Apple Preparing 'Find My Watch' and Third-Party Compilations for Apple Watch, TVKit for Apple TV

Apple is preparing significant Apple Watch updates including a new Find My Watch feature, and TVKit for the Apple TV, reports 9to5Mac.

A proven source tells the site that numerous software and hardware updates are in the works including enhancements to security, connectivity, health and fitness, Wi-Fi, third-party app integration, and more.

Apple is said to be working on a feature called 'Find My Watch' will which let users track the smartwatch's location and remotely lock or wipe the device, if stolen. Due to it's reliance on an iPhone, Apple plans to implement Find My Watch using a feature that's being called 'Smart Leashing'.


The Watch will use its wireless signal to establish its location relative to the iPhone, and will optionally be able to notify a user if the iPhone is accidentally left behind. “Apple wants to give [a user] a tap or a light notice if it thinks [he or she is] accidentally leaving [the] phone somewhere,” according to the source.

The Find My Watch feature may be farther off than others in development as it could require a more capable and independent wireless chip.

Apple is also working on the health and fitness features of the watch. For example, the company is experimenting with ways to have the watch detect an irregular heart beat, and to notify the user. However, it's unclear if that feature will be released due to liability concerns and government regulation. The company also wants to add a blood pressure monitor and sleep tracking features in the near future with glucose/blood sugar sensors scheduled for the long term.

As widely reported, Apple is working on allow developers to build native apps for the Apple Watch. In addition, it apparently will allow third-party watch face 'Compilations', according to the site's source. Complications are the small widgets that can be displayed on a watch face. Apple is reportedly testing a set of Twitter complications that could for example display unread mention count or the text of a recent mention.


Finally, as expected, Apple has a next generation Apple TV in the works. The Apple Watch will be marketed as a primary input device for the new media streaming box and a new 'fancier' remote will bundled with it as well.

The new Apple TV will have deep Siri integration and third-party app support. Developers will get a new version of Xcode, internally dubbed MuirTrail, and access to TVKit for building third-party applications.

It's believed that the new box will gain 'Live TV' capabilities after its initial hardware launch. The prototype box itself is about twice as large as the current generation Apple TV but the shipping product is said to be slimmer than the current one. Its internal codename is J34 and its operating system is known as MonarchTide.

Apple is expected to announce the next generation Apple TV at WWDC 2015; as well as, iOS 9, OS X 10.11, iOS 8.4 and the new Apple Music service.

Please follow iClarified on Twitter, Facebook, or RSS for updates.

Read More