Jony Ive On iWatch: Switzerland is in Trouble

jony_iveAhead of Apple's September 9 event, in which the company is expected to finally show off the much-rumored iWatch, an Apple designer told the New York Times (via 9to5Mac), in a larger piece about fashion and technology, that Jony Ive is bragging that the iWatch could endanger traditional watchmakers.

According to a designer who works at Apple, Jonathan Ive, Apple’s design chief, in bragging about how cool he thought the iWatch was shaping up to be, gleefully said Switzerland is in trouble — though he chose a much bolder term for “trouble” to express how he thought the watchmaking nation might be in a tough predicament when Apple’s watch comes out.

While part leaks for the device have been nonexistent and solid information about the device's capabilities have been hard to come by, rumors have indicated the wearable may have NFC capabilities, tight integration with iOS 8, features related to health and fitness and that it would serve as an accessory device to the iPhone.

Rumors have suggested the iWatch will be introduced at Apple's September 9 event and will likely launch in early 2015.

Top Rated Comments

mozumder Avatar
118 months ago
People that buy $10,000-$50,000 watches aren't going to not buy them because of Apple.

There was an interview with one of the luxury watch vendors CEO back when the first digital watches came out in the 70's. The interviewer asked about the threatening competition from digital watches, and the CEO gave back the answer "We're not in the watch business. We're in the Jewelry business."

The Swiss watchmakers have nothing to worry about.
Score: 112 Votes (Like | Disagree)
X-X Avatar
118 months ago
The world's first Swiss watch made in China.

Revolutionary.
Score: 93 Votes (Like | Disagree)
dukebound85 Avatar
118 months ago
kinda different markets

traditional watches are jewelry that can be handed down generations.

Any watch apple makes will be obsolete after the next revision, or within a couple years.
Score: 56 Votes (Like | Disagree)
mad3inch1na Avatar
118 months ago
It is unapologetically plastic.
Score: 45 Votes (Like | Disagree)
Krimsonmyst Avatar
118 months ago
This is a joke, right?

No-one is going to stop Swiss timepieces because of an Apple iWatch. These watchmakers are crafting timeless pieces of jewellery, not phone accompaniments.
Score: 42 Votes (Like | Disagree)
PocketSand11 Avatar
118 months ago
People that buy $10,000-$50,000 watches aren't going to not buy them because of Apple.
Yeah, I think it was meant as a joke. He just means that Apple's iWatch is going to rival or surpass Swiss watches in terms of looks, not that people are going to stop buying Swiss watches.
Score: 30 Votes (Like | Disagree)

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