What to expect from the Apple iWatch
Rumor has it throughout this week, that Apple’s big announcement of the iWatch will take place next week. Speculation abounds across the news wires, and is expected to continue over the weekend.
The Apple iWatch has been in the back-burner for a long time, and at last, following the recent explosion of consumer wrist-worn smart devices, Apple seems to be finally ready to make its grand entrance into the world of next-generation wearable tech.
To some this might sound like a step taken too late, but we have to remember this is Apple we are talking about, and Apple’s focus is on creating iconic, unique, beautiful devices, designed to stand out. There is no such thing as “coming late in the game”, so much as to being “fashionably late”, and Apple has been consistent with its time-tested tradition.
Having said that, speculation has always a foundation of truth, and there is a chance the iWatch will showcase some concepts that nearly everyone in the tech industry is expecting.
There has been a lot of talk about the iWatch sporting a rounded face design, a prediction that could turn accurate. Nearly all existing smart watches on the market, with few exception, such as the amazing (and amazingly expensive) Kairos smartwatch, and its cheaper nemesis “Cookoo”, sport a traditional square face, compatible with how we would envision a wrist-bound adaptation of a smart phone.
"I think the wrist is interesting. I'm wearing this (Nike Fuelband) on my wrist...it's somewhat natural. But as I said before, I think for something to work here, you first have to convince people it's so incredible that they want to wear it." - Apple CEO Tim Cook at D11 Conference: May 28, 2013
With this quote, Tim Cook gave us last year a very early indication of what the iPhone might do, and it would not be irrational to think of the iWatch as more than a wireless microphone/speaker combo for the iPhone. With the recent acquisition of Beats, Apple is determined to dominate in the streaming music market, and the ability to control iTunes from the iWatch could be on the horizon.
Such ability is currently lacking in nearly all competing brands, including the Samsung Galaxy Gear, which amazingly does not yet include an app to control Google Play.
The question could be just how many iPhone features will be controlled by the iWatch. From a consumer point of view, if Apple hopes to have a grand debut into the wearable tech market, it needs to focus on allowing as much control as possible of the most familiar apps, or at least the ones available on iCloud.
There is no way to tell whether the Apple iWatch will enjoy independent WiFi connection, but that is also something most smartwatch enthusiasts are hoping for.
All we know is, the iWatch is coming, and we make no mistake when saying that it will be once again, an Apple product, in the true sense of the word.