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NYT: iWatch to feature flexible display panel, wireless charging, iPhone 6 to have ‘one handed mode’

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The New York Times is weighing in on Apple’s imminent iPhone event, corroborating past information as well as adding some new tidbits about Apple’s newest iPhones (the ‘iPhone 6’) and its brand new wearable (dubbed ‘iWatch’).

Most interestingly, it says that the iWatch will feature a flexible display. Assumedly, this will allow the product to morph to fit comfortably on user’s arms. KGI’s Ming-Chi Kuo predicted Apple’s use of a flexible panel in July. The screen is protected by sapphire glass. As 9to5Mac has reported countless times, the device will feature health and fitness tracking capabilities, for things like footsteps and heart rate. The report claims Apple has “put an enormous amount of time and money” to make the sensors track “much more accurately than existing fitness devices”.

In terms of software, the device will rely on HealthKit for health tracking and Handoff, one of Apple’s iOS 8 continuity features, to seamlessly share content between devices. Handoff could be used for sharing SMS texts between the phone and the watch, for instance. 9to5Mac discussed how Handoff might interact with Apple’s wearable a couple of months ago.

It has a flexible display panel that is protected by a cover composed of sapphire, a type of tougher glass, they said. The device’s circuit board, which includes its sensors and chips, was described as tiny, about the size of a postage stamp.

9to5Mac first reported on Apple’s plans for miniaturisation of components in January, to make such a product possible.

Sources also hint that Apple has developed technologies to be able to pack several different sensors into a single chipset for miniaturization purposes.

The NYT report also corroborates almost every detail of the iPhone 6 leaks; two models, 4.7 and 5.5 inch, tapered edges. This is the design that has been observed in mockup videos for months now. What’s interesting is that the piece brings new information about how Apple will manage the increase in screen size. The iPhone 6 will apparently feature a ‘one-handed mode’, where the system keyboard and apps will reflow such that they can be used with one only one hand. This mode can be enabled or disabled according to user preferences.

NFC will be present on both the watch and the iPhone 6, to make for easier intra-device pairing as well as power Apple’s mobile payments initiative. iPhone 6 owners will be able to pay for items at select merchants, without touching their wallets for cash or credit cards.

All will be revealed on September 9th. Earlier today, Apple confirmed that a livestream of the event will be provided. It is even hyping the announcements with a countdown on its website. 9to5Mac will of course have full coverage too.

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Comments

  1. Ry L - 10 years ago

    I don’t understand how a flexible display could be protected by inflexible saphire

    • Probably just a sapphire composite and not a full sheet of sapphire.

    • Benjamin Ferguson - 10 years ago

      I initially had the same thought, and then came that realization that display itself may be flexible in order to meet some type of curve that Apple has designed with the Saphire. If you look at Samsung’s recently released stand alone smart watch, it has a curved display (flexible) but it’s fixed to a specific curvature.

      Was really hoping Apple was going to release a round watch, but signs are pointing more and more to something not of that shape.

    • degraevesofie - 10 years ago

      I assume the display panel is flexible, but it’s held in a fixed shape and covered by a fixed-shaped sapphire glass. So the watch-face as a whole is not flexible (but presumably not flat either).

  2. herb02135go - 10 years ago

    My Galaxy S5 has a one-handed mode.
    It’s a custom feature that the user can tailor to their hand size. And it’s easily activated or disabled

    It’s very nice and provides a good option for those who want a larger screen but worry about the usability of a larger device.

    • towamp - 10 years ago

      I like how no one is paying you attention anymore.

      • Eli Matar - 10 years ago

        You are paying him attention, Dumbo.

    • o0smoothies0o - 10 years ago

      Finally you said something that wasn’t a dig at Apple. If Apple does include a mode like this, it’s not because they are copying, but rather, because it makes sense. Like a power button on the side of a huge device makes sense to continue one-handed operation as much as possible.

