Tim Cook gives a brief history of Apple Watch's development
Business Week's new interview with Tim Cook offers a great deal of insight into the CEO's role at Apple and the development of the iPhone 6. What may be most interesting to Apple devotees however is the brief history of the Apple Watch's development that also lays within the article. Covering both the functionality and aesthetics of the design, Cook explains what sets their device apart from the competition.
It's wasn't a matter of being first in his eyes, it was about being best.
"We want to make the best product in the world," he says. "One of our competitors is on their fourth or fifth attempt, but nobody is wearing them." Cook also preaches patience. "We could have done the watch much earlier, honestly, but not at the fit and finish and quality and integration of these products," he says. "And so we are willing to wait."
Calling the Apple Watch "one of the most difficult projects I have ever worked on," Cook describes a development process that took a team of watch historians along with Apple's tech and design departments to get right. The team looked at what made watches work, and used those classic design elements to influence development. In the end classic watch design became important to both the control and look of the device. In particular, the classic adjustment/winding knob on a standard watch the gave Apple Watch a new level of control:
Ive's team first tried using the same pinch-to-zoom touchscreen they'd invented for the iPhone, but the screen was too small and their fingers obscured the display. A year into the project, the group started toying with what became the Apple Watch's defining physical feature: "the digital crown," a variation on the knob that's used to wind and set the time on a traditional wristwatch. By pressing or rotating the crown, Apple Watch users can return to the home screen, zoom in or out, and scroll through apps.
There's far more to read in the Business Week article, including information about the three watch models, Apple's falling stock prices last summer, and Cook's longterm vision for the company. Head over to Business Week to read the complete story.
