The Next Big Thing from Apple: Eyewear or Wearables?

What's the buzz around this kind of product? The nice thing about this story is that it's changing the conversation. A week ago, everyone was referencing Dick Tracy watches, and now we talk about slap wrap toys - they're awesome! I have to go out and get a slap WAP toy just because they're fun to play with. And you know what? Apple even has a team of 100 product designers working on this type of technology. There are senior engineers behind it, so we know Apple has been investing in this area.

Is this something that actually comes to market or in this form? The reality is that this market for wearable computing devices may explode. We've talked about Google and Google Glass, and there was a research report this morning suggesting that potentially 485 million devices could be sold by 2018. If you're Apple, Google, or anybody else in technology, you have to be thinking about what the competition's doing and what you might be doing.

It sounds like it might be connected to another device either via Wi-Fi or Bluetooth. It doesn't sound like it's going to be a standalone device with its own CPU. Instead, it's kind of like a secondary display that connects your smartphone via Bluetooth or maybe even Wi-Fi. It'll display things like Maps or points of interest, or maybe even tweets - it can do stuff like that. I think that's what we're going to see coming out of Apple from the gates, at least just starting out with testing the waters.

Panic among the Apple Community?

You know, there are a lot of people who ask me this question - "What about Apple? When were the last few new products?" Well, I believe in Tim Cook's words when he said that there were a lot of exciting things in the pipeline. He did say that, during the third quarter conference call.

It's not like Apple is going to blow it all at once. They're not just going to launch something new and then leave you hanging for months or years without any updates. That's not how they work. They have a track record of releasing products when consumers need them, not before.

New Wearable Technologies: Google's Glasses?

I think so - I mean, you guys have talked about that splashy Sony PlayStation launch in New York yesterday. A lot of people were criticizing it because it's really difficult to tell a story right now about a line that already exists and how it fits into the new world.

When you're launching a new game console, you've got to explain how it works into a world with Facebook and iPhones and tablets. But if you can change the conversation to being about a product that we really don't know that much about, people get excited! And I agree with Mikey's point - Tim Cook doesn't seem concerned about what Apple's got in the pipeline.

The market is concerned because Apple doesn't like to open up and show us what they're working on. Companies like Samsung and Google are trying to push the envelope in areas that Apple already exists, which creates pressure for the company to come up with the next big thing.

John Erickman: The Man Behind the Story

Our senior West Coast correspondent at Bloomberg West, John Erickman, is always ready to break down the latest news from Silicon Valley. You can catch him every evening at 6 p.m. Eastern Time and 3:00 p.m. Pacific Time on our show. We'd like to thank Mikey Campbell, blogger at appleinsider.com, for breaking the story about Apple's patent filing that suggests an eyewatch is in the works.

