iWatch will be released within 9 months!
There were, are and will be a lot of rumours regarding the iWatch, but apparently it’s on its way and will be released within the next nine months!
At the moment Apple has a team of more than 100 product designers working to develop and design a wristwatch-like device that has the same functions as the iPhone and iPad. According to Scott Wilson, the watch designer who developed the watchbands for people who want to wear the iPod nano as a watch, it will be have the iOS software. Scott’s iPod nano band wasn’t the first attempt to link a watch with Apple products. Another start-up project called Pebble Technology plans to sell watches that work with Apple.
Coming back to the iWatch, a qualified source has declared for the Verge:
“Apple seeks to introduce the device as soon as this year ... Apple has filed at least 79 patent applications that include the word 'wrist,’ including one for a device with a flexible screen, powered by kinetic energy… The watch business is experiencing a renaissance reminiscent of the cell phone industry before the iPhone.”
In terms of the iWatch’s features, it will have the ability to receive incoming calls, view maps and record information through various sensors:
“Features under consideration include letting users make calls, see the identity of incoming callers and check map coordinates, said one of the people who asked not to be identified because the plans aren’t public. It would also house a pedometer for counting steps and sensors for monitoring health-related data, such as heart rates.”Ok, it will have tons of powerful features, but what will it look like? About two weeks ago, the Apple Insider published the patent application from Apple – according to this, it is a "bracelet" accessory with a screen that wraps around the wrist, covering the whole surface. The design is described as a "bi-stable spring", and the watch strap would curve around the wrist, with the two ends overlapping. It will have "touch-sensitive user interface" on the flexible display. The flexible display will be made of multiple flexible parts which would be straightens when the watch is on the shelf, but curved when on the wrist.
The patent application gives some ideas about the size of the watch – a width of one inch:
“The most recent widespread use of such a device was the slap bracelet, also called the slap wrap. The slap bracelet consists of layered flexible steel bands sealed within a fabric cover. Typical slap bracelets are roughly one inch in width by nine inches in length. In a first equilibrium position they can be flat. The second equilibrium is typically reached by slapping the flat embodiment across the wrist, at which point the bracelet curls around the wrist and stays relatively secure in a roughly circular position.”It’s also suggested that the gyroscopes and accelerometers would be used to determine the orientation of the watch – whether it is worn on left or right wrist. Another patent says that the iWatch will enable you to view calls, texts, manage playlists, view maps and many other things:
“The bracelet goes far beyond being a wristwatch. Apple states that with a multitouch display, the user ‘can accomplish a number of different tasks including adjusting the order of a current playlist, or reviewing a list of recent phone calls. A response to a current text message can even be managed given a simple virtual keyboard configuration across the face of the flexible display.’… According to Apple, a larger display is also more desirable for map viewing. The arm mounted location makes map viewing a desirable function for such a device, as a traveler or explorer can easily reference the information with a flick of the wrist while exploring.”
“Apple states that the Kinetic energy gathering device noted above in patent figure 5A (# 502) has its advantages. Having the accessory device on an extremity is an ideal location for gathering kinetic energy. The simple motion of a user’s arm or leg allows the accessory device to harness some of that energy for charging battery. The Antenna in patent figure 5A (# 506) is for establishing and maintaining the connection between the bracelet accessory and a portable electronic device such an iPhone. The antenna can be configured to pass data over WiFi, Bluetooth or any other suitable wireless protocol.”Other cool features of the iWatch might include some sort of illumination for the nighttime, plus the the ability to check maps and watch videos. Here’s another image from this patent application:
