Apple Watch

Apple Watch

An Apple Watch with white Sport Band
Developer Apple Inc.
Manufacturer Quanta Computer[1]
(contract manufacturer)
Type Smartwatch
Release date April 24, 2015
Introductory price

Watch Sport
38 mm: US$349
42 mm: US$399
Watch
38 mm: US$549–US$1,049
42 mm: US$599–US$1,099
Watch Edition

38 mm & 42 mm: US$10,000–US$17,000[2]
Operating system Watch OS[3][4]
System-on-chip used Apple S1
Memory 512 MB RAM[5]
Storage 8 GB
Display

Flexible Retina AMOLED screen
38mm
33.5 mm (1.32 in) diagonal, 272×340 pixels at 290 ppi
42mm
39 mm (1.5 in) diagonal, 312×390 pixels at 302 ppi
Watch Sport
Strengthened Ion-X glass
Watch/Watch Edition

Sapphire glass
Graphics PowerVR SGX543[6]
Sound Speaker
Connectivity Bluetooth 4.0, NFC, Wi-Fi (802.11 b/g/n)
Power

38mm

Built-in rechargable Li-Po battery
3.8 V 0.78 W·h (205 mA·h)[7]
Dimensions

38 mm
38.6 × 33.3 × 10.5 mm
(1.52 × 1.31 × 0.41 in)
42 mm

42 × 35.9 × 10.5 mm
(1.65 × 1.41 × 0.41 in)
Backward
compatibility		 iPhone 5 and later running iOS 8.2 or later, connected via Wi-Fi or Bluetooth 4.0. are compatible with this device.
Website www.apple.com/watch

Apple Watch is a smartwatch developed by Apple Inc. It incorporates fitness tracking and health-oriented capabilities as well as integration with iOS and other Apple products and services. The device is available in three "collections": Apple Watch Sport, Apple Watch, and Apple Watch Edition. The watch is distinguished by different combinations of cases and interchangeable bands. Apple Watch relies on a wirelessly connected iPhone to perform many of its default functions (e.g. calling and texting). It is compatible with the iPhone 5 or later models running iOS 8.2 or later, through the use of Bluetooth or Wi-Fi. Announced by Tim Cook on September 9, 2014, the device was available for pre-order on April 10[8] and began shipping on April 24, 2015.[9][10]

Features

The Apple Watch works with Apple Pay, a mobile payment announced at the same event as the watch on September 9, 2014. It is capable of receiving phone calls as well as iMessage and SMS texts via a paired iPhone and can track fitness, run third-party apps and use an Apple feature called "Handoff" (see iOS 8). It can control Apple TV, as well as act as a walkie-talkie, a viewfinder for an iPhone camera,[11] give the wearer directions via native Maps app, and can store loyalty cards and tickets in Passbook. Apple Watch also includes Siri, a personal assistant. Apple Watch uses "force touch" input, which allows the watch to know if the force being applied is hard or soft.

If the watch's battery depletes to a certain amount, the watch will enter a "power reserve" mode, which allows the user to continue to read the time for an additional 72 hours. The watch then reverts to its original mode when recharged.[12]

Applications

The Apple Watch comes with several default applications, all of which are developed by Apple itself. WatchKit is a software framework included with the iOS SDK that allows developers to create applications for the Apple Watch, with the option of using the San Francisco typeface as the main typeface for the application.[13] The various apps created by the developers can then be released on to the Apple Watch app store.

The watch's app store, unlike other products from Apple, is not located on the device, but instead on a wirelessly connected iPhone. The user must have a watch app installed on an iPhone and have the two devices paired together. The phone is used for the majority of the watch's functions, including services such as calling or texting. The watch app store works in a similar manner to other app stores; a tap and a confirmation will be required to download any application instantly on to the watch.[14] Most of the apps are simplified versions of their mobile phone or computer-based counterparts.

Design

Apple Watch has three collections, featuring two case sizes: 38 mm (1.5 in) and 42 mm (1.7 in) spread across 38 individual models.[15] The case of the watch includes a mechanism to enable the straps to be interchangeable. Its screen is a pressure-sensitive touchscreen that can distinguish between a tap and a press, and features a digital crown, which can be turned to scroll or zoom and pressed to return to the home screen. The watch also has a button for displaying a list of contacts.[11] The watch is charged by means of inductive charging, using a cable similar to the MagSafe cable from Apple's MacBook family of laptops.[9]

Apple designed a new typeface named San Francisco for the Apple Watch which Apple says is designed for legibility on the device's small display.

