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This is Apple's first "smart watch"
We're all waiting for Apple's seemingly inevitable foray into the world of smart wearables, but you might not know that the company dabbled in the idea of a wrist-worn computing device as far back as the 1980s. The peculiar contraption you see above was designed to be wrapped around your wrist and used as an input device, as you can see by the oh-so-80s column-shaped buttons. The keypad was meant to pair with an Apple-branded headset that came equipped with a single earpiece and a thick wraparound microphone. Neither of these devices ever made it out of the concept stage, but they both clearly show that Apple was considering wearables many moons ago. The photos come from Hartmut Esslinger's book about the early designs of Apple products. Titled "Keep It Simple: The Early Design Years of Apple," the book was published earlier this year and features some seriously obnoxious retro Apple devices, most of which never graced consumers' hands. [via AppleInsider]
Ming-Chi Kuo and The Legend of the $3,000 iWatch
Along with the iPhone predictions I covered yesterday from KGI Securities analyst Ming-Chi Kuo -- who, despite being wrong about new Apple products many times, is described by various outlets as "spot on" and "pretty reliable" -- we were graced with a supposed bit of insider info on Apple's still mythical iWatch. Along with Kuo's theory that there will be two different sizes of the wearable, the analyst makes a downright shocking claim that Apple's watch will be priced as high as "several thousand US dollars." As usual, this sketchy claim was treated as all but confirmation that Tim Cook is indeed poised to drop a wrist-worn device as expensive as a used car on the world, and the headlines flowed forth. "Here's how much the iWatch will cost," "The most accurate Apple analyst in the world is predicting iWatches will cost several thousand dollars," and "Apple's iWatch could cost over $1,000" are just a few choice examples, but there are plenty more. Perhaps I wake up on a different frequency than the rest of humanity, but I would sooner believe that Apple is planning to purchase a national coffee chain than give any credit to a rumor that the company's unannounced wearable is priced as high as the Mac Pro. Do you know who would buy a $3,000 iWatch? Nobody. Ok, that's probably not true; I imagine there are a half dozen executives growing tired of their Rolexes, but that's never been Apple's market. Apple makes premium products, and the iPad, iPhone, and Mac are often pricier than the competition, but they're priced to be desirable. Apple isn't in the business of cheap products, and they're also not going to try to compete with Louis Vuitton. Kuo adds a little bit of flavor to the iWatch rumors by adding that the device itself will have a "fashionable appearance" and "we predict the iWatch casing and band will come in various materials." Talk about painting with broad strokes. By adding obscure, meaningless details like this, Kuo's overall iWatch prediction list looks a little bit better, even after we discover that the most critical bullet point -- the price -- was a total miss. So if and when the iWatch is announced, and we all discover it's priced in the ballpark of Apple's other mobile gadgets, will this be counted as a massive error by Kuo? Of course not. The world will brush it off and the next time the analyst comes calling with a wild guess, he will still be described as "almost always correct." [Details & high-res version of movie poster available here]
Apple may make Siri smarter by tapping into your apps
Right now you can ask Siri to nab you some movie tickets or reserve a table at your favorite restaurant, but there's still plenty she (or he) can't handle. According to a report from The Information though, the folks in Cupertino are working to make Siri smarter by giving it the ability to search and point to third-party apps.
