Apple CEO Tim Cook, who has labored for years under the shadow of his predecessor Steve Jobs, chose to unveil the "Watch" last during the company's big event on Tuesday, which will be developed under his tenure.
Before the unveiling, Cook, with a bit of emotion in his voice, stressed the historic significance of the Flint Center venue in Cupertino, California, where Jobs first unveiled the Macintosh decades ago.
Cook spoke at length about the Watch and all of its specs, but one question that still has puzzled involved its name: Where is the "i"?
Apple's prefix has anchored brand names of generations of products, from its iPod, to its iPhone, and eventually its iPad. It also spends hundreds of millions of dollars on marketing and advertising its devices, so nothing is done without careful deliberation first.
Some experts feel Apple chose the shortened name to distinguish its first new device in four years to send a message that the company is moving forward. Other's thing it signifies the Watch's positioning for now, as an accessory or companion to the iPhone, which a user needs in order to use the new device.
Apple has not said why it chose the name publicly.
"They are looking down the road," said Robert Passikoff, president of Brand Keys, New York- based brand research consultancy, according to Reuters. "The watch is going to be an adjunct to a lot of other things that will still have the 'i' attached to them. All of this wearable technology stuff really isn't stand alone."
Apple, which entered the smartphone market in 2007 and tablet market in 2010, is again venturing into new territory, though this time the demand is less than certain.
Research company IDC experts predict approximately 42 million smartwatches will be sold next year. Apple sells that amount of iPhones in three months occasionally.
Though the financial impact for the company is still unclear, a number of analyst believe the success of the Watch could help restore Apple's dimming reputation for innovation.
The past couple of years, Apple seemed stuck in an iPhone product cycle, with a new version expected during the second half of the year and more complete redesign only every two years.
Marketing chief Phil Schiller once said in court that Apple's strategy is to "make the product the biggest and clearest thing in advertising," since it spends millions of dollars on ads.
As of now, the company seems happy with its decision, and isn't looking back.
"It is a new era," said Ellen Leanse, a brand strategist and former senior Apple executive, according to Reuters. "It was a highly confident move that signals, pardon the pun, watch us. It would have been trite to call it the iWatch. It would have been looking backwards," she added. "This could pave a new path for a product family, like the Macintosh."
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