iWatch

168 'iWatch' stories December 2010 - January 2016

Apple Watch political oopsies: Jeb Bush’s ‘Batphone’ interrupts interview, Nancy Pelosi’s makes SOTU cameo

Zac Hall Jan 13 2016 - 11:52 am PT

It’s no secret that former Florida governor Jeb Bush is a huge fan of his Apple Watch. Since the Apple Watch launched, the Republican presidential candidate has gone after the youth vote by showing off his Apple Watch and calling it a better option than Obamacare, despite labeling it unintuitive and power-hungry a few months later.

Jeb’s “iWatch,” as he often calls it, wasn’t dead earlier this week during an interview with the Des Moines Register’s editorial board, USA Today points out, as the presidential hopeful accidentally either placed or answered a phone call on it unknowingly. Jeb explained it away to the Iowa paper by declaring that he’d never had his “bat phone” turn on. Thankfully there’s video of this genuinely amusing moment.

And on the other side of the political aisle, Democratic Congresswoman Nancy Pelosi gave her own Apple Watch an equally entertaining product endorsement during President Obama’s State of the Union address last night …

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European lawsuit over iWatch name shows why Apple had to choose ‘Apple Watch’

Cam Bunton Jul 15 2015 - 6:33 am PT

31 Comments

A European trademark holder has filed a lawsuit against Apple over the name ‘iWatch‘, despite the fact that the company’s own product was ultimately named Apple Watch. The issue it seems is paid promotion on Google search ads when the term “iWatch” is searched. Since Apple’s smartwatch was long rumored to be called the iWatch, and many regulars (including Tim Cook) still refer to it as such, Cupertino figured people would search for ‘iWatch’ when looking for its new device and took out some Google ads for the keyword to take advantage. Search for ‘iWatch’ yourself and you’ll almost certainly see a link to Apple Watch as the top result…
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Review: Apple Watch as a design piece

Michael Steeber May 4 2015 - 6:45 am PT

25 Comments

Precision. That’s the word that immediately came to mind the minute I picked up my Apple Watch for the first time. Something about this device felt different, on an almost subconscious level, from any other Apple product I’ve used before. Perhaps I was just caught up in the moment. After all, the Watch is the first totally new product to come out of Apple since the introduction of the iPad, which feels like so many years ago. On the other hand, I knew from the onset that I planned on buying the Apple Watch mostly for its design. I wasn’t so much interested in all of the software features it could offer me, I just couldn’t imagine not having this shiny little box on my wrist. With that in mind, let’s take a closer look at the Apple Watch strictly as a design piece.

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Supply chain rumor says Quanta kicking off Apple Watch production in Jan 2015

Zac Hall Sep 30 2014 - 8:17 am PT

3 Comments

Apple has already previewed the Apple Watch at this month’s iPhone event and the unreleased wearable is currently on display in Paris’s Collette, but Apple hasn’t shared specific availability details for the Apple Watch beyond saying ‘early 2015’. A rumor from the Asian supply chain shared by Apple Daily (via GforGames) claims Quanta Computer out of Taiwan will kick off mass production for the Watch for Apple in January 2015…
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Apple engineers apparently already testing the Apple Watch in the wild

Mark Gurman Sep 22 2014 - 10:28 am PT

5 Comments

*Actors, not actual Apple employees

The Apple Watch is only shipping early next year, after being announced earlier this month, and Apple engineers are reportedly already sporting the wearable in the wild. According to reports on Twitter, Apple engineers have been spotted with the sport model at their usual bus stops en route to work:

https://twitter.com/rohitjenveja/status/514102142802489344

Of course, they were carrying the new iPhones, too. We’ll know how the battery life is if they’re still wearing the watches when they return to the bus stop tonight. Another reader spotted the Raffi model last week:

https://twitter.com/natechiger/status/510603395527622656

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Apple names Apple Watch Marketing and Medical VPs as it puts out first job listing

Jordan Kahn Sep 15 2014 - 1:09 pm PT

3 Comments

Apple has now named new Marketing and Medical VPs for its Apple Watch team following the product’s official unveiling earlier this month. The company has also today posted its first job listing seeking software engineers for the Apple Watch team on its website.
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Guess Watches CEO pretends she welcomes the Apple Watch as she announces GUESS’s smartwatch plans

Ben Lovejoy Sep 15 2014 - 6:58 am PT

35 Comments

If you’re the CEO of a watch company, you likely watched the announcement of the Apple Watch with a mixture of optimism and fear. Optimism because Apple just made watches cool again in a market where many people haven’t worn one for years. Fear because most of those who now have a renewed interest in watches aren’t going to buy yours.

