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Tim Cook: Apple Watch will replace car keyfobs, reward exercise, filter messages

tim-cook-apple-watch

In an interview with the UK’s Telegraph newspaper, Tim Cook said that while people might see limited reasons to want an Apple Watch today, they will soon find lots of other uses for it. The interview took place during a London stop in Cook’s international tour.

This will be just like the iPhone: people wanted it and bought for a particular reason, perhaps for browsing, but then found out that they loved it for all sorts of other reasons.

One of those reasons, he said, would be to replace your car keyfob … 

Cook didn’t hint at an Apple car, but rather appeared to be suggesting that deals with existing manufacturers for either NFC or Bluetooth unlocking would be struck.

The watch is designed to be able to replace car keys and the clumsy, large fobs that are now used by many vehicles, Cook told The Telegraph. This could be a major development and will reinforce the view that Apple is circling the automotive market.

Business Insider noted that Apple already has a patent for car unlocking via an iPhone app.

Cook reiterated the health applications of the smartwatch, repeating his regular line about too much sitting being bad for us and noting that the Apple Watch will gently tap our wrists once an hour to remind us to move, but also hinted at ‘rewards’ for exercising.

Even more intriguingly, the Watch will operate a special rewards system: users will get credits if they exercise enough. They will also be encouraged to increase their metabolic targets if they meet their exercise targets consistently.

While the Telegraph seemed to be suggesting something more, it’s likely Cook is merely referring to the Nike+ style badges.

medals

Perhaps being rewarded for every single moment of exercise–even using a loofah to scrub our backs–will be a good reason to leave the watch on in the shower

Cook said that the watch will allow “filtering” of messages.

It will make it much easier to prioritise, spot and react to urgent messages, such as a family emergency. These notifications will be much easier to deal with via one’s wrist than through an iPhone, especially in meetings.

The Apple CEO also repeated that the battery-life would be just one day, though did promise fast charging through the “incredible” charger he said is designed for efficiency as well as beauty.

We’ll obviously hear much more about the Apple Watch in the next couple of weeks, with Apple’s Spring forward event scheduled for 9th March ahead of an expected April release. Jewelry and watch people have already been sharing their views, and it’s likely we’ll hear a lot more of their perspective–and see some more competitor offerings–at the Baselworld trade show later in March.

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Comments

  1. Odys (@twittester10) - 9 years ago

    Tim Cook for President :) – seriously name one CEO who met with a head of the foreign state before !

    • Milorad Ivović - 9 years ago

      You mean, unlike all the CEOs who’ve met with heads of state while being courted for their enormous business and financial interests? CEOs of banks, telecommunications infrastructure companies, military equipment manufacturers, etc etc? Not to mention petrochemical companies.

  2. dcj001 - 9 years ago

    “even using a loafer to scrub our backs”

    Loofah.

  3. Sounds very interesting. Can’t wait to hear more on March 9.

    • incredibilistic - 9 years ago

      Here, here!! The day I can leave the house with just my iPhone and Apple Watch (no driver’s license, credit/debit card or discount cards) and get everything done — lunch/dinner, gas, coffee, movie tickets, shopping — will be a glorious day indeed.

      The great thing is this will happen sooner rather than later. We won’t have to wait 20 more years before this is a reality. In about 10 years (maybe less) getting into your autonomous Apple Car with nothing more than an iPhone and Apple Watch, while you work on a spreadsheet on your iPad, being auto-chauffeured to work will be a normal thing.

      • acooke5592 - 9 years ago

        No, it won’t.

        There is zero chance you’ll have a self-driving car, by any manufacturer, in ten years. Twenty is a stretch.

        Take a look at the disconnect between the brave new technological age you espouse and Americas crumbing infrastructure.

        Is Apple going to replace the roads and provide the logistical components needed to run on even the major roads of the country? A huge segment of the population can’t even get broadband yet, and thus, are still waiting to realize the “dream” of the original iPhone.

  4. James Alexander - 9 years ago

    If my phone and watch can replace the outdated wallet and keys I would be in heaven.

  5. Gazoo Bee - 9 years ago

    I think these badge award things are probably the most TACKY, ugly, stupid and cringeworthy thing about Apple Watch. My jaw hit the floor when they showed them on stage. I initially thought they were some kind of joke.

    Besides being tasteless and ugly they have no meaning at all and that’s unforgivable. They are tacky skeuomorphic pieces of shite that go against Apple’s own guidelines for design. What does the lightning bolt mean? What are those stripes there for? Why is it even that shape? Are there other shapes? If I almost kill myself on that marathon next week, do you think I might get a parallelogram or a circle? Wow, that would be cool, eh?

