iWatch

iWatch Release to Market.

 

What We Expect

Apple has been rumored to be working on its "iWatch" smart watch since late 2012, but the company has begun accelerating work on the project as it tries to expand its family of mobile devices to the wrist. Apple has already started work on trademarking the name in a number of countries in preparation for a late 2014 launch,perhaps in October, with the device entering mass production in July.

Because we don't yet know what an Apple iWatch will look like, the photos we've included in the roundup are either mockups or existing non-Apple products. For example, the red watch at the top of the page is the Lunatik iPod nano watch.

Recent reports from reputable sources like Reuters and The Wall Street Journal have pointed towardsmultiple screen sizes for the iWatch, in sizes up to 2.5 inches diagonally, a which is the size of the current-generation iPod nano. The iWatch face, said to be slightly rectangular, may protrude slightly from a band to create an arch shape on the wrist.

Along with multiple sizes, the iWatch may be available at several different price points, suggesting anarray of different band and face options in various materials to position it as a fashion accessory.

Though we don't know exactly what the iWatch will look like, it is expected to include a durable sapphire crystal display, produced in collaboration with Apple partner GT Advanced. Apple and GT Advanced recently signed a deal that will see the latter producing large quantities of sapphire crystal for use in various Apple products.

While the iWatch will perform some tasks independently, it will be dependent on a compatible iOS device for functions like receiving messages, voice calls, and notifications. It is also expected to feature wireless charging capabilities, advanced mapping abilities, and possibly NFC integration.

Along with serving as a companion device to the iPhone and iPad, the iWatch will be able to measure multiple different health-related metrics like steps taken, calories burned, sleep quality, heart rate, and more. The iWatch is said to include 10 different sensors to track health and fitness, providing an overall picture of health and making the health-tracking experience more accessible to the general public.

Apple has reportedly designed iOS 8 with the iWatch in mind, and the two are said to be heavily reliant on one another. The iWatch will likely take advantage of the "Health" app introduced with iOS 8, which may display all of the health-related information gathered by the watch.

Currently, Apple is gearing up to begin mass production on the iWatch, and has been testing the device's fitness capabilities with professional athletes such as Kobe Bryant, who will likely go on to promote the iWatch following its release.

In More Detail

Rumors of Apple working on a smart watch first surfaced in a December 2012 report claiming that the company was working with Intel on a Bluetooth-enabled watch carrying a 1.5-inch OLED display. According to the report, the device was originally scheduled to launch in the first half of 2013.

The rumor mill remained quiet for a number of weeks following that report, but by early February 2013 reports began surfacing in the mainstream media and other publications claiming details on Apple's smart watch project. The flurry was led by a report from The New York Times claiming that Apple was working on a smart watch device running iOS and taking advantage of curved glass materials.

"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

Reports of a curved glass smart watch had included speculation that Apple could be using Corning's newWillow Glass as a material given its flexible nature and Apple's existing partnership with Corning for the high-strength Gorilla Glass used on Apple's mobile devices, but Corning president James Clappin indicatedthat the material had only just begun hitting the market and that it would take at least three years for complex components such as flexible displays using Willow Glass to reach the market.

Former Nike creative director Scott Wilson also revealed that he had sent Apple design chief Jonathan Ive a "ton" of Nike watches back in the mid-2000s, with Apple's staff following up with a number of questions about materials and processes related to the device, suggesting that Apple was indeed looking into the possibility of its own watch project at that time.

iWatch rumors have continued throughout 2013 and 2014 and in April, analyst Ming-Chi Kuo released a number of predictions for the device, pointing towards a late 2014 release date. According to Kuo, the watch will integrate with iOS devices, allowing users to receive notifications and access basic functions. He also supports the rumor that it will include a multitude of biometric sensors, coupled in a system-in-a-package design.

Apple's iWatch will offer a "fashionable design" according to Kuo, and could be available in multiple materials at different price points and in multiple sizes. Kuo suggested the watch will include wireless charging and possibly an NFC chip. June rumors from Reuters and The Wall Street Journal have also pointed towards wireless charging, a multitude of sensors, and multiple sizes for the iWatch, with the former suggesting a screen size of 2.5-inches, much larger than previous rumors, which indicated a size of 1.3 to 1.7 inches. Due to the discrepancy between rumors, it is unclear what display sizes the iWatch will adopt in addition to the 2.5-inch version.

BUILDING THE IWATCH TEAM

The first NYTimes report on the iWatch was quickly followed by a Bloomberg article revealing that Apple had a team of approximately 100 product designers working on the project. The size of the team, which was said to be at least partially under the leadership of senior director of engineering James Foster, suggested that the project was moving beyond the experimental phase.

