Apple's long-awaited smartwatch could launch as early as this year, claims a Bloomberg article.
/article-new/2013/03/continuous.png?lossy)
The article also claims to have information on planned functionality from sources familiar with Apple's plans. Although there has been much speculation about what Apple is planning for its smart watch, there has until now been very little in the way of specific claims of functionality from sources deemed to be reputable by mainstream news organizations.
Features under consideration include letting users make calls, see the identity of incoming callers and check map coordinates, said one of the people, who asked not to be identified because the plans aren’t public. It would also house a pedometer for counting steps and sensors for monitoring health-related data, such as heart rates, this person said.
A Citigroup analyst quoted in the article estimates that an Apple smartwatch could generate twice as much profit as an Apple television.
Oliver Chen, an analyst specializing in luxury goods, says that while the global TV market at $119 billion is larger than the global watch market at $60 billion, margins on watches are four times greater: 60% versus 15%. If Apple were to achieve a 10% market share in each, that would mean a gross profit of $3.6 billion for watches, versus $1.79 billion for televisions.
Top Rated Comments
(View all)Watches used for function/tell time have been rendered useless by cell phones.
Watches are used for their jewelry/status symbols.
Wow, so you're the one who was appointed arbiter of how I tell time. I was wondering why, every time I lift my hand up and look at my watch I felt a shock in my pocket from my iPhone.
Watches used for function/tell time have been rendered useless by cell phones.
This is why the pocket watch was so much more successful than the wrist watch. Because it is so much more convenient to pull a device out of your pocket than to have it strapped to your wrist. :rolleyes:Watches used for function/tell time have been rendered useless by cell phones.
Watches are used for their jewelry/status symbols.
Right, tell that to all the sports watch manufacturers. :rolleyes:. Also most business people and professionals wear watches b/c there are plenty of situations where it's impolite to pop out your phone and there isn't a clock in sight.
But never mind all that... we'll see what Apple does, but you might want to get that old hat or crow out, ready to eat.
I guess there will be a new cloud service as well: "Find my hand" ? Creepy.
Find my girlfriend :D