It's always wiser to not speak in absolutes about what Apple may or may not be experimenting with. They've gone their own way too many times in the past to ignore.
As to the people wondering about whether or not watches are still prevalent - you need to pay more attention to your surroundings, instead of spending all of your time hunched over your phones or fishing around for them in your pockets! As some others have noted, business people, medical professionals, engineers, all sorts of professional types still use watches.
I've worn a watch ever since I was in high school, back in the 1970's. The one I have now is very handy - solar-powered, syncs itself with NIST Atomic Clock every morning around 2:00 AM, so I never have to worry about setting it.
If this theoretical product ever sees the light of day, I suspect it would follow the usual path of Apple releases: panning by pundits, then bought by the people who are too busy to worry about what other people think they should purchase. I could easily see something like this being used in conjunction with an iPhone, iPad or iMac for screening and taking calls, using Siri for quick texts and queries, handy GPS mapping for local routes... If it used the latest low-power Bluetooth for syncing, its battery might be manageable. Who knows? Fun speculating, though
I can see it being used as some sort of remote for the iphone. It acts as a watch but when a call comes in, caller ID is displayed on it and you can answer/talk right on the watch. Notifications would show on it as well. That would be amazing.
One size fits all. You want choice, get an Android watch.
The main problem I can see with the watch idea is the battery. It's not transparent so the concept image doesn't work unless it's all in the strap. These batteries aren't enough to sustain wifi connections so you have to plug the watch in to sync things. Then comes the problem with the headphones, nobody is going to plug headphones into a watch and Apple certainly won't design one with a headphone jack.
What you're left with is an expensive digital watch with a capacitive screen that can't play music, can't run apps, can't do anything over wifi and still would most likely need to be charged up every day.
The source of the information is just icing on the cake because it's the same analysts who keep regurgitating the same junk over and over again trying to push this idea of Apple making something to support emerging markets so that they can tell their clients about some massive growth opportunity when Apple doesn't really need one because they're doing better than ever.
Uh..one word: Bluetooth. Every single thing you mentioned can be done by bluetooth, which is extremely low power. Why sync? This thing doesn't need built in storage. It can require your device to be in proximity, so pretty much everything is streamed. Bluetooth 4.0 is quote capable, which have been there since the iPhone 4S- which can be the minimum requirement for this watch.
I didnt read all the comments- but am I the only one who would be terrified if this were to break....
Do you mean while on your wrist? I'd think they'd have a measure of protection holding the glass in place, even if the impossible mockup in the first post was ever made. I mean, safety glass is coated on both sides with a thin layer of plastic, right?
I'm not much of a fan of having my hand tendons sliced by glass. Not going through the experience of a fist through glass again…
'An artist's rendition of a curved glass iOS-based watch | Source: unknown'
Source 'unknown' because no one wants to own up to making this horrible rendition. If this does becomes a reality, it definitely won't look like this. Come on. A home button and a 'slide to unlock? No way. I see it activating by voice command and buttons on the side. It won't be a piece of glass that you wear either. Just my thoughts on a vapor product. I do some possibilities of something like this happening though the more I think about it.
We're getting hung up on the rendering. The FACE will likely be curved glass, not the ENTIRE THING. That rendering is the most literal and most unrealistic interpretation of this rumor.
Honest question, do people still wear watches? Other than as a fashion statement, what use are they? I haven't worn a watch in maybe 15 years since I started permanently carrying a cell phone with me.
I have stopped wearing a watch, unless I am doing an interview, or something. Currently, it does largely only serve as a fashion statement.
However, a smart watch (such as the Pebble) changes the equation completely, because it offers easy and immediate access to a lot more functionality. And if the smartwatch had some stuff like a pulse reader mixed in, it would be a tremendous workout device.
A smartwatch can be awesome. It can handle the vast majority of your phone's communication capabilities, and be far more easily accessed than a phone (especially for folks who carry their phones in a purse/bag).
The problem with existing watches isn't their design or their placement on the human body, which are both brilliant, but rather, their single purpose nature. Just like cell phones, before the iPhone. Apple can revolutionize this industry by making it a platform, like they revolutionized cellphones by making your phone a general purpose computing platform.
That Apple embraces wearable devices is fantastic. They have the potential to revolutionize this sector, and everyone else will follow as usual. I hope that it's a device that works on its own and I'm a bit worried about how to place a phone call.
I'm wondering which other material they would use.
Please. This is such a joke and a fabricated rumor.
Apple is NOT experimenting with watches.
Nobody wears watches anymore, thanks to the iPhone. This is complete hogwash.
If you guys believe this rumor, then I've got a bridge in Brooklyn to sell you! Send me a private message to buy a piece of the bridge for yourself!
You are missing the point completely. Try to think about it.