Hardware

The Apple Watch uses Apple's S1 processor, advertised as "an entire computer architecture on a single chip". It also uses a linear actuator called the "Taptic Engine" to provide haptic feedback when an alert or a notification is received. The watch is equipped with a built-in heart rate sensor, which uses both infrared and visible-light LEDs and photodiodes.[16] It is water-resistant with IPX7 rating, so water submersion is not recommended.[17] All versions of the Apple Watch have 8 GB of storage, which allows the user to store up to 2 GB of music and 75 MB of photos, however, this limitation only applies when the Apple Watch is untethered from the user's iPhone; when the Apple Watch is paired with an iPhone all music and photos on that iPhone are available from the Apple Watch.[18] It uses a Flexible Retina AMOLED screen. This is the first Apple product to use AMOLED technology.[19]

The watch is compatible with the iPhone 5 and later running iOS 8.2 or later, connected via Wi-Fi or Bluetooth 4.0.[20]

Collection comparison

Collection Apple Watch Sport Apple Watch Apple Watch Edition
Pricing 38 mm: US$349 / 42 mm: US$399 38 mm: US$549–US$1,049 / 42 mm: US$599–US$1,099 38 mm & 42 mm: US$10,000–US$17,000
Processor Apple S1
Storage 8 GB
Operating system Watch OS 1.0 (iOS-based)[21]
Display
(L x W)[22]		 Flexible Retina AMOLED

38 mm: 21.2 × 26.5 mm; 33.5 mm (1.32 in) diagonally, 272×340 pixels, 290 PPI
42 mm: 24.3 × 30.38 mm; 39 mm (1.5 in) diagonally, 312×390 pixels, 302 PPI

Other outputs Taptic Engine, speaker
Dimensions[23]
(L x W x H)		 38 mm: 38.6 × 33.3 × 10.5 mm (1.52 × 1.31 × 0.41 in)

42 mm: 42 × 35.9 × 10.5 mm (1.65 × 1.41 × 0.41 in)

Back Composite Ceramic
Screen[24] Strengthened Ion-X glass Sapphire glass
Models 10 models 20 models 8 models
2 Cases:
Lightweight anodized 7000 series aluminum (in silver, or space gray)


5 Bands:
Fluoroelastomer plastic: sport band (in white, black, blue, green, or pink)

 2 Cases:
Apple Watch collection features highly polished stainless steel and space black stainless steel cases.[25]


6 Bands:
Leather: modern buckle (in soft pink, brown, or midnight blue); leather loop (in stone, light brown, or bright blue); classic buckle (in black)
Stainless steel: link bracelet (stainless steel or space black) or Milanese loop
Fluoroelastomer plastic: sport band (in white or black)

 2 Cases:
Hardened 18-karat gold (in yellow gold, or rose gold)


3 Bands:
Leather: modern buckle (in bright red, or rose grey); classic buckle (in black or midnight blue)
Fluoroelastomer plastic: sport band (in white or black)

Input methods Digital crown, multi-touch,[26] force touch, microphone, connected iPhone, Side Button
Connector The watch is charged by means of inductive charging, using a cable similar to the MagSafe cable from Apple's MacBook family.
Connectivity NFC, Bluetooth 4.0, Wi-Fi 802.11b/g/n[27]
Sensors Force Touch Sensor, Accelerometer, gyroscope, heart rate sensor, barometer[28]
Compatibility iPhone 5 and later running iOS 8.2 or later, connected via Wi-Fi or Bluetooth 4.0. are compatible with this device.
Battery 38mm: 3.8 V, 0.78 Wh (205 mAh)[7]
Up to 18 hours[29][30]
(6.5 hours of audio playback, 3 hours of talk time, or 72 hours of Power Reserve mode.)[7]

Pre-release reception

Following the announcement, initial impressions from technology and watch industry observers were varied; the watch was praised by some for its "design, potential capabilities and eventual usefulness",[31] while others offered criticism of these same aspects.[31] Venture capitalist Marc Andreessen said he "can't wait" to try it,[32] and Steve Jobs' biographer Walter Isaacson described it as "extremely cool" and an example of future technology that is "much more embedded into our lives".[33] However, Evan Dashevsky of PC Magazine said it offered nothing new in terms of functionality compared to the Moto 360, except the customizable vibration notifications.[34] Benjamin Clymer, a writer focused on the watch industry, generally praised the watch, stating that it "simply blows away anything—digital or analog—in the watch space at $350"; that said, he also suggested the watch would not have the same emotional connection for wearers as traditional watches.

In November 2014, Apple Watch was listed by Time as one of the 25 Best Inventions of 2014.[35]

One of the apps pre-announced as part of the launch, Belle Gibson's Whole Pantry, was withdrawn prior to launch following accusations against its creator of fraud and faking cancer diagnosis.[36][37][38][39]

Forecasts

Financial analysts offered early sales estimates from a few million to as many as 40 million in the first year.[40] Time‍ '​s Tim Bajarin summarized the breadth of reactions, writing that "there is not enough information yet to determine how this product will fare when it finally reaches the market next year".[31]

Initial reviews

Initial reviews for the device have been generally positive with some caveats.[41] Reviewers praised the watch's potential ability to integrate into everyday life and the overall design of the product, but noted issues of speed and price. Many reviewers described the watch as functional and convenient, while also noting failure to give as much potential functionality as preceding smartphones. Farhad Manjoo of The New York Times mentioned the device's steep learning curve, stating it took him "three long, often confusing and frustrating days" to become accustomed to it.[42] Some reviewers also compared it to competing products, such as Android Wear devices, and claimed "The Smartwatch Finally Makes Sense".[30] Reviewers had mixed opinions on battery life though, with Geoffrey Fowler of The Wall Street Journal saying "the battery lives up to its all-day billing, but sometimes just barely,"[30] and others compared it to the Samsung Gear 2, which "strolls through three days of moderate usage."[43]

