The Promise of Apple Watch 2 in Leveraging the Power of IOT
But with the unveiling of new Watch OS by Apple in this year, it has been clear that the device is going to be a crucial piece in the connected IoT environment. Now, in just a few months from now, Apple is going to unveil its much awaited Apple Watch 2, which is going to have stronger sensors and location tracking capabilities. IoT experts in IndianAppDevelopers, Zabir sounded emphatic about the possibility, "if wearable devices are to play a role in the evolution of IoT, the upcoming Apple Watch 2 can play a crucial role in that".
What makes Apple Watch such a cool customer of IoT environment?
To be precise, in the connected reality of IoT devices and gadgets, handheld and wearable devices can really play a valuable role. If you can control the volume of your home theatre or can just turn your TV on or off right from your watch interface at the wrist, it is certainly adding more ease and comfort to the user's life. Well, better connectivity, a host of third-party apps and powerful sensors in these devices are increasingly allowing such interactions. With invigorated GPS capability and much-enhanced location sensing after the release of Apple Watch OS 2, the promise has only increased.
Apple Watch 2, the new game changer
Apple Watch 2 scheduled to be unveiled later this year is reportedly packed with a bevy of device level upgrades that would enhance the connectivity among the watch and other gadgets. Well, other enhancements and value additions apart, the new Apple Watch has much more improved location tracking with both GPS and a barometer. Better location tracking capability will add to the ease of connecting iBeacons, payment terminals and other reciprocating sensors in retail outlets, shopping zones, and other public areas. Industry experts are exuberant about the new capabilities of the upcoming watch in responding sensors and other devices. As CEO of Key Ideas Infotech, Jeff Butt has put it "for developers Apple Watch 2 will broaden the possibilities of creating more IoT apps".
The reality of connected devices and Apple Watch
Apple Watch has continued to remain popular over smartwatches largely because of the sophisticated interface and robust promise in connecting surrounding gadgets. With 1.6 million of the devices having been shipped only in the second quarter of 2016, it is still in the top of the charts ahead of all other smart wearable devices. Well, if Apple Watch is donning the wearable scene presently, it is because of the smart design, interface and capabilities to connect.
For its smartwatch, Apple has a new focus concerning personalization. It is nothing but the individual context of time, place, and preferences that the device sensor will gather. Actually, to gain contextual insights and data about the user Apple Watch is more equipped since it constantly remains attached to the skin and delivers location information authenticates the user and user activities at that moment. While the skin contact provides user authentication information, GPS allows delivering location data and sensor-enabled features like gyroscope, accelerometer, etc. allows knowing your activities and body monitoring allows knowing your state of health. All these are possible because unlike any other device this one constantly keep in touch with the skin.
These powerful sensors and capabilities make Apple Watch thoroughly equipped for the connected reality of the "Internet of Things". As the watch is increasingly getting smarter and intelligent by knowing the user context and preferences in depth, they now will allow connecting other gadgets and devices as and when the user needs to do so. The upcoming Apple Watch 2 is said to have powerful LTE connectivity. In that case, it would no longer depend on Wi-Fi or mobile connection but can rather perform certain tasks on its own.
The promise ahead
In the one hand, personalization of the device and understanding of all user contexts through close-at-wrist sensors will create more ways of contextual interaction and at the same time, this would allow the watch understanding your needs. With Apple Watch in the center, the world of gadgets around you can be more programmable and interactive through connected apps. Such a reality no longer looks far-fetched but an obvious probability in the near future. The unveiling of HomeKit and HealthKit for Apple Watch is only a step towards that direction.
As for use cases of this connected reality with the Apple Watch in the middle, we can provide an array of examples. Well, what happens if your coffee machine starts brewing coffee as soon as you get up from bed? Looks too futuristic and weird? No, it is not, because an app in your Apple Watch can easily sense your waking up and in a connected home environment it can further direct the coffee machine to prepare coffee. Knowing user preferences habits and user actions became so common a reality and automatically connecting other gadgets became such a commonplace thing that no longer such things look distant and improbable at all.