iWatch to Have a Flexible Curved Glass Display, Wireless Charging, & Mobile Payments

The wearable device that Apple is set to debut on September 9th will feature a flexible curved glass display, support mobile payments, and be charged wirelessly, according to the most detailed report yet from the New York Times. Additionally, the device will perform a combination of tasks related to health and fitness monitoring, and also offer some mobile computing features.

The wearable device, commonly referred to as the iWatch, is said to come in two sizes, with a “flexible” display which is said to be ‘unique’, according to New York Times sources:

“It has a flexible display panel that is protected by a cover composed of sapphire, a type of tougher glass, they said. The device’s circuit board, which includes its sensors and chips, was described as tiny, about the size of a postage stamp.

For replenishing the battery, the smartwatch will rely on a wireless charging method.”

Handoff, an upcoming software feature that allows iOS 8 and OS X Yosemite users to pass data and sessions quickly between different devices, is also said to play an important role in how the wearable device functions.

Other than being offered in multiple sizes and having a flexible display, practically nothing is known about the appearance of the upcoming wearable gadget. Somewhat amusingly, a different article from the New York Times offers this anecdote about the devices hardware design:

“According to a designer who works at Apple, Jonathan Ive, Apple’s design chief, in bragging about how cool he thought the iWatch was shaping up to be, gleefully said Switzerland is in trouble — though he chose a much bolder term for “trouble” to express how he thought the watchmaking nation might be in a tough predicament when Apple’s watch comes out.”

Aside from offering new details on the wearable gadget, the New York Times report also details some new specifics about the upcoming iPhone 6 models, including the addition of a “one-handed mode” to iOS that will allow users the ability to manipulate the larger iPhones without having to use two hands. The Times further states that while iPhone 6 is “expected to be released in the coming weeks”, the iWatch will likely not ship until sometime next year, backing earlier rumors about the ship date.

The New York Times also reemphasizes an earlier report that both new iPhone models and the iWatch will function as a digital wallet able to make mobile payments thanks to deals made between major credit card companies, and the assistance of onboard NFC payment technology.

Apple has started an official countdown and will be live streaming the September 9 event on their website, which is scheduled to begin at 10AM PST.