At the Apple Live event on March 9th, the Apple team demonstrated for the first time, how the Apple Watch is used. And the result is simple – apps, apps, apps.
After its SDK release, the Apple Watch has been well equipped with an arsenal of apps that will make you wonder why you still carry your iPhone around. Apple demonstrated on stage not only the use of Siri, which is expected with any Apple product now, but also how to send a message on WeChat, or check your Instagram feed, or call a car with Uber.
Along with other apps, like Twitter, CNN, Shazam, as well as Apple apps Apple Pay, and Passbook, Apple Watch is set to be the wearable to push the limits of what wearables can do, which seems to be to be a handy extension of your iPhone that you can simply wear on your wrist.
But with all the hype over the Apple Watch, could it really change the way you live your life? It’s very possible. During the event, the use of Passbook to streamline the airport security process is a dream to anyone who hates the uncomfortable, clunky experience. Apple Pay makes it possible for you to pay with a tap of your watch.
And as promised in the last Apple Watch event, the possibility of unlocking your hotel room door with your Apple Watch, made possible by the Starwood Preferred Guest app, or SPG, is a geek’s holiday worth dying for.
There is even an app that helps you answer calls – through your Apple Watch.
The possibilities that Apple wants us to imagine are endless. The reality of it, however, is still limited to this 390 x 312 resolution screen, which could be a pain to look at if you’re scrolling through your Instagram feed, or if you’re trying to read messages with tired eyes.
Many smartwatch and wearable makers are still trying to figure out what the best way to make a smartwatch is, and so far Apple’s vision is an ambitious one. Will it withstand the wear of time? Who knows. For now, it’s a pretty, luxurious accessory with a heavy price tag that only the most invested players will be playing with, and I’ll be waiting to see what happens next.
Price
Apple Watch price will start at $350 and go up from there. The 14K gold Apple Watch Edition will be available in a limited number for $10,000 and up at select retail locations.
Release Dates
The Apple Watch arrive in stores on April 24 in some countries U.S., Australia, Canada, the U.K., Japan, Hong Kong, China, France, and Germany. Singaporeans, however, will have to wait their turn to get their own.
It was announced that Apple Watch will be available in stores on April 10 for people to try, but it’s unclear if it will be available in Singapore Apple subsidiary outlets. At this point, it’s pretty unlikely.
Specs
Two sizes for the Apple Watch will be available, 38 mm and 42 mm.
The 38mm Apple Watch is tailored to be more suitable for smaller wrists, making it smaller than the 1.56 inch Moto 360, and much shorter than the Samsung Gear 2 and Pebble Watch, which are at 58.4mm and 52mm tall respectively.
The 42-millimeter Apple Watch model will feature a 390 × 312-pixel resolution screen, while the 38-millimeter model will pack a 340 × 272 pixel resolution screen.
To suit it’s fitness capability, it is said to be suitable for showers, hot yoga sessions, or rainstorms. It’s unclear if swimming is possible, though it’s highly unlikely.
The biggest issue is the battery life, which is as expected, very short. It will need charging every night with its Magsafe charger, but in a tight fix, their power-saving mode will have to do.
For the fitness buffs in us, the Apple Watch provides the fitness watch aspects we all expect. With an accelerometer, a built-in heart rate sensor, GPS and Wi-Fi from your iPhone, the Apple Watch works tirelessly with your iPhone to get detailed metrics of your workout sessions. The workout app will track everything you want to know and provide a comprehensive picture of your all-day activity and workouts.
To sync your Apple Watch to your iPhone, you will have to download a specific Apple Watch app from the Apple App Store.
Exterior
Each Apple Watch is tailored for its luxurious build, features highly polished stainless steel and space black stainless steel cases with a Retina display protected by sapphire crystal.
Apple Watch Sport, on the other hand, features a lightweight anodized aluminum case in silver and space gray with a Retina display protected by strengthened Ion-X glass and matching high-performance fluoroelastomer Sport Band in five colors.
The Apple Watch collection comes with a choice of three different leather straps, a stainless steel link bracelet and Milanese loop, and a black or white Sport Band.
The extra-expensive Apple Watch Edition will come in cases specially crafted from custom rose or yellow 18-karat gold alloys developed to be twice as hard as standard gold, a Retina display protected by polished sapphire crystal and a choice of uniquely designed straps and bands with 18-karat gold clasps, buckles or pins.
