Samsung Galaxy S6: Rumors and more with Design

         

It isn't a mystery any longer that Samsung will introduce the Samsung Galaxy S6 next year. The Galaxy S line-up has gathered all the flagship smartphones of the South Korean company since 2010, and it’s by far the most popular family of high-end Android smartphones.

The Galaxy S5 has already been released and since Samsung’s flagship for 2014 has unveiled all its secrets to us, the tech publications have turned their attention towards the Samsung Galaxy S6. Even though we’ll have to wait more than 6 months until the Samsung Galaxy S6 launch, rumors and speculations of the next-gen Samsung flagship have already surfaced online.

*** RELEASE DATE

It may be a bit early to speculate about the S6 release date, But we could at least make estimations based on the previous releases of the South Korea-based phone maker.

As you may know, the last two Samsung flagship smartphones, the Galaxy S4 and the Galaxy S5, were introduced in the first quarter of the year - in March and February, respectively. Both devices were officially released on the market in April, so we should expect a similar strategy for the Samsung Galaxy S6.

Other voices say that Samsung might act a bit different next year. If the rumors that the South Koreans will begin launching two flagship smartphones a year (excluding the Galaxy Note phablets), then the Samsung Galaxy S6 release date might be pushed forward by one or two months.

Therefore we might actually see the Galaxy S6 announced at CES 2015 (early January) or MWC 2015 (late February) and released on the market late February or early May, followed by the launch of an upgraded S6 model in the first months of summer.

*** DISPLAY

Even though it was initially rumored that the Galaxy S5 will arrive with a Quad HD (1440 x 2560) resolution display, Samsung has settled for a 5.1-inch Full HD unit, most likely keeping the Quad HD screen for a later model.

LG, one of Sammy’s biggest rivals, has already released a Quad HD smartphone, so Samsung is bound to make a move in this direction. It’s rumored that the Galaxy S5 Prime will be Samsung’s first smartphone to arrive with a Quad HD display and we are 100% sure that the Samsung Galaxy S6 will pack a 1440p screen, too!

The rumor mill has also speculated that beginning with the Galaxy Note 4, the Asian phone maker will use bendable displays for their high-end smartphones. Anyway, don’t think bendable like G Flex or Galaxy Round, but rather like the Youm concept presented at CES 2013, a smartphone that had the screen bent over one of its edges.
In terms of size, the Samsung Galaxy S6 might arrive with a 5.3 or 5.5-inch screen, which will of course make use of the company’s proprietary Super AMOLED technology.

*** DIMENSIONS

Samsung’s latest smartphone, the Galaxy S5 is 142 mm tall, 72.5 mm wide, and 8.1 mm thin and expect the Samsung Galaxy S6 to have similar dimensions even though it will feature a slightly larger display. (6 in.)?

Because they won’t want to step on phablet territory, Samsung will try to achieve S5-like dimensions despite the larger screen. How? They will most likely narrow down the bezels surrounding the display.
If the rumors prove true and the next-gen Sammy flagship will indeed arrive with a metal body, expect the handset to be a bit heavier than the Galaxy S5 which weighs 145 grams.

*** PROCESSOR

Apple has already made the jump to 64-bit computing last year with the Apple A8 chipset integrated in the iPhone 5S and the same will happen with 2015′s Android smartphones. We believe we already know the chipset that will equip the Samsung Galaxy S6.

Earlier this year, Qualcomm announced its top chipsets for the first half of 2014: the Snapdragon 808 and the Snapdragon 810. Just like everybody anticipated, they are both 64-bit enabled, so Android flagships will make the jump to 64-bit processors, as well.

Qualcomm revealed that the Snapdragon 808 and Snapdragon 810 processors will be available in commercial devices by the first half of 2015, which coincides with Samsung Galaxy S6′s release date.

Because the Snapdragon 810 is the more potent unit, that’s what Samsung will use for their 2015 flagship.