Guess Watches CEO Cindy Livingston put a brave face on it with a letter welcoming Tim Cook to the watch industry (full version below) as she announced the company plans to make a smartwatch of its own …
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Most analysts satisfied with Apple’s announcements, think AAPL stock will climb

Ben Lovejoy Sep 11 2014 - 7:16 am PT

8 Comments

Big-name analysts seemed satisfied with what they saw and heard during Apple’s launch of the iPhone 6, Apple Watch and Apple Pay, reports Forbes. Summarising investor notes from a dozen major companies, Chuck Jones found the general feeling was that Apple had delivered what was expected.

The overall average of AAPL stock price targets was $109, against the current price of just over $100. Analysts pointed to a range of factors in forming their views, among them …
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Poll: Was a square format the right choice for the Apple Watch, or would round have been better?

Ben Lovejoy Sep 11 2014 - 4:30 am PT

109 Comments

The fact that Apple was working on a smartwatch may have been one of the worst-kept secrets in the world, but the company did at least manage to keep us guessing about the form it would take – right down to whether the form factor would be square or circular.

Was a square format the right choice? To help us form a view, UX/UI designer Alcion has put together a series of renders showing what the Apple Watch would look like with a round face …
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Apple Watch uses constant skin contact to validate Apple Pay purchases

Stephen Hall Sep 10 2014 - 5:29 pm PT

32 Comments

A couple of reports yesterday and today have highlighted a little tidbit of information many have been wondering about the upcoming Apple Watch: How will the device make sure payments via Apple Pay are secure? Both the iPhone 6 and iPhone 6 Plus have the convenient Touch ID sensor to validate that your purchases are indeed being done by you, but new information suggests that the Apple Watch is going to accomplish this security in a slightly different way…

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We’re not the only ones used to calling it the iWatch – even Tim Cook slips up

Ben Lovejoy Sep 10 2014 - 5:35 am PT

30 Comments

I tweeted earlier that it’s going to take a while to get used to referring to the Apple Watch instead of iWatch, and it seems I’m in good company. As The Verge noted, even Tim Cook said iWatch during his ABC News interview when talking about US jobs created by the company.

Developers writing applications for iPhone and iPad and Mac and now, of course, as of today, the iWatch

The question is, was the slip-up because Cook spends too much time reading tech sites, or was it that Apple originally intended to release it as the iWatch, having a change of mind some way down the line?

you think 'iTouch' is bad?

'iWatch' will be with us forever :/

— Seth Weintraub (@llsethj) September 9, 2014

iWatch was (and I think still is) the obvious name for the product. Apple Watch feels awkward in comparison. As Mike Beasley observed, Apple Phone or Apple Tablet doesn’t have the same ring as iPhone and iPad, so why not iWatch? It surely can’t just be that Apple was miffed that the tech press has been using the term so long it felt it had to prove us wrong?

Its the most personal device we've ever created. But to throw you for a loop we're not using i-Prefix.<fingertouch> pic.twitter.com/fYngSAcIeq

— Seth Weintraub (@llsethj) September 10, 2014

Apple announces WatchKit for Apple Watch, demos Facebook, Twitter, and other functionality

Dom Esposito Sep 9 2014 - 11:45 am PT

11 Comments

After the unveiling of Apple Watch during the Sept. 9 iPhone launch event, Apple announced WatchKit for Apple Watch. This is a new development kit will allow developers to create interesting and exciting ways to use the Apple Watch hardware and software in their apps.

WatchKit allows integration for Actionable notifications, WatchKit apps, and Glances. During the keynote, Apple demonstrated Facebook and Twitter functionality with Apple Watch along with other apps with the ability to unlock a hotel door, get transit directions, post to Pinterest, find your car, change the temperature with a Honeywell thermostat, and use Nike fitness features. All of these features and functionality will exist within individual Apple Watch apps.

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Apple announces iPhone 6 and iPhone 6 Plus

Jordan Kahn Sep 9 2014 - 10:11 am PT

19 Comments

Live on stage, Apple has just kicked things off during its event by officially announcing the new iPhone lineup: the much rumored 4.7-inch device is called iPhone 6, while the larger 5.5-inch model is dubbed “iPhone 6 Plus”. Here’s what we know so far:
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Apple shares dedicated page w/ updates from today’s iPhone/Wearable event

Zac Hall Sep 9 2014 - 8:35 am PT

12 Comments

In addition to hyping today’s event with a countdown on the home page, Apple has debuted a dedicated page on its website to presumably break down the announcements shared by the company later today. The microsite so far includes photographs, captions, and a tweet from Apple CEO Tim Cook hyping the event under the header Apple Live. The blog-style page marks a first for Apple and how it presents its special events. Each tile, for instance, can be shared across the web with support for Facebook, Twitter, Pinterest, Tumblr, email, and URL linking.