Wearable computers is the future. Touchscreens are useful if you need to browse or play a game or be productive. For a lot of people, having a watch with Siri that does directions, quick searches, sms, calls and email would be enough to begin with. Apple is trying to make Siri like a true AI that could answer any query.
That's a nice looking mockup. Being something worn, it's even more important than usual that it be beautiful to be successful. I think it might have to be even thinner than pictured to be successful.
And I'm not sure long-term that a wristband is the right form for wearable tech, maybe ear-rings for a woman (with tiny speaker and microphone) or a tie-pin/ballpoint pen for men.
I think most people buy Apple products as a fashion statement now anyway?
Was that a question?
So your logic is, assuming it was not a question, is that people buy other makes other than Apple because they are not fashion statements? I can only speak personally but I buy Apple products because they are reliable, part of a great eco system and have helped me make a good living for over thirty years. I should add, they have always been a joy to use.
So your logic is, assuming it was not a question, is that people buy other makes other than Apple because they are not fashion statements? I can only speak personally but I buy Apple products because they are reliable, part of a great eco system and have helped me make a good living for over thirty years. I should add, they have always been a joy to use.
Obviously not everyone, but I think a lot of people see their iPhones and MacBooks as high end fashion statements.
Apple even fed that stereotype with their iPod Shuffle ads years ago.
And people DO NOT buy Microsoft or Samsung products for fashion. I've never seen or heard of anyone viewing any other tech brand as fashion the way people view Apple and their products.
Honest question, do people still wear watches? Other than as a fashion statement, what use are they? I haven't worn a watch in maybe 15 years since I started permanently carrying a cell phone with me.
Most people probably don't. Sometimes I catch myself looking at my phone even though I wear a watch.
A watch is extremely fashionable though. I liken it to wearing a belt with jeans, even if you don't need a belt. It looks stupid without one.
Yes, people still wear watches. They kind of make you act like a normal person. Some use it as a fashion statement as people in the professional world just come off a little more responsible since they actually know how to properly dress.
Forget this experimental watch, just give us a firmware upgrade for the iPod Nano 6-gen to turn it into a fully functional smart watch. I have two that I love to wear on a regular basis, one with a TikTok band and another with Nato strap.
I agree with you! A simple version that talks to your phone via BT for audio and data both. Of course, a one with camera would just make it even better.
Comments
It's always wiser to not speak in absolutes about what Apple may or may not be experimenting with. They've gone their own way too many times in the past to ignore.
As to the people wondering about whether or not watches are still prevalent - you need to pay more attention to your surroundings, instead of spending all of your time hunched over your phones or fishing around for them in your pockets!
I've worn a watch ever since I was in high school, back in the 1970's. The one I have now is very handy - solar-powered, syncs itself with NIST Atomic Clock every morning around 2:00 AM, so I never have to worry about setting it.
If this theoretical product ever sees the light of day, I suspect it would follow the usual path of Apple releases: panning by pundits, then bought by the people who are too busy to worry about what other people think they should purchase. I could easily see something like this being used in conjunction with an iPhone, iPad or iMac for screening and taking calls, using Siri for quick texts and queries, handy GPS mapping for local routes... If it used the latest low-power Bluetooth for syncing, its battery might be manageable. Who knows? Fun speculating, though
I can see it being used as some sort of remote for the iphone. It acts as a watch but when a call comes in, caller ID is displayed on it and you can answer/talk right on the watch. Notifications would show on it as well. That would be amazing.
Quote:
Originally Posted by Marvin
One size fits all. You want choice, get an Android watch.
The main problem I can see with the watch idea is the battery. It's not transparent so the concept image doesn't work unless it's all in the strap. These batteries aren't enough to sustain wifi connections so you have to plug the watch in to sync things. Then comes the problem with the headphones, nobody is going to plug headphones into a watch and Apple certainly won't design one with a headphone jack.
What you're left with is an expensive digital watch with a capacitive screen that can't play music, can't run apps, can't do anything over wifi and still would most likely need to be charged up every day.
The source of the information is just icing on the cake because it's the same analysts who keep regurgitating the same junk over and over again trying to push this idea of Apple making something to support emerging markets so that they can tell their clients about some massive growth opportunity when Apple doesn't really need one because they're doing better than ever.
Uh..one word: Bluetooth. Every single thing you mentioned can be done by bluetooth, which is extremely low power. Why sync? This thing doesn't need built in storage. It can require your device to be in proximity, so pretty much everything is streamed. Bluetooth 4.0 is quote capable, which have been there since the iPhone 4S- which can be the minimum requirement for this watch.
Originally Posted by Andysol
I didnt read all the comments- but am I the only one who would be terrified if this were to break....
Do you mean while on your wrist? I'd think they'd have a measure of protection holding the glass in place, even if the impossible mockup in the first post was ever made. I mean, safety glass is coated on both sides with a thin layer of plastic, right?