The octo-core Snapdragon 810 SoC is based on four Cortex A57 cores (up to 2 GHz) and four A53 cores with 64-bit support, plus an Adreno 430 GPU. It also comes with integrated 4G LTE Advanced modem

*** MEMORY

There will be nothing spectacular in terms of storage. Given the current trends in the smartphone world, the Samsung Galaxy S6 will either be launched in 16/32 GB variants or 32/64 GB variants. Of course, Samsung will also include a microSD card slot that will allow the users to expand the storage with up to 128 GB.

But how about the amount of RAM? This is where the fun part begins. Because the S6 will arrive with a 64-bit processor, Samsung may be tempted to squeeze 4 GB of RAM under the hood!

They could as well go with 3 GB of RAM and be capable of providing a great multitasking experience, but Sammy likes to show off, don’t they?

*** CONNECTIVITY

Besides the usual features like HSPA, LTE, NFC, IR blaster, Wi-Fi 802.11 a/b/g/n/ac, dual-band, DLNA, Wi-Fi Direct, Wi-Fi hotspot, and microUSB 3.0, the Galaxy S6 might come with a couple of surprises in terms of connectivity.

The new smartphone will arrive with LTE-A connectivity courtesy of the integrated modem of the Snapdragon 810 chipset and Bluetooth 4.1, also a part of the Qualcomm’s SoC.

Of course, the South Koreans will also keep their connectivity-related features like Download Booster which combines LTE and WiFi to increase download speeds.

*** CAMERA

Well, it’s pretty hard to guess what camera module the South Korean company will use for the Galaxy S6, but I am sure we’ll find out more about it towards the end of the year.

We believe that it will have a higher resolution than the current 16 MP ISOCELL sensor that equips the Galaxy S5, that it will integrate an OIS module, and that it will be capable of recording 4K videos.

Samsung’s Dual Shot will also be there, along with HDR photos and videos.

For what it’s worth, it was rumored that Samsung planned to fit an OIS module on the current Galaxy S5. Sources in the industry reported that the S5 didn’t arrive with optical image stabilization, because of Samsung’s capability of producing enough OIS modules for the smartphone’s launch.

Further, Rumors speculate that the S6 may come equipped with a 3D Camera. (Awesome or what?)

*** OPERATING SYSTEM

Each Galaxy S smartphone brought a new TouchWiz version with it and we are confident that the Samsung Galaxy S6 will make no exception. Samsung will probably throw in a lot of proprietary features in there and we are pretty sure that they will want to expand the fingerprint sensor’s functionality since Apple already did that in iOS 8.

Samsung will probably upgrade the S Health app with new features and pre-load a slew of Camera software features.

What version of Android will the Galaxy S6 run out of the box? Because we don’t know Google’s plans for future Android versions we can only speculate that it will be either Android 4.5 or Android 5.0. New Android versions are usually announced in late October – early November time frame and the S6 will surely run the latest one

*** DESIGN

Samsung has always been mocked that their flagship smartphones are not premium enough and they will probably want to change that.

The Galaxy Note 3 and its faux-leather back was the first sign that Samsung wants to tell the world they can build premium smartphones, too. Yes, it was still made of plastic, it it looked and felt way better than the company’s previous high-end devices.

If the rumors prove true, the Galaxy S6 might be made of metal and it could depart from the company’s current design philosophy, especially that Samsung’s President of Mobile Design, Chang Hyoong-Douk, was sacked in May following less than positive reviews of the Galaxy S5.

*** OTHER FEATURES

Even though the Motorola’s Atrix 4G had a fingerprint sensor back in 2011, these only became “cool” after Apple fitted on their iPhone 5S.

The Galaxy S5 also came with a fingerprint sensor and, even though I personally can’t find its utility, we are sure that Samsung will want to keep the feature on their next flagships just to be able to compete against Apple’s TouchID. The heart rate monitor is also here to stay since the iPhone doesn’t have one, but we might be dealing with a complete new biometric sensor from Samsung.

