[paulbrock]

So rumours are rife the Apple will soon release an all singing all dancing iWatch, linking to your iphone, being able to display maps, messages, control your music etc.
http://www.telegraph.co.uk/technolog...roduction.html

Its not an empty marketplace, there are a few alternatives around, most notably Pebble
http://getpebble.com/

but none with mass market appeal (or marketing at least).

Its easy to scoff, but they did it before with the iPad. And their investors are crying out for something new.

Will they (and their competitors) be lining the walls of Carphone in a couple of years, or is it destined to be only used by techies and show offs?

I don't wear a watch of any sort at the moment, instead relying on the clock on my phone. Is there much difference between getting your phone out of your pocket or raising your arm to stare at your wrist? perhaps. I'll wait and see for now though....

[Stuart_h]

Quote:

Originally Posted by paulbrock

So rumours are rife the Apple will soon release an all singing all dancing iWatch, linking to your iphone, being able to display maps, messages, control your music etc.
http://www.telegraph.co.uk/technolog...roduction.html

Its not an empty marketplace, there are a few alternatives around, most notably Pebble
http://getpebble.com/

but none with mass market appeal (or marketing at least).

Its easy to scoff, but they did it before with the iPad. And their investors are crying out for something new.

Will they (and their competitors) be lining the walls of Carphone in a couple of years, or is it destined to be only used by techies and show offs?

I don't wear a watch of any sort at the moment, instead relying on the clock on my phone. Is there much difference between getting your phone out of your pocket or raising your arm to stare at your wrist? perhaps. I'll wait and see for now though....

I think this is a slightly different concept. This seems to me to be more of an 'accessory' to an existing Phone so they are already limiting themselves to those with iPhones (or willing to buy one).

Now with a phone I guess it spends most of its time in a pocket - but would I really want to have something on my wrist that looked the same as millions of other people had ? Im not sure I would.

I have a Pebble on order (i was a kickstarter backer) but even with 85,000 sales so far im unlikely to come across many people with the same watch in the same colour.

Its also a market where there are a number of heavily publicised options already - Apple would be coming in with a product already being compared to quite well known alternatives .....

interesting times though. The purely glass mock-up does look quite funky but im guessing it would be more like a Nano on a strap, certainly in generation 1 (ie a Sony Live View 2 clone).

[huwdw]

Looks like a rip off of this:
http://www.pcmag.com/article2/0,2817,2403098,00.asp

[calico_pie]

I'm not convinced to be honest - isn't there a downward trend in the wearing of watches because so many people just use their phone these days?

Having said that, its not that much of a leap from the nano-as-a-watch from a few years ago.

[IvanIV]

Typical, it will do everything and when I will check the time the battery will be dead. But I prefer classical look of a watch anyway, not these things that scream "geek".

[paulbrock]

Quote:

Originally Posted by huwdw

Looks like a rip off of this:
http://www.pcmag.com/article2/0,2817,2403098,00.asp

like the ipad wasn't the first tablet either. The apple logo did make the whole concept rather more mainstream though.

Rumours also point to Samsung having something up their sleeves.
http://www.slashgear.com/if-apple-do...hind-13269184/

[paulbrock]

Quote:

Originally Posted by Stuart_h

I
I have a Pebble on order (i was a kickstarter backer) but even with 85,000 sales so far im unlikely to come across many people with the same watch in the same colour.

Mind me asking why? I'm not sure I see what a smartwatch adds.... (I do know how popular the Pebble is/was though, wasn't it one of the biggest Kickstarters ever?)

[calico_pie]

I think the biggest market for it might be in sports - running, cycling, the gym etc.

[Stuart_h]

Quote:

Originally Posted by paulbrock

Mind me asking why? I'm not sure I see what a smartwatch adds.... (I do know how popular the Pebble is/was though, wasn't it one of the biggest Kickstarters ever?)

Yep. Pebble was (and still is I think) the biggest kickstarter ever.

I love watches (bucking the trend), and to some extent the geekier the better

I love gadgets

seemed like a fun thing to try. I doubt it will change my life but it looks like a shiny shiny toy

In theory I can check texts (ie 'emergencies' in the kids lives) in meetings but in reality I just saw it and wanted it

Im also tempted to a Live View 2 at the current £65 price range. Again, simply because it sparkles at me

[thedrewser]

Let's face it, most people on here will instantly hate it because it's Apple.

[paulbrock]

Quote:

Originally Posted by thedrewser

Let's face it, most people on here will instantly hate it because it's Apple.

and many will defend every single feature of it on here just because its Apple.

I did my best to present a balanced OP, would you have any interest in a smartwatch, Apple or otherwise?

[gavo360]

I think its trying to solve problem that doesn't exist.

[acoolwelshbloke]

Iwatch = load of shite

And I own an iPad and an iPhone!

[Stiggles]

Quote:

Originally Posted by thedrewser

Let's face it, most people on here will instantly hate it because it's Apple.

Don't be silly.

It is a good idea but its been done before many times. Whether apple can make it any better remains to be seen. I doubt it seriously to be honest, but one thing i do know is apple will make this only work with the iphone or ipad.

