The iPod Watch You Can Wear on Your Wrist

Many companies are beginning to jump on the wearable technology bandwagon recently, producing everything from smartwatches, to power producing clothing, to the highly sought after bluetooth media players. One big company, however, has as yet not entered the fray, although there have been some potential concepts. This company is, of course, Apple, one of the largest and most well known of the gadget manufacturers.

This does not mean that Apple intends to not involve itself in the wearable tech market, however. There have been, in fact, rumors of a potential new generation of apple iDevices that couple the popularity of the iPod with the immense public interest in wearable tech. That gadget is being called the iBangle, and it is a great looking concept.

What is the iBangle?

The iBangle is a concept design by Gopinath Prasana, who calls it “the future.” The device is simplistic in design, consisting of tiny electronics and touch sensitive sensors embedded in a piece of thin aluminum. The device itself, according to the concept designs, has no screen, touch or otherwise, relying instead on a multi touch track pad embedded within the aluminum frame. Also included in the concept design is an inflatable ring inside the bracelet, enabling the device to be comfortably worn by anyone, regardless of wrist size.

The feature that makes the iBangle stand out from the current iPod family is the lack of the traditional white Apple earphones. Instead, the iBangle will use Bluetooth to stream sound directly to a pair of wireless earbuds.

Unfortunately, the iBangle design is still nothing more than a concept, and although the idea is exciting to many fans of Apple, and iPods in particular, we may never actually see it on the open market. However, all hope is not lost, as there are currently alternatives that, while not quite the same, can still get your iPod onto your wrist.

Other Apple Concepts

While little is known about other potential concepts for a wearable Apple device, the technology giant is rumored to be working on a wearable iPod that offers voice support using the popular Siri software. This voice support would enable the user to simply talk to the device to change the song, check the weather forecast, or even ask the device for statistics on heart rate or distances while running. This product, according to The New York Times who, presumably got their information through a media contact at Apple, could sport a curved glass design that wraps around the wrist.

The iWatchz Q Series iPod Nano Watchband

Owners of the iPod nano can, to a degree, get the best of both worlds with the iWatchz Q series watchband. This band, manufactured by Canadian company Kubxlab, utilizes a patent pending polycarbonate watch integration system called the Nanoclipz, which allows an iPod Nano user to attach  a sixth generation iPod Nano to the band with a simple slide and click. The stylish silicone watch band comes in a variety of colors and allows the iPod Nano to remain fully accessible during use, including the dock connector and the device’s multi touch face.

Other Alternatives

Like most things Apple, many aftermarket manufacturers now produce accessories for the iPod Nano. Belkin, for instance, manufactures a watch band similar to the iWatchz Q series, although this model uses velcro instead of a patented latching system. Prices between the offerings are, of course, comparable so personal choice in style and functionality is the main deciding factor.