Source: Apple website. The Apple Watch Edition can cost up to US$17,000.
Apple has revealed the release dates for the Apple Watch, a device that combines the functions of a timepiece, communication tool, and health and fitness tracker. Starting on April 24th, it will be available in Australia, Canada, mainland China, France, Germany, Hong Kong, Japan, the UK, and the US.
What it does
With the Apple Watch, users can send messages, check email, and answer calls received on their iPhone directly from their wrist. The Digital Touch feature offers new ways to communicate by allowing the sending of sketches, taps, and even the sender’s heartbeat rhythm.
The Apple Watch boasts highly accurate timekeeping, staying within 50 milliseconds of UTC, the global time standard*. Personalization is key with a range of watch faces from classic analog styles like the Chronograph to the information-rich Modular face. For a more whimsical look, animated butterflies and jellyfish are available on the Motion face. Going beyond timekeeping, specialized watch face functions, known as complications in the watchmaking world, provide information like sunrise/sunset times, upcoming calendar events, or the user’s daily activity level. A simple swipe up on the watch face reveals Glances, offering quick access to useful data such as weather forecasts, the current location on a map, or details about the music playing.
Designed for continuous wear, the Apple Watch has a battery life that lasts up to 18 hours*. Charging is simple with a solution that combines Apple’s MagSafe technology with inductive charging, allowing for a quick and secure connection.
“Apple Watch ushers in a new era in our relationship with technology and we believe our customers are going to embrace it,” shared Tim Cook, Apple’s CEO. “We are eager for people to start wearing Apple Watch, enabling them to effortlessly access important information, engage with the world around them, and enhance their daily lives by becoming more aware of their activity levels than ever before.”
How it looks
The Apple Watch is available in two sizes - 38mm and 42mm - and three distinct collections: Apple Watch Sport, Apple Watch, and Apple Watch Edition.
The Apple Watch Sport features a lightweight, anodized aluminum case in silver and space gray, a Retina display protected by durable Ion-X glass, and a matching high-performance fluoroelastomer Sport Band in a choice of five colors.
The Apple Watch collection features meticulously polished stainless steel and space black stainless steel cases. It includes a Retina display safeguarded by sapphire crystal. This collection offers a variety of bands: three different leather straps, a stainless steel link bracelet, a Milanese loop, and a black or white Sport Band.
The Apple Watch Edition boasts cases meticulously crafted from a custom rose or yellow 18-karat gold alloy, engineered to be twice as hard as standard gold. It features a Retina display shielded by polished sapphire crystal and offers a selection of uniquely designed straps and bands with 18-karat gold clasps, buckles, or pins.
With the introduction of the Digital Crown, users can scroll, zoom, and navigate without obstructing the display. The Retina display with Force Touch, unique to the Apple Watch, discerns between a tap and a press, creating an intuitive way to access relevant controls. Additionally, a Taptic Engine provides gentle tap notifications, ensuring wearers won’t miss important alerts.
“Envisioned, designed, and developed as a unified product, the Apple Watch seamlessly merges hardware and software like never before,” said Jony Ive, Apple’s Senior VP of Design. “With Apple Watch, we’ve created three beautifully curated collections supported by a software architecture that together deliver an unmatched level of personalization in a wearable device.”
The standard apps
The Apple Watch uses an accelerometer, a built-in heart rate sensor, GPS, and Wi-Fi connectivity from the paired iPhone to track various types of movement, providing a comprehensive overview of all-day activity and workouts. An Activity app provides a visual summary of daily activity, including measurements of active calories burned, brisk activity, and the frequency with which the user has stood up to take a break from sitting. The Activity app on the iPhone gathers activity and workout data from the Apple Watch and utilizes this historical data to suggest personalized activity goals and acknowledge fitness milestones.
The third-party apps
The Apple developer community has been creating new experiences tailored specifically for the Apple Watch. Popular apps like Instagram, MLB.com At Bat, Nike+ Running, OpenTable, Shazam, Twitter, WeChat, and more will be available for use on the device. A new Apple Watch app, included with iOS 8.2 on iPhone, allows users to browse, purchase, and download apps from the Apple Watch App Store.
Customers can explore Apple Watches at the Apple Online Store or through the Apple Store app for iPhone and iPad starting today. On April 10, in Australia, Canada, mainland China, France, Germany, Hong Kong, Japan, the UK, and the US, the Apple Watch will be available for preview and try-on by appointment at Apple’s retail stores. Pre-orders can also be placed through the Apple Online Store.
On April 24, Apple Watch will be available for online purchase or by reservation at Apple’s retail stores and through select Apple Authorized Resellers in mainland China and Japan. Customers who purchase online or in Apple stores will be offered Personal Setup to personalize their Apple Watch and pair it with their iPhone. The Apple Watch will also be available to preview or try on at Isetan in Tokyo on April 10.
The Apple Watch is offered in three collections: Apple Watch Sport, priced at US$349 and US$399; Apple Watch, priced from US$549 to US$1,099; and Apple Watch Edition, crafted from custom rose or yellow 18-karat gold alloys, with prices starting at US$10,000.
Apple Watch requires an iPhone 5, iPhone 5c, iPhone 5s, iPhone 6, or iPhone 6 Plus running iOS 8.2 or later. iOS 8.2 is available for download as of March 9.
*Accuracy is dependent on regular syncing with an iPhone.
**Battery life is dependent on device settings, usage, and other factors. Actual results may differ.