Rumor has it that the company plans to introduce an iris scanner on their future smartphones and the Samsung Galaxy S6 might be the first one to feature this technology. Earlier this year, a Samsung representative said that the South Korean company is looking into the possibility of equipping their future devices with an iris scanner since the public is so interested in them.

*** PRICE

Samsung’s flagship smartphones were always cheaper than Apple’s iPhones and we are pretty sure that the South Koreans will adopt the same strategy for their next-gen flagship handset.

In the US, both the Samsung Galaxy S4 and the Samsung Galaxy S5 were launched at a price of around $650, contract-free. Because it’s rumored the price of the iPhone 6 might climb even further, don’t be surprised to hear that the same will happen with Galaxy S6′s.

Anyway, we believe that its price will not be raised with more than $50.

US’ biggest retailers sold the Galaxy S4 and the Galaxy S5 at $199 with two-year contracts, so expect no changes here.

Apple's iPhone 5S rival Via Samsung with 64-bit processor.

                         

Samsung Galaxy Note 4 may be among the first Android smartphones to run on 64-bit processor.

According t'o the database of Antutu, a popular benchmarking app for smar'tphones and tablets, one variant of the upcoming Galaxy Note 4 will run on a Samsung-m'ade Exynos 5433 chipse't that is based on 64-bit CPU architecture. Samsung has always s'old the Exynos-powered Galaxy Note variants in India, while the Snapdragon version's are retailed in i'nternational markets.'

''At present, Apple's iPhone 5S is the only smartphone in the world to have a 64-bit processor.'

The Antutu database shows' that the Exynos-powered' Galaxy Note 4 scores over 40303 on the benchmark app, making it the second-highest sco'rer. The Snapdragon 805 variant, which had leaked earlier, scored 37780 on the same ap'p. The graphics processing power of the Exynos variant is also' better than that of the Sn'apdragon model.

Going by Antutu scores only, the Galaxy Note 4 will offer more than 20% faster performance compared to its 'predecessor.

Earlier leaks have 'suggested' that Samsung will use a 5.7-inch QHD display in one of the variants of Galaxy 'Note 4. Another report had said that at least one version of the phablet will have a' curved screen.'

Staring at screen all day can damage your eyes

TOKYO: Working in front of a monitor for more than seven hours per day may lead to symptoms similar to those of dry eye disease, a new study has warned. 

The tear fluid that protects and lubricates the eye contains a protein called MUC5AC that is secreted by specialised cells in the upper eyelid. 

Researchers have found the levels of MUC5AC in the tears of those who stare for long periods at computer screens were almost as low as in people with dry eye disease, 'Utah People's Post' reported. 

People staring at screens also tend to open their eyelids wider as compared to doing other tasks and the extra exposed surface area in addition to infrequent blinking can accelerate tear evaporation and is associated with dry eye disease. 

"Office workers who are worried about dry eye can make some simple changes to decrease the risk of disease. The exposed ocular surface area can be decreased by placing the terminal at a lower height, with the screen tilted upward," Dr Yuichi Uchino, an ophthalmologist at the School of Medicine at Keio University in Tokyo said. 

Researchers sampled tears from the eyes of 96 Japanese office workers, roughly two-thirds of which were men. They then measured the concentration of MUC5AC proportional to the total amount of protein in the tears. 

The amount of MUC5AC in the tears of workers who looked at screens for more than seven hours per day was, on average, 38.5% lower than the amount in the workers who spent fewer than five hours a day looking at screens. 

Among the subjects, 14% were diagnosed with dry eye disease and had 57% less MUC5AC in their tears compared to those without dry eye disease, the report said. 

The research was published in the journal JAMA Ophthalmology.