      • herb02135go - 10 years ago

        Sorry to disappoint you. :)

      • And like building phones too big for human hands makes sense.

      • o0smoothies0o - 10 years ago

        @Manfred I assure you, it’s small enough for human hands, adult hands anyway. If you want to change your statement to ‘too big for one-handed use’ that would make more sense, but then you’d need to preface that with smartphone display use, as the phone is still easily useable with one hand for phone calling.

  3. PMZanetti - 10 years ago

    Would be better if the iPhone itself detects whether its being held with 1 or 2 hands ;)

    • herb02135go - 10 years ago

      That would be cool. Who knows?
      I think you Apple fans will appreciate this feature.

      • o0smoothies0o - 10 years ago

        It’s life easier when you don’t talk trash about Apple constantly? I think you’ll appreciate the iWatch and I think you’ll be able to use it despite owning an Andriod based phone, although you obviously won’t get nearly all of the features, like pairing and deep interconnectivity. Even if you can’t use it though, I think it will bring about other companies trying to innovate in this space.

      • herb02135go - 10 years ago

        Thanks, but I gave up strapping measuring devices to my body years ago.

        I don’t think a huge percent of the population wants to do that but, heck, it’s not my money!

    • No. What if a someone has a hand large enough to use it one handed? The iPhone automatically shrinking what is on screen could make it more difficult to use.

  4. DanCMos - 10 years ago

    These “watches” are really not that attractive. Flexible or not. Omega, Rolex, etc… remain much more handsome and timeless.

    • herb02135go - 10 years ago

      And people laugh at Google glasses.
      There’s a reason people don’t wear watches.

      • Robert Nixon - 10 years ago

        Where do you people come from where people don’t wear watches? I realize not everyone wears them, but seriously, a lot of fucking people still wear watches.

    • o0smoothies0o - 10 years ago

      You haven’t seen the iWatch so you haven’t seen a single thing that looks remotely close to it, I can assure you none of the concepts come close. They’re almost all hideous.

    • Eli Matar - 10 years ago

      “Rolex and Omega watches are more handsome”… Like Steve once said about Touch Screen Interface and how people wont adapt to it: “death will take care of it”.
      The generation that finds Omega and Rolex handsome is slowly disappearing my friend. Ask your little nephew or niece what they think of an analog watch.
      The new generation doesnt give a #### about analog stuff anymore.

      • Cun Con - 10 years ago

        Rolex and Omega are considered more jewelry than timepiece. Not everyone wears jewelry all the time. I, in fact, own an Omega Sea Master, but haven’t worn it for so long. It sat in my drawer collecting dusts. Now I think Rolex and Omega watches are overpriced and outdated. Time for modern, multi-functional time pieces.

      • greenbelt2csp - 10 years ago

        Until the power goes out. Good luck fighting zombies without a time piece. My mechanical self-winder will last forever, or until I get eaten. ;)

    • degraevesofie - 10 years ago

      > These “watches” are really not that attractive. Flexible or not. Omega, Rolex, etc… remain much more handsome and timeless.

      I haven’t seen Apple’s watch (if indeed it exists) and I agree there are many watches out there that look so much nicer than what passes for a “smart watch” these days. However, Omega and Rolex don’t do it for me at all. (My husband has a Movado that looks stunning; almost as nice as the Rado I suggested he get instead :-P)

  5. acslater017 - 10 years ago

    Doubtful about the one-handed mode. It’s almost never in Apple’s MO to do “modes” – they would never do a Samsung Easy Mode, or Windows Vista Starter/Home/Home Premium/Business/Enterprise/Ultimate.

    They try to solve the problem at a fundamental level rather than make the user toggle. I think they mostly have solved the drawbacks of a large screen. The iPhone 6 looks thin, with rounded edges, thin bezels, and a relocated sleep/wake button. iOS 8 has predictive typing, third-party keyboards, persistent back gestures, auto layout, etc.

