Call me crazy, but I'm just not sold on the whole iWatch thing.
Of course, that's not to say Apple isn't building one, or that it won't be an unfathomable success, or even that I won't rush out to buy one if and when it releases. But from where I'm standing, I just don't see the reason for it.
I get the rumors. So-called smartwatches are the hot gadget of the moment, and a growing segment of the population seems to be craving some kind of a wearable device that communicates with their phones. Pebble announced last week that it pre-sold more than a quarter-million units, an impressive number for a crowdsourced start-up, but Apple sells that many iPhones on a bad day; to be worth the Cupertino signature in 2013, the iWatch has to appeal to hundreds of millions of iPhone users.
But that's not even my main problem with the mythical iWatch. Apple has a large-enough user base to easily turn a profit on a new device, even if it's not a runaway success. As you might have guessed (especially if you've ever read this column before), I'm more concerned with its design than its marketability.
Now, I'm fairly certain the iWatch will have plenty of wrist appeal. There's enough evidence to suggest it'll be more than a sixth-gen nano with a strap, from flexible battery patents to that exclusive partnership with Liquidmetal that hasn't borne any fruit (aside from a SIM tray tool). As long as Jony Ive is in charge of things, the iWatch is sure to be a stunning marriage of glass and metal that will have people lining up at the Apple Store just to get a peek.
Even with Apple's sleek design aesthetic, though, it'll still be a watch.
In many ways, watches are the ultimate example of form over function. With the exception of the brief popularity of the most impractical calculator of all time, there hasn't been a whole lot of innovation on the wristwatch front since Constant Girard fitted a handheld timepiece with a couple strips of leather so German navel officers weren't always reaching into their pockets. Of course, today's watches are far superior to those early bracelets (though probably not as bullet-resistant), but they basically do the same thing: tell time.
Let's face it, the watches we wear aren't exactly necessary to our survival. Many don't even own one anymore, and those of us who do aren't buying them because we need to have a clock on our wrists. They're fashion statements, status symbols, conversation pieces, finishing touches. There's a reason so many manufacturers make such a wide array of styles and colors; watches are an expression of our individuality, whether they're made by Swatch or Sony.
But we don't interact much with them. If I glance at my watch 10 times a day it's a lot, but I rarely go more than a few minutes without reaching for my iPhone. These smartwatches are meant to represent a sort of middle ground between the two, sending useful bits of information to our wrists so our phones can stay in our pockets.
That's all well and good, but again, I just don't see the appeal. Pebble may be the gold standard, but there's nothing even remotely elegant about it. Even in the simulated product shots, notifications barely fit on the screen, navigation relies on the tiniest of buttons, and the best features turn it into something of a glorified fitness monitor. It's a lot like those early MP3 players, and if there's an iWatch event, you can bet Pebble will be dressed down in a series of slides.
To be fair, none of the smartwatches that have made it to market can really say they've made our lives any easier. For one, they require two hands to operate. Apple has gone to great lengths to make sure we can work our iPhones without tying up more than five fingers, but any interaction with a smartwatch inherently needs both arms, mainly because you're wearing it on one of them.
And while I believe Apple's entry would by overwhelmingly better than anything else out there, what can it really do with such a tiny screen? Tell me who's calling? I'd either have to take my phone out of my pocket to answer it or use a Bluetooth headset, which already informs me of incoming calls. Show me incoming texts? OK, but how am I going to reply, by talking into my wrist? Will it let me know what song is playing? Great, but my headphones still need to be attached to my iPhone. Directions? Maybe, but what about traffic and points of interest?
Don't even get me started on reading email on such a ridiculously tiny screen.
Even if Apple manages to break new ground here with a curved screen and a next-gen battery, I'm not sure the iWatch is going to be the super-gadget everyone is hoping it will be. Google Glass may look ridiculous, but that kind of wearable tech makes more sense to me. After years of knocking the iPhone for having such a tiny screen, why does everyone suddenly want a smaller one?
I have no doubt that an Apple watch would be a beautiful piece of technology, an aesthetic marvel that early adopters will wear like a badge of honor and passers-by will stare at with envy. But once the newness wears off, Apple's next big thing needs to be more than a flashy bracelet from the future.
And certainly more significant than a Pebble.
Sent from my iPhone
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