Is the iWatch real? At the moment it seems like the device is merely a rumor and we have no way of knowing if it really exists, but as the saying goes, when there’s smoke, there’s fire. Recently a report from the Financial Timesseems to confirm that, according to a quote from Jean-Claude Biver, president of Watches and Jewelry at LVMH, “Apple has contacted some of my employees – I saw the emails personally.”
However it seems that despite Apple’s reputation and size, it looks like not many in the watch industry are particularly inclined to work with them, at least that’s based on the feedback that some watch companies have given. In the case of LVMH, Biver said that his employees have since rejected Apple’s advances.
It also seems that Apple is not alone here. According to Swatch’s CEO, Nick Hayek, many other tech companies have approached them about the possibility of working together on wearables, but they have resisted those advances as well. “We have been in discussions – not ever initiated by us – with practically all players in smart wearables up until today. However, we see no reason why we should enter into any partnership agreement.”
The reason is because unlike regular watches, smartwatches are designed differently and there are issues like ergonomics, longevity, and battery life which he feels are advancements made by Swatch that he should protect. It’s actually interesting that watch makers are reluctant to work with tech companies on developing smartwatches.
After all it would seem that both industries could benefit from one another’s expertise and create a watch of the future. What do you guys think?
Filed in . Read more about Apple Watch, Smartwatch and Wearable Tech.