Report: Apple’s iWatch Will Run iOS

Posted by iPhoneHacks on Mar 04, 2013 | Comments (7)

iWatch

Hot on the heels of Bloomberg’s report that claims that Apple may launch the iWatch as soon as this year, The Verge has also chimed in with more details.

The Verge claims that according to their source, Apple’s smartwatch will run a full version of iOS and the watch project is being led by Jony Ive, Apple’s Design Chief and who also provides leadership and direction for Human Interface software teams across the company.

The Verge reports:

Interestingly, we’re also told that Apple’s chosen to rework the full iOS to run on the watch instead of building up the iPod nano’s proprietary touch operating system — although the previous nano was already watch-sized and seemed like a great starting point for a wrist-sized device, Apple’s betting on iOS across product lines.

The report also points out that Apple’s decision to use iOS is resulting in battery life issues on the iWatch prototypes.

[T]he goal is to last at least 4-5 days between charges, but the current watch prototypes are apparently only going for a couple days max. We’re also told Apple has some work to do with iOS on the iPhone, which currently has several hooks for supporting a watch-like device but lacks the appropriate interface or settings to make it work properly.  

So I really hope that the iWatch runs a full version of iOS as opposed to a barebones OS that relies on the smartphone like iPhone for its “smartness” as it would have to depend on the reliability of the connection between the two devices.

I have been using the Pebble smartwatch for the last two weeks, which connects to my iPhone 5 over Bluetooth and based on my brief experience, the reliability of the Bluetooth connection is probably the most annoying thing about it.

Via: The Verge

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  • jon

    square watch, ugly

  • Alan

    I tend to agree. I have noticed that the Bluetooth connection especially when you move away from the device is fairly flaky.

    But if the iWatch has iOS running then please take my money now.

  • Overlord

    A watch?!Next time why not microwave or toaster?Seriously Apple should start paying more attention to iOS and by that i mean make it more open!And what’s the point of making a watch anyway?!

    • http://www.facebook.com/THExREALxTACO Jeremy Taco Patterson

      Apple will likely never make iOS “more open”, as that opens the door to viruses, contamination and overall device instability.

      Keep it closed, let the jailbreak community do its thing and we’re all happy.

      As for the watch, I see TONS of practical uses for it. Besides obviously being a sleek timepiece, it could use GPS to direct you instead of using Maps in your phone, it could track your exercise progress, or fuel mileage for work purposes. Use it to ask Siri silly things, read and reply to text messages, and of course send and receive phone calls.

  • PasserBy

    If you believe in the company’s ability to still innovate then no doubt the watch will bring something unexpected into the picture.

    If we imagine they want to provide functional use via the watch only (allowing the consumer to leave their phone in the bag/pocket) then it would have to be be capable of some pretty clever things.

  • bcsc

    Given the lack of advancement and overall feature list in iOS aver the last few updates, it seems fair that they should relegate it to a watch.

  • Osorio11

    I see absolutely no use for a bulky watch that can do a few things my iPhone already does and will never buy it.
    Why doesn’t Apple focus on making a mindblowing IOS 7 experience, mabe even so interesting that I don’t feel the need to jailbreak anymore? Let’s face it: what was, exept for Siri and the notification center the big leap forward since I bought my stock iPhone 4GSM with IOS 4.21? If you ask me, don’t make iWatches, make a better User interface and “borrow” some good tweaks from the jailbreak community. For instance I can’t comprehend why such an elegant and simple tweak like SBSettings isn’t on my stock IOS..