Smartwatch

Apple invents flexible batteries, likely for iWatch

Christian Zibreg ∙ July 5, 2013

With iWatch trademarks linked to Apple spotted in places like Japan, Russia and a slew of other countries, it is no surprise speculation is intensifying that the iPhone maker is secretly developing a wearable gizmo of some sort. Another piece of the Apple smartwatch puzzle has now fallen into place as The United States Patent & Trademark Office (USPTO) published Friday a patent filing detailing a flexible battery design specifically conceived for a wristwatch and/or other bendable mobile devices...

Apple moves to trademark ‘iWatch’ in Japan

Christian Zibreg ∙ July 1, 2013

If you needed proof that Apple is actively researching a wearable device akin to a smartwatch, look no further than a Japan Patent Office filing from early June for an ‘iWatch’ trademark. As discovered by Bloomberg, the filing specifically mentions a “watch device” and a “handheld computer”. While this by no means such a product will see the light of day, it certainly fuels speculation that an Apple-branded smartwatch is in the works...

WSJ: Google working on Android game console, smartwatch and more

Cody Lee ∙ Updated January 23, 2018

This is kind of interesting. Hot on the heels of reports that iOS 7 contains proper third-party support for physical game controllers comes word that Google is hard at work building a full-fledged gaming console and smartwatch based on its Android operating system.

The story comes from The Wall Street Journal, who reported last night that the Mountain View-based company is looking to expand its mobile platform beyond smartphones and tablets, and is hoping to combat similar devices that Apple may release in the future...

New iPhone-compatible smartwatch features voice and gesture controls

Cody Lee ∙ Updated June 13, 2016

The list of iPhone-compatible smartwatches seems to grow longer by the week. And it's not just Kickstarters anymore—Apple, Google, Samsung and LG are just a few of the tech giants rumored to be building wearable devices. Heck, even Foxconn is getting into the space.

But as the old saying goes, "the more the merrier," so we thought we'd add another one to the list this afternoon. It's called the Kreyos, and its creators say that it's the only smartwatch on the market right now that features both voice and gesture controls. Here, take a look...

Foxconn showcases its own smartwatch ahead of Apple’s iWatch

Ed Sutherland ∙ Updated January 26, 2016

Could Apple's largest contract manufacturer also become a competitor? Foxconn's parent company, Hon Hai, unveiled a smartwatch that connects to your iPhone, displaying phone calls and Facebook messages. The news comes as the Taiwan-based assembler of iPhones seeks ways to diversify income as the industry undergoes some uncertain times.

The watch, unveiled by Hon Hai Chairman Terry Gou Wednesday, appears to compete against the iWatch, a rumored device that Apple may introduce. Despite not being an actual iWatch, Foxconn reportedly received 1,000 orders for its product...

Concept imagines iWatch maps

Christian Zibreg ∙ Updated May 16, 2018

Renowned 3D artist Martin Hajek today shared a new batch of interesting conceptual renderings that strive to envision how Apple's rumored iWatch might seemingly lend itself to maps, which have long been the killer app category on mobile devices.

Indeed, with power-savvy Bluetooth Smart technology and iOS allegedly powering the device, a smartwatch from the people that brought you the iPhone could theoretically retrieve a user's geographical location by tapping the iPhone's GPS sensor, simply acting as a second screen for turn-by-turn directions...

Apple ostensibly sampling 1.5-inch iWatch screens

Christian Zibreg ∙ Updated October 5, 2016

The pretty accurate Japanese blog Macotakara passes along a pair of Taiwanese reports claiming that Apple is now evaluating and sampling tiny screens for its rumored smartwatch, affectionately dubbed by the media as iWatch. Apple's technologies chief Bob Mansfield, who is believed to have taken particular interest in wearable technology, along with a team of 100+ engineers are reportedly evaluating 1.5-inch screens based on OLED (Organic Light-Emitting Diode).

OLED is important because it doesn't require a backlight so it's more batter-friendly than a liquid crystal display (LCD). Additionally, OLED screens render deeper black levels and are thinner and lighter than LCDs, which are major feats for small form-factor wearable gadgets like smartwatches...

RunKeeper gains Pebble smartwatch integration

Christian Zibreg ∙ May 7, 2013

RunKeeper, the popular mobile fitness and GPS tracking app, received an update Tuesday which allows for some interesting Pebble smartwatch features. Thanks to deep integration with the Bluetooth Smart-enabled E-paper wrist device, RunKeeper users can keep track of their workout stats on their Pebble.

This includes the stuff like displaying elapsed time, distance and pace or using the wrist device to pause and resume RunKeeper. The application also supports an additional seven languages and includes the obligatory bug fixes.

RunKeeper also said future updates will enable even deeper Pebble integration. I've included a nice promotional video and more details for you, right past the fold...

Your fresh batch of attractive iWatch renders

Christian Zibreg ∙ Updated May 16, 2018

I'm a big fan of 3D artist Martin Hajek and his work. In case you're unfamiliar with Hajek, he's the brains behind the often gorgeous renderings of rumored Apple products and is renowned for his 3D modeling skills, as evident in his exquisite renderings. Back in March, Hajek created a more traditional concept of the rumored iWatch for the MacUser magazine.

He's back at it again, having created a fresh batch of alleged Apple smartphone mockups for the April 2013 issue of the magazine...

WSJ: Microsoft to respond to Apple, Google with smartwatch, smartphone, mini Surface

Christian Zibreg ∙ Updated January 26, 2016

As Apple's manufacturing partner Foxconn recently began hiring workers for assembly of a next-gen iPhone and possibly a rumored budget iPhone, our friends over at Redmond are thought to be busy developing own branded smartwatch, smartphone and seven-inch Surface tablet. Both gadgets are viewed as direct responses to Apple's rumored iWatch project, its wildly successful smartphone and the iPad mini tablet, respectively.

The smartwatch project is purportedly beyond the prototyping phase as Microsoft is said to have started aligning parts suppliers in Asia earlier this year, allegedly sourcing 1.5-inch screens. However, folks who apparently saw the prototypes warn it's "unclear whether Microsoft will opt to move ahead with the watch" at this stage...

Google said to be working on its own smartwatch

Cody Lee ∙ March 22, 2013

A year ago, the smartwatch space didn't really exist. I mean it did, but it consisted of just a handful of lackluster products from the likes of Sony and Motorola. But if rumors are true, it'll serve as the next battlefield for the 3 biggest names in tech.

Hot on the heels of reports that both Apple and Samsung are hard at work developing smartphone-connected wristwatches comes a new one from The Financial Times claiming that Google's Android unit is working on a smartwatch of its own...

LG developing own iWatch and Google Glass-like wearable gizmo

Christian Zibreg ∙ March 22, 2013

Apple's unreleased iWatch is already inspiring a bunch of me-too products from big name tech giants (nothing wrong with that, mind you). Bloomberg recently quoted a Samsung executive who went on the record to confirm that his company has been "preparing the watch product for so long.”

Then, the Financial Times newspaper shared knowledge of Google’s Android team working on a smartwatch product to act as an extension to the smartphones using Android.

And now we're hearing that the South Korean multinational conglomerate corporation better known as LG is also developing its own iWatch contender, in addition to a wearable gadget akin to Google's Glass eyewear...