The Apple Watch has become an iconic smartwatch, but things could have turned out very differently. Leaked images of an Apple Watch prototype appear to be how far it has come since early development.
Apple prototypes are extremely rare. These specific images were posted by Twitter users @AppleDemoYT and initially reported by 9to5 Mac. Apple also has a history of disguising prototypes – can you remember the iPhone 4 prototype which Gizmodo had previously received, which was dressed to look like an iPhone 3GS. It is no different with this prototype Apple Watch, which is built into a bulky case that looks like a mini-iPhone or iPod.
The case has two buttons on the side and something that looks like the old iPhone home button, and the outside of the case seems to hold the digital crown and button we all know. The prototype also seems to use internal software that pre-dates watchOS, complete with a “Springboard zoom” app that demonstrates the watchOS home screen. Another neat Easter egg is a “Lisa Tester” app, which refers to Apple’s Lisa computer from the 80s and contains a beautiful Lisa Simpson icon. Another screen clearly states that the prototype has not been approved by the FCC, and that it may not be sold or leased as a result.
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The first Apple Watch to be launched in 2015 is therefore likely to go back to at least 2014, or perhaps earlier. Back in 2015, Wired had a depth piece the history of the development of the Apple Watch. In it were some descriptions of the first Apple Watch prototype, which was actually an iPhone attached to a ‘very nicely designed velcro’. It also allegedly had a custom dongle in the form of “an actual watch crown plugged in by the cord connector on the bottom of the phone.”
It is always neat to see what features and design elements end up in the final product and what is left on the rubbish of history. It seems that some aspects of the prototype UI – at least those pictured – eventually made it to watchOS. It’s a mystery exactly how this particular prototype exists, especially since Apple is known for destroying test devices and for its strong non-disclosure agreements. Recently there are photos from 2007 that also depict the production line for the very first iPhone appeared on Twitter. These leaks show a neat bit of technological history – one that gadget nerds everywhere want to see more of.