3 precautions that you should take on social media( Twitter,Facebook)

I n 2010, Google CEO E,ric Schmidt, in an interview with the Wall Street Journal, predicted that "every y,oung person one day will be entitled automatically to change his or her name on reachin,g adulthood in order to disown youthful hijinks stored on their friends' social media sit,es".
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,Indeed, if we take time to research ourselves on the internet, most of us will be surprised ,by how much per,sonal information we've posted online. Our Facebook posts disclose who our friends are, w,hat we 'Like', our relationship status; our tweets broadcast our opinions; the phot,os we are tagged in reveal what we've done, who we've done it with; our Instagram and Fli,ckr photos provide an insight into the type of people we are; our Foursquare accoun,t divulges our favourite locations and hangouts, where we went on holidays; our Linke,dIn profiles display our professional history.
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,All this data-dubbed as our digital footprint-could be taken out of context; be investigated by potential employers; mined by marketing firms; could cause problems at the time of prospective m,arriage alliances, or during college admissions, or even be used by cyber criminals f,or identity theft.
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But all is not lost yet; ,and while it might seem like an extremely time-consuming chore, it makes sense for you to ...
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1) Manage your digital footprint

First, make a list of all social networking sites, online services, and smartphone apps where you have an account. Google your full name (within quotes) and your e-mail addr,ess to find accounts you might have forgotten about.
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,Systematically, start closing the accounts and unsubscribing yourself from the services that you do, not use any more. Try websites like AccountKiller.com, DeleteYourAccount.com and JustDelete.me for quick links and how-tos.
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,When it comes to your social networks, make sure your posts and photos are not freely available to the pub,lic.
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In Facebook, click on the 'lock' icon in the top right corner of the blue bar and change the settings to, private, or share them only with close friends. Importantly, also disable the setting that lets search engines link to your timeline.

In Twitter, under Settings > Security and Privacy, choose the option Do not allow anyone to tag me i,,n photos. Check the Protect my Tweets box so only people you approve can see them. Similarly, uncheck the Add a location to my Tweets box. Also, click the Delete all location information button to erase geo-tags from past tweets. Additionally, uncheck the Discoverability box that lets people find you by your e-mail address.

Delete tweets, updates, blog posts, photos that could be misunderstood or taken out of context... Monitor comments made by others in your networks. More importantly, be careful about whom you befriend.

After you s,anitize your digital footprint, exercise full caution when making new blog posts, tweet,s, and picture posts. Request friends not to tag you in the photos that they post online.,
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2) Stop websites from tracking you

It's true, they're watching you. Every time you surf the web — even in the privacy of your home — your actions are constant,ly being tracked. For instance, if you have signed-in to your Google or Microsoft account, ,your searches are monitored by Google Search and Bing to serve you tailor-made results. If you are 'window shopping' online, the websites you visit leave cookies on your PC,,, which are used to serve you advertisements throughout your browsing session., Similarly, Facebook recently announced that it would be tracking user's browsing h,abits.

To avoid being tracked:

Sign out of all your accounts before browsing websites, or using search engines. Uninstall search tool bars that you 'might have installed. Check the extensions that your browser is running (refer to the bro'wser Help section to know more about extensions), and disable the ones that you don't r'ecognize.
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Try the DuckDuckGo.com search engine that doesn't track your activity.

Most browsers — Chrome, Firefox, Internet Explorer, Opera and Safari — have a 'do not track' option (found under Settings) that requests websites not to track your online activities. But as it stands, this request might either be honoured, or completely ignored. Still, it makes' sense to always use this option when surfing the web.
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'Install 'the DoNotTrackMe browser addon (www.abine.com) that's available for Chrome, Firefox, Internet Explorer, Opera and Safari — and even as an app for Android and iOS. This software blocks ad networks, social networks, and data-collection companies from tracking your browsing. It also protects your email address, phone, and credit card from being abused by companies on the web and on your mobile device.

Install and run CCleaner (www.piriform. com) to clear temporary files, cookies, browsing, download and form history to protect your privacy, and make your computer faster a'nd secure.