    • herb02135go - 10 years ago

      The Samsung “toggle” is swiping the display. No need to go into a menu each time.

      The other things you mentioned help though.
      Can you increase screen size using the volume control buttons? The S5 does.

      • charilaosmulder - 10 years ago

        It’s an extremely unintuitive gesture on the S5 and the mode itself doesn’t just shrink the UI but shrinks the content too, leaving huge black borders that completely defeat the single great purpose of a large display. It looks plain wrong, and the ugly UI right around the miniaturized display isn’t helping the usability of buttons and gestures on the edges of the display either.

    • Justin Siebert - 10 years ago

      pretty sure apple does “modes.” Ever use an iPad? It has a split screen keyboard. SMH…

    • o0smoothies0o - 10 years ago

      Apparently you don’t know the dimensions (or very close to what they will be) of the 5.5″ iPhone 6. It is HUGE. It’s not possible you could use it one-handed unless Apple came up with great software changes.

      • acslater017 - 10 years ago

        It may not have solved for everything, but there are MUCH fewer situations where a user needs to reach to the top compared to iOS 6/iPhone 5. The “Back” button in the top left corner is now a persistent back swipe. Unlocking is done by TouchID and sleep/wake is moved to the side. QuickType will reduce the need to jump around the keyboard. There’s a few things left, but the situation is quite a bit improved since the last hardware revision in 2012.

    • Robert Nixon - 10 years ago

      iBooks has a pretty nice “Night mode” in iOS 8. Same with Maps.

      And don’t forget about “Portrait vs. Landscape” modes.

      I’m certain there are others. Apple would be stupid to ignore the fact that the context their devices are used is not immutable.

      • o0smoothies0o - 10 years ago

        Exactly. Plus Yosemite has dark mode. iOS REALLY needs a dark mode too. It would be so amazing to have a light/dark mode button in control center, just tap it and it instantly changes to a much more suitable experience for nighttime/daytime. Even at minimum brightness it’s just straining on the eyes. Look at the movies section of the iTunes app at night, it’s sooooo much more pleasant on your eyes.

      • acslater017 - 10 years ago

        I guess I should have bee more specific. Obviously I didn’t mean that Apple devices never adapt to different situations or needs of the user. Reader View, Accessibility, auto brightness, etc. are examples of “modes” in the literal sense.

        What I meant to say is that Apple rarely changes UI layout unless it is absolutely necessary (e.g. landscape vs. portrait). For example, there is no “Mouse Mode” vs. “Trackpad mode” button. They didn’t take the Windows 8 route by gluing iOS UI on top of OS X. I can’t envision Apple designers taking the easy way out saying, “OK team, it’s hard to use big phones with one hand. What do we do? I know! One Hand Mode!”

        Apple will take the time to consider the underlying design issue, which is what I think they’re doing with iOS 8 and the iPhone 6 hardware. “Throw a mode at it” and shaking up the UI is rarely a solution that Apple takes, and I don’t think Maps dark mode or display orientation disprove that.

  6. j0hnf23 - 10 years ago

    I’m more and more excited with every rumor for the next big thing :-)

    • herb02135go - 10 years ago

      Hey, that’s Samsung’s line!

      It will be interesting to see what is truly new. Too bad there is so much hype that obscures the fact that some features are only new to iPhone.

      • That’s not Samesung’s line ;) You better study a bit and see who was there first with what you Samesh*t fan boy.

      • herb02135go - 10 years ago

        I certainly hope your tweets are more mature than your punk comments.

      • Bruno Fernandes (@Linkb8) - 10 years ago

        Pots, kettles, glass houses and stones, etc. Android owes every bit of its existence to iOS. And Samsung owes both Google and Apple for it and everything else.

      • j0hnf23 - 10 years ago

        I’m afraid that the expectations will be immense and the keynote will be a big let down

      • oomu (@oomu) - 10 years ago

        ??

