“The standard Apple Watch model comes with a stainless steel or space black stainless steal case with the screen protected by sapphire crystal.
“Lastly, the Apple Watch Edition features an 18-carat gold face in yellow or rose, protected by sapphire crystal.
The women’s version starts off at 38mm tall while the men’s version starts at 42mm. Each watch has a Retina display described as energy efficient, though battery life hasn’t been specified yet.
The main feature of the watch is called Force Touch, able to distinguish between a tap and a press using tiny electrodes, notes PC Advisor.
“This is the Apple Watch’s so-called Taptic Engine: more than just helpfully vibrating when you receive a new notification, it can do such things as provide slightly different vibrations for left- and right turns within the Maps app.”
The watch also has a ceramic cover on the back, with sapphire lenses protecting four sensors that monitor the person’s heart rate, and also are utilitized to build up a compelete picture of a person’s daily activities.
“The Apple Watch also has an accelerometer to measure body movement, and it uses the Wi-Fi and GPS in your iPhone to track distance. There’s a speaker, too, which is water-resistant.”
Tech Radar notes that another key design feature is the digital crown, or circular knob on the side of the watch.
“This input is unique among smartwatches, but a true classic derived from traditional watches. Apple has of course put a modern-day twist on its twist functionality,” it said.
“The Apple Watch digital crown replaces the pinch-to-zoom touchscreen mechanic used on everything from iPhones to MacBooks. It’s too impractical on such a small display, according to Apple. Rotating it allows you to zoom into your app selection, your location on Apple Maps and a photo from a gallery. Scrolling through dates and stopwatch times is handled by this knob too. The digital crown also acts as the Apple Watch home button. There’s no Touch ID sensor here, but Apple is smartly locks the wristwatch with an anti-theft passcode whenever it’s taken off.”
Review: Apple Watch Appears to be Another Winner
The new Apple Watch is shown by a model on a treadmill during a new product release on Tuesday, Sept. 9, 2014, in Cupertino, Calif. (AP Photo/Marcio Jose Sanchez)
The new Apple Watch is shown during a new product release on Tuesday, Sept. 9, 2014, in Cupertino, Calif. (AP Photo/Marcio Jose Sanchez)
CUPERTINO, Calif.—As computerized wristwatches go, the upcoming Apple Watch looks impressive.
I like that it will come in two sizes, so the watch won’t feel giant on smaller hands, as some competing watches do.
I also like that Apple will offer a variety of straps and materials, so fitness buffs can get a strap that’s stronger and sweat-proof, while those seeking a fashion accessory can opt for an 18-karat gold edition.
Beyond looks, it’s great that the Apple Watch isn’t simply adopting the smartphone way of doing things. The operating system, Watch OS, was designed specifically for the watch, and its interface relies heavily on the dial to the right, known as the digital crown. Competing watches tend to emphasize the voice and touch controls found on phones.
Of course, it’s premature to conclude that you need an Apple Watch. I had only about 45 minutes with the Apple Watch and other new products announced Tuesday.
The home screen has all your apps, arranged in rows like a honeycomb. You use the dial to zoom in and choose one. The touch screen lets you slide the honeycomb around to see different portions of your app collection. I find this easier than swiping on a small screen to scroll through pages and pages of apps. With the Apple Watch, you can even rearrange apps so that your favorite ones are toward the middle.
Apple CEO Tim Cook discusses the new Apple Watch on Tuesday, Sept. 9, 2014, in Cupertino, Calif. (AP Photo/Marcio Jose Sanchez)
App developers will be able to decide what types of notifications appear on the watch and let you take actions such as replying to messages. That’s an improvement over existing smartwatches, which largely replicate the notifications sent to your phone. To be compelling, the watch shouldn’t duplicate your phone. It should enhance it. Apple seems to get it.
As for using the dial to zoom in and out, Apple says that improves usability because you’re not blocking maps and other content on the screen the way pinching in and out would. That makes sense, though I’ll need more time with the watch to assess how well the dial works on its own. With your home screen, for instance, you still need to slide apps around.
Another question mark is what kinds of apps will be available for it.
Apple announced a few useful ones, including the ability to unlock your Starwood hotel room with a tap of your watch. That’s easier than pulling out your room key from your wallet. BMW also promises one to help you find your parked car in a crowded lot. If it works, that beats walking around in circles.
Apple does have a good track record in getting software developers to make good apps for its systems. Many apps come to iPhones and iPads first, and some have bonus features unavailable on Android. If that trend continues with the Apple Watch, I have no doubt customers will find more useful things to do with it than the smartwatches already out.
Apple CEO Tim Cook explains how the Apple Watch works in conjunction with Apple Pay during an announcements of new products on Tuesday, Sept. 9, 2014, in Cupertino, Calif. (AP Photo/Marcio Jose Sanchez)
Apple Watch will require an iPhone 5 or later and will have a starting price tag of $349 =N56,538 , higher than rival watches. Expect to pay even more for the 18-karat gold edition and other premium models. You’ll also have to wait until early next year, as Apple won’t have Apple Watch available in time for the holidays.
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