Rumors continue to swirl about the Apple iWatch (AAPL) — and with so much Internet chatter, it’s hard to separate reality from wide-eyed speculation.
While some things we do know — that Apple is creating a wearable device for the wrist — there are others that are just speculation (such as, Will this be the newest must-have device? Or will it be a sad flop?)
So here are are few things that we know about the semi-mysterious Apple iWatch.
It’s a make or break moment for Apple
The iWatch innovation is something that will either show that Apple remains at the forefront of innovation — or be an embarrassing flub.
Even Apple itself seems aware of the limitations of wearable devices (consider the rocky waters that Google’s Glass is having trouble navigating — if even from a PR standpoint).
Last year Apple CEO Tim Cook had this to say at the AllThingsD conference: “I think the wrist is interesting. I’m wearing this (Nike Fuelband) on my wrist, it’s somewhat natural. But as I said before, I think for something to work here, you first have to convince people it’s so incredible that they want to wear it.”
So, yeah, Apple sees that challenges it faces with an iWatch.
It probably won’t be called the iWatch; but its features will be vast
Sure, online commentators are calling it the Apple iWatch, but Apple isn’t likely to. Still, its health and sports features are expected to be as advanced as the iPhone when it debuted. The watch is widely expected to offer most things that FitBit does — measuring daily steps, heart rate, oxygen levels, etc — but push beyond those borders. Expect a connection to the iPhone and all the apps available through that.
In addition, a granted patent points to “Shoe wear-out sensor, body-bar sensing system, unitless activity assessment and associated methods,” according to reports via the U.S. Patent and Trademark Office. These phrases point to body mass measuring and other health tools that will assist with athletes or regular joes looking to get in shape.
OLED display is likely to be used — even if Cook trashed it
The Apple head called the technology “awful” just a few years ago, but advancements and other products seeing great success may change his mind. As Forbes notes: “OLED will be used because it allows for thinness that LCD can’t match as it requires a separate light source. And while both display technologies can be curved, it’s much easier to pull that off with OLED. So don’t be shocked if the display is contoured a bit to conform to the wrist.”
The watch could feature two sizes
If rumors are true, then Apple will ship the product in two sizes — one more lightweight and the other more robust. Think of it — Apple certainly will be — as watches designed for men and women, though it won’t be marketed as such. Still, the lighter sized version will be a huge plus to women who would love the technology, but aren’t down with a larger size.
Look for its debut by October
Japanese daily Nikkei reports the watch could be ready by iPhone 6’s launch in September, but other insiders are betting just past that date, on or by October.
Meanwhile, AAPL stock is up 15% year to date. Investors are banking on a double-digit bump once the watch is released.
