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Here’s what Apple has to do to sell Woz on the iWatch

Published Aug 28th, 2014 3:45PM EDT

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Apple cofounder and all around geek legend Steve Wozniak is not a fan of most smartwatches he’s seen so far. In fact, Wozniak revealed earlier this year that he so hated Samsung’s first-generation Galaxy Gear that he decided to sell the device on eBay after less than a day. In a new interview with CNET, the man affectionately known as Woz reveals what he thinks Apple should do to bring get people to buy its first-ever wearable device.

MORE ON THE iWATCH: Here comes the iWatch — first Apple wearable computer reportedly set for September 9th reveal

“I personally want a larger screen that can do more of what my iPhone does,” Woz tells CNET. “The small 1.5-inch by 1.5-inch screens don’t hack it for me. If it serves as a speakerphone, the speaker had better be good. My Martian watch is usable for phone calls but not my Galaxy Gear, for this reason.”

While having a big display on your wrist might make smartwatches more useful, it would also make them look much more noticeable, which would violate the first design rule for wearable computers: They can only be cool if people don’t notice you’re wearing them.

That said, Wozniak expresses confidence in Apple’s design team and adds that he doesn’t think the company would be putting out a wearable computing product unless it felt that it really brought something to the market that no one else had brought so far.

“Apple works very hard to produce exceptionally great products and doesn’t quickly release things like a wearable,” he tells CNET. “So if one is introduced I expect it to have a chance to set the direction and make the product category finally viable.”

The whole interview with Wozniak is worth reading and can be found by clicking the source link below.

Brad Reed
Brad Reed Staff Writer

Brad Reed has written about technology for over eight years at BGR.com and Network World. Prior to that, he wrote freelance stories for political publications such as AlterNet and the American Prospect. He has a Master's Degree in Business and Economics Journalism from Boston University.