The Apple Watch might appear slick and refined right now, however its early iterations were anything but.
An interview with Apple’s human interface designer Alan Dye and Apple’s VP Technology Kevin Lynch, courtesy of Wired, sheds light on the wearable’s early days.
For instance, an early version of the Apple Watch software basically served up information in a timeline, similar to Pebble’s chronological approach.
Apple dropped the idea in favour of a more streamlined system, however, minimising the time it takes a user to gauge whether information on the Watch is important enough.
“It was all very understandable, but
The software went through three main iterations, all in an effort to reduce the time it takes to complete actions down to mere seconds.
Many features reportedly met the chopping block because they didn’t fit with this design ethos.
Related: Apple Watch vs Android Wear
The report goes on to detail the great lengths to which Apple went to refine the Taptic Engine, the haptic feedback technology built into the Apple Watch.
The company spent a year working on the technology, holding weekly meetings to discuss how users feel when receiving various notifications, like phone calls, or texts.
Many prototypes for sound and vibration alerts were tested, each with a slightly different feel.
“Some where too annoying, said Lynch. “
Apple then attempted to translate various feelings into sounds and vibrations, to determine what a tweet or text actually feels like.
The designers and engineers sampled a wide variety of sounds to answer these questions, including bell clappers, birds, and lightsabers, which they then turned into physical sensations.
Apple will launch its final Apple Watch version in stores on April 24, but you can pre-order the device starting April 10.
Editorial independence
Editorial independence means being able to give an unbiased verdict about a product or company, with the avoidance of conflicts of interest. To ensure this is possible, every member of the editorial staff follows a clear code of conduct.
Professional conduct
We also expect our journalists to follow clear ethical standards in their work. Our staff members must strive for honesty and accuracy in everything they do. We follow the IPSO Editors’ code of practice to underpin these standards.
Editorial independence
Editorial independence means being able to give an unbiased verdict about a product or company, with the avoidance of conflicts of interest. To ensure this is possible, every member of the editorial staff follows a clear code of conduct.
Professional conduct
We also expect our journalists to follow clear ethical standards in their work. Our staff members must strive for honesty and accuracy in everything they do. We follow the IPSO Editors’ code of practice to underpin these standards.
