On Tuesday, the U.S. Patent and Trademark Office (USPTO) published an Apple patent related to a “Wrist-worn electronic device” referred to as iTime.
Filed back in 2011, the patent describes a device reminiscent of the Pebble smart watch that could rely on Bluetooth to deliver notifications from the iPhone and/or iPad to one’s wrist. Said notifications could include phone calls, text messages, and other alerts apps could push to your wrist.
Similarly to Pebble, the watch could also serve as a remote control for other devices and apps.Once a notification is sent, user has the option to pick up their iPhone or iPad to answer these alerts, or access them directly through the watch itself.
Similarly to Pebble, the watch could also serve as a remote control for other devices and apps (iTunes), while also being able to alert users when their iPhone has been left behind and is out of range.
What makes this a “real iWatch rumor” is the part that describes the device working alone, without relying on any third-party devices to do its magic. The filing goes into details to explain how this process would be handled inside the watch.
Those following the “iWatch saga” will note that this isn’t the first patent related to Apple’s upcoming wearable device. Earlier filings described a smart pedometer and a fitness-related smart watch that could detect if a user is lifting a weightlifting bar, and count and display the recorded repetitions.
It is said that Apple will unveil the iWatch this fall; while some sources say that will happen in October, others claim we’ll have to wait ’till November for the official announcement. Either way, we expect to see a watch that will look better than anything currently available. And in that sense, we can’t wait to see what Cook & Co. can come up with.
[Via: CultOfMac]