2014 launch predicted for Apple’s ‘iWatch’

Industry watchers believe Apple's smartwatch device will focus on tracking, biometrics and online security, rather than replicating iPhone features.

Top Apple analyst Ming-Chi Kuo says that: 'iWatch will not be positioned as a time-telling device, nor as a device that displays information from other Apple products. We are positive on the iWatch because its wearable design is helpful for offering more secure user identification and biometrics functionality.'

In a note to investors, seen by Apple Insider, Kuo also predicts that the smartwatch will feature a 2.0-inch or 1.5-inch touch-responsive display and, because the components required as still only sparsely available, it won't be coming to market until September 2014.

Kuo's thoughts and reasoning are shared by Jonny Evans, Computerworld's resident Apple expert, who has been doing a lot of digging on the subject in recent weeks. He points to a number of Apple patents that have surfaced in recent months, including for curved battery cells for portable devices and for non-rectangular batteries.

He also claims that the 'iWatch' is being treated by Apple as a make-or-break device, a thousand employees are currently working on it to ensure it has the same consumer impact in terms of innovation and desire as the original iPhone and iPad.

The belief that the iWatch will focus on motion and health tracking and work as a form of online identification is one that is gathering steam. Online security is one of the biggest issues facing consumers and a practical, desirable and cool way of ridding cyberspace of the password really would be innovative.