Importantly, be careful when installing free software you might have downloaded from the internet. Most of these include 'adware', which are third-party tracking tools, that can be q'uite hard to uninstall unless you know what you're looking for.

3) Usef'ul browser extensions

Disconnect: Blocks trackers from popular sites (Chrome, Firefox, Opera, Safari) HTTPS

Everywhere: Redirects to secure (HTTPS) versions of sites where possible (Chrome, Firefox)

'Adblock Plu''s: Blocks intrusive ads (Chrome, Firefox, Opera, Safari)

5 Inn'ovations Transforming the Entertainment Indu'stry

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We all know that Justi'n Bieber is the Midas of social media. But he doesn't work alone — he has 'a stellar team behind him, including a certain filmmaker. If you've s'een 'Never Say Never or the Biebs' newest music video, Beauty and a B'eat, yo'u've probably admired the creative handiwork of director Jon M. Ch'u. 'He's also the brains behind dance films Step Up 2: The Streets and Ste''p Up 3D, which have grossed more than $300 million, and he's currentl'y i'n post production on his next film, G.I. Joe: Retaliation.'

'''Chu does more t'han feature films and music v'ideos — he's also the writer a'nd creator of The Legion of 'Extraordinary Dancers, an orig'inal web series that was' described as "the most b'eautifully filmed, elabora'tely staged web series in 'the history of the medium."'

He took a bigg'er foray into web video as 'the founder of DS2DIO, a 'YouTub'e Premium Partner dance lifestyle channel that produces glo'ssy dance-foc'used web series, such as Remixed , S2DIO CITY , Mas'terclass  and' The Arena , which have tallied more than 41 million view's since its 'June launch.

"With DS2'DIO and our new program lineup, we’r'e using the best storytellin'g and technology to create a one-of-a-'kind place where people from all ar'ound the world can experience and be 'a part of the dance lifestyle," says Chu, who did a TED talk about dan'ce in the digital age.

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Because of his' experience and success in entertain'ment, from web video to feature film's, we asked Jon M. Chu to curate the 'top 5 innovations of 2012 in ente'rtainment for Mashable's Innovation In'dex. Check out his picks below 'and vote for your favorite — hurry up, be'cause voting ends on Monday!'

1. Machinima

"They're not' a television network, they're not a m'ovie studio. They are t'he 'model for the future of digital entertainment. Everyone talks about owning this' online space and understanding how t'o get views more than t'he 'next guy, but these guys really do. Led by their founder Allen DeBevoise,'Machinima has shown incredible boldness by green lighting the ''Mortal Kombat web series, w'hich became one of the most-watched online properties of all time, and doubling down this summer by making 'Halo: Forward Unto Dawn''' the biggest bet on a web series ever, with a purported $10 million budget. With over 26 million total vi'ews for the se'ries, the bet paid off, 'making Machinima one of the most exciting entertainment brands in the world and a darling to online' advertisers and YouTu'be's premium' content initiative. Hell, I'm watching their every move because Machinima is showing others in the digital space' how it's suppo'sed to be done."'

2. Tablets

"This might be the' most important — and it’s the explosi'on of tablet. Not just one, but all o'f them, from the iPad to the Nexus to t'he Surface and Kindle Fire. For th'ose waiting for the “game changing” A'pple television, you’re waiting for' the wrong thing. Your television, your 'radio, your library of music and boo'ks, your whole creative consump'tion life is already on your tablet and 'it’s here now. The television i's merely a bigger monitor to play your conte'nt on. Your identity lives' in these thin windows to the world and the f'act that you can get them 'in every shape and from many companies at d'ifferent price points is a bre'akthrough for the industry. Forget your ca'ble ... you have the NBC, CBS, 'ABC and FOX app, you have HBO Go, Netfli'x, Hulu Plus, iTunes Store and' everything else. This changes how we will d'eliver, how we will create, 'how we will consume and how the entertain'ment industry will exist in th''e next ten years. I can’t help but get excited t'hat, for the first time in hu'man history, we carry the words, information 'and pictures of all mankind in the palm of our hands, literally. Pretty mind' blowing and the real 'game changer."'

