Time is round (sort of)

The Apple Watch, and really all smartwatches, should be round

With a circular Pixel Watch waiting in the wings, 2022 is a better time than ever for Apple to round out its smartwatch offerings.

SINGAPORE, SINGAPORE - SEPTEMBER 24: Apple Watch models are displayed at the Apple Store at Orchard ...
Feline Lim/Getty Images News/Getty Images

So it finally seems like a Pixel Watch might happen.

Google acquired Fitbit, debuted a revamped version of Wear OS via a new partnership with Samsung, and the company¡¯s senior vice president of devices and services Rick Osterloh even suggested in an interview with The Verge that Google might have more to share on smartwatch hardware ¡°next year.¡± Recent leaks of a high-end flagship ¡°Pixel Watch¡± seem to seal the deal ¡ª Google is making a smartwatch.

But what I can¡¯t seem to shake is that... it¡¯s round.

If these are official Google images, the ¡°Pixel Watch¡± seems delightfully round.Front Page Tech

Of the hills I enjoy frequently dying on, ¡°time is round¡± is definitely one of the more unusual ones, but hear me out. The Pixel Watch (if that¡¯s what it is ultimately called) appears to have a circular watch face (actually a circular dial, more on this later) and, in general, looks a lot more like a traditional wristwatch than the rectangular displays we¡¯ve come to expect from devices like the Apple Watch. I can¡¯t help but be drawn to it. There¡¯s something immediately appealing about it, aesthetically, spiritually, and as I¡¯ve now learned, there might be something even deeper behind that. Watches should be round! Time is round!

Time is round

Well, technically, no, time is not round. ¡°From a physicist¡¯s perspective, they¡¯d argue it¡¯s linear,¡± contends the Horological Society of New York¡¯s (HSNY) executive director Nicholas Manousos. But historically and culturally, time has long been considered circular.

For some background, horology is the study and measurement of time. The Horological Society of New York (HSNY) is one of the oldest continuously operating horological associations in the world, representing watch and clockmakers, horologists, and historians. All dedicated to ¡°advancing the art and science of horology through education.¡± Nicholas Manousos, besides graciously taking time out of his day to talk timekeeping, is an Apple Watch owner and a mechanical watch obsessive.

¡°I guess that a good way of putting it is really, Form follows function.¡±

Manousos tells Input you can really trace our common conception of ¡°time as a circle¡± to primitive humans¡¯ relationship with the sun. One of the first observable signs of time passing is the sun¡¯s movement through the sky. Manousos says that¡¯s part of the reason why horology and astronomy have always had a close relationship with each other. Early astronomical concepts like the idea that the earth was the center around which everything rotated (the geocentric model) reinforced circular ideas of time further. Early astronomers thought, ¡°Well, time continues at night. It's just that the Sun is on the other side of the world, and I can't see it. And you know what the Sun is doing? You can draw it out, a path orbiting the earth in a circle,¡± Manousos says.

Circles appear all over timekeeping. they exist in sundials, like the kind you might have made in elementary school science class. But also in the dial (the technical term for what I¡¯ve always referred to as a watch face) of mechanical clocks and watches, the coiled springs they use to store energy, and the gears they use to turn. Even early digital watches that still had mechanical components but no arms for hours, minutes, or seconds featured internal wheels to spin through numbers and track the time, according to Manousos.

¡°I don't think there was ever really a like a debate on it. It wasn't like, oh well let¡¯s tell time a different way,¡± Manousos says. ¡°This is just the natural way that it came about... I guess that a good way of putting it is really, form follows function.¡±

Reject modernity, embrace tradition

There¡¯s a deep, cultural history underneath the kneejerk appreciation of the aesthetics of a circular smartwatch. It¡¯s what I think drew people to the original round Moto 360 smartwatch, and what made it so disappointing that technical display limitations left it with a ¡°flat tire¡± dial or watch face (though, that¡¯s since been solved on new versions).

Apple has made quite a show of embracing horological tradition with the Digital Crown, an input method it described at the launch of the Apple Watch as being ¡°as integral to Apple Watch as the Click Wheel is to iPod. Or the mouse is to Mac.¡± Various watchOS watch faces and complications also mimic real-life mechanical watches. That appreciation for horology just hasn¡¯t extended to the shape of the Apple Watch or watchOS.

Apple has played with the kind of watch faces or dials you might see on a mechanical watch.Raymond Wong / Input

That doesn¡¯t mean things can¡¯t change. One of Apple¡¯s most iconic designs, the iPod click wheel, is a proud celebration of the circle. The company also frequently changes up designs not just to introduce new functionality, but also to juice sales. A new look sells new iPhones. Based on the excitement around a dramatic redesign in the lead-up to the Apple Watch Series 7, it very well could sell new watches, too.