The best (and worst) iWatch concepts
Apple might possibly launch a wrist-wearable smart device this year that could maybe be fitness and health focused, but that's about as much as anyone cares to guess at this point. The almost complete lack of verifiable information regarding the device -- which has been unanimously tagged the "iWatch" -- means that talent concept artists have had an absolute field day with the idea, creating gadgets that range from mild to mind-blowing. Here are the good, the bad, and the ugly iWatch concepts that the web has come up with so far. Designer: ADR Studio Verdict: It's one of the more modest iWatch concepts and definitely has the "iPhone shrunk for your wrist" feel to it. I wouldn't be against a smartwatch like this, though I have a feeling battery life would be abysmal. Designer: Esben Oxholm Verdict: It's definitely got the Apple look. It's sleek, simple, and sexy without being flashy. The curved glass seems like a cracked screen just waiting to happen, and the rigid design will limit its mass appeal, but it would have plenty of fans, too. Designer: Anders Kjellberg Verdict: This one looks like it could appear on a store shelf tomorrow, but it also feels a bit like something you'd see with a Casio logo. The concept features a FaceTime camera and access to apps like Maps, but it really doesn't look like an Apple product. Designer: Pavel Simeonov Verdict: I could definitely see Apple going with the long-screen route, which makes this concept feel pretty solid. The in-band camera seems like wishful thinking, as does the edge-to-edge display, but if the mythical iWatch went with a design like this, it would definitely shake things up. Designer: Federico Ciccarese Verdict: This one is a bit pie-in-the-sky, given its massive screen and what is essentially a full iPhone feature set, but there's no denying that it's gorgeous. It seems like it would get scratched up pretty quickly, but that's the price you pay to wear a smartphone on your wrist. Designer: Nickolay Lamm Verdict: Now this is an interesting idea. As Lamm states on his site, he used ideas from Apple's own patent for "spiral navigation" for the UI, and it's certainly unlike anything that currently exists. A circular screen is a risky proposition, and might turn some people off, but it's certainly unique. Designer: Federico Ciccarese Verdict: Wow! Originally designed as an iPhone 5 concept, this one looks like a cross between an iPhone and one of those face-huggers from the Aliens movie franchise, but it's certainly got a futuristic appeal to it. It doesn't look particularly comfortable, but having an iPhone attached to your wrist at all times might make up for that. [Header Image Credit: Federico Ciccarese]
It's a little too big to be an iWatch
Hmmm, well it's certainly too big to strap to your wrist, so I suppose we'll have to call it the "iClock"? [Photo credit: Carlos Varela]
Apple reportedly testing inductive, solar and motion charging for its unannounced smartwatch
We've heard that when Apple reveals its first smartwatch product, there's going to be a heavy focus on health and fitness, but there might also be a way to charge the wearable without plugging it in, according to a report from The New York Times. Inductive charging came in a wave of smartphones last year, including Google's Nexus 4 and Nokia's Lumia 920 range, although we don't often see it in anything smaller than a phone (or camera) form factor. Apple, however, is looking into cramming the same technology into its iWatch, or whatever it eventually calls its debut wearable. It works like this: Electromagnetic fields are generated from a charging base, which are then picked up by metal coils and transformed into for-real electricity that charges your device. The Cupertino company is experimenting with other new charging methods too, although these are apparently years away from consumer products. Sources close to the matter also mentioned the inclusion of a solar layer beneath the device's display, while the company has also looked into kinetically charging its wearables -- something that is already used in many modern (non-smart) timepieces.
Weekly Roundup: Pebble Steel review, Google Glass prescription frames and more!
You might say the week is never really done in consumer technology news. Your workweek, however, hopefully draws to a close at some point. This is the Weekly Roundup on Engadget, a quick peek back at the top headlines for the past seven days -- all handpicked by the editors here at the site. Click on through the break, and enjoy.
Apple's iWatch and iOS 8 are reportedly fitness-focused
We still don't know exactly what Apple's long-rumored smart watch is, or what it's called -- yes, iWatch is probably right -- but a report today from 9to5Mac posits a whole heap of new information. First, the wearable works in concert with "Healthbook," a new internal app intended to track various fitness (steps, distance, etc.) and health metrics (blood pressure, heart rate, etc.). Second, it looks like Healthbook -- at least currently -- is a crucial part of iOS 8, and when paired with iWatch (or whatever it's called) the two are "able to monitor several other pieces of health and fitness data." It's unclear exactly what that means. Like it's name, Healthbook is apparently pretty similar to Passbook, and you'll be able to swipe through various "cards" with health information. Of course, none of this should come as a tremendous shock (though it's all still firmly in the rumor bin) -- word of Apple working on a wearable has been floating for quite some time, and it's past the point of coincidence. Between Apple hiring wearable electronics engineers (notable ones!), meeting with FDA regulators about "mobile medical applications," and the competition already staking a firm claim in the nascent smart watch market, no one following the tech news beast should be shocked. That's to say nothing of the dedicated chip inside Apple's latest iPhone (seen above). Regardless, with nothing officially announced just yet, we've reached out to Apple for more.
