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5 different ways Apple’s iWatch must succeed

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Next week, Apple is expected to announce new products, including a brand new wearable called the iWatch. Unlike most smart devices, wearable watches and the like have not been widely accepted by the public in daily use. If the iWatch is to be a success, there are five conditions that Apple needs to improve and change in order for the product to be a success.

1. The iWatch needs to be considered similar to fashionable jewelry

Unlike smartphones, which can be mounted on a wide variety of devices and hidden inside clothing, a smart watch is designed primarily to be laced around a person’s wrist. In order for a person to put up with extra weight and bulk on their wrist, the iWatch must be completely aesthetically pleasing, with color, material, shape and function all adding up to a product that a customer is willing to wear every day.

2. The iWatch needs to have practical and good uses

Apple is fighting to win two kinds of customers: those who use a smart phone to look up the time of day, and those who prefer to wear luxury watches like Rolex and Tag Hauer to make a statement. The iWatch should at least have a clear and readable display, a battery lifespan similar to any common watch on the market, and the same wireless connectivity and function of a smart phone.

3. The iWatch needs to cater to activities where a regular watch or a smart phone aren’t practical

Most watches are waterproof and most smart phones play music, but the iWatch should be a device where you can do both and monitor your heart rate and pulse while swimming in a pool. Being able to access all kinds of information in a wide variety of environments makes the iWatch practical far beyond other smart devices. (And it should be pointed out that the iWatch needs to be ruggedly built and waterproof, otherwise customers won’t bother buying the device on launch day.)

4. The iWatch should offer a new user experience and interface

Apple’s user interfaces have been a part of the brand: the one-button Macintosh mouse, the iPod’s clicking wheel, and the iPhone’s Siri voice command are all examples of a great, memorable user interface. However, these devices may be too big and clunky to implement on a wrist watch using current technology, and most customers would rely on their existing smart phones for such service instead. A touchscreen interface would make the most sense and be the most intuitive on an iWatch, although having voice command could have some useful benefits.

5. The iWatch must make people excited for Apple products again

When the iPod was released early in the 21st century, it wasn’t just seen as a portable music player, but as a device that captured the imagination of the world. The iPod was seen as the dreams of the future made into reality, a technological leap forward for mankind. Watches and phones once seen as magical are now viewed as old hat by many global customers, with better selections of similar products by other companies out there for anyone who wants to buy one. The iWatch has a major obstacle to confront next week; that like the Apple products before it, the iWatch must prove the ambition and capability of a company who wants to position themselves in the forefront of public consciousness. Time will tell if the iWatch succeeds.

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4 things to expect from Apple’s iPhone 6 event

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Next week, Apple is expected to reveal a host of new products to its fans and the world. The company created a countdown timer on its website, telling viewers to watch for a live webcast event on Tuesday, September 9, held at Apple’s headquarters in Cupertino California. 

30 years ago on the same day, Steve Jobs revealed the first Macintosh personal computer to the world. Fans and the media have been speculating what could be launched on that special day. Here are four products you can probably expect to see:

1. The official release of an iWatch

Ever since Pebble’s 2011 Kickstarter campaign sold customers on the idea of strapping a mini iPod to a wristband, and raised over $3 million and the official backing of Apple itself, customers have been bombarded with smart watches from other manufacturers. On Tuesday, Apple may announce the creation of an official wearable device. The iWatch is currently listed as having a curved LED display, the ability to sync with iCloud and HealthKit services to track exercise and medical routines, and an initial price tag of $400. There’s no word on when it ships to stores, however.

While customers have been traditionally hesitant or unwilling to “wear” smart devices on their wrist, expect Apple to discuss the iWatch and attempt to make a wearable device into a cool marketing brand on Tuesday.

