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Microsoft Learned What Apple's iWatch Must Have To Succeed

This article is more than 10 years old.

As in many things, it's not that Apple invents so much as it waits and perfects the work of others. All the talk about a theoretically forthcoming Apple iWatch reminds me that Microsoft was there first. By nearly 20 years.

Anybody remember the Microsoft-Timex DataLink watch? It allowed users to load Outlook information onto their watch, which I liked as a way to have my personal phone book handy at all times. That was 1995.

How about SPOT -- Microsoft's Smart Personal Objects Technology? It lived from 2004-2008 as a product with its MSN Direct data network lasting until 2012.

I remember and liked SPOT, which should be considered the forerunner of whatever Apple does. I even (disclaimer) did some consulting work with the SPOT team, trying to improve the news feed and get emergency warnings sent directly to the watches.

I failed on both counts, but spent a lot of time in "what-if?" mode thinking about the smart watch that might be when many significant challenges that Microsoft faced went away.

The SPOT watch was a serious attempt to make personal objects more intelligent. There were a number of watches, including a Swatch model and even an $800 Tissot. I remember seeing some sort of home tabletop device -- news, weather, time, sports, alarm clock -- that I don't remember ever being released.

SPOT devices received wireless data from a network of more than 100 FM radio stations, which carried SPOT content on a data subcarrier. The data was slow and sometimes difficult for the watches to receive. Microsoft put a lot of effort into optimizing the FM data network it used, which even fed traffic information to some GPS devices.

You could send calendar items from Outlook to your SPOT watch. Back in 2004, that was pretty cool.

SPOT's fatal flaw was that of being underpowered and arriving too soon. Apple, however, seems to be hitting at the right time with what I hope will be the right product. Based on my SPOT experience, here are the first four smart watch requirements that Apple must address to be successful:

iWatch Requirement #1 -- Must be able to receive reasonably high-speed data. But from where? I don't see the iWatch directly interacting with the wireless cellular network. I do see it connecting to whatever Wi-Fi it finds to download data. That means the iWatch would have a two-way capability that SPOT devices never gained. An iWatch could, for example, ask for updates to your schedule and other information whenever it found a Wi-Fi network willing to help.

More interesting is the concept of tethering the iWatch to another iOS device or desktop using Bluetooth. The iWatch would then become a standalone Wi-Fi watch (sorta boring) that could get personal information and apps from your iOS device (very interesting). This would make the watch a peripheral for phones, tablets and other Apple devices.

iWatch Requirement #2 -- Screen linking. The iWatch must be able to immediately show information that appears on a tethered device's screen. This would be notifications for the most part, but applications could also make use of this feature to display information on the watch. The would allow users to keep their iPhone/iPad in a pocket or case, instead of pulling it out as often as we must do today. I see GPS/navigation apps making good use of this to keep iWatch users pointed in the right direction.

iWatch Requirement #3 -- Fitness apps. The smart personal objects that I see being purchased today are in the fitness space. The FitBit and Jawbone's UP "health wristband" are wearable sensors that detect movement, sleep patterns and other health-related measurements that encourage people to live a healthier life. I am a longtime user of wearable heart rate monitors for my cycling activities.

Right now, I am using a great iPhone app called Cyclemeter to track my rides. But it requires a bike mount for the iPhone if I want to see realtime information -- speed, distance, heart rate, etc. My Polar heart rate monitor displays the same information on a watch. I'd want an iWatch to do display information from the iPhone app.

iWatch Requirement #4 -- Inductive or some other cordless charging. This device cannot use a wire to connect to anything.

I think Apple can easily meet these requirements, if they choose to. I claim no inside knowledge as to when/if the iWatch will be released. Maybe after the Apple television we are also supposed to be waiting for. Given a choice, I'd like to see the watch released first -- I want one.