Why I’m still waiting for the iWatch from Apple

Old table, smartphone, and mp3 player

Ahead of Apple’s announcement tomorrow, I wanted to publish a post talking about something that people seem to have forgotten.

The Pebble, Galaxy gear, Sony Smartwatch 2, and other watch-style wrist computers have all been announced already. The reaction has been an almost universal “Meh..”

Sure there are people that are really excited, but that’s more the exception and not the rule.

I’ve been thinking about this and the talk of “Apple’s innovating days being over” and something occurred to me. There were mp3 players, smartphones, and tablets before Apple released their versions.

Look above and you’ll see the devices that no gather dust in my home that were touted as revolutionary by their manufacturers before Apple created their version.

Did you know there were mp3 players before the iPod? There were. In fact, I got the one in the picture as part of a “back to school” deal from Apple before they announced their own. If you think the iPhone screen is small, look at the picture of the Treo above. If you think the iPad is clunky, look at the tablet I’ve got.

These devices existed before Apple announced their own, but they never really took off until Apple announced their version.

That’s what I think that Leo Laporte (who I generally love and agree with) and other detractors of the innovative ability of the post-Steve Jobs apple haven’t remembered. Apple doesn’t have to build a never-before-seen device to wow the world; they need to take what exists already and make it more functional (in the ways people really care about) and better looking.

I think that the iWatch (or whatever they call it) will be just that. As a runner, technology lover, and Apple fanboy, I’m looking forward to it.

Perhaps when Jony Ive leaves Apple, they’ll be in real danger, but now I think Apple’s best days might be ahead of them.

Tomorrow, they might just announce the “tock” in the iPhone cycle, but there might just be “one more thing” as Jobs used to say. If there is, I wouldn’t count the Cupertino company out just yet.

Paul

BTW, I plan on live streaming my commentary about the announcement on ChurchTechCast.com. Join me at 1p eastern (10a pacific) for that and we’ll see if I’m right (or if this is like the iPod Hi-fi). See ya then.

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