Apple Watch Wins Renowned iF Design Award Before Release

While Apple Watch could be more than a month away from a public release, it has won a 2015 iF Gold Award from the International Forum (iF) Design in its annual industrial design competition. The jury called the Apple Watch design "an icon".

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The idea of combining classic materials such as leather and metal with state-of-the-art technology to create a very individual fashion accessory has resulted in a delightful product offering a holistic user experience. The Apple Watch scores highly for each design detail and is an altogether extraordinary piece of design. For us, it is already an icon.

Apple Watch was one of only two telecommunication products out of 64 recipients to earn the "Gold" designation. Out of the 1,624 products recognized, only 75 of them received a Gold Award.

The iF has been hosting its renowned design awards since 1953, and its jury evaluates products on a set of criteria that includes workmanship, choice of materials, environmental friendliness, design quality, safety, brand value, ergonomics, workmanship, degree of innovation and functionality.

Apple has won a number of iF Design Awards, for major products like iPhone 6, iPad Air and iMac to accessories like EarPods and Apple Keyboard. In total, Apple has won 118 iF Design Awards, but only 44 have earned a "Gold" designation, with Apple Watch being the most recent.

The design of Apple Watch is one aspect of the device that Apple has been marketing thus far, with design chief Jony Ive talking about the challenge of designing the smart watch and it appearing on fashion magazines in both interior multi-page spreads and cover features.

Apple will provide more information about the Apple Watch at its March 9 media event.

Related Roundups: Apple Watch, watchOS 5

Tag: iF Design Award

Buyer's Guide: Apple Watch (Neutral)

Top Rated Comments

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filmantopia

52 months ago

absolutely ridiculous.

Interesting. What's your design background?

Rating: 43 Votes

filmantopia

52 months ago

They used steel and leather to make a watch. WOAH. You crazy Apple, you are so far ahead of the curve with your crazy ideas.

I'm glad that the judges' attention to detail is clearly more evolved than yours.

Rating: 30 Votes

Rogifan

52 months ago

Maybe he means don't judge a book by it's cover.

It's plain stupid to judge this thing based off looks. And it does not look great to begin with.

That's pretty subjective.

Rating: 25 Votes

BlueParadox

52 months ago

absolutely ridiculous.

And why is that? Or have you simply signed-up to cause a stir?

Rating: 22 Votes

filmantopia

52 months ago

So do they have one already? I'm guessing no. Which makes the iF Gold Awards seem a bit shallow..(?)

Apple had to submit, so they clearly had access to all of the information required to make an informed decision. The judges are accomplished well respected in their design-related fields.

http://www.ifdesign.de/awards_jury_e

Rating: 21 Votes

shlee9803

52 months ago

absolutely ridiculous.

Rating: 17 Votes

douglasf13

52 months ago

Maybe he means don't judge a book by it's cover.

It's plain stupid to judge this thing based off looks. And it does not look great to begin with.

Looks are certainly an important aspect of a wearable device like the Apple Watch. I think it looks good.

Rating: 14 Votes

lazyrighteye

52 months ago

Let's take a quick look at your four sentences.

Apple watch is as plain and conventional as watches get.

Coming out of the gate with subjective opinion.
Like.

A clean design for sure, but design wise that's very easy to do.

Spoken as either A) someone who has never designed anything or B) a hack. I'm going to go with A as any designer - even hacks - knows clean design is far from "easy to do." Turns out, complex is easy and easy is complex. Who knew?

I don't see any sign of the typically excellent J.Ive work anywhere on this product.

This inability to see Ive's contribution is more than likely linked to A above.

Rather boring actually.

And closing with more subjective opinion.
Solid. Top to bottom.

Rating: 13 Votes

PowerBook-G5

52 months ago

Damn there is a lot of hate in this thread.

I, for one, actually enjoy the design of the Apple Watch. For those who say that it doesn't look good, well that's your opinion, but look that some of the Android watches out there. Most of them look hideous, especially the circular ones.

Good for Apple. Looking forward to this product.

Rating: 10 Votes