2. The ability to make online payments with an Apple device

While iPhones have been able to conduct everyday consumer banking for years–including depositing a check by taking a picture with the built-in camera–having the ability to pay for something in a grocery store just by tapping your phone has been a long-time dream for consumers. Apple has been rumored to be in partnership talks with credit card companies American Express and Visa on a possible Apple-brand payment platform. Instead of carrying around credit cards and cash, a customer might be able to digitally pay for everything through their Apple device instead.

While other smart phones use “near field communications” chips that can be used at a grocery checkout service, Apple has preferred to rely on its Passbook application for its customer base. That could also change on Tuesday.

3. The iPhone 6, with a larger screen

Current iPhones have a display that measures 4 inches across diagonally. By contrast, many phone manufacturers like Samsung and Nokia have developed products with much larger and easier to read screens, and those manufacturers have enjoyed comparatively higher demand for those products than Apple’s customer base.

Long-time loyal fans have been asking Apple for years to develop larger screens; Apple is widely expected to release a product on Tuesday with a larger screen, or at least discuss the feasibility of future iPhones with larger screens.

4. Apple’s giant, public emphasis on strong security

Expect a 90% chance of mentioning this in the webcast, not only for the recent hacking of Hollywood actresses’ iPhones, but also if Apple discusses their new iCloud, new products and payment systems. Public scrutiny is something Apple management has always tried to avoid, and mentioning security will only win them points on Tuesday.

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Updates on iWatch rumors

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“Can’t innovate anymore, my ass.” Those were the words of Apple’s Senior Vice President of Worldwide Marketing Phil Schiller recently when talking about the new Mac Pro. Clearly, the whispers that Apple can’t innovate anymore is have reached the company, and they’re determined to rally against such ideas.

What would really help Apple generate a significant amount of excitement akin to the release of the iPad is to launch another entirely new product. And what better than the long-fabled iWatch?

The iWatch; the concept car of the computer world. Talked about for years, rumored to exist but never actually put into production. Could this be the perfect time to make it a reality?

Analysts have referred to the iWatch as more of a hobby for Apple than a major new product line. By releasing it, they could essentially redefine the watch industry. It’s been projected that the watch could generate $10 billion to $15 billion in revenue for the company, which sounds enormous but puts the watch firmly in the “hobby” category when you consider Apple is projected to earn $187 billion by the end of 2014.

While it’s unlikely the iWatch would have quite the same impact as the iPhone or iPad, it would certainly set the tech world buzzing and bring renewed interest to the company. It would encourage investors and consumers to see that Apple still has the ability to make innovative products that the public wants to buy, even if they don’t necessarily need them. It won’t be a gigantic money-earner, but it will get people talking.

According to sources in the industry, Apple management and engineers are actively working on an iWatch that performs some of the computing tasks currently offered by the iPhone and even the iPad. The rumor is that the team dedicated to the project has grown over the last year, fueling the belief that the watch is becoming more than just a concept.

The watch-like computer has been rumored to include the Siri voice assistant and the Maps app to offer features such as walking directions. Other reports have it incorporating several fitness-related features like a heart rate monitor or calorie counter, similar to devices like the Nike Plus running chip and FitBit tracker, both of which are worn on the body and even have apps that run on the iPhone and track health and exercise-related data.

Trusted sources have revealed that Apple has worked on fitness-specific products before, none of which of course made it to market. But incorporating those features into something like the iWatch could be a whole different story.

Other reports about the iWatch have centered more on its design and appearance, especially a distinct curvature for the glass that makes it wrap around the human body. What’s more, it’s even been stated that the company will release it with a flexible wristband akin to the 1990’s slap-band bracelets. Judging by the sleek design of other i-devices and even the innovative, yet to be released Mac Pro, the styling of the iWatch will likely be simple, modern and surprising.

Apple CEO Tim Cook has promised some exciting developments for the computer giants coming throughout the fall and into 2014, and while no release date has been provided, it’s possible the iWatch could be one such development. Until that time, rumors will continue to circulate about the mythical iWatch and what we’ll be able to do with it.