3. GoPro HD Hero 3

"It’s smal'l. It looks like a toy. But it’s one powerful piece of awesome technolog'y. Created by Nick Woodman', who was just trying to make better sur'f videos, the GoPro camera ('which has been around for years in different' incarnations) has transforme'd into a mainstream technology that is chan'ging the way we see the world'. But this was a breakthrough year. Throug'hout 2012, GoPro was used in 'major motion pictures, commercials, 'music videos and even space jumps t'o capture images never before 'possible. And with the newest upgra'ded version, you can now shoot in 'a ProTunes setting (24fps/more dynamic color range) and control of up t'o 50 cameras on a single remote. Get set for crazy rigs and lots of innovat'ion by eager filmmakers out there this coming year. The world has nev'er looked so cool."

4. Vyclone

"So you’re at a c'oncert and hundreds of people 'are shooting different angles at the sa'me time. Now imagine an app th'at can sync the audio and connect all t'hose cameras so that your iPhon'e becomes a live editor between all of t'hem. Pretty crazy, right? Well, Vycl'one can’t quite handle hundreds yet, b'ut it’s on its way. The app can sync' four cameras to create a multi-camera 'experience unlike any other ('with a scalable architecture for more camer'as in the future). This is 'live, creative crowd-sourcing at its best. I love the' idea that everyone be'comes a camera man at an event and you are th'e director. It’s like in 'The Dark Knight when Morgan Freeman has a'ccess to everyon'e’s cellphone image. This is the beginning of something r'eally big, even if V'yclone isn’t the only one eventually to pull it all toget'her."'

5. Dolby Atmos

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"Your movie-goin'g experience just got' a serious injection of audio steroids. Dolby’s' groundbreaking Atm'os sound system for movie exhibitors puts 'unprecedented audio 'detail not just to the left, right, front and cente'r of you, but now, above yo'u. Overkill? Maybe … but I’ve heard what it s'ounds like and it will blow y'ou away. It’s like 4D for your ears. After talk'ing to some of the top sou'nd mixers in the industry, it’s clear that this' innovation will have a maj'or effect on not just this summer’s mo'vies but many more to come. Sounds good to me."

The Exclusive & latest on the iPhone 6 and iWatch

Amazon and Adobe announced some interesting new products this week that could change the face of mobile. We also heard plenty of new information about Apple’s “iPhone 6″ and “iWatch.

Apple’s next iPhone could feature a built-in barometer. This sensor could be used for altitude tracking and weather forecasting.

As Brent Dirks noted “With a barometer, apps could help users determine their current altitude or change in altitude, like when on a run. A barometer is also used to help forecast upcoming weather changes because of changes in air pressure.”

For more recent headlines about the iPhone 6, see:

• Sorry Apple: Space Gray ‘iPhone 6′ Images Emerge
• New Leaked Photos Show Display Measurement Of Apple’s 5.5-Inch ‘iPhone 6’
• Apple’s 5.5-Inch iPhone 6 Compared With Samsung Galaxy Note 3 In New Video

Meanwhile, more information leaked about Apple’s long-rumored wearable device, the iWatch.

On Tuesday, Economic Times said the device would arrive before the end of September and feature an OLED display. The paper expects a price point of $349 with initial shipment numbers around 10 million units.

Unfortunately, the same report said that Apple was having power draw issues with the OLED display. Whether this issue could delay the release of the iWatch remains to be seen.

Later in the week, The Wall Street Journal noted that the iWatch will arrive in different versions and come equipped with a number of sensors. The publication reports that the device is likely to come in multiple screen sizes. It’s not specified whether these will include the 2.5-inch measurement that was reported earlier by Reuters as a probable size of the device.