    • herb02135go - 10 years ago

      Don’t get your hopes up.

  7. Bruno Fernandes (@Linkb8) - 10 years ago

    Ahh, “one-handed mode” for more celebrity photo leaks. Good job Apple! Wink wink nudge nudge.

  8. estrith22 - 10 years ago

    Wireless charging, NFC, Better sensors? I guess we’ll find out on 9/9/14…

    • taoprophet420 - 10 years ago

      NFC and wireless charging will be done on the same chip. One of Apple parents that will actually be used.

      • o0smoothies0o - 10 years ago

        Wireless charging is idiotic on a phone unless it can be done at 1 meter at least.

      • taoprophet420 - 10 years ago

        I was referring to the IiWarch, but would not be surprised if the iPhone can wirelessly charge or even have a mode it can charge the iWatch.

      • estrith22 - 10 years ago

        That should let them be able to fit so much more into a smaller watch then right?

      • taoprophet420 - 10 years ago

        Sure they will try to get as many features into each chip as possible to keep it thin and power efficient.

  9. herb02135go - 10 years ago

    Reading a map on the iwatch? ??
    What a joke. And we thought people texting and driving are idiotic!

    I’d say this article is what we should expect. The WSJ is a favored media outlet and the story was likely leaked by Apple PR.

    • o0smoothies0o - 10 years ago

      Ordering a pizza on Andriod wear watch? Worst idea ever conceived.

      • flaviosuave - 10 years ago

        Are you kidding? Being able to push-button order without getting his dumpy self out of his chair saves herb02135go countless seconds that he can use for trolling Apple websites despite not owning or using any of their products.

      • whatyoutalkingboutwillis - 10 years ago

        Ordering pizza on a watch would be awesome. I’d feel like a chubby 007

    • herb02135go - 10 years ago

      So now smoothie is changing her name and replying to her own comments.
      Fail.

      • o0smoothies0o - 10 years ago

        I’m a guy although I know how much you wish I were a girl, since you don’t usually converse with them.

    • oomu (@oomu) - 10 years ago

      O_o

  10. taoprophet420 - 10 years ago

    Put one and 2 together and you will figure out the multifunction power button on the side will be used to switch from one to two hand mode.

    I have used every iPhone 2 handed from the 3GS, 4 and 5 so it really doesn’t matter to me.

    • taoprophet420 - 10 years ago

      Still betting the NFC chip will be handling the witeless charging duties too.

      • o0smoothies0o - 10 years ago

        No wireless charging on the iPhone unless they do near field magnetic resonance and can attain around 1 meter distance.

      • herb02135go - 10 years ago

        In related news …. cases of wrist burns and tumors skyrocket ….

      • o0smoothies0o - 10 years ago

        @herb Apple has a patent on it, and they specifically state that it is safe. Granted, many things have been said to be safe that really aren’t. Many things don’t have the research to scientifically prove it.

  11. patstar5 - 10 years ago

    I have a 5.5 inch phone, when people tell me it is too big, I tell them the next iPhone will be this size. They are like, “no way”. Well i know they won’t be getting the 6l, I think 4.7 inches is as big as you can get while still being able to use it easily in one hand (moto x is great). I wonder who will complain about the 4.7 inch model then, because for most people it should be good size. I wonder if they will release an iPod touch with bigger screen… Well I am not going back to ios but interested in what apple is releasing. If they ever decide to go cross platform I might buy a product from them again (like a mac).

    • I have a 5 and I (naturally) really like it, but every time I hold my wife’s 4 I think “man this thing is perfect!”. If I had my way, they would have kept the 4/4S style around as a cheaper option. Hell, why not even update the internals a little? Everything about that phone is great. If you ask me, it might be Apple’s greatest product. Ever. But you know, that’s just me. I’ll probably eventually get a 6S or 7, or whatever they end up calling it in whatever the smallest size is, but I’ll always miss that 4. What a great product.

