Five years ago, Apple Inc. made history in the mobile phone industry with the launch of iPhone. Barely three years later, the company unveiled its first iPad tablet computer — catapulting the Apple brand to being one of the most admired in the mobile device market. And now, it has its eye on a project that is believed to make another record-breaking sales.
According to a New York Times report, Apple is experimenting with a wristwatch-like device made of curved glass. Two people familiar with the company’s explorations said the “iWatch” would operate on Apple’s iOS platform and stand apart from competitors based on the company’s understanding of how such glass can curve around the human body.
Apple declined to issue any statement about its new explorations but if everything goes well, it probably wouldn’t take very long before consumers, particularly Apple fanatics, could get a hand on a watch that sports smartphone features.
Investors would most likely embrace an iWatch, with some already saying that wearable computing could replace the smartphone over the next decade, the article notes.
“We believe technology could progress to a point where consumers have a tablet plus wearable computers, like watches or glasses, that enable simple things like voice calls, texting, quick searches, navigation,” Gene Munster, an analyst at Piper Jaffray, said in a report last month. “These devices are likely to be cheaper than an iPhone and could ultimately be Apple’s best answer to addressing emerging markets.”