Apple shared last week that today’s special event will be live streamed, and this morning the Apple Events channel was revived on Apple TV. We’re expecting to see new iPhones introduced alongside a preview of Apple’s long-expected wearable device, and 9to5Mac will be covering the event as it unfolds so stay tuned!
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Apple Events channel added to Apple TV for iPhone / Wearable live stream

Zac Hall Sep 9 2014 - 3:07 am PT

13 Comments

Image via @SonnyDickson

Apple announced on Thursday that it will broadcast this year’s iPhone event live for Safari and Apple TV users, and today Apple TV has revived the dedicated Apple Events channel for viewing the announcement live during the event. The channel usually remains for a short time after the event for on-demand viewing. As always, we’ll be sharing major announcements from Apple’s event for those who cannot view the live stream throughout the event.
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Mayo Clinic will reportedly take part in HealthKit presentation during Apple media event

Mike Beasley Sep 8 2014 - 11:44 pm PT

2 Comments

Apple first unveiled its Health application and associated HealthKit framework during WWDC earlier this year with a quote from Dr. John H. Noseworthy, CEO of the Mayo Clinic, a development partner for the iOS Health platform. Now a new report from the Star Tribune claims that the Mayo Clinic will have a role in revealing the next-generation health capabilities of an upcoming device at tomorrow’s event.

It’s not yet clear whether this will happen during a look at iOS 8 or during the preview of Apple’s first wearable device and its health-tracking capabilities. Apple is expected to give details about both during the event, along with two new versions of the iPhone.

Despite denial from band, U2 still set to perform at Apple event tomorrow says New York Times

Mike Beasley Sep 8 2014 - 5:16 pm PT

27 Comments

Recent rumors that indicated U2 would be involved in the launch of tomorrow’s iPhone 6 and iWatch have been shot down by the band, but the New York Times said today the musicians will in fact have a role in the event. According to three sources who spoke to the Times, U2 is scheduled to perform during the event and announce an “integration” of its upcoming album with one of Apple’s new devices.

Apple and U2 have had a longstanding relationship since the launch of the original iPod, when the band revealed a special edition black and red “U2” model. Tomorrow’s event is one of the most-hyped Apple events in recent years, and has been given a full-page countdown timer on the company’s home page. Earlier today ABC News called the upcoming announcement “groundbreaking” and “historic.” It would make a lot of sense for Apple to team up with U2 again for such a big reveal.

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ABC News teases David Muir special with exclusive access to tomorrow’s iPhone announcement

Mike Beasley Sep 8 2014 - 4:01 pm PT

19 Comments

ABC News has posted a new video (seen above) teasing an exclusive look at Apple’s “historic” iPhone 6 announcement tomorrow. The special will air on ABC at 6:30 PM and will be hosted by David Muir, who the network says is the only network television anchor with an invitation to the press event.

We’re not quite sure how “exclusive” the details in the special will be, however, given that by 6:30 PM even the smallest details of the event and perhaps even any unannounced new items to appear on Apple’s website will have been thouroughly documented already. However, it’s quite possible that Muir will sit down with an executive such as CEO Tim Cook to discuss the event and the impact it will have on Apple’s future. Muir has interviewed Apple executives in the past, so it wouldn’t be a stretch to think they’d give him another opportunity to do so.

Tomorrow’s event will serve as the official announcement for two models of the iPhone 6 as well as Apple’s new wearable device, which will be available early next year.

Apple hyping up tomorrow’s event by forwarding homepage to event live stream

Mark Gurman Sep 8 2014 - 11:11 am PT

31 Comments

We’re less than 24 hours away from Apple’s big iPhone 6, iWatch/iBand, and mobile payments event. Apple is continuing to raise hype for the event by forwarding its www.apple.com homepage to the actual live stream page for the event. We’ll know for sure tomorrow, but it seems like Apple believes it has several surprises in store for tomorrow. We’ll have a full news hub with the latest coverage before, during, and after the event tomorrow.