  12. Alex (@Metascover) - 10 years ago

    One handed mode is the stupidest thing ever, at least if implemented like in Samsung phones. If you want a phone that operates with one hand, buy a smaller one.

    • herb02135go - 10 years ago

      I disagree.
      I’m typing this using one hand on my S5.
      (The other hand is tied behind my back. Get your minds out of the gutter. )

    • patstar5 - 10 years ago

      Well Sony Xperia z3 compact will be a good phone if you decide iPhone 6 is to big

  13. Taste_of_Apple - 10 years ago

    Some nice potential features here. Looking forward to the big day. Can’t wait to see what pans out.

  14. frankjgjr - 10 years ago

    Great designs!

  15. Shrinivas - 10 years ago

    Reblogged this on SHRINIVAS GANESAN and commented:
    The device will feature health and fitness tracking capabilities, for things like footsteps and heart rate.

    • herb02135go - 10 years ago

      Pedometer? Gear Fit has it.
      Heart rate monitor? Gear Fit has it.

      Why is everyone so excited about features that are already available?

      • rettun1 - 10 years ago

        Because it’s a cool product from a company that some of us like to follow. But you already knew that because you aren’t dumb, you just like harassing people.

      • charilaosmulder - 10 years ago

        Because sammy’s implementation is limited and shows a tremendous lack of vision. Apple’s new “Health” app will neatly collect much more data that sammy’s wearable, combine it with whichever other health/fitness devices you have from third parties connected to Health via the Healthkit framework, provide relevant information instead of raw data and even directly connect to your personal healthcare when needed. This “feature” as a whole is not “already available”.

        It’s a zoo on android. Every hw manufacturer tries to make their own solution, they don’t work together at all, Google has no native solution, and as a result sammy has to do it all by themselves, creating a gigabytes thick layer on top of android that makes maintenance so complex making simple things like system updates from Google impossible to deploy instantaneously accros samsung users.

      • oomu (@oomu) - 10 years ago

        we don’t care what other half-thought product has.

      • o0smoothies0o - 10 years ago

        Galaxy S has a heart rate monitor on the phone itself, most embarrassing gimmick possible, oh no wait there are so many embarrassingly bad gimmicks from Samsung and android I don’t know which is the worst. Anyway, a heart rate monitor and pedometer are EASY. Wrist worn fitness trackers have had those for years, the difference is that Apple’s will be waaaayyyyyy more accurate, and provide numerous other sensors which Samsung can’t/doesn’t.

        Not only that, but this device will be for homekit as well. With Touch ID it will remain authenticated while it’s on your wrist and only lock when taken off your wrist, thus it has the unique ability to invisibly unlock all of your smart devices and other Apple products just by proximity to them. Imagine an invisible aura around you which will unlock things when you get close enough to them, and lock things when you get far enough away, seamlessly, and invisibly.

  16. I find it impressive, that Apple has been able to keep the design of the watch/wearable under the radar. With all the leaks of the design of the iPhone you can find, there is not a single one (not that I’m aware of) that shows how the watch will look.

    And I agree that practically all the concepts out there looks like crap. An oversized watch was okay back in the 80’s when it came with a build-in calculator. But today it has to be more sleak. The only concept I would consider buying is the one by Todd Hamilton http://www.technobuffalo.com/2014/01/21/iwatch-concept-shows-curved-display-fuelband-design/ . I really really hope Apple won’t make just another big-block-on-a-wristband like alle the other current smart watches.

  17. Nono Sierra - 10 years ago

    Is it waterproof or are least water-resistant?

Author

Avatar for Benjamin Mayo Benjamin Mayo

Benjamin develops iOS apps professionally and covers Apple news and rumors for 9to5Mac. Listen to Benjamin, every week, on the Happy Hour podcast. Check out his personal blog. Message Benjamin over email or Twitter.