5 great technologies behind the new iWatch

10:08 AM iWatch , news , sensor , taptic engine , Technology 0 Comments

Soon to hit the shelves and create an uproar in the market, the all new Apple iWatch is here. While we need some time to figure out the device once it arrives, we bring the details about what's underneath the shiny metallic smartwatch. The trailer video reveals a lot about this device and what it offers. Even from the statement of Tim Cook, the chief executive officer, it is clear that the device is not for nerds. It is a fashion accessory. Even then, to stay competent in the market, it needs to fulfill the desires of the digital consumers. They have added several novel features to this smartwatch to make it usable. Here is a list of some of the cool technology behind the features. Many of which are inventions and some of which are innovations of Apple. 

Taptic

No, it is not a marketing gimmick. They have come up with a very simple but brilliant new notification system which 'taps' you. Earlier there have been vibrators(no, not that one!), speakers, beepers, screen and LED notification that  were made you aware of any new messages, status or updates, etc. This is a new addition to the list. What it does is simple. It taps you on your wrist to notify you. What's not so simple is that the tapping is unique for each type of notification. You will know a message from an email and so on. Needless to mention that it is customizable as per your needs. Let's see how it fares in action.

Crown

 

This is what is the amalgamation of traditional design and new age technology. The crown functions like a rotary sensor which can be used to control the device. The crown has been shown in the video as the main input for the iWatch. Other than that there is a button too. 

The crown is another tool from Apple to make things simpler. It reduces the clutter of buttons that used to make the earlier smartwatches look too nerdy for casual or official wear.

Heart rate sensor

 

Almost all the smartwatches come with the sports tracking features and even here the iWatch fares well with the inclusion of a heart rate sensor. The sensors are visible from the underside of the watch and makes it look like a device from some sci-fi movie.

Along with the heart rate sensor there are other sensors too, like the pedometer for measuring the steps and it measures the distance by the GPS and Wifi connection through the iPhone.

SOC , the S1

In the age of 'System On a Chip' architecture, the devices are getting simpler to design as well as smaller in size. While there are plethora of SOCs available for the mobile devices like smartphones and tablets, there are few for the watches. Moreover the traditional SOCs like the Cortex A7 wont be justified for a device like app, neither will it fit in the device's size limits.

Last year in September Apple introduced this new platform chipset and it shall be used on all the current watches.

Socketless charger 

The device can be charged by the socketless charger that works like a charm. No need to precisely position the plug over the device. It has magnetic locators, which lead the wireless power plug into the perfect spot and start the wireless charging process. It is fairly simple to use. The technology for magnetically gluing it to place is same as used on Macbooks. 

The charging time is not yet known. While some say that will take overnight, it may charge up in less than an hour.