[paulbrock]

Quote:

Originally Posted by Stiggles

but one thing i do know is apple will make this only work with the iphone or ipad.

Yes, and that's an increasingly dangerous path. Didn't the first ipods only work with Macs? But then they took off properly after they allowed them to work with PCs as well....

[huwdw]

Quote:

Originally Posted by gavo360

I think its trying to solve problem that doesn't exist.

I'm fairly certain the same was said about the iPad

[paulbrock]

Quote:

Originally Posted by huwdw

I'm fairly certain the same was said about the iPad

v true. until the ipad came out, and even for some time after, it was largely viewed as a folly.

[IslandNiles]

I'm not sure about this. I can't make my mind up.

I don't wear a watch now, primarily because I have the time on my phone. But of course, a smart watch offers more than just the time. I've been trying to think about how it might work and what it might offer above and beyond just taking your phone out of your pocket.

I suppose you'll be able to read notifications and potentially respond to them using Siri, previewing your reply on the watch's screen before you send it. Pretty cool, but I'm not convinced it has mass real world appeal. People in general don't want to be talking out loud to their phones or watches.

You could control your music using the watch, but if you're wearing headphones with the three button remote and mic, you already have a fair bit of control (play/pause/previous and next track/Siri).

It'd be nice to have a map on a watch screen so that you can see where you're going when trying to find your way somewhere. That's useful. Carrying your phone around with a maps application open is a bit cumbersome really. That said, Apple will REALLY have to improve their Maps app for such a feature to be useful. Since downloading Google Maps for iOS, I can't remember the last time I used the default Maps app.

Immediate drawbacks: These things need charging, they run down the battery, and they advertise that you're carrying an expensive piece of technology about your person. The watch itself won't come cheap, and I really just don't like wearing a watch!

I suppose we'll have to see whether it materialises, and what it brings. This could be a relatively uncluttered market for Apple to exploit, and their investors certainly want a new product.

[nvingo]

I wear a watch - almost always have.
My smartphone lives in my trouser pocket. I rarely get it out before I sit down. If it rings or I need to use it, is a palaver to wriggle it out or stand up.
So I can see some benefit in being able to (partially) operate it in situ. However I agree the requirement for a constant bluetooth connection and its impact on battery life is a drawback.

[jabbamk1]

There is a market. But i don't see it really working that well. It'd have more drawbacks than positives.

[psionic]

There aren't that many Smart Watches around yet that are readily available and work with iOS - or at least have a companion iOS app and widget store (there are a few options coming soon though). Apple could pull this off if they make it look attractive enough, and possibly combine with iPod Nano.

[Matt D]

Bruce Tognazzini (some user interface guy who used to work at Apple) wrote a post recently on what he thinks would make an iWatch good:

http://asktog.com/atc/apple-iwatch/

Quote:

Originally Posted by paulbrock

Mind me asking why? I'm not sure I see what a smartwatch adds.... (I do know how popular the Pebble is/was though, wasn't it one of the biggest Kickstarters ever?)

I've ordered one too.

Like Stuart_h, I like watches and gadgets.

I love the idea of being able to see who has called / emailed / messaged me etc. without having to take my phone out of my pocket, along with being able to control my music with my watch, and whatever else gets added via updates and apps.


The Verge has a very good review of the Pebble here:

http://www.theverge.com/2013/1/28/39...rtwatch-review

[Matt D]

Quote:

Originally Posted by Stiggles

Don't be silly.

It is a good idea but its been done before many times. Whether apple can make it any better remains to be seen. I doubt it seriously to be honest, but one thing i do know is apple will make this only work with the iphone or ipad.

I wouldn't say it's been done before many times, at least not successfully.

The most successful and best-known smartwatch so far is surely the Pebble, but that's been a victim of its own success and suffered from huge delays.

Other than that? Metawatch (more expensive than the Pebble for the same sort of features), Cuckoo (far too simple for the pricetag), and the Sony one. How many others?


Like other products, Apple won't invent the smartwatch itself, but they will surely invent the demand for it...

[whoever,hey]

Quote:

Originally Posted by thedrewser

Let's face it, most people on here will instantly hate it because it's Apple.

There are already apple defenders not showing there appreciation for this.

I'm not sure many people wear watches any more.

[Stuart_h]

Quote:

Originally Posted by Matt D

Bruce Tognazzini (some user interface guy who used to work at Apple) wrote a post recently on what he thinks would make an iWatch good:

http://asktog.com/atc/apple-iwatch/



I've ordered one too.

Like Stuart_h, I like watches and gadgets.

I love the idea of being able to see who has called / emailed / messaged me etc. without having to take my phone out of my pocket, along with being able to control my music with my watch, and whatever else gets added via updates and apps.


The Verge has a very good review of the Pebble here:

http://www.theverge.com/2013/1/28/39...rtwatch-review

Thats a pretty balanced review. I always felt the screen would be the weakest point however its a trade-off to have an 'always on' screen rather than a 'press to turn on' affair.

Im very tempted to get the Sony Live View 2 (at £65) to have a play with that too. You can get the Live View (1) for under £20 as apparently it was dreadful but at that price it might be a fun gadget too