Apple

Are Intel and Apple working on a 1.5-inch iOS smart watch?

posted by Victor H.

Dec 27, 2012, 8:20 AM

Are Intel and Apple working on a 1.5-inch iOS smart watch?

We’ve seen Apple incorporate the low-energy Bluetooth 4.0 profile in all of its products in the last two years now, but with little practical use. There are virtually no accessories to make use of that, but this latest rumor suggests Apple is prepping something big.

In a collaboration with Intel (strange as it may seem), Apple is rumored to bring a 1.5-inch iOS-based smartwatch to market. The 1.5-inch display would be of the OLED kind with ITO (indium tin oxide) coated glass.

What’s more, the Apple smartwatch might come as early as in the first half of 2013.

Interestingly, that would align well with Apple’s history of new product launches. It’s been nearly three years since the company launched the iPad, and around six since the launch of the iPhone. It seems a good time for the company to open a new page with a brand new class of device. But that is just speculation and rumors, so do take it with a grain of salt.

Interestingly, some analysts like Piper Jaffray’s Gene Munster agree that an iOS smartwatch is a possibility. On Kickstarter, projects like the Pebble smartwatch have also gained tremendous traction.

Ron Mertens of OLED-Info also notes that this time, the rumor for an iOS smartwatch looks more credible. Mertens expects the smartwatch to use a PMOLED (Passive Matrix OLED) display, and thus avoid the challenges of display manufacturing.

The only thing that puzzles us is the collaboration with Intel. Why would Apple partner with Chipzilla when ARM is definitely the more power-efficient choice for the moment? When it comes to the price, Sony launched a similar LiveView clipping device that sold for $109 at launch. Now, it's down to around $20, but we expect Apple to shoot for more than $100 at launch, if of course there is any truth in that rumor. Let us know your thoughts about this and the possibility of an Apple smartwatch right below.

source: Tech 163, Oled-info via Mobile Geeks, Business Insider

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27 Comments

26. wojey

Posts: 14; Member since: Sep 19, 2012

YES! I've been waiting for this for a long time. it will be cool if you can send txt through siri with the watch and make calls. Im definately looking forward for this.

posted on Dec 30, 2012, 9:20 PM 0

24. dan86

Posts: 298; Member since: Mar 17, 2012

Perfect Crap. An iWatch combined with iOS map will land you in a wrong place in wrong time.

posted on Dec 28, 2012, 7:23 PM 2

22. InspectorGadget80 unregistered

Oh yeah forgot to mention they will PATENT the watch also

posted on Dec 27, 2012, 8:45 PM 0

19. InspectorGadget80 unregistered

More law suits against watch makers coming around the corner.

posted on Dec 27, 2012, 8:23 PM 0

18. fanboy1974

Posts: 1345; Member since: Nov 12, 2011

It was called the iPod Nano 6th gen before Tim Cook screwed up that idea with the 7th gen.

posted on Dec 27, 2012, 7:14 PM 2

17. Droiddoes unregistered

Really not seeing the practical use here. Sure because it's apple people will buy it, but aren't watches pretty obsolete at this point in...time?

posted on Dec 27, 2012, 12:54 PM 3

15. nicholassss

Posts: 368; Member since: May 10, 2012

Isnt that just an ipod nano or like, the motoactive... or the sony thing or like... hasnt it been done already?

posted on Dec 27, 2012, 12:00 PM 0

14. EspHack

Posts: 70; Member since: Sep 04, 2012

YES!! please! im waiting this since i got my first ipod nano watch band, is not that i like apple products, but they are what start the race tbh, the iphone, the ipad... and now this is! i hope to see this thing coming out and soon a lumia smartwatch!