Tag: smart watch

Unofficial reports are now stating that the so called iWatch will be available in September.

According to a published report that has not been confirmed by Apple, the company’s long anticipated smartwatch, dubbed the iWatch, will likely be launched before the end of the year, and this will probably occur in September.

It is expected that the wearable technology device will have a heavy focus on health monitoring.

The going belief is that the smartwatch will contain at least 10 different sensors that will allow the wearer to be able to collect various forms of health measurements and other types of data. Even the Wall Street Journal is publishing its own predictions about the iWatch, which it believes is currently being planned in a number of different possible screen sizes.

Apple has been a latecomer to the smartwatch market, as the majority of its competition is already offering something.

For instance, Samsung, Qualcomm, Sony, Pebble, and several others have already launched their wearable technology gadgets. In fact, a few of them have already released more than one generation after having produced an update based on new technological developments and user feedback.

The majority of these wearables are currently focused on providing clock functions, email, call, and text notifications, and other similar features. Samsung released its Gear 2 line, this year, which added a range of apps that are fitness related, and the mobile device, itself, is equipped with a heart rate sensor.

It has been long believed that Apple has been working on its own iWatch, which is not an official name, but is merely the title that has been given to this rumored product. As is the policy of that manufacturer, absolutely nothing has been confirmed or denied regarding any of the claims that have been made about a smart wearable from its brand.

That said, it is broadly believed that it is in development and that its release should be expected quite soon. The main question isn’t whether or not the smartwatch exists but is rather when it will be officially launched. The going belief is now that the device will be launched in September, and that it will join the market at the same time as the company’s next range of iPhones.

Although the wearable technology hasn’t been confirmed by the tech giant, it could be a meaningful play.

If rumors are correct, then Microsoft will be the next giant to enter into the smartwatch marketplace, with the Surface Watch to be released at some point, likely this year.

The technology news to watch will be the importance of this play in the overall market.

At the moment, there are already a large number of smartwatch devices that have made their way into the market, and there is more than a handful ready to launch before the end of the summer. This can make it very challenging for any single device to stand out and for later additions to carve their way into an already crowded ecosystem. That said, among this considerable crowd of devices, it seems to have been missed that there are very few apps for wearables, which makes it difficult to build a solid appeal for mainstream customers.

Without the apps, it is challenging to show consumers that a smartwatch is worth the added expense.

A recent BI Intelligence report suggested that the entire wearables app ecosystem is experiencing some significant fragmentation. The cause of this problem is that every new device that is added to the marketplace runs on a platform that is shared by very few others. As of yet, there is little standard in the experience provided by smart gadgets.

Without a dominant operating system or two, or three, it makes it difficult for mobile app developers to come up with a pool of applications that is sizeable enough to make it worthwhile for the average consumer to drop a few hundred dollars on a device that is essentially a nifty accessory to go with his or her smartphone and/or tablet.

That said, BI Intelligence pointed out that Microsoft may be able to stand out from among much of its competition by providing a smartwatch that is not limited in that way. Instead, it could provide cross-platform functionality so that it would function with both Android and iOS platforms as well as with the Xbox One and with desktop PCs.