But more than that, for me personally, Apple or any other company looking to hit the scene with a new smartwatch, should consider the circle. Time might not be round, but there¡¯s a proud history of the devices we use to track it, being circular. No amount of notifications or fitness features changes that. We deserve options.

universo-virtual.com
buytrendz.net
thisforall.net
benchpressgains.com
qthzb.com
mindhunter9.com
dwjqp1.com
secure-signup.net
ahaayy.com
soxtry.com
tressesindia.com
puresybian.com
krpano-chs.com
cre8workshop.com
hdkino.org
peixun021.com
qz786.com
utahperformingartscenter.org
maw-pr.com
zaaksen.com
ypxsptbfd7.com
worldqrmconference.com
shangyuwh.com
eejssdfsdfdfjsd.com
playminecraftfreeonline.com
trekvietnamtour.com
your-business-articles.com
essaywritingservice10.com
hindusamaaj.com
joggingvideo.com
wandercoups.com
onlinenewsofindia.com
worldgraphic-team.com
bnsrz.com
wormblaster.net
tongchengchuyange0004.com
internetknowing.com
breachurch.com
peachesnginburlesque.com
dataarchitectoo.com
clientfunnelformula.com
30pps.com
cherylroll.com
ks2252.com
webmanicura.com
osostore.com
softsmob.com
sofietsshotel.com
facetorch.com
nylawyerreview.com
apapromotions.com
shareparelli.com
goeaglepointe.com
thegreenmanpubphuket.com
karotorossian.com
publicsensor.com
taiwandefence.com
epcsur.com
odskc.com
inzziln.info
leaiiln.info
cq-oa.com
dqtianshun.com
southstills.com
tvtv98.com
thewellington-hotel.com
bccaipiao.com
colectoresindustrialesgs.com
shenanddcg.com
capriartfilmfestival.com
replicabreitlingsale.com
thaiamarinnewtoncorner.com
gkmcww.com
mbnkbj.com
andrewbrennandesign.com
cod54.com
luobinzhang.com
bartoysdirect.com
taquerialoscompadresdc.com
aaoodln.info
amcckln.info
drvrnln.info
dwabmln.info
fcsjoln.info
hlonxln.info
kcmeiln.info
kplrrln.info
fatcatoons.com
91guoys.com
signupforfreehosting.com
faithfirst.net
zjyc28.com
tongchengjinyeyouyue0004.com
nhuan6.com
oldgardensflowers.com
lightupthefloor.com
bahamamamas-stjohns.com
ly2818.com
905onthebay.com
fonemenu.com
notanothermovie.com
ukrainehighclassescort.com
meincmagazine.com
av-5858.com
yallerdawg.com
donkeythemovie.com
corporatehospitalitygroup.com
boboyy88.com
miteinander-lernen.com
dannayconsulting.com
officialtomsshoesoutletstore.com
forsale-amoxil-amoxicillin.net
generictadalafil-canada.net
guitarlessonseastlondon.com
lesliesrestaurants.com
mattyno9.com
nri-homeloans.com
rtgvisas-qatar.com
salbutamolventolinonline.net
sportsinjuries.info
topsedu.xyz
xmxm7.com
x332.xyz
sportstrainingblog.com
autopartspares.com
readguy.net
soniasegreto.com
bobbygdavis.com
wedsna.com
rgkntk.com
bkkmarketplace.com
zxqcwx.com
breakupprogram.com
boxcardc.com
unblockyoutubeindonesia.com
fabulousbookmark.com
beat-the.com
guatemala-sailfishing-vacations-charters.com
magie-marketing.com
kingstonliteracy.com
guitaraffinity.com
eurelookinggoodapparel.com
howtolosecheekfat.net
marioncma.org
oliviadavismusic.com
shantelcampbellrealestate.com
shopleborn13.com
topindiafree.com
v-visitors.net
qazwsxedcokmijn.com
parabis.net
terriesandelin.com
luxuryhomme.com
studyexpanse.com
ronoom.com
djjky.com
053hh.com
originbluei.com
baucishotel.com
33kkn.com
intrinsiqresearch.com
mariaescort-kiev.com
mymaguk.com
sponsored4u.com
crimsonclass.com
bataillenavale.com
searchtile.com
ze-stribrnych-struh.com
zenithalhype.com
modalpkv.com
bouisset-lafforgue.com
useupload.com
37r.net
autoankauf-muenster.com
bantinbongda.net
bilgius.com
brabustermagazine.com
indigrow.org
miicrosofts.net
mysmiletravel.com
selinasims.com
spellcubesapp.com
usa-faction.com
snn01.com
hope-kelley.com
bancodeprofissionais.com
zjccp99.com
liturgycreator.com