The Journal also reports that, according to people familiar with the matter, the iWatch will feature more than 10 health- and fitness-tracking sensors.

Finally, 9to5Mac reported that over the past few weeks, the company has invited athletes from the NBA, MLB, and NHL to its Cupertino campus to test the smart watch’s fitness capabilities in intense training environments.

They note:

Apple is said to be working with Los Angeles Lakers basketball player Kobe Bryant, Los Angeles Kings right winger Dustin Brown, and a few other star athletes, including a player from the Boston Red Sox, on the testing project. The athletes are said to have signed non-disclosure-agreements regarding the existence of the upcoming Apple wearable device.

Both the iPhone 6 and iWatch are expected to launch in September.

Here's why people buy big screen smartphones

                                           

WASHINGTON: Do you know why people prefer smartphones with bigger screens? It is to fulfill their em'otional needs.
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People may find bigger screens more emotionally satisfying because they are using 'smartphones for entertainment as well as for communication purposes, a new 'research led by an Indian-origin scientist reveals.
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"Our findings indicate that emotional reasons might influence people's decision to buy smartphones with bigge'r screens even more than practical ones," said S Shyam Sundar, a distinguished prof'essor of communications and co-director of the media effects research laboratory a't Pennsylvania State University.
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"Bigger is better" for screen size basically has two reasons: utilitarian reasons and affective or emotion'al reasons.

"There are so many things on smartphones that we can use, but an even more 'powerful factor of the larger screen is its hedonic aspect - how attractive and pleasing it is to users," Sundar said.
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The screen size has increased the bandwidth of user interactions on smartphones, 'making it more than a talking-texting device.
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According to Sundar: "With high-definition screens, people now can watch television a'nd movies as well as multi-task - something that was not possible in earlier s'm'artphone versions."
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'During the study, researchers randomly assigned smartphones with two different sc'r'een sizes to 130 university students.
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O'ne of the phones had a 3.7-inch screen and the other had a 5.3-inch screen size.
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Participants were asked to fill out a questionnaire on their experience using the 'smartphone.
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"Large-screen TVs and monitors are known to have positive effects on user 'experience. Our study found that the same applies to the mobile context as well," said Ki Joon Kim, adjunct professor at Sungkyunkwan University, Korea.
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"We have not reached the point where the screen is too big yet, and I believe there m'ay be some room for expansion of the screen size," Sundar added.'

Apple's iWatch roundup: Rumors, specs, price, and release date

Apple CEO Tim Cook said the Cupertino, Calif.-based company would enter "exciting new product categories" this year, and the idea of the emergence of an Apple smartwatch has sent the rumor mill into overdrive — especially after Apple trademarked the "iWatch" name across the globe.
Read thisSeven challenges facing the iWatch

• Read more

Rumors suggest the iWatch will be unveiled in the fiscal third-quarter, and Apple has hired approximately 100 people — including designers, fashion, and health and engineering experts — in order to work on products including and related to the iWatch.
Despite Apple keeping quiet on the topic, what do we think we know so far?
Rumored specifications:
At a glance:

• 1.3—2.5 inch display

• Biometrics, sensors

• Emphasis on fitness and health monitoring

• Wireless charging

• Tailored — but full — iOS, mobile partnering

• Manufacture from July; potential Q3 shipping date

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• The Wall Street Journal says the iWatch will be launched in various sizes, probably in order to reach the widest range of consumers and tastes possible. 

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• A research note from KGI analyst Ming-Chi Kuo obtained by Apple Insider claims the iWatch will be sold in two sizes, sporting 1.3 inch and 1.5 inch displays. Korean news site Chosun Ilbo reported the gadget will come in three different sizes, measuring 1.5-inch, 1.4-inch, and 1.3 inches. Reuters sources say the smartwatch will sport a display that measures 2.5 inches diagonally.

