Some pictures of a first Apple Watch prototype, with your WatchOS beta firmware installed and fully functional. Normally, all these items are destroyed, to avoid leaks to the competition.
It’s not very clear if the photos were taken in their day and then the prototype was destroyed, or is still operational in a drawer in Apple Park. Fortunately, the outer case has evolved into the curved design of the first Apple Watch, because this one is ugly. Although seeing Apple’s current trend of returning to flat sides….
They just leaked into the account Apple Demo Twitter for new images showing what appears to be a prototype Apple Watch. It may be that the device somehow escaped destruction. It has internal software and fully functional development settings.
The device has a rather primitive case which is far from the obvious appearance of a watch. The material predates today’s digital crown, with only two buttons on the left side and what looks like a sort of home button integrated into the front of the box.
The Apple Watch Prototype with Security Case runs an internal Pre-WatchOS 1.0 version, complete with internal test apps and development settings. It is extremely amazing that something like this can still exist; without having been destroyed. #appleinternal pic.twitter.com/WDTWP0NpIp
– Apple Demo (@AppleDemoYT) December 27, 2020
The software is a preview of the first watchOS 1.0 and Apple Demo demonstrates that the internal version is fully operational, with a variety of photos showing the user interface with different screens.
Refers to Apple Lisa computer 1980s. Even Lisa Simpson is used as an app icon in the Apple Watch prototype for the “Lisa Tester”.
This is also where the “Springboard zoom” app comes in, which includes an interactive experience of what the WatchOS Home Screen that we all know.
Without a doubt, a collector’s item that would be very well priced in typical North American auctions of unique Apple devices. Of course, they would pay a pasture for the smartwatch.