Rumor Roundup: Broken resolution
The linkbait and breathless re-posting of poorly-sourced nonsense continues apace, with at least two articles claiming to have knowledge (and photos!) of a phone that probably isn't even being built in factories yet. New iPhone 6 details possibly revealed! (BGR) A South Korean publication claims the next iPhone, the "iPhone Air," will be 6 millimeters thick. But from BGR's article: "The publication says the news comes from Chinese media, but it certainly can't be verified at this point." Not only can it not be verified, with nine months (or so) to go before the next iPhone launches, anyone claiming to have knowledge of the next-gen handset is off their rocker. Apple hits snags in 'iWatch' production, loses director of iPod software to Nest (AppleInsider; also covered by BGR, MacRumors) The Information reports that Apple is running into problems bringing the iWatch to market. Since its article is behind a paywall, it's uncertain if one of the challenges/snags/problems they mention is, "No credible source has ever come out with verifiable information that this product actually exists, and all anyone has to go on so far is speculative nonsense from analysts and lamebrained echo-chamber BS from 'supply chain sources in Asia'." John Gruber of Daring Fireball classified this as "From the Department of Not-News," and Jim Dalrymple of The Loop agreed with him. Since these guys are two of only a very few Apple writers I trust, you might as well take this rumor out into the desert and bury it. This could be the first ever image of the iPhone 6 frame (BGR; also covered by 9to5 Mac) I'm not sure what's more depressing: that BGR and 9to5 Mac reblogged these photos despite both of them admitting they were "dubious" and/or "sketchy, or that 9to5 Mac couldn't even make it two whole weeks into 2014 before falling headfirst back into the "Apple rumor game of telephone" by passing on this kind of garbage-sourced non-story. Oh well. Resolutions are made to be broken, I guess.
Galaxy Gear features Apple should adopt (or abandon) for the iWatch
The tech world largely seems to have made its mind up that Apple will release its own smartwatch sometime in 2014. Personally, I'm skeptical. After witnessing the face-plant the Samsung Galaxy Gear performed, I'm not sure Apple would even be confident in testing the waters with an iWatch. But assuming that such a device is indeed in the works, let's take a look at what Apple should have learned from Samsung's less-than-spectacular smartwatch debut. Find my device One of the simplest features of the Gear is actually one that I'd use most often on an iWatch. Having my watch ding my phone so I can find it buried behind a couch cushion or forgotten in a coat pocket would be pretty slick, and the ability to use your phone to likewise find your smartwatch is an equally useful feature. You may not misplace your phone as often as I do, but for those of us with chronic lost-phone syndrome, it would be a lifesaver. Verdict: Adopt The camera Gross. Ew. What? The camera is the most head-scratching feature of the Galaxy Gear, mainly because of how poorly it's implemented. A lens embedded in the actual watch band is just about the worst idea in the short history of smartwatches. On top of that, I've not once seen a photo from a Gear that looked even half as good as they do in Samsung's TV ads (shocker), and I doubt I ever will. If Apple did decide to include a camera -- which I don't think they would to begin with -- you can bet your house that, at the very least, it wouldn't be built into the part of the watch that is highly likely to be resting face-down on a desk or other damaging surface. Verdict: Abandon Built-in speaker The Gear can answer your phone, by which I mean it can stop it from ringing -- which is something Pebble can technically already do, too -- but you can actually take phone calls with it, too, which is pretty convenient if you really don't feel like taking your phone out of your pocket or bag. It's the ultimate first-world problem, but if you're going to make a wearable that works hand in hand with your smartphone, it better be able to take calls. Verdict: Adopt The unswappable watchband Had Samsung not gone all-in with the camera, the Gear would probably have interchangeable watchbands. Unfortunately, by building the pricey lens right into the band itself, you won't be swapping it out anytime soon. Apple isn't exactly known for making customizable devices -- removable pieces aren't usually part of the company's design doctrine -- but allowing for different iWatch bands is simply a no-brainer. If I'm going to drop US$200 or more on a watch, I better be able to change the damn bands. Verdict: Abandon S Voice / Siri This one is a gimme: Siri is a perfect fit for the iWatch just like S Voice is for the Galaxy Gear. Quick reminders, schedule changes, text message replies and general information queries are just the type of tiny tasks I'd like a smartwatch to take care of, and Siri would make that all possible. I'm still not convinced that smartwatches are even capable of making our lives better, but this would be a fine start. Verdict: Adopt Compatibility with only two devices at launch Verdict: Abandon!