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• Kuo also believes the display will be flexible AMOLED with a sapphire cover, which means the device could be curved to fit around the user's wrist.

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• In terms of battery life, Apple Insider says a 200 to 250mAh cell will be used to promote battery savings. The New York Times speculates alternative methods could be used to power up the battery, including solar power and kinetic energy.

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• The iWatch may also have wireless charging capabilities.

Sensors?
Apple's rumored device will likely hold a range of sensors. Which types, however, is debatable.

• The Wall Street Journal says that the iWatch will include over ten sensors which will monitor various environmental elements including fitness and health.

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• MacRumors says that Apple may have developed an in-house sweat analysis sensor for the iWatch, which will be compatible with iOS 8's Health application.

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• It is worth keeping in mind Apple recently filed a patent for a weightlifting sensor, and job postings indicate the company has hired specialists in cardiovascular fitness & energy expenditure — which likely indicates some kind of health-related data collection. 

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• An investment note released by Barclays analyst Blayne Curtis suggests a UV sensor may also be in the mix. 

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• Marcelo Malini Lamego, creator of upwards of 70 medical and monitoring sensors, has alsoreportedly been hired by the tech giant.

What will it do?

• iOS 8 is believed to have been designed with an iWatch in mind — especially considering its emphasis on fitness apps and health. Japanese publication Nikkei reports that the device will host the iOS 8 operating system.

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• The smartwatch is rumored to track elements including heart rate, steps taken, calories burned and even could monitor your sleeping patterns. Ex-Philips Research employee Roy J.E.M. Raymann has supposedly been hired by Apple as an "expert on sleep research,"according to 9to5Mac.

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• A source speaking to industry analyst Brian White of Cantor Fitzgerald claimed the iWatch could connect to your home as well as your phone, and may act as a controller for smart home devices — whether it be turning your lights off and on or monitoring room temperature. 

Special FeatureWearables: Fit For Business?The explosion of interest in wearable computing is one of tech's fastest rising trends. While big moves from Google, Apple, and Samsung will likely attract a lot of attention, we're going to examine the broader potential that wearables hold for driving innovation in business.

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• The New York Times reported that Apple executives met with the US Food and Drug Administration (FDA) in December to discuss mobile health applications, and Chinese website Laoyaoba claims that the first-generation iWatch is awaiting FDA approval beforeentering mass production this fall — as the iPad and iPhone maker hopes to register the product as medical equipment.  

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• Reuters claims that Taiwanese manufacturer Quanta has been slated to produce the device in July — sources speaking to the Economic Daily News in agreement — with shipment scheduled in October this year. However, the EDN also claims that chip production will be produced in-house before being handed over to Samsung, and TPK will manufacture the gadget's sapphire touch panels. LG has also been mentioned several times as the screen manufacturer.

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• The smartwatch sensors are reportedly designed and made by Singaporean firm Heptagon.

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• Reuters sources say 50 million units are expected be shipped in the first year, while the WSJ states sales are pegged at 10 - 15 million units. Apple Insider's analyst note says this number will be closer to 5.5 million in 2014, jumping up to 50 million in 2015. Supply chain sources talking to Taiwan's Economic Daily News came up with the highest figure, and expect 65 million iWatches to be produced by the end of the year. 

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• Katy Huberty from Morgan Stanley predicts the iWatch could earn Apple up to $17.5 billion in revenue during the first 12 months, and the smartwatch will cost roughly $299. Apple Insider's analyst note from Kuo states the device could cost upwards of several thousand dollars — with differences in materials separating a standard and high-end version.

If Apple chooses to break into the wearables and mobile health industry, the company — despite its popularity — will face stiff competition from companies including Sony, LG, Samsung, Google and Nike. No doubt an iWatch could prove to be lucrative and keep critics quiet who are concerned over the lack of fresh, innovative Apple products, but the road won't necessarily be a completely smooth one.
However, as Apple's chief executive has said, the company doesn't focus on being the first — but rather the best.