Apple Watch has reached stable
Since the presentation of the iPhone Xs and Apple Watch 4 it was clear that the latter was the undiscussed main character of the show. Also, since its introduction back in 2015, this 4th iteration is the main on, the one designed to set the standard for the personal gadget.
Most notably the new features are the introduction of ECG, expansion of LTE capabilities to even more countries, fall detection, a thinner design, a higher display/body ratio, a better hardware packing a 64-bit CPU and redesigned microphone and upgraded speakers.
We can then use some terms used in “software lifecycle” to name the steps the Apple Watch took to get stable and embed all the features needed for a full-fledged user experience.
| Device | Milestone | Comments | Year |
|---|---|---|---|
| Apple Watch | alpha | concept | 2015 |
| Apple Watch Series 2 (and 1) | beta | setting the ground | 2016 |
| Apple Watch Series 3 | Release Candidate | faster chip and with LTE connectivity | 2017 |
| Apple Watch Series 4 | 1.0 stable | all the features (including ECG) in an improved design | 2018 |
And something similar can be told about the iPhone, too. Interestingly enough it took the same number of iterations for the Apple Watch and the iPhone to complete their set of core features.
| Device | Milestone | Comments | Year |
|---|---|---|---|
| iPhone | alpha | concept | 2007 |
| iPhone 3G | beta | setting the ground | 2008 |
| iPhone 3Gs | Release Candidate | made it faster | 2009 |
| iPhone 4 | 1.0, stable | all the feature in a premium design | 2010 |
| iPhone 6 | 2.0 | bigger screen sizes, new reference design | 2014 |
| iPhone X | 3.0 | new UX, sensors and neural chip | 2017 |
The Apple Watch is going to be the next device from Cupertino for the wow moments that engage the user and keep the money flowing in. After 11 years on the market, the iPhone has become a mature product. Next releases are going to pack only minor improvements and its new features are going to be less exciting every year.
All in all Apple roadmap has been clear for a while, a major step forward every two years. So let’s see how the Apple Watchs, their most personal device, will evolve in 2020.
Thanks for reading.