I'm not much of a fan of having my hand tendons sliced by glass. Not going through the experience of a fist through glass again…
Source 'unknown' because no one wants to own up to making this horrible rendition. If this does becomes a reality, it definitely won't look like this. Come on. A home button and a 'slide to unlock? No way. I see it activating by voice command and buttons on the side. It won't be a piece of glass that you wear either. Just my thoughts on a vapor product. I do some possibilities of something like this happening though the more I think about it.
We're getting hung up on the rendering. The FACE will likely be curved glass, not the ENTIRE THING. That rendering is the most literal and most unrealistic interpretation of this rumor.
Quote:
Originally Posted by AppleSauce007
I have not worn a watch in years either because my iPhone is a more accurate and maintenance free time piece.
I would wear a band on my wrist if provides the following services:
1. Use for World Watch, Alarms, Stop Watch, and Timer functionalities.
2. Use biometrics and NFC for identification and authentication and payments and passes and loyalty cards etc...
3. Use satellite for sending/receiving location plus compass and mapping functions.
4. Use to control and get information from other devices via SIRI interface.
Then all of a sudden, "talk to the hand" get's an completely new meaning.
Quote:
Originally Posted by EricTheHalfBee
Honest question, do people still wear watches? Other than as a fashion statement, what use are they? I haven't worn a watch in maybe 15 years since I started permanently carrying a cell phone with me.
I have stopped wearing a watch, unless I am doing an interview, or something. Currently, it does largely only serve as a fashion statement.
However, a smart watch (such as the Pebble) changes the equation completely, because it offers easy and immediate access to a lot more functionality. And if the smartwatch had some stuff like a pulse reader mixed in, it would be a tremendous workout device.
A smartwatch can be awesome. It can handle the vast majority of your phone's communication capabilities, and be far more easily accessed than a phone (especially for folks who carry their phones in a purse/bag).
The problem with existing watches isn't their design or their placement on the human body, which are both brilliant, but rather, their single purpose nature. Just like cell phones, before the iPhone. Apple can revolutionize this industry by making it a platform, like they revolutionized cellphones by making your phone a general purpose computing platform.
I'm wondering which other material they would use.
Quote:
Originally Posted by scotty321
Please. This is such a joke and a fabricated rumor.
Apple is NOT experimenting with watches.
Nobody wears watches anymore, thanks to the iPhone. This is complete hogwash.
If you guys believe this rumor, then I've got a bridge in Brooklyn to sell you! Send me a private message to buy a piece of the bridge for yourself!
You are missing the point completely. Try to think about it.
Wearable computers is the future. Touchscreens are useful if you need to browse or play a game or be productive. For a lot of people, having a watch with Siri that does directions, quick searches, sms, calls and email would be enough to begin with. Apple is trying to make Siri like a true AI that could answer any query.
That's a nice looking mockup. Being something worn, it's even more important than usual that it be beautiful to be successful. I think it might have to be even thinner than pictured to be successful.
And I'm not sure long-term that a wristband is the right form for wearable tech, maybe ear-rings for a woman (with tiny speaker and microphone) or a tie-pin/ballpoint pen for men.
Was that a question?
So your logic is, assuming it was not a question, is that people buy other makes other than Apple because they are not fashion statements? I can only speak personally but I buy Apple products because they are reliable, part of a great eco system and have helped me make a good living for over thirty years. I should add, they have always been a joy to use.
Obviously not everyone, but I think a lot of people see their iPhones and MacBooks as high end fashion statements.
Apple even fed that stereotype with their iPod Shuffle ads years ago.
And people DO NOT buy Microsoft or Samsung products for fashion. I've never seen or heard of anyone viewing any other tech brand as fashion the way people view Apple and their products.
A watch is extremely fashionable though. I liken it to wearing a belt with jeans, even if you don't need a belt. It looks stupid without one.
Quote:
Originally Posted by drblank
Yes, people still wear watches. They kind of make you act like a normal person. Some use it as a fashion statement as people in the professional world just come off a little more responsible since they actually know how to properly dress.
Did you seriously just say that?!
Sheesh.
If it had Siri and Maps, I can see this as being cool.
Originally Posted by MJ1970
Did you seriously just say that?!
Seriously.
I mean, you can't say, "It's a hair past a freckle," when you're wearing a watch. Screws me out of so many old man jokes.
Lame. Buy another watch you'll never wear too.
Quote:
Originally Posted by psitthipo
Forget this experimental watch, just give us a firmware upgrade for the iPod Nano 6-gen to turn it into a fully functional smart watch. I have two that I love to wear on a regular basis, one with a TikTok band and another with Nato strap.
I agree with you! A simple version that talks to your phone via BT for audio and data both. Of course, a one with camera would just make it even better.