Rumor Roundup: Year of the iWatch
Apple's 'iWatch' Said to Arrive in October 2014 with Wireless Charging (MacRumors) Some Chinese site claims Apple will release the iWatch in October 2014. However, according to MacRumors "C Technology's rumor track record is mixed." This stab at credibility suffers somewhat a couple paragraphs earlier in this piece, where MacRumors uses a "report" from Digitimes (of all places) as "evidence" the iWatch will be released in mid-2014. Since this was the only rumor I could find this week, I decided to take a trip down memory lane regarding this perpetually "coming next year" product and consolidate some previous Roundup commentary on the iWatch. Some new comments with the benefit of 20/20 hindsight are appended. Just to give you an idea of how completely stupid the iWatch rumors have been this year, here's my compilation of the number of times various sources came up in support of this thing's potential existence. Note that this is probably a ground-floor estimate; I don't read absolutely every rumor that surfaces about Apple, because if I did, I wouldn't have enough live brain cells remaining to keep my heart from stopping. "People familiar with the matter" - 5 Analyst - 8 Digitimes - 2 Other Asian publication - 3 Rumor blog speculation - 3 Legitimate, verified news source - 0 February 2013 Apple Said to Have Team Developing Wristwatch Computer - Bloomberg Apple purportedly has a team of 100 "product designers" working on an iWatch. Small problem: haven't we heard over and over again that Apple has an extremely small product design team? There's Jonathan Ive, a handful of lieutenants, and... well, that's about it, isn't it? If Apple has 100 "product designers" working throughout the entire company, that's news to me. Maybe if you start lumping in the software teams the number starts getting higher, but in terms of hardware design we're generally given the impression that Apple has a tiny cadre of people in this area. Disruptions: Apple Is Said to Be Developing a Curved-Glass Smart Watch - NYTimes.com Despite the sensational headline and the supposedly aboveboard authority of the Times, this article doesn't really bring anything new to the table. Two people who are supposedly "familiar with the company's explorations" claim that "Apple is experimenting with wristwatch-like devices made of curved glass." I'm sure Apple experiments with lots of things, and the patents it applies for bear that out. Whether those products will ever find their way to store shelves is another matter entirely. I still think an "iWatch" is a niche product at best and a ridiculously useless bauble at worst, but that's without ever having seen leaked prototype components, much less a working model. Naturally, given the provenance of this rumor, the Internet ran wild with it, with several sites making it sound like the iWatch is all but inevitable. You know, just like they have with the Apple HDTV and a pile of other rumorware. March 2013 Apple's Planned 'IWatch' Could Be More Profitable Than TV - Bloomberg Bloomberg doubles down on its prediction that the iWatch will launch this year. Of course, lots of people have said the same thing about the Apple HDTV, and that's nowhere to be seen either. (I guess 2013 technically isn't over yet. Bloomberg still has a chance.) Apple's watch will run iOS and arrive later this year, say sources | The Verge The iWatch will supposedly run full iOS, according to The Verge's sources. However, those same sources say battery life issues are stymying Apple's efforts. (Same comment here; there's still a couple of weeks left before The Verge looks completely stupid for posting this.) Jony Ive Ordered Boxes Of Nike Watches - Business Insider Jony Ive supposedly ordered a bunch of Nike watches in the mid-2000s, which Bloomberg takes to mean he's been thinking about the iWatch for a long time. Hey, I'll bet Ive bought a car when he was 16 years old... BREAKING EXCLUSIVE: Jony Ive to design iCar Apple's HDTV reportedly delayed, iWatch may launch this year (BGR) Peter Misek is at it again: the Apple HDTV is supposedly "delayed" yet again and due to launch "sometime next year," and he gives the iWatch a 50/50 chance of launching this year. "Apple HDTV delayed until next year" is the headline that keeps on giving. It's like putting a readerboard sign in front of your restaurant that says "Free donuts tomorrow" -- you never need to pay off on the promise, because technically the board always says the donuts will be free at some future date. (Peter Misek admittedly only gave the iWatch a 50/50 chance of launching, which is still better odds than any of Peter Misek's predictions about Apple ever coming true.) April 2013 More signs point to 2013 Apple 'iWatch' launch (BGR) In this case, "signs" can be defined