Speculation that wearable smart watches are the "next big thing" in tech continues to mount, as a pair of new reports claim both Google and LG are working on their own wrist accessories.
Samsung recently tipped that it plans to enter the connected smart watch market, but the company has twice in the past also attempted and failed to pioneer with such a device.
Pebble, the famed Kickstarter smart watch project that raised well over $10 million, has been enjoying a huge amount of media hype thanks in no small part to its tens of thousands of backers. The buzz is well-founded; Pebble is good and getting better by the minute.
Not to be outdone by rumors of a supposed Apple-built "smart watch," a Samsung executive on Tuesday revealed that the Korean company is too working on its own entry into the wearable computing arena, but failed to disclose anything about the purported device.
Investors and tech observers are abuzz about the possibilities of a so-called Apple "iWatch," but the CEO of Swatch is skeptical about just how much such a device could replace Apple's iPhone, saying he doesn't believe such a device would be the next smart device revolution.
The U.S. Patent and Trademark Office on Tuesday issued Apple a patent for system in which a device can be controlled through the measurement and translation of deflection or stress a user applies to a device housing.
In a follow-up to Monday's report speculating that an "iWatch" could be more profitable than a dedicated television set, it was discovered that Apple ordered boxes of Nike watches nearly ten years ago to study the devices' materials and how they were were manufactured.
A new report claims Apple hopes its alleged "iWatch" will offer between 4 and 5 days of use between charges, but current prototypes get about half that.
The current wristwatch market has much higher gross margins than HDTV sales, which could set the stage for Apple to sell its own hugely profitable wearable hardware as soon as this year.
A patent application discovered by AppleInsider on Thursday reveals Apple is indeed investigating a wearable accessory device that not only boasts a full-length flexible touchscreen display, but conforms to a user's body through the use of a "slap bracelet" mechanism.
Adding to the litany of rumors regarding a forthcoming Apple-branded smartwatch, a new report claims the company has a team of at least 100 designers, including a senior director of engineering, working on the project.
The co-founder and CEO of Pebble, which builds customizable smartwatches, declined comment on Tuesday when asked in an interview whether Apple had approached Pebble to talk about a possible acquisition.
As rumors swirl over the potential for a so-called iWatch from Apple in the not-too-distant future, the company is secretly developing an entire wearable/attachable computing platform and ecosystem comprised of wireless sensing systems for monitoring not only sports activity, athletic training, medicine, fitness, and wellness in humans, but also for tracking packages and industrial production.
While Apple probably won't get into the watch making business in the immediate future, one analyst believes that wearable computers could ultimately replace the iPhone in the long term, much like the iPhone has replaced the iPod.
A rumor out of Asia on Thursday claims that Apple is working in cooperation with Intel to build a so-called "smart watch" accessory that will allow users tap into high-end iPhone functions, including voice calls.
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Neil Hughes
Victor Marks
AppleInsider Staff
Kevin Bostic
Mikey Campbell
Katie Marsal
