The Apple Watch has become an iconic smartwatch, but things could have gone very differently. Leaked images of what appears to be an Apple Watch prototype show how far it has come in its early development.
Apple prototypes are extremely rare. These images were posted by the Twitter user @AppleDemoYT and initially reported by 9to5 Mac. Apple also has a history of disguising its prototypes – you may remember iPhone 4 prototype which Gizmodo once obtained, which was dressed to look like an iPhone 3GS. It’s no different with this prototype Apple Watch, which is built into a bulky case that makes it look like an iPhone or iPod mini.
The case has two buttons on the side and something that looks like the old iPhone power button, and the outside of the case it seems to retain the digital crown and the button we are familiar with. The prototype also appears to run internal software that pre-dates watchOS, complete with a “Springboard zoom” application that demonstrates the watchOS home screen. Another neat Easter egg is a “Lisa Tester” app, which refers to the Lisa Apple computer from the ’80s and has an adorable Lisa Simpson icon. Another screen clearly indicates that the prototype is not FCC approved and therefore 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 ran a in-depth piece details the history of Apple Watch development. In it, there were some descriptions of the first Apple Watch prototype, which was actually an iPhone attached to a “very well designed Velcro strap.” It was also supposed to have a custom dongle in the form of a “wristwatch itself that connected to the bottom of the phone through the cable plug.”
It is always careful to see what features and design elements reach the final product and which are left in the rest of the story. It seems that some aspects of the UI prototype – at least the ones in the picture – have finally turned it into watchOS. It’s a mystery exactly how this 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 for the first iPhone as well appeared on Twitter. These leaks show a neat technical history – one that gadget nerds everywhere would like to see more of.