Apple reportedly has 100-person team working on unannounced smartwatch
Adding to the litany of rumors regarding a forthcoming Apple-branded smartwatch, a new report claims the company has a team of at least 100 designers, including a senior director of engineering, working on the project.
Artist's rendition of purported Apple smartwatch. | Source: Yrving Torrealba
Citing people familiar with the matter, Bloomberg reports that the team responsible for the smartwatch initiative has grown to about 100 people over the past year, and includes marketing, software and hardware personnel who previously worked on the iPhone and iPad.
In a rare move, the publication names two of the team members ? Senior Director of Engineering James Foster and Apple manager Achim Pantfoerder ? as being part of "efforts to introduce a wristwatch-style computer."
The sources go on to say that Apple previously looked at releasing wearable computing devices, though the projects never reached the hands of consumers. According to these people, the sheer size of the purported smartwatch team suggests the rumored initiative is now past the experimentation phase.
Reports of the alleged watch came pouring in last week, with The New York Times saying Apple was experimenting with a "wristwatch-like devices made of curved glass" that runs iOS and can perform minor smartphone operations. In a separate piece, creator of Apple's Human Interface Guidelines Bruce Tognazzini predicted that the company would release an "iWatch" to fill a "gaping hole" in the iOS ecosystem.
"[The iWatch] will facilitate and coordinate not only the activities of all the other computers and devices we use, but a wide array of devices to come," Tognazzini wrote on his blog. "Like other breakthrough Apple products, its value will be underestimated at launch, then grow to have a profound impact on our lives and Apple?s fortunes."
Artist's rendition of purported Apple smartwatch. | Source: Yrving TorrealbaCiting people familiar with the matter, Bloomberg reports that the team responsible for the smartwatch initiative has grown to about 100 people over the past year, and includes marketing, software and hardware personnel who previously worked on the iPhone and iPad.
In a rare move, the publication names two of the team members ? Senior Director of Engineering James Foster and Apple manager Achim Pantfoerder ? as being part of "efforts to introduce a wristwatch-style computer."
The sources go on to say that Apple previously looked at releasing wearable computing devices, though the projects never reached the hands of consumers. According to these people, the sheer size of the purported smartwatch team suggests the rumored initiative is now past the experimentation phase.
Reports of the alleged watch came pouring in last week, with The New York Times saying Apple was experimenting with a "wristwatch-like devices made of curved glass" that runs iOS and can perform minor smartphone operations. In a separate piece, creator of Apple's Human Interface Guidelines Bruce Tognazzini predicted that the company would release an "iWatch" to fill a "gaping hole" in the iOS ecosystem.
"[The iWatch] will facilitate and coordinate not only the activities of all the other computers and devices we use, but a wide array of devices to come," Tognazzini wrote on his blog. "Like other breakthrough Apple products, its value will be underestimated at launch, then grow to have a profound impact on our lives and Apple?s fortunes."
Comments
Sure some people may say that they don't need a watch because their phone display the time. But can you really say that the experience of fumbling in your pocket for your phone and clicking the backlight button to show the time is a good one. I definitely don't still interesting to see what Apple might come up with. . .
iWatch article is suspiciously timed, eh?
Be interesting to see what developes here.
I don't know either... but on the other hand, maybe people will wear *smart*watches...
Quote:
Originally Posted by jason98
Well the world is getting rid of watches. An entire generation of people is growing up who never ever worn them. I don't see apple can reach a sizable market with such a product.
The world is getting rid of watches?
Here, get educated:
http://www.prweb.com/releases/watches_market/clocks_market/prweb9400315.htm
This looks like a winner. How could you be any more trendy, fashionable and technologically advanced than with an Ive designed iWatch.
Most people do it by looking at the time in their cars, or on their computer or phone. Their is no need for another watch. This iWatch will take sales away from the iPhone, which is not good for profits.
How long had the smartphone been around before Apple jumped in? How long had the tablet been around before jumped in? In both cases Apple made it better, Apple it desirable, Apple made it chic. I don't see why it's impossible for Apple do the same for a smart watch.
Quote:
Originally Posted by jason98
Well the world is getting rid of watches. An entire generation of people is growing up who never ever worn them. I don't see apple can reach a sizable market with such a product.
#1 I am beyond glad that you my friend are not any type of management in a good CE company.