    And who picked that colour scheme? if this skeuomorphic crap was real, I think it would be an “award” one might get in the early 80’s for wearing parachute pants and participating in a “Men at Work” dance marathon.

    • Ben Lovejoy - 9 years ago

      Top rant :-)

    • I’m pretty sure the design shown in this article is a “7” badge. They’ve shown a few and they all have a digit worked into the design.

      My guess is that you get a “1” badge when you complete your fitness goals for a day and then start earning more the more days you do in a row. It may be nothing more than a personal motivation thing. See how high you can get; feel good about yourself. But maybe there will be some social aspects of it to allow you to compare/brag with friends.

      • Ben Lovejoy - 9 years ago

        Yep, this is indeed a ‘7’ badge

    • fattym77 - 9 years ago

      Wow. You probably shouldn’t get this watch.

    • incredibilistic - 9 years ago

      I was bit thrown off by that too but it’s grown on me. In a world where everyone’s chasing the flattest possible interface I like the Apple is going against the grain and adding some touch of 3D into the mix.

      Most of the UI is still iOS 8 flat so you really won’t see these types of images often.

    • acslater017 - 9 years ago

      Oh come off it. Apple obviously knows how to do flat if the situation fits. A trophy-like award for an athletic achievement is probably the most appropriate use I could think of. “Meaning”? It’s a virtual reward, like an achievement or trophy in video games. It’s a mental thing, which is what exercise routines are all about.

  6. o0smoothies0o - 9 years ago

    Already knew it would replace keyfobs before it was announced, just because it’s obvious. Another unannounced feature or future feature is aura of security where it will unlock all things you approach due to being authenticated on your wrist. Lock once you step away, seamlessly, effortlessly.

  7. IoT.do - 9 years ago

    We’ll believe it when we see it.

  8. I’m surprised no one has mentioned the fact that business professionals will find the Apple Watch to be amazingly convenient when in meetings, lunches, etc.

    Being able to see notifications on your wrist rather than having to pull out your iPhone is a huge selling point.

  9. Ashrakay (@Ashrakay) - 9 years ago

    Is it just me or does it look like over 25% of the Apple Watch face is unusable dead space?
    https://dl.dropboxusercontent.com/u/7833744/wasted-space.png

    • o0smoothies0o - 9 years ago

      Yeah, your option is to not purchase it

    • Milorad Ivović - 9 years ago

      It’s not screen space, but it’s used for detecting the ingress of swipes over each edge. On a device that small, it must present difficulties tracking distinct swipe motions vs drags when drawing those picture messages.

  10. Tim, read my… keyboard: a device that’s dead at the end of the day will be no good unlocking your car, or doing any of the other fancy heartbeat stuff you’ve been trying to make so important for us.

    Improve the damn battery life if you want to produce something more that another city-slicker gadget, and something that will be actually useful.

    I understand it’s an “Apple ego” thing (retina displays and top specs), but engineering-wise, putting a retina display in there was probably what broke it with the Watch, an overkill.

    • o0smoothies0o - 9 years ago

      Oh dear. You do realize it’s been said to last a day right? Retina display is an absolute must.

    • charismatron - 9 years ago

      Having to race to your car before your watch died just so you could get into your vehicle would kinda suck. And then there’s the hysterically inevitable, “No dear, I didn’t die (on account of you not receiving my pulse), but my battery did.”

      I’m kidding, but you know these are likely to happen. They’ll at least make for good stories at the bar. :)

      • Dilbert Adams - 9 years ago

        Phone battery going flat during an important call kinda sucks, laptop battery dying during a lecture kinda sucks, car battery dead on the morning when you are late to work kinda sucks, boat battery dying when you roll up and want to head in for home kinda sucks. It won’t be two long before batteries go the way of windmills…

    • strawbis - 9 years ago

      I don’t believe wanting a convenience tool that ties you into an ecosystem that you’ve already made a sizeable investment in is egotistical in the least, But I agree that the currently reported battery tech is insufficient to satisfy all of the reported uses.

      Hopefully there will be additional charging tech – similar to that found in Citizen’s “Eco-Drive” Watches – that will prolong Vital (Read: non screen dependant) functionality for short range transmission\signalling.

  11. wdwmcm - 9 years ago

    Will the apple watch even ship with a band? the Sport edition…??

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Avatar for Ben Lovejoy Ben Lovejoy

Ben Lovejoy is a British technology writer and EU Editor for 9to5Mac. He’s known for his op-eds and diary pieces, exploring his experience of Apple products over time, for a more rounded review. He also writes fiction, with two technothriller novels, a couple of SF shorts and a rom-com!


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