Square vs Round Screen - Edited image is surprising

[macduke]

This isn't a display limitation, it was a design choice Motorola made in order to minimize bezel. The LG Watch R and LG Watch Urbane, for example, have completely round screens. (I have an LG Watch R and like it)

Actually it is a limitation in needing a spot for the display hardware to connect. The reason it doesn't show up on the LG Watch R (nice looking watch BTW) is precisely because it is hidden in that larger bezel you mentioned. That design works especially well since it has a squared off part that extends beyond the circular bezel which connects to the band. That appears to give it ample room for connecting, while still looking like other modern circular faces. My current watch has a similar design but in stainless steel with link band. I would definitely be interested in an Apple Watch with a design similar to this as it reads more like a watch to me.

 

[Mac 128]

I'm not sure I buy that. I think Apple's hoping to make the current Apple Watch design as iconic as the original iPod was -- to make round watches look old fashioned, in other words.

Fashion is fickle. So is the tech industry. While the iPod was iconic, Apple's not selling them anymore, because there are better ways to do things now, no matter how recognizable the form factor. And when's the last time you saw one in the wild? And you're trying to equate an electronic device which was designed to do a complex process extremely simply, with a fashion accessory, where function often takes a secondary position to form. As much as Apple succeed in creating an iconic smartwatch design, and as much as it presently makes round watches look old fashioned, the fashion industry could just as easily turn its back on the Watch as dated looking in a year's time no matter how iconic. Fashion wants what fashion wants. And people like Paul Lagerfeld run it. The fact Apple is courting him tells me all I need to know ... the Watch will be subject to the whims of the fashion industry. Try as they like, Apple will have no control over whether their fashion accessory is accepted by the mainstream. However misguided a person may be as to why they prefer a round watch is not going to necessarily change their mind about that just because it's better for developers to accommodate a square interface. And once little black squares start showing up on everybody's wrists, it's only a matter of time before people, and the fashion industry, start looking for an alternative, no matter how iconic the original.

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I don't understand the point of this. You can draw circles around squares and squares around circles all day, it doesn't really justify anything.

And your comment is exactly the disconnect among tech guys. Since when has fashion ever been justified?

 

[diamond.g]

Actually it is a limitation in needing a spot for the display hardware to connect. The reason it doesn't show up on the LG Watch R (nice looking watch BTW) is precisely because it is hidden in that larger bezel you mentioned. That design works especially well since it has a squared off part that extends beyond the circular bezel which connects to the band. That appears to give it ample room for connecting, while still looking like other modern circular faces. My current watch has a similar design but in stainless steel with link band. I would definitely be interested in an Apple Watch with a design similar to this as it reads more like a watch to me.

Also note that Apple and Motorola are the only two with Auto Brightness sensors (the other reason for the flat tire).

 

[iPad Air]

Only cause Apple went square, right.?

Yeah, I guess your right.

 

[bmac4]

I am not sure the digital crown would have worked well with a round screen. I am sure Apple will figure it out when they go round (because you know they will in the future), but the way they have it right now. I think this is the only way it would have worked.

 

[RogerEast]

Really not sold on the round screen look for Smartwatches tbh. Think I might be the only person in the world to find the Moto watch staggeringly ugly.

Probably just me though, each to their own and all that!

 

[Appl3FTW]

Can you say gen3? I'm sure gen 2 will be square just like iPhone iteration of every 2 gens. But I won't turn it down for a gen 3.

 

[kdarling]

I am not sure the digital crown would have worked well with a round screen.

On the contrary, a rotating input device is perfect for a round screen.

E.g. look at the way you choose a contact. It's a circular selection:

 

[bmac4]

On the contrary, a rotating input device is perfect for a round screen.

E.g. look at the way you choose a contact. It's a circular selection:

View attachment 548550

Maybe the display would look good, but I really don't think digital crown that Apple uses would not work on the round face. The position for the user to scroll is not user friendly.

 

[LD Curb]

I love the screen's shape. All watches out there aren't round. I have the Cartier Panthere and it is a square shape. The popular Cartier Tank is also not round... Especially for a watch that has the functionality of Apple's .... a rectangle is the way to go ...

