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Rumor: Apple Building Bluetooth Smart Watch

techcrunch.com

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Re: Rumor: Apple Building Bluetooth Smart Watch

#41

Post by georgemcbay »

crisedward wrote: post #10

I actually like the idea of having an smart watch, but the problem I see with the technology is the battery time, I don't really want to be charging my watch every 8 hours, I don't want to charge it at home, and at work. The more you can do with the watch the less it's battery will last.

If this is a real thing, I'm sure the watch will be a mostly dumb display that gets "smart" by connecting to your iPhone/iPod/whatever.

Something like an ARM Cortex-M4 hooked up to an OLED screen with a bluetooth radio for talking to the devices that do the real heavy lifting. You wouldn't need to recharge the battery on something like that every 8 hours.

Re: Rumor: Apple Building Bluetooth Smart Watch

#43

Post by silentmars »

Doesn't seem too likely to me, or at least it would be a fairly significant reversal of Apple's approach to things. It's such a niche market. That's not the kind of space Apple cares to play in it. Where's the opportunity for the kind of mass-market world changing that Apple likes to focus on?

Re: Rumor: Apple Building Bluetooth Smart Watch

#45

Post by cydonian_monk »

superuser2 wrote: post #30
cydonian_monk wrote: post #2

Really now. I understand there might be some small market for "smart watches," but who, honestly, still wears a watch? And who would want to wear a watch that you will (possibly) have to charge daily? This is a watch in name only. That aside, I can see benefits to connected devices such as this. I'm just not sure I'd call them watches.

High school. I want to know the time and cell phone use gets you a disciplinary referral. I imagine this applies in ERs and other places cell phones are not allowed. Also I cannot pull my phone out of my pocket without standing up and spending some effort. Watches are easier to use.

Sure, but this device won't help in those situations either. But point taken.

Re: Rumor: Apple Building Bluetooth Smart Watch

#46

Post by codex »

silentmars wrote: post #43

Doesn't seem too likely to me, or at least it would be a fairly significant reversal of Apple's approach to things. It's such a niche market. That's not the kind of space Apple cares to play in it. Where's the opportunity for the kind of mass-market world changing that Apple likes to focus on?

I think it depends on what the intended use is. A watch would be a waste of time. But I suspect this device will primarily be used for easily composing and viewing text messages without taking one's phone from one's pocket/purse. I expect texting will soon be the dominant form of communication.

Re: Rumor: Apple Building Bluetooth Smart Watch

#47

Post by microtherion »

malandrew wrote: post #20
MattRogish wrote: post #16

Earlier quoted context omitted.

I stopped wearing a watch when cellphones were able to send/receive text messages. For me, a watch is too low-tech compared to all the things I surround myself with (iPhone, iPad, MacBook Air, etc.). All it can do is tell time? I've been longing for a bluetooth (or similar) watch that had deep iPhone integration, looked stylish, and wasn't too expensive. The ones I've been able to find can't match all three. I'd love…

I'm curious how that $46B breaks down. It's not like the Apple watch will ever compete with a Rolex, Patek Phillipe, Parmigiani, Frank Muller or Cartier for example. People buy those watches for style and to show off. Then again, I could totally see some of the high-end watch companies creating exceptionally nice bands for the Apple watch to meet the need for style and showing off. Whatever they make though, it bette…

It's not like the Apple watch will ever compete with a Rolex, Patek Phillipe, Parmigiani, Frank Muller or Cartier for example.

Unless Apple manages to build a Bluetooth complication. http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Complication_(horology)

Re: Rumor: Apple Building Bluetooth Smart Watch

#48

Post by FireBeyond »

"Apple has long had a small hold on the watch market thanks to its iPod nano, which is easily attached to a wrist band turning it into a full-functioning watch."

Err, for small, you mean 'infinitesimal'. I don't think I've seen anyone, ever, wearing a nano as a watch.

Re: Rumor: Apple Building Bluetooth Smart Watch

#49

Post by hilko »

sksksk wrote: post #27
cydonian_monk wrote: post #2

Really now. I understand there might be some small market for "smart watches," but who, honestly, still wears a watch? And who would want to wear a watch that you will (possibly) have to charge daily? This is a watch in name only. That aside, I can see benefits to connected devices such as this. I'm just not sure I'd call them watches.

I used to not wear a watch, then I started wearing one a year ago and it's such an improvement over using your phone. The fact that you can instantly see what the time is means that you're always aware of the time. It's improved my timekeepings so much, and I'm rarely late to things any more. It's really hard to explain but I think an analog clock is far more intuitive than digital.

Interesting. I got rid of my watch for that same reason.

Maybe it's a personality thing, but I felt I looked at my watch too often and that it was symptomatic of a general sense of being a 'slave' to time to an unnecessary degree.

So I got rid of my watch as part of a general de-hasting exercise, and started to be more... flexible, when possible of course. I feel it greatly increased my happiness.

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