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The New York Times reports on Apple's and Google's efforts to develop wearable computers with the aim of augmenting their existing mobile product lines. In addition to peripheral devices that could communicate with a user's iPhone or iPod, Apple is said to also being looking at ways to make the device's themselves wearable, moving beyond the current iPod nano's wristwatch-like functionality when paired with third-party wristbands.
Apple has also experimented with prototype products that could relay information back to the iPhone. These conceptual products could also display information on other Apple devices, like an iPod, which Apple is already encouraging us to wear on our wrists by selling Nanos with watch faces.
A person with knowledge of the company’s plans told me that a “very small group of Apple employees” had been conceptualizing and even prototyping some wearable devices.
One idea being discussed is a curved-glass iPod that would wrap around the wrist; people could communicate with the device using Siri, the company’s artificial intelligence software.
Last year, Apple hired wearable computing expert Richard DeVaul to work on prototyping concepts in a secret lab under the direction of Jony Ive. DeVaul spent only 18 months at Apple, however, before moving on to Google where he is presumably working on similar projects.
Top Rated Comments
Says "ILikeTurtles".
erm... telling the time...?
"Siri, bring my messages to my watch."
Win.
In other news, I think this would be cool...
I remember back in the day you could (and I'd imagine you still can) get Bluetooth enabled watches that would allow you to read incoming texts to your phone etc. This is obviously a similar concept but taken way further. It would be cool to be able to (fashionably) control music playback, check notifications, reminders, calendar etc without needing to get my phone out... even use Siri or make calls a-la Dick Tracy :P
Given that many women's clothes don't have pockets, most of them have settled on having their phones in their purses. A wristwatch that connects to and controls your phone will eventually be a big hit with women, I think.
Given that, these manufacturers are going about this all wrong. They're designing things that look like something a pre-teen boy would love. Once someone makes this and puts it in actually good jewelry, that person will make a killing.