"WEBVTTKind: captionsLanguage: enthe Apple Insider Blog has Unearthed a patent application for by Apple for what's called a smartwatch you're seeing the pictures right here included in the patent application Mikey Campbell broke the story this morning he's with us on the phone from Hawaii and in San Francisco our senior West Coast correspondent John erckman as well uh John if you don't mind I'm going to start with Mikey it's his story he brought it to the world Mikey tell us what what do you see in this patent application is this really going to be Apple's next big thing um I seriously doubt that this exact iteration is uh going to make it to uh to the store shelves um we may see facets of it perhaps but uh it's a really radical design I mean you've got uh a full wraparound display um flexible uh flexible Parts a lot of a lot of different things going on that you know technology right now I don't think is at the point where Apple can realistically roll something out um you know within the next uh six months to year but um but definitely you know parts are are going to make it I think well John that's a good question for you in terms of the next big thing what do you hear what's the buzz around this kind of product an eyew watch if that's what it's called from Apple the nice thing about this story Sarah is a picture is Chang changing the conversation I mean a week ago everyone was referencing the Dick Tracy watches now we talk about slap wrap toys uh that are awesome I have to go out and get a slap WAP toy just because they're fun to play with and you know it for Apple even and Bloomberg has reported that they've got a hundred product designers that are working on this Ty of Technology there are senior Engineers that are behind it so we know Apple has been investing in this area whether this is something that actually comes to Market or in this form comes the market the reality is that this market for wearable Computing devices May explode we talk about Google and Google Glass there was a research report this morning suggesting that potentially 485 million devices in this category could be sool by 2018 if you're Apple Google anybody in technology you've got to be thinking about what the competition's doing and what you might be doing and that's why you go to the patent office cuz it sounds like it might be connected to another device either via Wi-Fi or Bluetooth kind of sounds to me like Rim's Playbook being connected to your blackberry right right it's uh it's not going to be a standalone device um right now I mean with a with a own CPU you're not going to be wearing a smartphone on your wrist um what this is is kind of like a secondary display um it's going to connect your smartphone via Bluetooth or maybe even Wi-Fi um something low low energy um and it'll display things like Maps or uh maybe a points of interest or maybe even you know tweets it it can do stuff like that um I think that's what we're going to be seeing coming out of apple from the gates um at least just start out with test the waters is is what I expect Mike McKey one thing I want to ask you know you at Apple Insider and there are of course a number of other blogs that pay very very close attention to the Apple ecosystem the Apple Universe do you sense uh I guess uh maybe Panic beginning to form among the Apple community that we haven't seen anything new from Apple for so long well I mean um you know that that's the question that I actually uh get asked a lot um as far as a groundbreaking uh fresh design new products um you know we had the iPad Mini in November of last year and you know before that the iPhone 5 so I mean nothing truly exciting um before uh I I believe in the uh third quarter conference call Tim Cook did say that there were a lot of exciting things in the pipeline and you know I I do tend to uh believe him I think apple is been biting their time they're going to release the things that they think consumers need when they need it um they're not just going to blow it all at one time you know well when you're talking about new products John just to Braden this out a little bit when we're talking about Apple and the eyew watch looks like a bracelet Google's working on some glasses that we got to look at is this the new thing these wearable Technologies accessories if you will I I think so I mean you know you guys have talked about that uh splashy Sony PlayStation launch in New York yesterday that a lot of people were criticizing in part because it's really difficult to tell a story right now about a line that already exists and how it fits into the new world you know if you're if you're launching a new game console you've got to explain how it works into a world with Facebook and iPhones and tablets um if you can change the conversation to being about a product that we really don't know that much about to Mikey's point it gets people excited and and I would agree with him Tim Cook the CEO was at a conference here in San Francisco recently he doesn't seem concerned about what Apple's got in the pipeline I think the market is concerned because Apple doesn't like to open up the kimono and you've got companies like Samsung and Google so many companies that are really trying to push the envelope in the areas that Apple already exists so it almost creates that pressure if you will for the company to come up with the next big thing John thank you very much want to remind everybody that that is John erckman our senior West Coast correspondent at Bloomberg West you can see him every evening 600 p.m. eastern time 3:00 p.m. Pacific time and we'd like to thank Mikey Campbell blogger at appleinsider.com he broke the story about Apple's patent filing that suggests an eyewatch is in the works coming up nextthe Apple Insider Blog has Unearthed a patent application for by Apple for what's called a smartwatch you're seeing the pictures right here included in the patent application Mikey Campbell broke the story this morning he's with us on the phone from Hawaii and in San Francisco our senior West Coast correspondent John erckman as well uh John if you don't mind I'm going to start with Mikey it's his story he brought it to the world Mikey tell us what what do you see in this patent application is this really going to be Apple's next big thing um I seriously doubt that this exact iteration is uh going to make it to uh to the store shelves um we may see facets of it perhaps but uh it's a really radical design I mean you've got uh a full wraparound display um flexible uh flexible Parts a lot of a lot of different things going on that you know technology right now I don't think is at the point where Apple can realistically roll something out um you know within the next uh six months to year but um but definitely you know parts are are going to make it I think well John that's a good question for you in terms of the next big thing what do you hear what's the buzz around this kind of product an eyew watch if that's what it's called from Apple the nice thing about this story Sarah is a picture is Chang changing the conversation I mean a week ago everyone was referencing the Dick Tracy watches now we talk about slap wrap toys uh that are awesome I have to go out and get a slap WAP toy just because they're fun to play with and you know it for Apple even and Bloomberg has reported that they've got a hundred product designers that are working on this Ty of Technology there are senior Engineers that are behind it so we know Apple has been investing in this area whether this is something that actually comes to Market or in this form comes the market the reality is that this market for wearable Computing devices May explode we talk about Google and Google Glass there was a research report this morning suggesting that potentially 485 million devices in this category could be sool by 2018 if you're Apple Google anybody in technology you've got to be thinking about what the competition's doing and what you might be doing and that's why you go to the patent office cuz it sounds like it might be connected to another device either via Wi-Fi or Bluetooth kind of sounds to me like Rim's Playbook being connected to your blackberry right right it's uh it's not going to be a standalone device um right now I mean with a with a own CPU you're not going to be wearing a smartphone on your wrist um what this is is kind of like a secondary display um it's going to connect your smartphone via Bluetooth or maybe even Wi-Fi um something low low energy um and it'll display things like Maps or uh maybe a points of interest or maybe even you know tweets it it can do stuff like that um I think that's what we're going to be seeing coming out of apple from the gates um at least just start out with test the waters is is what I expect Mike McKey one thing I want to ask you know you at Apple Insider and there are of course a number of other blogs that pay very very close attention to the Apple ecosystem the Apple Universe do you sense uh I guess uh maybe Panic beginning to form among the Apple community that we haven't seen anything new from Apple for so long well I mean um you know that that's the question that I actually uh get asked a lot um as far as a groundbreaking uh fresh design new products um you know we had the iPad Mini in November of last year and you know before that the iPhone 5 so I mean nothing truly exciting um before uh I I believe in the uh third quarter conference call Tim Cook did say that there were a lot of exciting things in the pipeline and you know I I do tend to uh believe him I think apple is been biting their time they're going to release the things that they think consumers need when they need it um they're not just going to blow it all at one time you know well when you're talking about new products John just to Braden this out a little bit when we're talking about Apple and the eyew watch looks like a bracelet Google's working on some glasses that we got to look at is this the new thing these wearable Technologies accessories if you will I I think so I mean you know you guys have talked about that uh splashy Sony PlayStation launch in New York yesterday that a lot of people were criticizing in part because it's really difficult to tell a story right now about a line that already exists and how it fits into the new world you know if you're if you're launching a new game console you've got to explain how it works into a world with Facebook and iPhones and tablets um if you can change the conversation to being about a product that we really don't know that much about to Mikey's point it gets people excited and and I would agree with him Tim Cook the CEO was at a conference here in San Francisco recently he doesn't seem concerned about what Apple's got in the pipeline I think the market is concerned because Apple doesn't like to open up the kimono and you've got companies like Samsung and Google so many companies that are really trying to push the envelope in the areas that Apple already exists so it almost creates that pressure if you will for the company to come up with the next big thing John thank you very much want to remind everybody that that is John erckman our senior West Coast correspondent at Bloomberg West you can see him every evening 600 p.m. eastern time 3:00 p.m. Pacific time and we'd like to thank Mikey Campbell blogger at appleinsider.com he broke the story about Apple's patent filing that suggests an eyewatch is in the works coming up next\n"