as some analyst's random ravings about Apple's future plans, with no evidence to support any of his claims. (Another analyst predicts a 2013 launch for the iWatch. *looks at nonexistent watch, looks up, raises eyebrow, taps foot impatiently*) May 2013 Apple's 'iWatch' to come in late 2014 with focus on biometrics, analyst says (AppleInsider) Some analyst says the iWatch won't come until late 2014. These guys have enough trouble accurately predicting what Apple will do three months in the future, much less a year and a half from now. This is also typical analyst behavior: make wild claims about some supposedly forthcoming Apple product for several months, then after no proof of its existence or imminent launch appears, make up some reason why the product was "delayed" until some date comfortably far in the future. Analysts have been playing this same game with the "Apple HDTV" for several years. (As far as I can tell, this is the turning point between "iWatch will launch in 2013" and "iWatch isn't coming until late next year.") July 2013 Apple files for 'iWatch' trademark in Japan for watch/handheld product (9to5 Mac) From the article: "With Apple seemingly amping up the regulation processes for launching a new product, it seems likely that Apple is moving towards a launch for its long-rumored wrist device sometime soon." Here's an alternate explanation: Apple has pre-emptively trademarked the name "iWatch" to stop Samsung or some other tragically unoriginal hacks from piggybacking off the well known "iDevice" branding by releasing a terrible smartwatch with that exact name. A look at some flexible batteries that could power iWatch (9to5 Mac) While this tech is cool, associating it with the so-called "iWatch" is a pretty big stretch. Remind me again how many credible reports have come out indicating Apple is building this thing? No, I said credible reports. No analysts, no "sources from the Asian supply chain," and no "people familiar with the matter." Is it a number greater than zero? (Spoiler alert: no.) Reportedly leaked Bluetooth roadmap hints at future iPhone, 'iWatch' features (AppleInsider) From the popular rumor blog destination of Non Sequitur City comes this... "report" is the charitable word for it, I suppose. Bluetooth SIG has mapped out some features it wants to roll out, and somehow that translates to "future Apple products will do all of this stuff." We get it, guys. You want to be able to claim "FIRST!" when it comes to predicting future Apple products. But at least be sensible about it. Apple 'Aggressively' Hiring for Smart Watch Project, Looking Toward Late 2014 Launch (MacRumors) This is neither the first time we've heard that Apple is "aggressively hiring" for this entirely hypothetical product, nor the first time that the always in-motion launch date has slipped farther outward. Here's a question: if Apple had never released the watch-like fifth-gen iPod nano, would we be buried under a mountain of stupid "iWatch" articles all these years later? September 2013 Apple projected to ship nearly 65M 'iWatch' units priced at $199 in first year (AppleInsider) Some analyst floats some nonsense numbers for a completely speculative product. For some reason, this is reported like it's actual news. Attention AppleInsider and the rest of you rumor blogs: please just accept that these so-called "analysts" know precisely Jacques-merde about Apple and stop polluting the Internet with their re-reported nonsense. Apple iWatch rumored for 2H 2014 launch, priced between $149-$229 (BGR) Hey, speaking of sources not worth paying the least bit of serious attention to, "Digitimes cites an analyst" --BZZZZT, super-duper-mega-ultra-fail. Next! October 2013 Apple is reportedly testing iWatch designs with flexible OLED displays (BGR) "According to a brief report from South Korean newspaper The Chosun Ilbo" -- sounds legit! "While there is still no firm sign from Cupertino that the company actually has a smartwatch in the works," don't let that stop us from speculating about it. Endlessly! And when this hypothetical, nonsensical product fails to materialize year after year, we can always claim that Apple has encountered manufacturing issues, or licensing problems, or any other excuse to cover up the fact that we have no idea what we're talking about and are completely making all of this up. November 2013 Apple working to slim its iWatch via intermittent Bluetooth LE connection? (9to5 Mac) "The question mark in the headline lets us retain our powers of legitimacy!" -9to5 Mac editors From the article: "One of the barriers to widespread adoption of smartwatches is that existing models are not exactly sleek." That's one of the barriers, yes. Another is that existing models suck. Another barrier is that no one has come up with a justifiable