In mid-April, it was reported that former Adobe executive Kevin Lynch, who had joined Apple as a vice president of Technologies the previous month, was heading up a team of engineers with experience on Apple's iPod projects, suggesting that the division may be involved with Apple's smart watch project.

Features under consideration include letting users make calls, see the identity of incoming callers and check map coordinates .... It would also house a pedometer for counting steps and sensors for monitoring health-related data, such as heart rates...Peter Burrows & Olga Kharif - Bloomberg

Apple then hired Paul Deneve, former CEO of French luxury label Yves Saint Laurent, to work on "special projects", with many speculating that his fashion background would make him a natural fit to work on wearables such as the iWatch. Financial Times followed that with its own report indicating that Apple hasbegun another round of hiring for the project, looking at acquiring smaller firms and moving to retain key employees already on the project.

Apple's hiring efforts were also detailed in a report from 9to5Mac, revealing how Apple pursued employees at a number of companies involved in biometrics and health sensors while noting that the wide-ranging iWatch team is indeed being headed by Senior Vice President of Technologies Bob Mansfield, Kevin Lynch, and James Foster, with other teams contributing as needed.

During the last few months of 2013, Apple hired two new sensor experts, who may be working on the iWatch. Nancy Dougherty, formerly at Sano Intelligence, worked on designing a device to measure blood chemistry through microneedles. Ravi Narasimhan, Apple's second hire, formerly worked at biosensor technology firm Vital Connect, where he served as a vice president of research and development, responsible for "biosensor technology and algorithms for remote physiological monitoring with wearable medical devices."

Apple has also hired Michael O'Reilly, M.D., the former Chief Medical Officer and EVP of Medical Affairs at Masimo Corporation, a company that specialized in pulse oximetry, and it has hired Roy J.E.M Raymann, a sleep expert from Philips Research. Before joining Apple, Raymann headed up several sleep-related research products studying sleep and activity monitoring.

Marcelo Lamego, former chief technology officer of Cercacor, has also joined Apple to work on biometrics. At Cercacor, Lamego worked on sensor-based medical technologies like those used in the Pronto-7, a non-invasive, portable device that measures hemoglobin, oxygen saturation, pulse rate, and more.

Further fueling rumors that the iWatch will include a number of health and fitness-related sensors, Apple recently posted a now-removed job listing for an exercise physiologist to oversee cardiovascular fitness and energy expenditure tests at its Cupertino campus.

Apple may also be seeking FDA approval for the iWatch, and has met with the FDA several times over the course of the last year for guidance on health-related mobile apps and assuring that the technology industry and health regulators are on the same page.

'SLAP BRACELET' PATENT

In late February 2013, an Apple patent applicationsurfaced revealing a new "bracelet" accessory with a wraparound display covering the entire outer surface of the device. While the word "watch" was not used anywhere in the filing, the idea of the "wearable video device" as a smart watch lent credibility to claims of Apple's interest in the area.

FEATURES AND BATTERY LIFE

In early March, another flurry of reports about Apple's iWatch plans arrived, with Bloomberg claiming that the device could include biosensors and mapping features and launch "as soon as" 2013. The Vergefollowed up with its own report claiming that the iWatch was indeed planned to run a "full" version of iOS rather than a simpler operating system such as that seen on the iPod nano.

In June, Apple launched iOS 8, which includes a health and fitness tracking app called "Health." Rumors have suggested that the iWatch will integrate with this new Health app, allowing it to collect data from the iWatch's sensors.

As work on the iWatch continues, Apple is placing a significant amount of focus on expanding Siri's ability to interface with third-party apps to improve the number of tasks executable via voice command. It is possible that the iWatch will rely heavily on voice-based input via Siri due to the limitations of its size.

TRADEMARK APPLICATIONS

Public evidence of Apple filing for "iWatch" trademarks began to surface in June, first in Russia and later inJapan and a number of other countries. Apple's initial filing was apparently made in Jamaica in December 2012, but in early June the company began making much broader efforts to protect the name, although it will face competition from existing marks in a number of major countries including the United States.

While Apple filed for its own trademarks under its own name in a number of major countries, it may have used a shell company called Brightflash USA LLC to file for "iWatch" trademarks in other countries like the United States, Australia, United Kingdom, Denmark, Macau, and several dozen other countries around the world.

In recent months, Apple has also extended its "Apple" trademark to cover jewelry and watches in countries like Ecuador, Mexico, Norway, and the United Kingdom.

PRODUCTION ISSUES

Apple is reportedly working to overcome several issues with its iWatch development, which has hit snagsin battery life, display technology, and manufacturing technique.

According to a report from The Information, battery issues caused Apple to consider a new screen technology for the iWatch in late 2013, though it is unclear whether Apple has indeed made a switch from OLED, the technology largely favored for the display in rumors throughout 2013. Early reports indicated that prototypes of the iWatch were seeing just one to two days of battery life, with Apple hoping to increase that duration to at least four or five days.

