The Secret Behind the Design of the Apple Watch
And why it will go way beyond just being worn on the wrist
On September 1st, 2010 Steve Jobs announced the 6th Generation iPod Nano, a beautiful little square iPod with the simplicity that everyone was looking for in a compact music player — a tiny touchscreen, 24hr battery life even featuring a built in clip.
When you look back and watch the video of Steve Jobs standing on stage that day, it makes you wonder if he had any idea this would pave the path for a completely new type of product. Few were able to spot the true potential of this new gadget, the beginning of what is now starting to become the age of the smartwatch.
“It’s very tiny, it’s amazing. It’s super easy to use. It’s so small we were even able to put a clip on it too, so that it’s instantly wearable”
— Steve Jobs
As Jobs stood on the stage and spoke about how functional and simplistic the new compact design the new iPod was, he starts to poke at what could become of it — even saying one of his board of directors plans on wearing it as a watch. Ironically, the crowd starts laughing as he chuckles on stage.
Apple designers and product teams took that lesson back to their drawing boards when designing the Apple Watch. What Apple did was take the design of the iPod Nano and pack as much extra technology as they could fit in that little device. By creating the Apple Watch as a square instead of a circular display, they may be allowing extra versatility in the product. If developers and accessory makers saw beyond the compact design of the square Nano, what will they do next with the Apple Watch?
Apple Watch: Simple and Versatile
One of the most overlooked features and design of the Apple Watch is the unique design of the band. Apple has added extra versatility with the quick removal of the band. Not only does this allow users to swap out bands on the fly, it also unlocks an entirely new way to leverage the device. With the “snap-in” functionality in addition to the magnetic wireless charging, accessory makers will be able to create unique docks, charging stations and adapters allowing the Apple Watch to easily mount to places such as bicycle or a motorcycle handlebar.
We’re already starting to see the expansion of smartwatches beyond just the wrist. Here we see the Moto 360 smartwatch being worn as a pendant using a special hook adapter — a fully funded Kickstarter project by Steel Connect that was prototyped using 3D printers.
So, what’s the use case for this? It could make a very unique and easy way of networking at a big tech conference. Companies could create a new kind of interactive nametag and way to track retail employees that push promotions, reminders or alerts for their customers.
For many, the smartwatch is still a device of uncertainty. Understandably so as it is still considered a gadget for early adopters. Are the features really that useful? Is it too geeky? Do you really need yet another device in your life? Besides, most of us don’t even wear a watch to begin with.
Yet it’s hard to ignore just how amazing the sheer size and functionality these new devices bring to the table. While the smartphone is getting bigger, the smartwatch will only get smaller and more powerful with each new iteration. Developers, accessory makers and entrepreneurs will surely find new creative ways of leveraging this micro computer.
The real question is — will you buy a Smartwatch? What potential do you see in this tiny device?
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