use case for a smartwatch. Like, at all. It sounds like something out of an episode of Pimp My Ride. "Yo dawg, I heard you like touchscreens, so now you got one you can wear on your wrist, and you can read your email without having to take your iPhone out of your pock- dude, where are you going? Come back!" Also, the "iWatch concept" image that heads this 9to5 Mac story makes me incredibly glad that it's Jonathan Ive who's doing design for Apple and not... not whoever this was. Ugggh. Rumor: LG nearing deal to supply 'iWatch' OLEDs, Samsung not a candidate (AppleInsider) Apple has shown zero interest in adopting OLED technology in any of its devices, and the iWatch is nothing more than an analyst's LSD trip. "Hard evidence supporting a near-future debut" for the iWatch "has yet to surface" according to AppleInsider. That's probably because the iWatch is and always has been a profoundly stupid idea. Analyst: iTV plans put on hold for wearables debut in 2014 (9to5 Mac) Kudos to 9to5 Mac for revealing the terrible provenance of this story right in the headline, thereby sparing the more seasoned and intelligent readers from bothering to click on it. Analysts don't know a damned thing about Apple's future plans.This particular analyst pulls off a truly spectacular whiff of a strikeout: he claims the Apple HDTV is delayed because Apple is focusing on launching the iWatch next year instead. Just so we're clear, an Apple product that has never been confirmed to exist and that makes no sense for Apple to produce has apparently been delayed so Apple can focus on a completely different unconfirmed product which also makes no sense for them to build or sell. I'd say money can't buy you analysis like that, but unfortunately, apparently it can. Report: Apple's iWatch will come in 1.3″ & 1.7″ models to accommodate men & women wrist sizes (9to5 Mac) From the article: "DisplaySearch has a bit of a hit and miss track record when it comes to Apple product launches." Mysteriously left out of the article: "But, pageviews, so here's a reprint of their latest vowel movement anyway." As for the claim itself... this is the kind of article that makes me wish I had a pet bird, just so I could print it out and use it to line the bottom of its cage. December 2013 Rumor: Apple taps Quanta to build bigger iPad, iWatch in 2014 (AppleInsider) "The latest rumors on Apple's future products were shared on Monday by DigiTimes" - BZZZT, wrong, next! Not only does AppleInsider do its readers a disservice by passing on garbage from DigiTimes, it goes on to spike its credibility by not writing a single word about DigiTimes' notoriously poor track record. Not even a single "sometimes reliable" qualifier for old times' sake. Do you guys seriously think we'll just forget about how godawful DigiTimes' accuracy is if you stop mentioning it? Okay. After all that, who's still convinced the iWatch is a real thing, one that actually has a legitimate chance of showing up on store shelves? Show of hands. Those of you with your hands up, please report to level 5, where you will be assigned a section of wall to bang your head against. Forever.
Apple has been hiring former fashion executives, but why?
Yesterday's hiring of former Burberry CEO Angela Ahrendts by Apple is just latest example of what is becoming a trend for new Apple hires: A lot of them have a background in fashion. As The Mac Observer points out, Ahrendts' appointment to senior VP of Retail and Online Stores was preceded by a pair of former Nike designers and an executive from French fashion house Yves Saint Laurent. In short, Apple is looking downright fabulous. But why would former fashion industry insiders be useful to Apple? It's simple: wearable tech. We've been hearing rumblings of an iWatch for some time -- though at the moment the competition seems to be doing more harm to the would-be smartwatch market than good -- and if Apple plans to release one in the future, it's going to have to be mighty sexy. Of course, there are other areas you could wear a gadget besides your wrist -- Google Glass being a fine example of this -- though if the new fashion-forward hiring trend is indeed intended to help influence new Apple products as they take shape, it's likely that we're nowhere near actually seeing them in the flesh... or on the flesh. [Image credit: Miss Karen] [via The Mac Observer]
Weekly Roundup: Galaxy Note 3 and Gear reviews, Twitter's $1 billion IPO, Silk Road shutdown and more!
You might say the week is never really done in consumer technology news. Your workweek, however, hopefully draws to a close at some point. This is the Weekly Roundup on Engadget, a quick peek back at the top headlines for the past seven days -- all handpicked by the editors here at the site. Click on through the break, and enjoy.
