28 comments

  • Chris HampshireChris Hampshire, over 6 years ago

    This image doesn't justify anything.

    37 points
    • Matt AchariamMatt Achariam, over 6 years ago (edited over 6 years ago )

      I have to agree. I'd like to see the whole UI rethought for a round interface before we through out this idea.

      4 points
    • Jesse HeadJesse Head, over 6 years ago (edited over 6 years ago )

      I think it just shows that in order for a circle watch face to exist, the entire UI would have to be rethought... which is unlikely to happen soon seeing as this is the 1.0 release (if iOS is anything to go by, this will be the UI for quite some time before any major changes happen).

      7 points
    • Gabriel BrodersenGabriel Brodersen, over 6 years ago (edited over 6 years ago )

      The picture shows that the Watch UI doesn't fit Round, because Apple didn't want to make the watch round... This thread is so dumb, and I would like my time back please.

      1 point
  • Jett HouseJett House, over 6 years ago (edited over 6 years ago )

    While I agree that the interface would need to be reworked. Where the circles have been drawn seem pretty arbitrary. If you make them slightly larger most of the screen fits within it. Plus, the total surface area (even with a bezel) wouldn't be larger than the rectangle.

    Image alt

    21 points
    • Oliver ChankOliver Chank, over 6 years ago

      My thoughts exactly.

      I think there should have been a little more thought into measuring and putting actual sizes that fit more standard watch sizes.

      For example, I like my watches at 38mm to 42mm... But then again, you'd design the UI differently, as others have mentioned.

      0 points
    • Shaun TollertonShaun Tollerton, over 6 years ago

      Boom, this is exactly what I was going to say. Ultimately what we've learnt today is that the article is a waste of everyone's time.

      0 points
    • Abdel Ibrahim, over 6 years ago (edited over 6 years ago )

      The problem with this approach is the size, really. The heights of the current Apple Watch are 38mm and 42mm respectively. Your drawing suggests that a watch diameter of roughly 42mm round would fit the entire UI. While this may be true, there is quite a bit of padding around the current Apple Watch. Look closely and there is easily 4-5mm that surrounds it.

      alt

      So add 4mm to 42mm and you got 46mm diameter and that's before you account for the actual body which is probably another 2-3mm. Basically, by going round, you would probably end up with a 48-50mm watch instead of a 42mm just to show the exact same info.

      2 points
  • Corin EdwardsCorin Edwards, over 6 years ago

    A lot of weird assumptions in these comments. This post isn't suggesting that it's impossible to fit a UI in to a circle.

    Just that on a pragmatic level a circle is a wasteful and less readable shape for interfaces & content with text.

    A circle is a good shape for representing some kinds of data.

    A square is a good shape for prose and tables.

    You can put a circle in a square but you have to make a square much smaller to fit it in a circle.

    7 points
  • Peter MainPeter Main, over 6 years ago

    Dumbest thing i've seen today

    3 points
  • Abdel Ibrahim, over 6 years ago

    The point of this picture is to highlight a few things.

    First, it COULD be round, but that would mean that the diameter wold have to be larger and the crown and button would have to be repositioned. The crown would have to be centered and then the button would have to likely go above it since putting it below it would make for an awkward clicking experience (try this by putting on a regular round watch and imagining where the button placement would be).

    Second, in talking to industrial designers, they tell me that by going with round, the device would get even thicker since batteries aren't really ever produced in in round shapes. They'd have to pack in more.

    Take a look at the Moto 360 battery: http://phandroid.s3.amazonaws.com/wp-content/uploads/2014/09/Moto-360-300mAh-battery-iFixit.jpg

    Third, once developers start making for a rectangular display, if Apple were to come out and say "here's a round one" it would require a total rethink of the UI. It's not like telling developers "we're making a larger display" like they did with the iPhone 6 and 6 Plus. This is totally different.

    This is why I don't think square is ever going away for smart watches. The smart watch is NOT like a regular watch. Even though Apple uses the word Watch to describe it, I think we have to think of it very differently.

    2 points
  • Hugo Magalhães, over 6 years ago (edited over 6 years ago )

    This thread reminded me of a quote from the ’09 movie Objectified.

    “Why do we feel we need to like we need to kinda keep revisiting the archetypes over and over and over again?...” Karim Rashid in ‘Objectified’

    Why is it so important to have a round watch? There nothing on the apple watch that would even slightly resemble a traditional watch apart from the bracelet and nomenclature of the product. Shouldn’t the shape/form of the object be a continuation of it’s internal design?

    1 point
  • Lucian MarinLucian Marin, over 6 years ago

    The image has nothing to do with UI. Apple Watch won’t be round because of the branding. The shape of the device is a brand in and out of itself. Why would Apple want their single watch to look like millions of other watches, from dirty cheap to extreme luxury? The shape has to be unique. That’s it.

    1 point
  • Adam SelbyAdam Selby, over 6 years ago

    This seems like stating the obvious. A UI designed for a square, does indeed not fit into a circle.

    If the watch were a circle, they'd have designed the UI accordingly.

    1 point
  • Micah SivitzMicah Sivitz, over 6 years ago

    Actually that's 9 pictures, not one.

    :)

    1 point
  • Sean LesterSean Lester, over 6 years ago

    Yeah, this image is nonsense. We're going to assume the only solution is to cram the UI developed intentionally for a square watch right into the round watch without a second though, and then Apple is going to scratch their heads and bang on it like monkeys and have no idea what to do. "Welp, guess we failed".

    1 point
  • Jonny BeltonJonny Belton, over 6 years ago (edited over 6 years ago )

    This assumes the resolution and device size would remain the exact same

    1 point
  • Zip ZapZip Zap, over 6 years ago

    Ok, cool and why it has to be round ??

    1 point
  • Francesco BonomiFrancesco Bonomi, over 6 years ago (edited over 6 years ago )

    It's official: we definitely need the Downvote button.

    0 points
  • c kizerc kizer, over 6 years ago (edited over 6 years ago )

    This has nothing to do with it. It's because it's really hard to hide the sensors like the iPhone has on the front on a round face. That's the same reason the moto 360 has the chunk out of the bottom. Not because of display connector, but because they needed someone to put the raise to listen sensor and you can't have it on the sides.

    Round watches will need to have sensors that work through the displays without ruining the displays. Probably why apple has all those patents of solar cells and other items working inside the displays…

    Also why would you want it to be round? Why are watches round to begin with? Because that was how the gears fit in. There's no gears in this watch. So we don't need to follow old patterns based on 200 year old devices anymore…

    0 points
  • Nathan NNathan N, over 6 years ago

    Just because the current UI doesn't fit doesn't mean it never will. The HIG just needs to be updated is all.

    0 points
  • Gabriel BrodersenGabriel Brodersen, over 6 years ago

    I don't get it. And why on earth restrict yourself to Round?

    0 points
  • Eric FilkinsEric Filkins, over 6 years ago

    .. I don't get it?

    0 points