#2 You are the reason Apple does not do focus groups. You, like the majority of the worlds population, cannot imagine beyond the small boxes that you live in. If device A has been used for function A, why would a variation of device A be any better? Hint: It's device B in the format of device A that does functions a-p.
The last thing this communication device will be used for will be telling time - the term 'watch' is so unfitting.
Hmm. The total global watches market is $46.6 B. The total global TV market is 290 B Euro (about $400
So these experts are predicting that Apple will capture 20% of the total combined TV and watches market in the foreseeable future?
Just more inane predictions that appear to be designed to do no more than create unrealistic expectations.
Quote:
Originally Posted by buckalec
The last thing this communication device will be used for will be telling time - the term 'watch' is so unfitting.
iAgree.
If anything, it will be competing with other health and fitness products.
Graphene developers have already been capable of producing a layer of 0.1mm (note that graphene is a material with a width of only 1 atom).
Graphene can not only be used as components of eletronic devices, but it can also allow, for instance, for people with eletric cars to charge to maximum capacity in only half an hour (instead of the current all-nighter).
And by the way, if you think no one will buy a wrist watch, you're mistaken. Joggers (specially) will want a piece of the iWatch.
But keep in mind, it's technology is not meant to be for a 13year old kid with he's pants under his knees. It's technology is something we can truly call amazing, which means, in the near future, it will probably be more expensive than an iPod.
I wonder how big the tablet market was when iPad came out
What most of oblivious users don't realize is that the so called iWatch, if developed as it is expected, will not only create a new platform on where to access your Apple world (apps, photos, icloud, mail etc...), but will also open new paths for Graphene based devices (or Graphene-like materials) eventually leading to this http://bit.ly/WHIIay (don't kid yourselves, it's in the projects).
Graphene developers have already been capable of producing a layer of 0.1mm (note that graphene is a material with a width of only 1 atom).
Graphene can not only be used as components of eletronic devices, but it can also allow, for instance, for people with eletric cars to charge to maximum capacity in only half an hour (instead of the current all-nighter).
And by the way, if you think no one will buy a wrist watch, you're mistaken. Joggers (specially) will want a piece of the iWatch.
But keep in mind, it's technology is not meant to be for a 13year old kid with he's pants under his knees. It's technology is something we can truly call amazing, which means, in the near future, it will probably be more expensive than an iPod.
I'm struggling to see how Apple could incorporate voice and music into a watch. I guess that's why I'm no product developer.
Will users need a Bluetooth headset with a mic to listen to music and take a phone call? (If you see a smartwatch with a Bluetooth headset, they blew it?) Will there be an option on the watch's screen to alert the caller to wait while the wearer gets their phone? There is a way to select a custom call pick-up message with iOS 6, but I've never used it, so I guess that's an option. If the idea is to complement an iPhone, wouldn't it be vastly better UX-wise to select tracks on your phone's screen than a purported 1.5" square screen?
I'm not saying these things can't and won't be worked out. I'm just really excited to see how Apple pulls this off.
Quote:
Originally Posted by jragosta
Hmm. The total global watches market is $46.6 B. The total global TV market is 290 B Euro (about $400
So these experts are predicting that Apple will capture 20% of the total combined TV and watches market in the foreseeable future?
Just more inane predictions that appear to be designed to do no more than create unrealistic expectations.
Perhaps not in the immediate future, but you honestly see no chance of Apple capturing ~20% market share (or let's just say profits) in even the foreseeable future? Hmm.
And, such predictions might be optimistic, but inane? Apple has an indisputable history of disrupting and capturing even larger portions of CE markets. Why not those? They're both crusty tech spaces ready for Apple's style of innovation and re-invigoration.
Quote:
Originally Posted by peter236
Most people do it by looking at the time in their cars, or on their computer or phone. Their is no need for another watch. This iWatch will take sales away from the iPhone, which is not good for profits.
Actually quite the opposite. First, it may be called an iwatch but telling the time will be the least of its abilities. Your phone isn't just a phone anymore right? The iWatch will be a huge compliment to the iPhone increasing sales. You will need to have both to take full advantage. The watch will display incoming texts, calls, reminders, notes, emails, all handled by Siri and your iPhone. It will be an information hub. If you don't have the iPhone it won't be of much use. If it's a huge hit you will see a huge increase in iPhone sales.