People are waiting for the next big innovation from Apple, and some are saying it will be in the form of a small wearable device that you can sync with your iPhone or iPad. The media name for this device, which is heavily rumored but not yet confirmed, is iWatch.
Since Apple has filed 79 patents related to wearable technology, some people see an iWatch in the near future. The iWatch could be tethered to an iPhone or iPad, and provide a stream of content and alerts to the wearer, such as weather, e-mail, or stock quotes. Users would be able to check the apps they use most often on their wrists instead of pulling out a phone.
Such a product does not seem too far-fetched, since the development of similar devices, such as the Pebble Watch. Pebble can be linked to a smartphone with either an iOS or Android, and is worn on the wrist. The Verge has reported that Google Glass will be available in 2013, cost under $1500, and be a wearable computer headset. Corning has also announced that they have developed a flexible glass product, called Willow Glass, with wearable technology applications. But, Corning also says products made with the glass probably won’t come to market for another three years.
Technology exists to make the iWatch secure and even provide security for your iPhone. Biometric authentication, like fingerprint or iris scan, could be used for the iWatch. It may also be possible for you to set your iPhone is set to remain locked until it detects the iWatch in close proximity. That way, even if someone picked up your iPhone, and knew your passcode, they wouldn’t be able to unlock it without the iWatch. Some have speculated that these security features will be part of iWatch.
Other unknown features include battery life for the watch. No one wants to have to take off a watch a couple of times during the day to charge it, which could happen with frequent, heavy use. Pebble Watch has a magnetic charger. Some are saying Apple could incorporate wireless charging into the iWatch.
Still, Bloomberg reports that the iWatch is real. In an article on March 4, Bloomberg stated that “people familiar with the company’s plans” said that Apple has a team of about 100 product designers working on a wristwatch-like device and seeks to introduce the device as early as this year. If you’d like to see a video that has pictures from a patent filed by Apple for a wearable tech accessory, check out this: http://www.bloomberg.com/video/a-first-look-at-apple-s-new-iwatch-LS0mdOrGQHuMvzR_0EHuYA.html