After the launch of the iPhone 5s, we may already be looking forward to another new device: the much-rumored iWatch. Apple stated that the M7 processor can support very complex human motion tracking, understanding whether you are walking, running, or even driving. This processor sounds promising in providing power for a biometric-centered smartwatch.
Apple needs such a processor. Tim Cook commented at the AllThingsD conference that excellent wearable devices on the market now only perform well in one aspect, while multi-functional devices cannot excel in all areas. He hinted at Apple's primary goal: a device that performs well in every aspect.
However, what does "every aspect" refer to? For the iWatch, we categorize it into three major categories: optimizing life, hands-free functionality, and aesthetic appeal.
Optimizing Life
Most products currently on the market attempt to optimize users' lives by tracking health trends. Nike’s Fuelband, Jawbone’s Up, Fitbit, Misfit’s Shine, Basis, and others all operate under the premise that our behaviors need to be quantified, identifying trends and adjusting our lives to move more and sleep better.
All-day durability. To optimize life, the first rule is that users must live with this device—whether sleeping, working, bathing, watching TV, exercising, reading, washing dishes, taking out the trash, etc., it will always be with you. I don't want to worry about removing my iWatch. Removing it means two things: one, I am not tracking my behavior, so even if I engage in various activities, I won't receive credit; two, I might forget to put it back on. Living together means the iWatch needs to be durable, water-resistant, and comfortable enough (not hindering sleep). Additionally, the device should have strong battery life, lasting several days on a single charge.
Biometrics. Wearable devices on the market promise to help us identify patterns in our behavior and improve them. I hope the iWatch can track all my activities, just like Jawbone Up, Fitbit, Fuelband, and others. However, I also hope it goes further than other devices. Basis has demonstrated advanced biometrics, tracking sweat and pulse rates, counting aerobic exercise, which many other wearable wristbands cannot do. The iWatch also needs to track my sleep patterns: light sleep, deep sleep, when I fall asleep at night, and when I wake up.
Smart activity tracking. One of the biggest shortcomings of current wearable devices is the lack of intelligence. They track how many steps we take, convert this into a point system, and calculate distance traveled and calories burned. However, a smart device can understand my behavior, helping me not only identify ways to save time but also recognize behaviors that can improve my life.
First, the device can know when I go to bed without manual input (Jawbone Up and Misfit Shine both require this). The device can know when I am watching TV or reading, how long I spend eating breakfast, lunch, and dinner, how long I spend on the train, working, and bathing. The device can distinguish between running, walking, and cycling. In short, the device can provide me with a detailed overview of how I live and how each behavior affects my overall health. If running burns calories more effectively than cycling, I should know that. If I watch TV for five hours, the device should recognize this trend.
Going beyond simple behavioral tracking means the device reaches an unprecedented level of understanding user activity and provides users with opportunities to not only move more but also save time.
Smart notifications. Supporting intelligent tracking, there should also be intelligent notification functions. If I watch TV for too long, stay up too late, or get up late in the morning, I should receive a reminder. Additionally, by tracking my sleep habits and schedule, my iWatch should wake me up at the right time.
However, the iWatch can go even further.
For example, I take a commuter train to Boston for work every day. This train departs and arrives on time every day, with only a few minutes delay a few times a month. But these few minutes are crucial for me because I always arrive at the last minute. Therefore, I hope the iWatch can help remind me so I don’t have to rush so much.
My iWatch should know how long it takes to get to the train station (about 15 minutes), what time it is now, when the train is expected to arrive, when I should leave, and immediately adjust when the train is delayed.
Intelligent notifications should provide more rationality to my busy life and not just through the creation of new, better habits but also by identifying trends. Apple has already touched on this with the Frequent Locations feature in iOS 7 and further supports it with its recent acquisition of personal assistant app Cue.
Hands-Free Functionality
Considering screen size, big brother iPhone has some features that the iWatch cannot achieve. However, some tasks from the iPhone can be replicated on the iWatch, allowing us not to reach into our pockets or wallets to find our phones.
Payment. Achieving reasonable security levels, perhaps even like the fingerprint scanner on the iPhone 5s, the iWatch could become the perfect payment device. Tap, scan, or simply approach a specific payment device, confirm the purchase, and then leave without taking out your phone. Apps like LevelUp can run smoothly on the iWatch (MasterCard's Watch2Pay has already launched and started operating in the UK).
Ticketing. Whether it's an MFA exhibition or a Red Sox game, Amtrak or JetBlue, all ticketing can be completed through the iWatch. I shouldn’t have to take out my wallet or phone to enter an exhibition or transportation. Apple's Passport app is already moving in this direction and is very suitable for use on the iWatch.
Lists. There are many excellent apps that help me buy daily groceries. However, using the iPhone to check this list is troublesome. I need to take the phone out of my pocket, enter a security code, and open the app. If the list can be displayed on the iWatch, despite the limited screen size, it would still be a good experience.
Siri and Maps. Although Siri may not be everyone's favorite personal assistant, I hope to use this app on the iWatch. With limited screen space, there won't be many opportunities for searching or browsing. If I want to reply to a message directly on the iWatch, Siri will definitely be convenient. I hope Siri can also connect to maps, so I can have a super simple map on my wrist when I walk somewhere, without having to take out my phone, enter a password (or fingerprint), and then check the map. I hope to see arrows, street names, and the time for the next turn.
Smart Connectivity. One of the most significant features of the iWatch is the ability to control the iPhone from the wrist. Adjusting music volume, seeing who is calling, reading messages, accepting calendar invitations, all these can be done. This is the least attractive feature of the iWatch to me, but it is a necessary part of the software experience.
Aesthetic Appeal
Style. There are already many beautiful wearable devices on the market. Jawbone Up is a gorgeous, flashy wristband. Misfit Shine looks like some futuristic jewelry. Basis looks like a watch from the 1980s. Jawbone's Up, Nike's Fuelband, and Samsung's Gear Watch come in various colors, trying to offer multiple choices to the market. However, watches are very personalized items that can show your status, so the iWatch needs to go beyond color and at least provide models specifically designed for men and women.
Price? Considering most wearable wristbands are in the $90 to $300 range, I hope the iWatch falls within this range.
Apple's challenge is that the traditional starting price of the iPhone has been $199, which has formed a habit in many people's minds. An iWatch priced higher than the iPhone might seem inappropriate to some. However, since the starting price of the iPhone 5c is $99, this price comparison might change.
In any case, for the iWatch, $199 would be a great success and make it convenient to purchase.