Apple hires top designer from Nike
9to5Mac is reporting that Apple recently hired former Nike design director Ben Shaffer. At Nike, Shaffer was the Studio Director of the Innovation Kitchen. This is Nike's research and development lab where new product designs are created. Under Shaffer's lead, Nike was named the most innovative company in 2013 by Fast Company. Nike's Innovation Kitchen has been connected to wearable products like the popular Nike Fuel Band, and most recently, the Flyknit shoe. The hiring of Shaffer comes just weeks after word surfaced that Apple had hired famed fitness guru and Nike FuelBand consultant Jay Blahnik. As for the reasons behind Apple's recent hires, the rumor mill suggests that Apple is shoring up its iWatch team with fitness experts to shore up functionality for the long-rumored device. While no Apple product is ever official until publicly announced, there have been no shortage of reports indicating that Apple is working on some sort of wearable device. Indeed, Tim Cook even noted during a recent interview at the All Things D conference that the "wrist is interesting" with respect to wearable technology. On top of that, remember that Apple has filed for iWatch trademarks in a number of countries across the globe. Returning back to Shaffer, Fast Company was able to source more details about his move from Nike to Apple. In doing so, Fast Company found that Shaffer was not, as initially reported, part of the team that helped develop the Nike FuelBand. We have confirmed that Shaffer no longer works at Nike and that he is indeed going to Apple. There's just one hiccup: Shaffer wasn't really involved in the FuelBand project. He was not a "FuelBand designer"; rather, his contributions at Nike were related to footwear innovation. In fact, one Nike source just told me that it's his understanding that Shaffer didn't even do work on the FuelBand. It's yet another example of the interminable Apple rumor mill--and serves as a sign of the intense anticipation for Apple to get involved in the wearable computer space, and of our tendency to grasp onto rumors and their expected connotations, regardless if they're even true. Still, Fast Company describes Shaffer as a brilliant engineer who played a key role in the development of Nike's Flyknit technology, which enables shoes to be extremely light weight. You can read more about that over here. So per usual, Apple seems to be up to something, but only the folks at Apple know specifically what that might be.
Apple hires former Nike FuelBand consultant Jay Blahnik
Apple has hired fitness expert and former Nike FuelBand consultant Jay Blahnik, reports 9to5Mac. Blahnik is well-known in the fitness industry and has worked for Apple in the past on unspecified products. The fact that Apple is now bringing him on in a full-time role now suggests that he will have a high level of input over a specific product, which many people assume to be the rumored "iWatch." Though his personal website has been taken offline, a cached version of it still exists where his bio reads: Jay has been a Nike Elite Athlete and Nike consultant for almost 20 years. He worked closely with Nike on the launch of Nike+Running, which has become the largest digital running community in the world. He was also the original creator and program developer of the Nike Training Club App, and the Nike Training Club in-gym program, which boasts over 6 million digital users. He is also a key expert and consultant for many of Nike's new Digital Sport initiatives that launched in 2012, including Nike+ Kinect Training and Nike+ FuelBand. Blahnik himself confirmed the news of his hire by Apple on Twitter, before removing the tweet.
