quality traditional watch so I don't think this will be a watch... Probably more of a fitness tracker

 

[Joe HS]

Is there nobody else who doesn't see the serious design flaw with a bangle-like design? It's just not going to stay the right way round, unlike a more normal watch which in which the main body is pressed into your arm by a form-fitting strap.
This may look cleaner, more modern and 'different' but it's not good design for a wearable.

 

[saha-med]

Sept event:
iPhones
iOS 8 release date/gm
iWatch

Oct event:
iPads
New Mac hardware
OS X Yosemite release
Apple TV

This is best case scenario.

However, I wont be suprised if all they do is release a larger iphone at Sept and upgraded Ipad on Oct (Coupled with silent HW upgrades to macs) and claim its the best product lineup in 40 years

 

[zabbadoo]

There's no way the "iWatch" will look like the prototype in that image because in order for all the biometric sensors to work, the watch will need to be more snug around the wrist, not jangling like a bracelet. It would only work if there's an inflatable lining on the inside of the band, which is highly unlikely.

Besides, I don't want my watch to look like a chunky woman's bracelet.

 

[gugy]

I’ve posted this 1000 times ... OK, I guess 1001 now

... but, +yes+, if it’s really a wearable/watch, I hope Apple factors in these types of products are prone to more exposure to water (and bumps/knocks for that matter), than a phone.

Especially if it’s going to be used for “health” related activities, I would assume it would need at the bare minimum, water resistance (vs. sweat), and I would hope it would be water proof to at least some kind of general water activity level (10 meters?). Swimming, fishing, surfing, boating, skiing, exposure to snow, sweat, beer, etc.

Just make it solid, no ports, no physical buttons, conductive charging, LV BT for communication, maybe NCF[?]

Sounds good man. IMO this is a must. If not I will probably not bother to use.

 

[Señor]

Can we get some news about the iPhone 6's production, please?

 

[wesk702]

I knew a girl named Rosie Funk once. Well, it wasn't her name, but that's how I remember her.

 

[3282868]

The only mockup of this rumored device I've liked is the traditional watch design version. These look like hard, plastic bangles. I'd rather an iWatch impressively resemble a traditional timepiece with surprises inside.

 

[SHNXX]

The only mockup of this rumored device I've liked is the traditional watch design version. These look like hard, plastic bangles. I'd rather an iWatch impressively resemble a traditional timepiece with surprises inside.

But if you do that then you can't wear it as an everyday fitness tracking device unless it's your only watch

 

[Born Again]

If it will look like a modern toy then yes. But I doubt that. Besides, this devices will be more used for health related purposes, that's a bit different then wearing it as a ordinary watch. Lot's of people like to skate with groovy looking skates, doesn't mean they take them along to work..

Fitbits look stupid on people

Apple hopefully will have many versions; I'm doubting this though. First launch??

If it's one watch then they're screwed.

 

[shurcooL]

Sept event:
iPhones
iOS 8 release date/gm
iWatch

Oct event:
iPads
New Mac hardware
OS X Yosemite release
Apple TV

Pretty sure iOS 8 and OS X Yosemite will be released on the same day.

Because otherwise the Continuity and other new features that work between the two types of devices wouldn't work.

Similar to how OS X Lion 10.7.2 and iOS 5 were released on the same day (October 12, 2011), to accommodate iCloud support.

 

[Sky Blue]

Pretty sure iOS 8 and OS X Yosemite will be released on the same day.

Because otherwise the Continuity and other new features that work between the two types of devices wouldn't work.

That's a good point, but continuity could work with just iPhone + iPad before they release Yosemite.