Skip to main content

Apple Watch Update: It’s in the Wild, Sporting New Apps

tumblr_nir13tX0cn1sh1wt1o2_1280[1]Apple’s first smartwatch isn’t due to ship for another couple months but that hasn’t stopped all sorts of details from leaking.

The latest leaks claim that the Apple Watch is already being worn in public by beta testers, while at the same time Apple is revamping their store procedures to add more security for the high-end Apple Watch models.

And finally, a group of designers have gotten together to speculate on how apps might look on the Apple Watch.

9to5Mac reports that Apple is adding additional layers of jewelry store like security in anticipation of the arrival of the 18 carat gold-plated iPhone:

Apple will outfit its official retail stores with safes to house the more expensive, gold “Edition” variants of the upcoming Apple Watch, according to sources. The safes will likely be used to carry both to-be-sold inventory as well as to store demo units from the show floor overnight. The custom-designed safes will be outfitted with Apple Watch MagSafe chargers in order to keep the demo units charged up and ready to go for the next day of business. Apple has already begun installing the safes in some stores ahead of the Apple Watch’s expected release in April.

Given that Apple already stocks iPhones which cost a thousand dollars or more, I was somewhat surprised to learn that they didn’t already have very high levels of security.

After all, an iPhone is just about as pocketable as the Apple Watch, and the retail boxes will be about the same size, so I would have thought that they would be protected with similar levels of security.

But I could be wrong.

In any case, Apple at the very least is using the same beta testing methods that worked so well with the iPhone. MacRumors says that units have been spotted around Cupertino.

Here’s one:

applewatchwild1Business Insider also dug up a number of tweeted photos which appear to show the Apple Watch, but given the size and angle of the photos, it’s not clear that they all show an Apple Watch.

VentureBeat also posted a story on an encounter with an Apple Watch; their reporter only saw one for a few minutes on his morning commute, but he already knows he wants one.

Curiously, in spite of the number of Apple Watches spotted in the wild, I haven’t read any reports of any being stolen. While I am not advocating or excusing theft, I was expecting a mislaid Apple Watch to turn up in the hands of one of the major tech blogs. It’s happened before with iPhones, and I expected it to happen with the Apple Watch.

Unfortunately, we’re going to have to content ourselves with mock ups created by folks who don’t have a connection to Apple (and thus are not covered by an NDA).

The Verge reports that the Letter Society is encouraging its members to come up with designs for future Apple Watch apps. Here’s one of the concepts for an Uber app:

tumblr_nio4rezw8u1sh1wt1o3_1280[1]

You can find more on the Letter Society website.

 

Similar Articles


No Comments


Write a Comment