Apple has been rumored to be working on a wearable technology wrist accessory for months now. It has very real patents on the name "iWatch" in several countries and a few design patents that hint the company is developing components for the device. Those things coupled with CEO Tim Cook's comments that he thinks wearable technology is going to be a key factor in the future of mobile devices and it becomes clear that the company is working on something.
With all of the rumors flying around about whether or not there will be an iWatch, precious little attention has been paid to how the device will actually work.
The most likely candidate is an accessory that works in sync with user's iPhones. Patents suggest something similar and it's difficult to imagine a device that can do as much as an iPhone and still fit comfortably as a wrist accessory. Although some reports from MacRumors suggest the company is interested in porting a full version of iOS onto the device, rather than go with the simpler navigation system seen on the iPod Nano, it will be difficult to do given the screen's size. Competitors at Samsung also seem to be under the impression that all they need to compete with is a watch that can sync with the smartphone in its user's pocket. The company recently placed patents on a smartwatch design in South Korea. The device is being called "Galaxy Gear." In other words, it's a bit of tech to accent the company's hugely successful and popular Galaxy family of smartphones.
The biggest problem leaked out from inside sources about Apple's iWatch, in terms of development, has been getting the device to meet the minimum acceptable battery life. Apple is shooting to have the device go without a charge for four to five days. According to SiliconBeat, Apple recently purchased California-based Passif Semiconductor Corporation, a company that develops and builds low-power communications chips. This has led many to believe that Passif's technology might be the thing keeping the iWatch ticking long enough to make it appealing to people who might be on the fence about wearable technology. As it is, four to five days is a far cry from the average batter-life of a wristwatch.
The iWatch is mostly the stuff of rumors and conjecture these days as Apple has made no official announcement that such a project is even in the works. As a result, there is no clear release date on the device as of this time.