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Macotakara: 4.7-inch iPhone called ‘iPhone 6’, 5.5-inch model ‘iPhone 6 Plus’

Mark Gurman Sep 8 2014 - 9:08 am PT

45 Comments

While we seem to know all about the features in the new iPhone and the new design, something still left up in the Air are the names of the new phones. While some have long-referred to the new devices as the “iPhone 6” or the “iPhone Air,” no outright claims have been made about the names until a new report today. According to Macotakara, the 4.7-inch model will be known as “iPhone 6” while the 5.5-inch version will be called the “iPhone 6 Plus.” Apple has not used the “Plus” suffix for a product since the “Mac Plus“, so that would be a first for an iOS device. iLounge first presented the Plus name as a possibility in January 2013. This naming convention does not seem incredibly likely, but Macotakara did indeed accurately predict the iPhone 5s and iPhone 5c names last fall. Leaning toward iPhone 6 being at least one of the two names is that the camera data shared by the “reviewer” of leaked 4.7-inch iPhone 6 hardware refers to the device as the iPhone 6.

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Alleged leak of iWatch component drawings & specs surface ahead of tomorrow’s unveiling

Jordan Kahn Sep 8 2014 - 6:11 am PT

77 Comments

A set of images have appeared online today (via Reddit) allegedly showing CAD drawings for various components of Apple’s yet to be announced wearable product. The images, which include a watermark from one of Apple’s longtime manufacturing partners Quanta, show various mic and speaker components that look to be right for a watch-like device, but the poster adds more details in a description of the photos. According to the leak, Apple’s wearable will have a mic, speaker, Siri, and a “flexible, multi-touch screen will add a new dimension to the UI.” It’s also worth noting that Quanta was one of Apple’s partners that was reportedly already beginning trial production and expected to be a main supplier of iWatch.

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Apple reportedly planning to implement tokenization in NFC payment system

Mike Beasley Sep 7 2014 - 9:48 pm PT

16 Comments

We may finally have a reason for why Apple Stores and some other stores are installing new NFC payment hardware ahead of the iPhone 6 launch. Apple is reportedly planning on implementing a security feature called tokenzation in the system, which removes the necessity to transmit account numbers or other critical personal details wirelessly (via Bank Innovation).

This tokenization system employs secure codes become useless after being used once. That boosts security by ensuring that any information captured by nefarious third-parties doesn’t give them access to your account or money. However, not all NFC payment terminals can accept this type of payment.

In order to support the iPhone 6, stores will need to upgrade to point-of-sale systems that will function with these tokens. That’s likely why Apple has upgraded its in-store systems and McDonald’s restaurants are receiving new terminals for rollout around the time of the device’s launch despite some stores already supporting NFC payments, while a few other retailers rumored to be on board with Apple’s system are installing NFC terminals for the first time.

Apple will debut on the next iPhone on Tuesday, alongside a wearable device that is also rumored to support NFC payments.

Is this the first video review of the iPhone 6?

Seth Weintraub Sep 7 2014 - 1:37 am PT

219 Comments

[youtube=https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=eQopSbASO40]

The iPhone 6 leaks are coming fast and furious ahead of Tuesday’s event. This latest video is a supposed review of the iPhone 6 in Mandarin. We won’t know how legit it is for another 48 hours but it is certainly convincing.

One notable feature of these latest leaks is the Passbook (~~which they conveniently failed to open~~) icon which looks to have a Credit card on top. Update: The Weibo Account owner opened up Passbook and screenshotted (below)

A brief translation of the video from Stan1028 below (more in comments):
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Apple wearable to run third-party apps, big developers already seeded SDK

Mark Gurman Sep 6 2014 - 4:43 pm PT

56 Comments

Apple’s upcoming wearable device, based on iOS, will run third-party applications and, furthermore, may come equipped with an App Store, according to two sources with knowledge of the new device. It is currently unclear if the App Store will be full-fledged, like on the iPhone and iPad, or if it will be a special section with in the iPhone App Store for apps that play nicely with the new wearable device.

A small handful of high-profile social network and services companies with apps on the iPhone and iPad App Store have already been seeded with a pre-release version of the Apple SDK (Software Development Kit) for wearables under strict non-disclosure agreements. One of the developers with access to the pre-release SDK is Facebook, according to a source. Facebook is also said to be finishing up work on an iOS 8-optimized version of its iPhone app with improved notifications. The social network is also experimenting with ways it can leverage the new Notification Center widget APIs.

The SDK was seeded “very recently” to these developers, and Apple likely wants to demonstrate some third-party wearable apps at Tuesday’s event, according to one source. Apple, in the past, has provided select developers with early versions of SDKs in order to boast new apps on the keynote stage. For example, several apps from companies like AOL were shown off with the first public demonstration of the iPhone SDK, fancy gaming and drawing apps were demonstrated alongside the first iPad in 2010, and the iPhone 4S’s dual-core A5 chip was launched alongside a graphics-intense video game…

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