Apple Inc. (AAPL) iWatch: The Next iPad?

Is the iWatch the next iPad?

If Apple is truly going all Casio Databank on us, they’ve got a long way toward cool. “Wearable computing” is a hard sell to hip crowds, as we’ve seen from early reactions to Google Glass.

But there’s a case to be made that if anyone can do it, Apple can. Less obtrusive than a pair of dorky glasses, the iWatch is about as subtle as wearable computing can get. And it fits well into the “always-on” lifestyle of many of Apple’s target consumers.

Most of all, it’s important to remember that Apple knows when to hold off on a product. Apple started working on the iPad in the early 2000s, but shelved it and applied the lessons they learned to the iPhone. Try to imagine Steve Jobs introducing this early iPad prototype as “magical.” It was decidedly unsexy, and Apple Inc. (NASDAQ:AAPL) held off until the technology caught up with the vision.

The bottom line

Apple’s past success with making unexpected products cool shows they have what it takes to make an iWatch succeed. They also have the foresight to keep the wraps on it if it’s unlikely to succeed. Whether or not they release an iWatch in the short to medium-term, Apple’s innovation and its discretion with big product releases make it a strong long-term buy.

The article Can Apple Make the iWatch Cool? originally appeared on Fool.com and is written by Steven Yenzer.

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