It seems that, with every new type of technology, Apple Inc. must introduce their version. They often blow the competition out of the water. The race has tightened recently with sleeker, faster and more versatile tablets, phones, and now wearable devices flooding the marketplace.

Trend-watchers began speculating last year about a new Apple watch. Recently, sources such as Morgan Stanley and UBS have predicted that a new Apple product, such as the iWatch, would be even more popular–and profitable–than the iPad. ABI research predicts that Apple could sell 485 million of them per year.

Advantages of the iWatch

So what makes the iWatch so spectacular compared to the recent developments from Pebble, Fitbit, or Samsung? Will the new Apple watch take over the market for wearables too?

The iWatch will go much further than telling time. Sources report that the iWatch will have fitness capabilities similar to the Fitbit and other wearable watches. It will function as a pedometer, fitness tracker, and GPS device. Partnerships with Nike also suggest that the new Apple watch will include fitness tracking features similar to the Nike Fuel Band.

Most of the other wearables in the market are only capable of fitness tracking without phone syncing capabilities. The iWatch will sync to your other Apple devices. Tech Times reports, “once synced, users will be able to get notifications from their iPhone such as messages, call records and more.” Also similar in design to the Fitbit, the iWatch is rumored to have a curved display, but with superior design features by LG.

Challenges for the iWatch

Even though current research and recent Apple conference launch suggest that the iWatch will offer stiff competition, the Fitbit and Pebble SmartWatch may remain leaders for now. The $250 price tag predicted for the iWatch is similar to the Pebble SmartWatch, but dwarfs the Fitbit tag of $99. These devices are currently growing in popularity, demonstrating increased acceptance of wearable technology. The iWatch is the new contender on the block, and with the new technology comes the kinks.

As Apple increases their sphere of influence, its watch will likely have the same impact on consumers as their other products. Consumers either prefer the Apple devices with iOS technology or they prefer Android. We do not know yet whether the new Apple watch will have a full version of iOS software or a “light” version. Android watches from Google and Pebble, meanwhile, boast high functioning capabilities with voice integration and full app functions.

Apple is sure to have a lot of tricks up their sleeve with regard to the iWatch. They’re still developing new features. The design and launch of the Apple iWatch will be an exciting development to witness. The release date is scheduled for later this year.

PHOTO: CC0 / Public Domain