 

[kdarling]

Maybe the display would look good, but I really don't think digital crown that Apple uses would not work on the round face. The position for the user to scroll is not user friendly.

Hmm. I think I understand what you mean.

What about Samsung's planned rotating bezel? Seems like that would directly translate to the rotating information inside it.

 

[bmac4]

Hmm. I think I understand what you mean.

What about Samsung's planned rotating bezel? Seems like that would directly translate to the rotating information inside it.

Yeah that may work. I just think Apple had a plan, and the way they made the digital crown would not work well for round screens. Not to say they could not do it in the future. I would like it if they did. I just think they planned the watch with a square design, and built everything around that.

 

[lchlch]

On the contrary, a rotating input device is perfect for a round screen.

E.g. look at the way you choose a contact. It's a circular selection:

View attachment 548550

But if you have a round display the text on the top would look horrible.

 

[kdarling]

But if you have a round display the text on the top would look horrible.

So you'd probably put it under the picture, in the middle of the screen, instead.

There's some clever stuff that could be done. Some of the videos of the LG Urbane LTE with WebOS show this.

For example, for multiple selections, they have a circular scroll bar that moves 360 degrees around the outside. Stunningly simple when you see it.

 

[maliu]

Round would have been a waste of real estate.

 

[Rogifan]

I was just watching the Verge's video review of the LG Watch Urbane. Outside of faux analog watch faces I can't see where the round display is better in any way. In some cases text gets cut off. And what's the point of scrolling through apps in a list format on a circular display? It just looks odd to me. In fact after watching this video I don't see what's so great about Android Wear UI. Doesn't look anything special to me.

http://www.theverge.com/2015/5/8/8572871/lg-watch-urbane-review-android-wear-smartwatch-update

 

[Tycho24]

Fashion is fickle. So is the tech industry. While the iPod was iconic, Apple's not selling them anymore, because there are better ways to do things now, no matter how recognizable the form factor. And when's the last time you saw one in the wild? And you're trying to equate an electronic device which was designed to do a complex process extremely simply, with a fashion accessory, where function often takes a secondary position to form. As much as Apple succeed in creating an iconic smartwatch design, and as much as it presently makes round watches look old fashioned, the fashion industry could just as easily turn its back on the Watch as dated looking in a year's time no matter how iconic. Fashion wants what fashion wants. And people like Paul Lagerfeld run it. The fact Apple is courting him tells me all I need to know ... the Watch will be subject to the whims of the fashion industry. Try as they like, Apple will have no control over whether their fashion accessory is accepted by the mainstream. However misguided a person may be as to why they prefer a round watch is not going to necessarily change their mind about that just because it's better for developers to accommodate a square interface. And once little black squares start showing up on everybody's wrists, it's only a matter of time before people, and the fashion industry, start looking for an alternative, no matter how iconic the original.

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And your comment is exactly the disconnect among tech guys. Since when has fashion ever been justified?

Lol, spoken like someone that knows LITERALLY nothing about fashion!!!
People create fashion. Companies capitalize.
THAT'S how it works....
Lol, you think a designer decides "hats shaped like bats" are going to be hip, then somehow forces people to believe that & buy them????
Lol, no. Actually, fashion designers have myriad people on the street, carefully watching fashion trends. "Oh, hipster men are wearing skinny jeans rolled half way up their calf, in SoHo?? Hmmm.... let's make that!!!!"
Nice try to act aloof and knowledgeable though... there may be someone here that fell for it; but I ain't him!!! =P

 

[Oppressed]

The Moto 360 probably has THE strongest following at the moment, and, for people who like that look, and there are many, I hope Motorola, and/or others continue with that design so that people have the widest choice possible.

Not sure how you can say this considering Apple has sold more  WATCH than all Android Wear models put together. Also you holier than thou attitude is getting old. You aren't breaking ground here.

 

[FunkyTang]

The round case looks too beacoup G.I.

 

[mrex]

Square vs Round Screen - Edited image is surprising

i have a square smartwatch rightnow and im so tempted to get Urbane (or huawei but it looks abit bulky). i really need to try it on my wrist at first to see if it is big or not... a square sw with a round face looks just stupid. tried them many, and it just doesnt work.

