The Apple Watch has become an iconic smartwatch, but things could have been very different. Leaked images of what appears to be an Apple Watch prototype show just how far it has come since the beginning of development.
Apple prototypes are extremely rare. These particular images were posted by Twitter user @AppleDemoYT and initially reported by 9to5 Mac. Apple also has a history of disguising its prototypes – you must remember the prototype of the iPhone 4 that Gizmodo of yore obtained, which was dressed to look like an iPhone 3GS. It is no different with this prototype of the Apple Watch, which is built in a bulky case that makes it look like a mini iPhone or iPod.
The cover has two buttons on the side and something reminiscent of the old iPhone home button, and the outside of the box it seems to retain the digital crown and the button with which we are familiar. The prototype also appears to be running internal software that predates watchOS, complete with a “Springboard zoom” app that demonstrates the watchOS home screen. Another cool Easter egg is a “Lisa Tester” app, which references the Apple Lisa computer from the 1980s and features a lovely Lisa Simpson icon. Another screen clearly states that the prototype is not FCC approved and, as a result, cannot be sold or rented.
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The first Apple Watch was launched in 2015, so this test unit probably dates back to at least 2014, or maybe earlier. In 2015, Wired performed a piece in depth detailing the history of Apple Watch development. In it, there were some descriptions of the first prototype of the Apple Watch, which was actually an iPhone connected to a “very well designed Velcro bracelet”. He also allegedly had a custom dongle in the shape of “a real watch crown that connected to the bottom of the phone via the cable connector”.
It’s always good to see which features and design elements end up in the final product and which ones are left in the scrap heap of history. It seems that some aspects of the UI prototype – at least those depicted – eventually made it to watchOS. It is a mystery exactly how this particular prototype exists, especially since Apple is known for destroying test units and for its strong non-disclosure agreements. Recently, photos from 2007 depicting the production line of the first iPhone also appeared on Twitter. These leaks show a bit of the history of technology – something that gadget nerds everywhere would like to see more of.