Let these clever designs tide you over until the Apple's smartwatch is unveiled
Update: The Apple Watch is now official, it’s out next year
Apple’s iWatch should be on our wrists by the end of 2014 (we hope), but until it’s official we still have no idea what it’ll actually look like or how it might function.
Thankfully, there are enough clever designers out there that are happy to show us what they think Jonny Ive has up, or under, his sleeve.
Essential read: Apple Watch hands on review
So, here are our favourite, and possibly least favourite, iWatch concepts…
iWatch meets Nike Fuelband
Design by Todd Ham
Earlier this year Nike bowed out of the hardware game, deciding instead to focus on the software side of things. But, what if the real reason was because they were in cahoots with a certain Cupertino based company on its heavily rumoured upcoming wearable?
This concept mashes the slim, wrist hugging design of Nike’s Fuelband with Apple’s iOS 7 UI and we have to say it gets us a little excited.
Not going all-out smartwatch, but creating a fitness device that integrates with Health Kit iOS 8 is a great wearable starting point, with the obvious bonus of having all your phone notifications popping up too.
iOS heavy iWatch
Designed by Stephen Olmstead
If Apple was to try and cram as much of iOS 8 into a watch as possible, this is surely what it would end up looking like. From checking your calendar (although a whole month view on a screen that small would require some serious eyesight), to reading a compass, we somehow how think Jonny Ive and co might go for something a little more simplistic.
One thing we do love though is the circular watch face, a must in our books, and the Siri integration – which just makes complete sense.
Smartwatch iWatch
Designed by Gábor Balogh
Though not strictly an iWatch concept, this leather strapped, circular watch face toting smartwatch has the design down to a tee. We would have no qualms about rocking this on our wrists everyday.
Instead of going with a touchscreen, this uses buttons on the side to access specific functions, like answering a call or skipping to the next song, much like a traditional smartwatch. Checking your steps? The face changes to give you just the info you need and instead of showing your full month’s worth of calendar entries, it just shows the next one.
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We definitely think Apple will take this approach, showing you just the information you need to know right then.
iWatch with Maps
Designed by Martin Hajek
While it goes with the more traditional square screen, something we’ve seen on quite a few smartwatches in the past few years, we love the straightforward approach of this iWatch idea. It simply acts as a second screen to your phone, for instance showing you the next turn when you’re navigating in the Maps app.
Design wise this is also a winner – just look at that aluminium construction (no one would be surprised if Apple used its favourite metal when constructing its iWatch) and while using curved glass would surely see a steep rise in price, we have to say it would increase comfort.
iWatch cuff
Designed by Ciccarese Design
While we currently have zero details on what the iWatch will actually look like, we think it’s safe to say it will not bare any resemblance to this. Cramming a whole iPhone onto our wrists just doesn’t make any sense, especially when we already have one in our pockets.
The curved screen here does minimise down to a regular watch face, expanding probably when you want to take part in wrist based round of Monument Valley. We have to give the designer some credit though, it does look ridiculously futuristic – maybe too futuristic for us.