 

[zmunkz]

I was just watching the Verge's video review of the LG Watch Urbane. Outside of faux analog watch faces I can't see where the round display is better in any way. In some cases text gets cut off. And what's the point of scrolling through apps in a list format on a circular display? It just looks odd to me. In fact after watching this video I don't see what's so great about Android Wear UI. Doesn't look anything special to me.

http://www.theverge.com/2015/5/8/8572871/lg-watch-urbane-review-android-wear-smartwatch-update

Image

Huh… I actually didn't see much cut off text. I'm pretty impressed with how they're using up the round real estate, I expected it to be much worse. I could see some people going to that if given the choice, but there's no way Apple it's going to make both form factors (they hate fractured UI for app devs), so it seems they've already made their choice.

 

[nrubenstein]

The fundamental problem with a round watch is that the device has to be meaningfully larger in order to achieve the same usable screen area. If you want a watch of similar bulk, you end up with far less usable area.

The reason why the Watch is not round is that a round screen would either be dysfunctionally small (as shown in the negative use cases), or would look enormous on the wrist (as shown in the positive use cases).

Personally, I'll take compactness any day. Furthermore, a round screen of equivalent functionality would have a larger surface area, which means more power, which means dramatically more weight. No thanks.

 

[nfl46]

Now, that I look at it, I'm glad they didn't go round. I wasn't the biggest fan of the AW when they first presented it, but now, I think it looks awesome!

 

[Mac 128]

The fundamental problem with a round watch is that the device has to be meaningfully larger in order to achieve the same usable screen area. If you want a watch of similar bulk, you end up with far less usable area.

The reason why the Watch is not round is that a round screen would either be dysfunctionally small (as shown in the negative use cases), or would look enormous on the wrist (as shown in the positive use cases).

Personally, I'll take compactness any day. Furthermore, a round screen of equivalent functionality would have a larger surface area, which means more power, which means dramatically more weight. No thanks.

And yet it doesn't:

[/IMG]

 

[Mac 128]

I could see some people going to that if given the choice, but there's no way Apple it's going to make both form factors (they hate fractured UI for app devs), so it seems they've already made their choice.

Jony Ive is on record as saying that the minute a person wears a product there is the "expectation of choice". Apple has bent over backwards to court the fashion industry illuminati. This is not just another tech product for Apple, it is a fashion item. And that's what the people on these forums seem to be overlooking.

There's no practical reason not to offer a round watch, as my example above demonstrates. And there's every reason to offer more choice to a community which thrives on not only choice but individuality. Nobody likes to be seen wearing the exact same thing as someone else. And as soon as your office gets filled up with black square watch faces, people are going to get really tired of wearing the same thing everyday. Interchangeable watch bands will only go so far toward mitigating that. Apple has repeatedly shown us that despite their initial resistance, they eventually deliver different form factors in their devices. We now have three sizes of iPhone, and two sizes of iPads. Going from rectangular to round is not that much different than going from a 3.5" standard display to 4" retina display -- developers don't even have to do anything initially for their apps to work exactly the same way as they did on the rectangular Watch, without any compromises. And the benefits from utilizing the additional space a round watch affords might even be more desirable than a square watch.

But at the end of the day, I believe Apple will do it because of fashion. I would also expect to see different case designs as well as shapes. But for those who can't fathom the importance of this massive push into the fashion industry by Apple, I doubt they will be convinced otherwise until it happens. But keep this in mind -- Apple is now in the watch band design and manufacturing business. They've never been an accessory maker before. The investment in watch bands is not just offering a single iPhone case, or iPad cover in several fun colors, it's a whole new animal which will likely be working year round to offer seasonal collections of bands to allow people the "choice" Jony Ive acknowledges the importance of which impacts his wearable products. It's not likely Apple will stop seeking the favor of luminaries like Paul Lagerfeld, pandering to him with $30,000 custom 18K gold gifts, and it is unlikely the fashion industry will continue to favor the watch if it doesn't cater to the fickle design whims of the season. While Apple may keep a classic design, just like high end watchmakers like Rolex, they will also be under pressure from the multibillion dollar fashion world to keep the watch exciting and relevant for the world of fashionistas and their followers.