Pretty much every agrees that Apple is working and soon will ship a wearable computer, call it the iWatch. While pretty much everybody and their dogs (image below) say they want one, the question remains — what will the iWatch do and how will that make me and thee buy it?
Asian supply chain and analyst insight pretty much covers the Apple rumor genre. This bit of iWatch rumorology comes from the latter source, an analyst who based his musings on a conversion with Apple CEO Tim Cook.
So, what will the iWatch do that’s special? According to UBS analyst Steve Milunovich, the iWatch killer feature will, are you sitting down?, be voice messaging.
“Porting this capability to the watch makes sense as it is easier to send a voice message from a device already on the wrist than pulling out a phone,” writes Milunovich. “It also could aid penetration of China, which Cook said has a ways to go.”
Milunovich believes Apple will price the iWatch at around $300
iWatch: Smartwatch Reimagined?
To date, so-called smartwatch devices from Samsung, LG and Pebble have disappointed with a range of uninspired functionality lacking both meaningful style or practical advances. Or, in other words, people aren’t buying the smartwatch concept because smartwatches are simply derivative in not outright dumb.
To date, iWatch feature speculation has centered on health and fitness monitoring and application. Assuming the Apple smartwatch comes to market with the rumored 10 or more sensors, that makes sense.
And, how precisely does one make voice messaging the killer iWatch feature? Beats me, but if any company can do it’s Apple…
What’s your take?