weedsmj.com
majorelenco.com
colcollect.com
androidnews-jp.com
hypoallergenicdogsnames.com
dailyupdatez.com
foodphotographyreviews.com
cricutcom-setup.com
chprowebdesign.com
katyrealty-kanepa.com
tasramar.com
bilgipinari.org
four-am.com
indiarepublicday.com
inquick-enbooks.com
iracmpi.com
kakaschoenen.com
lsm99flash.com
nana1255.com
ngen-niagara.com
technwzs.com
virtualonlinecasino1345.com
wallpapertop.net
nova-click.com
abeautifulcrazylife.com
diggmobile.com
denochemexicana.com
eventhalfkg.com
medcon-taiwan.com
life-himawari.com
myriamshomes.com
nightmarevue.com
allstarsru.com
bestofthebuckeyestate.com
bestofthefirststate.com
bestwireless7.com
declarationintermittent.com
findhereall.com
jingyou888.com
lsm99deal.com
lsm99galaxy.com
moozatech.com
nuagh.com
patliyo.com
philomenamagikz.net
rckouba.net
saturnunipessoallda.com
tallahasseefrolics.com
thematurehardcore.net
totalenvironment-inthatquietearth.com
velislavakaymakanova.com
vermontenergetic.com
sizam-design.com
kakakpintar.com
begorgeouslady.com
1800birks4u.com
2wheelstogo.com
6strip4you.com
bigdata-world.net
emailandco.net
gacapal.com
jharpost.com
krishnaastro.com
lsm99credit.com
mascalzonicampani.com
sitemapxml.org
thecityslums.net
topagh.com
flairnetwebdesign.com
bangkaeair.com
beneventocoupon.com
noternet.org
oqtive.com
smilebrightrx.com
decollage-etiquette.com
1millionbestdownloads.com
7658.info
bidbass.com
devlopworldtech.com
digitalmarketingrajkot.com
fluginfo.net
naqlafshk.com
passion-decouverte.com
playsirius.com
spacceleratorintl.com
stikyballs.com
top10way.com
yokidsyogurt.com
zszyhl.com
16firthcrescent.com
abogadolaboralistamd.com
apk2wap.com
aromacremeria.com
banparacard.com
bosmanraws.com
businessproviderblog.com
caltonosa.com
calvaryrevivalchurch.org
chastenedsoulwithabrokenheart.com
cheminotsgardcevennes.com
cooksspot.com
cqxzpt.com
deesywig.com
deltacartoonmaps.com
despixelsetdeshommes.com
duocoracaobrasileiro.com
fareshopbd.com
goodpainspills.com
kobisitecdn.com
makaigoods.com
mgs1454.com
piccadillyresidences.com
radiolaondafresca.com
rubendorf.com
searchengineimprov.com
sellmyhrvahome.com
shugahouseessentials.com
sonihullquad.com
subtractkilos.com
valeriekelmansky.com
vipasdigitalmarketing.com
voolivrerj.com
zeelonggroup.com
1015southrockhill.com
10x10b.com
111-online-casinos.com
191cb.com
3665arpentunitd.com
aitesonics.com
bag-shokunin.com
brightotech.com
communication-digitale-services.com
covoakland.org
dariaprimapack.com
freefortniteaccountss.com
gatebizglobal.com
global1entertainmentnews.com
greatytene.com
hiroshiwakita.com
iktodaypk.com
jahatsakong.com
meadowbrookgolfgroup.com
newsbharati.net
platinumstudiosdesign.com
slotxogamesplay.com
strikestaruk.com
trucosdefortnite.com
ufabetrune.com
weddedtowhitmore.com
12940brycecanyonunitb.com
1311dietrichoaks.com
2monarchtraceunit303.com
601legendhill.com
850elaine.com
adieusolasomade.com
andora-ke.com
bestslotxogames.com
cannagomcallen.com
endlesslyhot.com
iestpjva.com
ouqprint.com
pwmaplefest.com
qtylmr.com
rb88betting.com
buscadogues.com
1007macfm.com
born-wild.com
growthinvests.com
promocode-casino.com
proyectogalgoargentina.com
wbthompson-art.com
whitemountainwheels.com
7thavehvl.com
developmethis.com
funkydogbowties.com
travelodgegrandjunction.com
gao-town.com
globalmarketsuite.com
blogshippo.com
hdbka.com
proboards67.com
outletonline-michaelkors.com
kalkis-research.com
thuthuatit.net
buckcash.com
hollistercanada.com
docterror.com
asadart.com
vmayke.org
erwincomputers.com
dirimart.org
okkii.com
loteriasdecehegin.com
mountanalog.com
healingtaobritain.com
ttxmonitor.com
bamthemes.com
nwordpress.com
11bolabonanza.com
avgo.top