iWatch to Run Third-Party Apps, Key Developer Partners Already at Work

[Rogifan]

If Brian Chen at the NY Times is to be believed, Kevin Lynch is overseeing the software for this device.

http://www.nytimes.com/2014/09/08/technology/can-apple-build-a-cool-and-convenient-iwatch.html?_r=0

The people who created the watch have been described by Apple employees as an “all-star team.” Apple’s top designers and engineers who worked on its iPhone, iPad and Macs are all part of it, several Apple employees said.

And important Apple executives have been closely supervising the product, employees say. Among them are Jeff Williams, Apple’s senior vice president of operations, and Jonathan Ive, Apple’s head of design. Other key players include Kevin Lynch, formerly chief technology officer of Adobe, who has been supervising the watch’s software; Jay Blahnik, a fitness consultant who worked on Nike’s FuelBand device; and Michael O’Reilly, a former chief medical officer of the Masimo Corporation, a company based in Irvine, Calif., that makes devices for monitoring patients.

 

[bigjohn]

except i don't wear watches and that includes iwatches.

oh well.

 

[Moto G]

except i don't wear watches and that includes iwatches.

oh well.

Noone wears "iWatches" (CRINGE - "iWatch" - )

 

[CFreymarc]

Prediction -- after the iWatch gets market traction, Pebble is sold to a competitor before the end of the year. The most likely are Microsoft. Google or Samsung.

To the Pebble founders, take the money and run, get on a bunch or directory / advisory boards and start your families.

 

[MacAddict1978]

Apple is a company that believes in focus. When they are done the iWatch, they will work on the next rev to the Apple TV that will support games, etc. Patience.

Focus nothing....

They can't get contracts with many content companies/networks
The new hardware is aimed at that plus apps and gaming....

If the more reliable rumors are true, wont be till next year and not because of the iWatch. They were looking to launch a new apple tv months ago..

 

[Tech198]

Focus nothing....

Yep, Apple are all over the map.

An iWatch may be here next year, but since Apple has not even said anything, its all rumors as announced.. it may not come at WWDC... however everyone expects this...

It may be, it may not..... but i'm betting still that production issues with sapphire as always the culprit, so with that, may not even be 2015.

On the flip-side. Apple may fool me by actually announcing it.

 

[madmaxmedia]

Apple has assembled a group of fashion, fitness, payments industry executives, and medical sensor experts over the past two years to create this device, and pre-event marketing seems to indicate that the watch could live up to the hype.

Reading this quote was actually the first time I actually got excited and intrigued by the iWatch. Until now, I only read about and could picture 'smartphone on your watch', which is basically what everyone else seems to have done- until now.

But that quote really makes me think that Apple threw everything (namely the iPhone) out the window and started from scratch-

"If we made a watch, what could/should it do?"

Which is a totally different question than, "How can we turn a smartphone into a smart watch?" or even "How can we leverage our smartphone technology into a smart watch?"

As a result, I think we are going to be surprised by both the inclusions and exclusions that Apple comes up with in their product.

 

[kab695]

iWatch as in INSERT!

What if the iWatch is a module that can be inserted into any wristband or "wristband-case" that has the proper receptacle. Then, fashion could go crazy, lots of companies would jump in, and people would buy it for the fun of accessorizing it as much as function.

Just a thought.

 

[Moto G]

What if "iWatch" is not even a watch? What if it's a cylindrical shaped slice of cheese that one inserts into their snack to improve it's flavoursome delights? It could also be a strap with bluetooth capabilities, only serving to alert you - via iPhone - of how cool you are to own it, with no other use or purpose, except to exist for the kool kats to own it?

Could be... just could be...

 

[Gasu E.]

Facebook on your wrist?

Better than Wristbook on your face!

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except i don't wear watches and that includes iwatches.

oh well.

How could you wear an iwatch if that doesn't exist? Seems to be no information content in that part of the statement.

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Is this watch going to be running "full" iOS 8? Or some cut-down version of it? Or some other light-weight OS completely (like the original iPods did)? As a developer I'm very curious about how this is going to work. Full iOS 8 would be great, obviously, but that's going to be a real challenge for battery life of what I'm assuming will be a very small device. And even then, Apple will need whole new APIs for dealing with a tiny interface.

With WWDC just passed, will they be releasing special videos? Would seem odd for them to just dump an entirely new API and possibly new OS on developers with no conference or videos to go along with it until next year. Then again, with the device probably not being available until next year, maybe they'll just treat the coming months as a long beta for developers to figure it out and see what they come up with before making adjustments before the device release, and WWDC 2015.

Damn, the wait is driving me nuts Can't remember anticipating an Apple event like this (other than WWDC) for years.

No way would it be full iOS, and it isn't necessary. There is no intent for ANY existing application could just be ported to this device. I do suspect that the API will be derived from the iOS API, and Apple will reuse a good deal of iOS in this "lite" version. Certainly Apple will care about the developer learning curve and re-use of existing development environments.

 

[Lisfranc]

Yes. Been watching for those. The new solar one it sweet.

tigres,

A "Swiss" solar powered watch is *usually* no better than a G Shock.

Try looking at an automatic or manual Swiss watch, that was actually made 100% in Switzerland, with Swiss parts. Learn to appreciate the workmanship and engineering that went into manufacturing hundreds of tiny, precisely machined parts, that come together to make a tiny engine on your wrist.

And FYI - just because it says Swiss Made on the dial doesn't mean it's 100% Swiss. All it means is that it has a Swiss Movement, assembled in Switzerland, inspected in Switzerland, and that Swiss manufactured components comprise at least 50% of the movements total value. So technically, a Swiss Made watch could have many Chinese parts in order to lower costs, while still allowing it to retain it's a Swiss Made label. Brands that are lower on the spectrum are guilty of this.

Sorry - I didn't mean to hijack the thread. Not my intent.

 

[mdelvecchio]

This is a rumours website. Which implies speculation and discussion. I've also gone through your profile. All you do is attack people in a way to belittle them.

I'm glad he said that -- ignorance should be shunned.

And I'm not alone -- his is the top-rated comment on this discussion.

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It's already a pain in the ass doing flexible page layouts for desktops, tablets and iPhones - now we'll have to do one for a watch screen??

Yeah being a developer means...like, work, and stuff. It's ok. Just leave it to the professionals.

 

[D.T.]

Is this watch going to be running "full" iOS 8? Or some cut-down version of it? Or some other light-weight OS completely (like the original iPods did)? As a developer I'm very curious about how this is going to work.

Same here. If the product is shown tomorrow, in the very near future we’ll see an SDK release, some dev tools (XC update/plugin?)

I’m wondering if it’s a whole new API, tools, etc., if this isn’t “Swift only” right out of the gate[?]

 

[Cheffy Dave]

If Apple didn't use them to manufacture the iPhone they wouldn't exist, much less be able to leak anything, these leaks just piss me off,as Im sure they do Apple.

 

[tmarks11]

And what do you do if you have tiny wrists?

In proportion to the size of most of the "concept" watches (and actually released smart watches)? Yes I do.

But even Arnold Schwarzenegger's wrist is too small for a watch of those gargantuan dimensions. Maybe they are meant for wearing on your bicep?

 

[rGiskard]

"fun new ads."

WTF? This better not be more ads on my phone. If I pay for a device it shouldn't nag me with ads.

Otherwise, looks cool. I can't wait to see reviews of the camera performance.