Apple gets cozy with fitness experts, possibly for iWatch tips
It goes without saying that no Apple product is ever official until an Apple executive trots out on stage and actually unveils it for the eyes of the world to see. After all, if we believed everything the rumor mill tossed our way, an Apple HDTV would have shipped years ago and Apple would now own Twitter. That said, there is a growing amount of circumstantial evidence pointing to Apple's increased efforts to release an iWatch type device. Not only has Apple filed a number of patents detailing technologies that might underlie such a product, but Tim Cook himself has said rather explicitly that wearable technology is "profoundly interesting" while specifically noting that "the wrist is interesting." Further, Apple as of late has filed a number of applications involving the "iWatch" trademark in a host of countries. Of course, we've also seen a plethora of rumors detailing how Jony Ive is spearheading a team of 100+ engineers and employees from a number of different departments in order to make the iWatch a reality. As for what the iWatch might do, a number of rumors have indicated that the iWatch will be heavy on biometric sensors. That's all well and good, but at the end of the day, the bulk of what we know about the iWatch is pure speculation. What isn't open to speculation, however, is that Apple has made a number of interesting hires involving folks with expertise in wearable sensor technologies. 9to5Mac reports: In addition to rounding up team members from inside Apple, the company has also hired experts in relevant sensor and medical fields. ... Based on new hires, it seems that Apple's interest in sensors focuses on the ability to measure glucose and other body level information. With this data, the product could inform users of vital information in a non-invasive way. These sensors could also pick up more data to give a user a snapshot of their health, which would be ideal for fitness applications. To assist with the development of these sensors, Apple has hired several scientists and executives from multiple sensor developers. Some notable firms who lost employees to Apple are AccuVein, C8 MediSensors, and Senseonics. 9to5Mac also relays that Apple may have recently hired Jay Blahnik. Blahnik, in case you're unfamiliar, played an important role in the development of the Nike Fuel Band and Nike+Running. What's more, you may recall that Apple earlier this month hired Paul Deneve, the former CEO of the fashion house Yves Saint Laurent. 9to5Mac's report comes hot on the heels of a report from the Financial Times which relayed that Apple has been aggressively hiring engineers to ramp up development on the long-rumored iWatch. 9to5Mac's full report is chock full of information detailing just what type of sensor technology expertise Apple is bringing in-house. It's well worth a read.
Apple reportedly hiring new talent to solve iWatch design problems
Rumors, suggestions and trademark applications have been building a case for an wrist-worn Apple product for some time now -- an official iWatch to fulfill the wearable potential of the iPod Nano. Now, the Financial Times says the company is "aggressively" hiring to help it get the product ready for release. According to the usual sources familiar with the matter, the new staff might have been sought out to help Apple wrap its head around wearable computing, moving the project to the next stage of development. The timing of the hires might also imply that the iWatch won't be ready until late next year. Of course, if you can't wait that long, you can always just make your own.
Daily Update for July 5, 2013
It's the TUAW Daily Update, your source for Apple news in a convenient audio format. You'll get all the top Apple stories of the day in three to five minutes for a quick review of what's happening in the Apple world. You can listen to today's Apple stories by clicking the inline player (requires Flash) or the non-Flash link below. To subscribe to the podcast for daily listening through iTunes, click here. No Flash? Click here to listen. Subscribe via RSS
Apple patents flexible batteries that would fit nicely in an iWatch
For sure, Apple patents a lot of innovative technology that never sees the light of day. However, sometimes certain patents stand out due to current technology trends and stronger signs that Apple may indeed be working on a new iDevice. One such example that fits that description is a patent for an Apple invention that allows for flexible battery packs. The patent was published by the US Patent & Trademark Office yesterday and discovered by Patently Apple. As PA notes: Apple's invention relates to flexible battery packs for use in electronic devices that overcome one or more of the drawbacks of conventional battery packs. In one embodiment of the present disclosure, the flexible battery pack may include a plurality of cells, such as galvanic or photovoltaic cells. The battery pack also may include a plurality of laminate layers coupled to the cells that include a top laminate layer and a bottom laminate layer. An adhesive may be used to couple the top and bottom laminate layers together such that each of the plurality of cells is isolated from each other. This arrangement may allow the battery to be shaped to fit a form factor of the electronic device. This arrangement also may allow one or more of the cells to be selectively removed from the plurality, which may be desirable from a manufacturing perspective. One drawback of a smart watch is the amount of battery it would need to last all day, or indeed, all week. When people imagine the iWatch, it is often assumed the battery would sit behind the face plate. However, if Apple has come up with a way to make thin, curved batteries, the entire wriststrap could be a battery, thus enabling longer usage between charges. Does this patent signal that an iWatch is coming? Not totally, but combined with the recent iWatch trademark filings, it is evident that technology from this patent could be used in such a device.
Daily Update for July 2, 2013
It's the TUAW Daily Update, your source for Apple news in a convenient audio format. You'll get all the top Apple stories of the day in three to five minutes for a quick review of what's happening in the Apple world. You can listen to today's Apple stories by clicking the inline player (requires Flash) or the non-Flash link below. To subscribe to the podcast for daily listening through iTunes, click here. No Flash? Click here to listen. Subscribe via RSS
