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Joseph Keller
It looks like we might be seeing the iWatch this October. The device, long-rumored to finally be coming this time, for real, seriously, is said to have a curved glass OLED display, with an array of sensor for capturing data on calorie consumption, blood glucose levels, sleep activity, and more. Apple has also apparently partnered with the Mayo Clinic and Cleveland Clinic in order to develop health data analysis technology, according to Nikkei.
Apple has already announced its partnerships with the Mayo Clinic and Nike as part of HealthKit. The Cleveland Clinic is just one of the institutions that will be using HealthKit-enabled apps and devices when the system debuts with iOS 8 later this year. That those partnerships might extend into a potential fitness-focused wearable isn't exactly shocking, and we've been hearing about the potential medical applications of the iWatch for a little while.
An October release window for the device makes sense. While Apple has announced new hardware in September for the past couple of years, those events have been centered around the iPhone. Other new hardware, like new iPads and Macs, have been announced in October. The iWatch could of course debut with other hardware, or along side the iPhone 6, depending on how Apple wants to frame the iWatch as a device. Is it a standalone wearable, or does it only really shine when it's working with your iPhone?
Nikkei also says that Apple expects to create 3-5 million iWatches per month. The problem with this thought is that it comes from a parts manufacturer who has no idea when Apple plans or expectations for the iWatch are. These numbers exceed the total global sales of watch-style devices in 2013. No matter how good it looks, the wrist-bound iWatch will be, by its nature, harder to sell to people than a new iPhone. Watches are fashion items, and even an iWatch, as good as it might look, won't appeal to everyone, especially if they're expected to wear it on their wrist all day.
As for the display, it could very well be curved. But there have also been "reports" that the device will have a round face. We won't know for sure until Apple tells us.
What do you think about this new report, and what shape do you think the iWatch will take? Let us know below in the comments.
Source: Nikkei
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