Swatch denies rumor it's working with Apple on 'iWatch'
Swiss watchmaker Swatch has moved to quickly extinguish rumors that claimed it is working with Apple on the company's hotly anticipated "iWatch."
The Swatch Group issued a statement to Reuters on Thursday to publicly say that it is not collaborating with Apple on an anticipated wrist-worn connected device. A spokeswoman reportedly said that Swatch has supplied integrated circuits and other components to some mobile phone makers, but claims of any collaboration on a full-blown watch made with Apple are false.
VentureBeat first reported on Wednesday that it was told by anonymous sources that Apple has been working with Swatch and other watchmakers to introduce multiple "iWatch" devices to the market. The strategy was said to be to offer a range of products that could appeal to a wide range of potential buyers with varying fashion tastes and budgets.
That report alleged that Apple was talking with multiple companies, and that the deal with Swatch was apparently a lock. But Swatch quickly put that claim to rest on Friday with its outright denial.
The rumor, even before it was debunked, was somewhat surprising as Swatch Chief Executive Nick Hayek Jr. said last year that he didn't think an Apple smartwatch would be a big deal. He suggested that an "interactive terminal on your wrist" would be difficult since there is limited space for an adequate display.
Swatch, along with Suunto and Fossil, previously produced watches using Microsoft's now defunct Smart Personal Object Technology (SPOT) platform, what can be considered a first-foray into the smartwatch world.
The Swatch Group issued a statement to Reuters on Thursday to publicly say that it is not collaborating with Apple on an anticipated wrist-worn connected device. A spokeswoman reportedly said that Swatch has supplied integrated circuits and other components to some mobile phone makers, but claims of any collaboration on a full-blown watch made with Apple are false.
VentureBeat first reported on Wednesday that it was told by anonymous sources that Apple has been working with Swatch and other watchmakers to introduce multiple "iWatch" devices to the market. The strategy was said to be to offer a range of products that could appeal to a wide range of potential buyers with varying fashion tastes and budgets.
That report alleged that Apple was talking with multiple companies, and that the deal with Swatch was apparently a lock. But Swatch quickly put that claim to rest on Friday with its outright denial.
The rumor, even before it was debunked, was somewhat surprising as Swatch Chief Executive Nick Hayek Jr. said last year that he didn't think an Apple smartwatch would be a big deal. He suggested that an "interactive terminal on your wrist" would be difficult since there is limited space for an adequate display.
Swatch, along with Suunto and Fossil, previously produced watches using Microsoft's now defunct Smart Personal Object Technology (SPOT) platform, what can be considered a first-foray into the smartwatch world.
Comments
Once again, the problem with rumors.
Apple isn't working on an iWatch with Swatch or anyone else. They are working on the 2014 iPod which just happens to have an wrist-band form factor and biosensors.
Indeed. Why VentureBeat didn't call Swatch to verify the rumour is beyond me. Come to think of it, actually not; they rather publish this than publishing a denied rumour.
Actually my point was not aimed toward VentureBeat, but the rest of us as consumers. Read the 'news' on this and other sites with a full understanding that most of what we hear are rumors - not fact. Entertaining at times - but not necessariliy true.
I get that, and fully agree. You know what the mantra within Apple is?
"If it's not on Apple.com, we don't know about it"
i knew this was total bs.
Apple won't risk their empire by allowing another company to design, build, and market their hardware. Pure silliness. You think they would allow Sony to design the iTV? Or Nokia to design the iPhone?
Or car accessories.
Anyway, another rumour from AppleInsider squashed by the AppleInsider rumour squashers at AppleInsider.
"A spokeswoman for Swatch Group said on Thursday the report was unfounded. She said the only business relationship Swatch Group had with mobile phone makers was as a supplier of integrated circuits and other electronic components."
Technically, this statement does not rule out that Apple is being supplied parts from Swatch though.
Their statements boil down to:
1. They are not collaborating with Apple on any watch;
2. They are supplying parts to unnamed smart phone manufacturers.
Well actually for a brief moment of madness Apple did get Moto to design the iPhone....it wasn't a pretty sight!
"A spokeswoman for Swatch Group said on Thursday the report was unfounded. She said the only business relationship Swatch Group had with mobile phone makers was as a supplier of integrated circuits and other electronic components."
Technically, this statement does not rule out that Apple is being supplied parts from Swatch though.
Their statements boil down to:
1. They are not collaborating with Apple on any watch;
2. They are supplying parts to unnamed smart phone manufacturers.
i thought similarly to you when i read the quote. "Plausible deniability" comes to mind.
This was a ridiculous rumor to begin with. Today's Apple would never concede the design process to some other company.
The only thing this shows is how low some media outlets will stoop to gain page views by publishing unbelievable nonsense.
They are just doing the responsible thing as a publicly traded company! You can't let rumors like this hang if there is no basis what so ever for the rumor.
I have said it before that Apple is not going to make a watch. I am however at the point that I wish they would so all the f***ing rumors would stop. Talk about beating a dead horse. But alas they all will move on to the next rumor and babble on endlessly about that one. I can't imagine a goal for myself to spend four years of my life getting a degree in journalism to get a job writing about idiotic rumors endlessly. So much time so little to talk about.
Even this part about supplying electronic parts means little. I'm not sure but I thought Swatch owned a crystal manufacture. Crystals as in components of oscillators or clock generators. Even if I'm wrong it is conceivable that they have been supplying Apple for ages with parts.