iWatch speculation

Lots of iWatch speculation over the weekend. Two pieces in particular caught my eye.

First, there’s Why would Apple make a watch? by James Gill.

Not long after Tim Cook took over as full time CEO, he made a promise: “We’re going to double down on secrecy.” A few years on from that comment, it seems, as with most of Tim’s public comments, that it was more than just empty marketing speak. From the completely redesigned iOS 7 in 2013, to the launch of a whole new programming language, Swift, at this years WWDC, to the announcements that are about to be unveiled, Apple are tighter lipped and appear to be more controlled than ever.

At first blush, it might seem as if the exact opposite is true. We seem to know a lot about what’s coming, including detailed specs. But I’ll wager that there’s plenty of wow coming, even if what we think we know is spot on. So much has been written about the iWatch, but have you seen even one leaked image? If Apple does indeed announce an iWatch tomorrow, full credit must go to Tim Cook’s ability to keep his “double down on secrecy” promise.

At the very least, I am more than curious about what is underneath that structure.

Also from the essay:

Any watch Apple makes will need to be incredibly light, incredibly thin, and unobtrusive to the point where you forget you’re wearing it. When you go for a run, do you want to be wearing a Rolex or a FuelBand?

An excellent question. If I am heading out to a business meeting or a more formal dinner, what would I want to be wearing? The same watch? Now that would be a trick.

Another essay, this from Kirk McElhearn, Why the Apple iWatch Will Come in Different Shapes and Sizes, speaks to this point.

I do not believe that there will be a single iWatch. I think this will be a broad product category, similar to the iPod product line. I expect Apple to introduce several types of wearable devices, built around an iOS-based software platform. Apple will be targeting a wide range of users with these devices, rater than trying to sell a one-usage-fits-all device. From the basic fitness tracker user, who just wants to count steps or other activity, to the user willing to pay a premium for a fancy watch, I think there will be iWatches for everyone.

Interesting speculation. If there even is an iWatch.

One final thought, a bit of speculation of my own. In an earlier post, Jean-Louis Gassée speculated on the inclusion of Near Field Communication in a potential iPhone 6 as part of a payment system. Is it possible to squeeze NFC into a watch sized device?