A report from The New York Times has indicated Apple is experimenting with a number of charging methods for the iWatch, including wireless induction charging, potentially allowing users to recharge their watches wirelessly. Wireless charging has also been suggested by KGI securities analyst Ming-Chi Kuo andseveral other reports coming out of the Asian supply chain. Wireless charging could make it easier for iWatch users to frequently charge their devices if Apple does not meet its battery life goals.

Along with wireless charging, Apple may incorporate LG's "stepped" batteries into the iWatch. Designed with a slight ridge, the technology increases a battery’s capacity by 16 percent over a standard battery. Stepped batteries can be made in a variety of shapes and such a design could help Apple eke out extra longevity in the iWatch.

Early iWatch production is said to be seeing low yields, primarily due to the surface finish treatments for the body of the device. Apple is reportedly using metal injection molding methods for the iWatch, with the surface treatments being used to improve the look of the device.

Apple partner LG, said to be making the majority of the displays for the iWatch, reportedly continues to struggle with the power draw of the display. Apple is aiming for nearly zero energy use in standby mode, which LG has had difficulty achieving. This has allegedly resulted in a delayed release date for the device, but it is possible LG has overcome its issues as the iWatch is said to be entering mass production in July.

CONCEPT IMAGES

There have been no hints on what form factor Apple's iWatch might take on, but that hasn't stopped people from speculating. Several different iWatch concept images have surfaced, mimicking the design of existing products or adopting futuristic curved displays.

iWatch concept by Todd Hamilton, based on the Nike Fuelband

Screen-centric iWatch concept by DesignerEI

iWatch as a life style device concept by Tomas Moyano.

Traditional watch-style iWatch concept by Gábor Balogh.

RELEASE DATE

In a recent product roadmap, reliable KGI Securities analyst Ming-Chi Kuo predicted a third quarter launch date for the iWatch, which is in line with previous rumors. Supply chain sources have also pointed towards a late 2014 launch date, possibly in September, with some supply chain partners beginning production on iWatch components in June.

While there was some speculation that Apple might preview the iWatch alongside iOS 8 during its annual Worldwide Developers Conference, a report from Re/code quashed those rumors and indeed the device was not shown at WWDC. The most recent word from Nikkei and Re/code is that Apple is tentatively aiming for an October debut for the iWatch.

iWatch Timeline

JUNE2014

Jun 20Apple Recruiting Pro Athletes to Test iWatch's Fitness Capabilities

Jun 20Report Claims iWatch Awaiting FDA Approval, Will Feature Blood Glucose and Sweat Sensors

Jun 20iWatch Coming in Multiple Sizes With More Than 10 Sensors

Jun 19iOS Interface Depicted on a Hypothetical 2.5-Inch iWatch Screen

Jun 192.5-Inch iWatch with Wireless Charging and Pulse Sensor to Enter Mass Production in July

Jun 17iPhone 6 Sapphire Display Limited to 5.5" Model as LG Struggles with iWatch Display Power Draw?

Jun 15Apple Said to Have Enough Sapphire Glass for Production of Both iPhone 6 Models and iWatch in 2014

Jun 15New Profile on Apple CEO Tim Cook Details Influence on Product Development, iWatch Plans

Jun 10Apple Granted Patent for Weightlifting Tracker That Utilizes Watch-Like Device

Jun 6Apple Aiming to Introduce iWatch at October Event

Jun 6iWatch Reportedly Launching in October with iOS 8 and Curved OLED Touchscreen

Jun 5iWatch Component Production Said to Start Gearing Up This Month, September Launch Speculated

MAY2014

May 29Apple Reportedly Testing Wireless Charging Coils for iWatch Ahead of Fall Launch

May 28Apple's iWatch Said to Feature Round Design, Production May Start This Summer

May 23Samsung and LG Reportedly Exploring Sapphire Crystal Displays

May 5Apple Considering 'Full Health and Fitness Services Platform' Modeled on the App Store

May 2No Revamped Apple TV or iWatch Expected at WWDC

APRIL2014

Apr 29iWatch Reportedly Entering Production in Small Quantities Ahead of Fall 2014 Launch

Apr 25Nike CEO 'Excited' About Future of Fitness Partnership with Apple

Apr 24Apple Researching Temperature, Pressure, and Humidity Sensors for Mobile Devices

As flowing links from : http://www.macrumors.com/roundup/iwatch/

Jerry's Command	Apple iWatch release might be on September 2014. As we knew Amazon has been release smartphone "fire" Manufacture from Taiwan Company.That is PC distribution company.  Blackberry Release new product too.
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