Third Party Watch Faces?

[arubinst]

This!!!
I cannot agree with Piggie's assertion that fully open would be "good". As you say, it certainly wouldn't chalk up any goodwill with Rolex if Apple intentionally allow people to indiscriminately use their designs without allowing them the means to profit from them.

I know openness in the Apple world is always a matter of debate. But then, it is my Watch and I would like to use whatever design I see fit. And if there's some intelectual properties problem, it should/would be me the one responsible.

Isn't it the same with iPhone wallpapers? What if I use a copyright protected image?

 

[Tycho24]

Would you like Apple to also control the wallpaper/backdrops on iMac computers, as they could be copyright, and stop you from purchasing some officially licenced artwork, giving the artist some payment for their hard work.

Or do you feel you should be able to google any image you want to use it as a nice display for your iMac's large screen, irrespective of the owner or licence of the artwork?

Perhaps Apple should only allow officially approved backdrops on all of it's devices.

Yes?

I apologize in advance if you do not understand my reply.
It seems as if perceiving nuances is NOT your strong suit! To be clear- I have NO problem with the fact that Apple is allowing user wallpaper, PRECISELY IDENTICAL to current standard practice on iOS, Android, Windows, OSX, et al.
However.... while I do think you should be able to use whatever watch background you choose, perhaps with generic Apple hands pointing at the points on your wallpaper.... I consider this VASTLY DIFFERENT than an actual application that, for example, changes both the watch face to an exact replica of a Rolex, complete with their signature "perpetual movement" second hand. In an instance like that, I feel like it is only fair to limit the company that is allowed to offer that on the app store to Rolex themselves, yes?

Please note that this does NOT mean that I believe that Apple should control my camera roll, email, or any other unrelated issue & would encourage you to attempt to refrain from the wild logic jumps and guessing of my feelings beyond... you know, what I actually say, in future replies.

 

[Piggie]

I apologize in advance if you do not understand my reply.
It seems as if perceiving nuances is NOT your strong suit! To be clear- I have NO problem with the fact that Apple is allowing user wallpaper, PRECISELY IDENTICAL to current standard practice on iOS, Android, Windows, OSX, et al.
However.... while I do think you should be able to use whatever watch background you choose, perhaps with generic Apple hands pointing at the points on your wallpaper.... I consider this VASTLY DIFFERENT than an actual application that, for example, changes both the watch face to an exact replica of a Rolex, complete with their signature "perpetual movement" second hand. In an instance like that, I feel like it is only fair to limit the company that is allowed to offer that on the app store to Rolex themselves, yes?

Please note that this does NOT mean that I believe that Apple should control my camera roll, email, or any other unrelated issue & would encourage you to attempt to refrain from the wild logic jumps and guessing of my feelings beyond... you know, what I actually say, in future replies.

I am not suggesting Apple or any company changes their device to look like something else.
I am simply saying, as it is your device, there is no reason why you could not be given some simple tools to allow you to create your own personal watch face.

It only needs 4 PNG images.

One for the background, and one for each of the three hands.
Apple has to do no more than that. 1 static and the other 3 rotating, and allow you to user to be creative with that feature.

 

[Tycho24]

I am not suggesting Apple or any company changes their device to look like something else.
I am simply saying, as it is your device, there is no reason why you could not be given some simple tools to allow you to create your own personal watch face.

It only needs 4 PNG images.

One for the background, and one for each of the three hands.
Apple has to do no more than that. 1 static and the other 3 rotating, and allow you to user to be creative with that feature.

Towards this end, I agree...
I don't mind creative people creating whatever the hell they want for THEMSELVES. I just strongly believe that when those that spend literally decades upon decades honing a brand reputation, such as Rolex has... others should not be able to walk all over your intellectual property to make profit of what you have created & ingrained in the public conscious as a testament of quality. Again... It would be the sale of these without regard to original designer that would be uncool, not the process of making them in and of itself.

 

[Night Spring]

I am not suggesting Apple or any company changes their device to look like something else.
I am simply saying, as it is your device, there is no reason why you could not be given some simple tools to allow you to create your own personal watch face.

It only needs 4 PNG images.

One for the background, and one for each of the three hands.
Apple has to do no more than that. 1 static and the other 3 rotating, and allow you to user to be creative with that feature.

I think, if a user has the design and programming skills to make up his own watchface app, and Apple makes it possible to load such watchfaces onto the Apple watch, then any copyright infringement is on the user, and Apple shouldn't try to regulate what watchfaces people load onto their watch this way.

However, if watchfaces are to be available for purchase/download from the app store, then Apple does have to regulate them for copyright infringement, because if people put up copyright infringing watchfaces for use by other people in Apple's app store, then Apple becomes guilty of distributing copyright infringing material.

At this point, we don't know if Apple has enabled either of the above two scenarios. So, IMO, it's a bit premature to be accusing them of being too closed and controlling of the watch.

 

[Piggie]

I agree it's too early to call, I just hope, if not right away, at some point Apple does offer, what I would call a "Face Designer Kit" app to allow users to make their own personal face designs, just for their own private use only.

I also agree Apple can only sell new/unique or officially approved/licenced designs.
Hence me saying it would be nice to have a user editable app just for personal use only, which designs could not be sold on, and were only of use on your device.

One final point, whilst I understand about copying a design, in a way it is free advertising for the brand if your brand name is on the front of someone Apple Watch.

And, let's be totally sensible here for a moment.
I would struggle to go along with the argument or theory that, because someone can put say a Rolex face design on their Apple watch, doing this would mean they would no longer want the Rolex, and lose Rolex a sale.

I think almost everyone here would struggle to accept that logic

In reality, if anything, I would think it would be Apple that would not want Rolex on the front of their watch as a watch face. Not Rolex

I really don't see the two devices, an Apple watch, and an expensive mechanical watch as any competition to each other as they are such different devices, bought for different reasons.
I can't see the odd person making their own "fake brand" face is going to affect either brand in reality.

 

[DDustiNN]

Where did you read it?

I don't remember. It was either on a forum somewhere, or when I was looking through the API. Actually it might have been on the Apple developer forums.

 

[tgwaste]

come on. of course they will allow 3rd party faces.