Apple Watch wins prestigious iF Design Gold Award ahead of public debut
Before an expected launch in April, Apple's upcoming Apple Watch was given top honors at the 2015 iF Design Awards, an annual industrial design competition dating back to 1954.
Announced at the International Forum's awards gala in Munich, Apple Watch was one of only two products in the telecommunications category to win a coveted gold award. Overall, 1,124 products were granted an iF Label, while only 47 won the gold award for excellence.
The device went up against more than 3,200 other designs in the Product discipline, the largest iF award segment that covers a number of commercial industries, including vehicles, medical devices, smartphones, computers, tableware, kitchen equipment, furniture, bathroom products and more.
From the awards jury:
While Apple has discussed Apple Watch design and keystone features at length, the company has been less than forthcoming in presenting full hardware specifications and pricing details. In a recent report, analyst Gene Munster estimated mid-tier Apple Watch models will retail for $499 to $549, depending on customization options, while the high-end Apple Watch Edition could sell for $4,999.
Apple is widely expected to further detail Apple Watch at an upcoming special media event next week. AppleInsider will be on hand for the March 9 event with live coverage starting at 10 a.m. Pacific.
Announced at the International Forum's awards gala in Munich, Apple Watch was one of only two products in the telecommunications category to win a coveted gold award. Overall, 1,124 products were granted an iF Label, while only 47 won the gold award for excellence.
The device went up against more than 3,200 other designs in the Product discipline, the largest iF award segment that covers a number of commercial industries, including vehicles, medical devices, smartphones, computers, tableware, kitchen equipment, furniture, bathroom products and more.
From the awards jury:
According to iF, the jury evaluated each product based on a number of criteria, including design quality, workmanship, choice of materials, degree of innovation, environmental friendliness, functionality, ergonomics, visualization for use, safety, brand value and branding, and universal design.The idea of combining classic materials such as leather and metal with state-of-the-art technology to create a very individual fashion accessory has resulted in a delightful product offering a holistic user experience. The Apple Watch scores highly for each design detail and is an altogether extraordinary piece of design. For us, it is already an icon.
While Apple has discussed Apple Watch design and keystone features at length, the company has been less than forthcoming in presenting full hardware specifications and pricing details. In a recent report, analyst Gene Munster estimated mid-tier Apple Watch models will retail for $499 to $549, depending on customization options, while the high-end Apple Watch Edition could sell for $4,999.
Apple is widely expected to further detail Apple Watch at an upcoming special media event next week. AppleInsider will be on hand for the March 9 event with live coverage starting at 10 a.m. Pacific.
Comments
Another well-deserved win for the masters of design at Apple. Glad to see this.
but...but...Apple watch is ugly, thick with bad battery life and overprice.../s
Paging Benny Frost....
Paging Benny Frost....
You do that like this, @Benjamin Frost.
Very cool.
I have found the design of the Apple Watch difficult to assess based on photos alone. I feel like I really need to see it in person to develop a clear impression of it.
My girlfriend, on the other hand, was able to develop an opinion based on pictures -- she thinks it's gorgeous. She has way better taste than I do, so I considered that a good sign.
No, you do it on a night with a waning moon, and you run widdershins around a yew tree five times, with a broomstick between your naked legs. What you rub on the broomstick is not to be spoken of.
Imagine the awards the AW will get when people can physically touch one?!
I think the thought and care that went into the wrist bands, and how easily they snap into place is a big part of it. I'm getting excited about them, and thinking of gettin one.
Would be cool if Apple made their wrist bands work with other wrist worn devices also. I'll assume they won't stop at watches alone.
The Smartisan T1 was the other Gold winner, with the taglines, "Uncomfortable is the new comfortable," "Right is right. Left is also right," amongst other gems.
That tells me all I need to know about this design award.
Beat out 3,200 other products. But clearly, these design experts don't know what the **** they're talking about, since all the resident internet trolls, and many on this forum, have already assured us in no uncertain terms that the Apple Watch is an absolute catastrophe of design, the ugliest thing they have ever seen, and that Ive must have been drunk when developing it.
I've always found the Apple Watch gorgeous, keeping in mind all the practical considerations. Maybe all the shitty trolls who are shrieking that it is objectively hideous need to learn some fucking humility, considering the damn thing already won a prestigious award before even being released.
But but but its not round! That automatically makes it fugly, no?
I wouldn't read too much into these design awards. Only sales numbers prove anything. Too bad Apple put the watch into the other category, so they probably won't report sales numbers unless they are really good.
We get awards all the time for our products, but then again, we donate a lot of money to foundations and sponsorships and advertisement placements and paid reviews and luncheons, parties etc. Don't think Apple isn't greasing the wheel with this rollout.
A lot of the press exposure is intentionally made to not look like Apple's design language for the express purpose of making it look like unbiased grass roots support.
But but but
Haven’t we made enough fun of the fAndroid Troll Army? They have enough on their plate dealing with the sacrilege that is the Galaxy S6 and 6 Edge. Their whole universe is in turmoil and they’re running around with their hair on fire over removable batteries and SD card slots, and the lack thereof. Let’s not pile on shall we.
Physically touch it, you say?
[VIDEO]
(That video really needs a record screeching sound right at the moment the bulldog looks up.)
LOL I can't imagine even how you ever found that!
"Haven’t we made enough fun of the fAndroid Troll Army? " ... The answer is no ...
Hey, maybe they will turn totally insane and adopt some crap from Microshit, anything but Apple.
I wouldn't read too much into these design awards. Only sales numbers prove anything. Too bad Apple put the watch into the other category, so they probably won't report sales numbers unless they are really good.
We get awards all the time for our products, but then again, we donate a lot of money to foundations and sponsorships and advertisement placements and paid reviews and luncheons, parties etc. Don't think Apple isn't greasing the wheel with this rollout.
A lot of the press exposure is intentionally made to not look like Apple's design language for the express purpose of making it look like unbiased grass roots support.
Your post makes no sense. So we can't appreciate the fact that the Apple Watch won this design award, that has no merit in itself? This is completely independent from sales result. There are some gorgeous things that sell extremely poorly, or will never even go on sale. There is also a lot of trash that sells extremely well, because its cheap. Why do the 2 have to be intertwined? Obviously the Apple Watch has no sales data yet, so sales are a moot point.
And no, I don't believe Apple bribed their way to this award, as you imply. They have no history of doing such things, nor do they need to. There's no evidence, and I think its sad that you attempt to imply as such in order to discredit the award, not to mention pretending it means nothing without sales data.
And conversely, if they don't report sales numbers, we can assume that they're bad.