Third-party apps

On March 26, 2015, Apple released a selection of third-party apps early for the press, to populate the App Store before review units were circulated.[44] This included some well-known brands such as Twitter, Things, Evernote, and Flipboard. These apps were released inside of the corresponding iPhone apps which were already available on the store. On March 31, Apple started accepting regular app submissions from all other developers.[45]

Pre-orders

It is estimated Apple received almost one million Apple Watch pre-orders in the US during the initial six hours of the pre-order period on April 10, 2015, after which it sold out and further orders would start shipping in June.[46]

See also

References

  1. ↑ Eva Dou (June 20, 2014). "Who Is Apple’s Watch Maker?". The Wall Street Journal. Retrieved February 8, 2015.
  2. ↑ Kelion, Leo (March 10, 2015). "Apple Watch prices and apps revealed". BBC News Online. Retrieved March 10, 2015.
  3. ↑ "Apple Watch - Overview". Apple. Retrieved September 9, 2014.
  4. ↑ "Apple Watch - Technology". Apple. Retrieved September 9, 2014.
  5. ↑ "Teardown shows Apple Watch S1 chip has custom CPU, 512MB RAM, 8GB storage". AppleInsider. Retrieved 30 April 2015.
  6. ↑ "Apple Watch runs 'most' of iOS 8.2, may use A5-equivalent processor". AppleInsider. Retrieved 25 April 2015.
  7. ↑ 7.0 7.1 7.2 "Apple Watch Teardown - iFixit". Retrieved April 24, 2015.
  8. ↑ "Apple Store". Apple Inc. Retrieved March 15, 2015.
  9. ↑ 9.0 9.1 "The Verge live blog". The Verge. Vox Media. September 9, 2014. Retrieved September 10, 2014.
  10. ↑ Etherington, Darrell. "Tim Cook Says Apple Watch Ships In April". TechCrunch. AOL. Retrieved January 28, 2015.
  11. ↑ 11.0 11.1 "The Verge: The 15 most important announcements from the Apple Watch, iPhone 6 event". The Verge. Vox Media. September 9, 2014. Retrieved September 10, 2014.
  12. ↑ "General Battery Information". Apple inc. Retrieved April 11, 2015.
  13. ↑ Jacobs, Bart (November 30, 2014). "This Is What You Need to Know About WatchKit". Tuts+. Envato. Retrieved January 21, 2015.
  14. ↑ Sullivan, Mark (March 12, 2015). "How Apple Watch setup and app downloads work". VentureBeat. Retrieved April 13, 2015.
  15. ↑ "All 38 Apple Watch designs: Every band, case and face so far". TechRadar. March 9, 2015.
  16. ↑ "Apple - Apple Watch - Technology". Apple. Retrieved September 10, 2014.
  17. ↑ "Apple Watch & New MacBook: What You Need To Know", eCloudBuzz, March 10, 2015.
  18. ↑ Apple Watch includes 8 GB of storage, allows 2 GB of music storage and 75 MB of photos. Retrieved March 11, 2015.
  19. ↑ "Confirmed: Apple's Watch uses an AMOLED display". oled-info.com.
  20. ↑ "Press Release - Apple Unveils Apple Watch". Apple. Retrieved September 10, 2014.
  21. ↑ Anvin VS (September 18, 2014). "Apple Watch: 18-Karat Gold Premium Smartwatch Edition To Be Priced At $5000--Reports". International Business Times AU.
  22. ↑ Chris Smith. "Apple Watch official specs unveiled during March 9th event - BGR". BGR.
  23. ↑ "Apple Watch Sizing Guide" (PDF). Retrieved March 17, 2015.
  24. ↑ "Apple Watch Craftsmanship". Retrieved March 17, 2015.
  25. ↑ "Apple Watch". Retrieved April 7, 2015.
  26. ↑ Apple - Apple Watch - Technology. Retrieved March 11, 2015.
  27. ↑ "Apple Watch Likely Uses BCM4334 Broadcom Wi-Fi Chip". MacRumors. September 18, 2014. Retrieved October 6, 2014.
  28. ↑ "Apple Watch specifications and pricing". Telegraph.co.uk. March 9, 2015.
  29. ↑ "Apple Watch - Battery". Retrieved March 11, 2015.
  30. ↑ 30.0 30.1 30.2 Fowler, Geoffrey (April 8, 2015). "Apple Watch Review: The Smartwatch Finally Makes Sense". The Wall Street Journal. Retrieved April 9, 2015.
  31. ↑ 31.0 31.1 31.2 Bajarin, Tim (September 29, 2014). "Nobody Can Predict the Success of Apple’s Watch Yet". Time. Retrieved April 2, 2015.
  32. ↑ "Zuckerberg is world's best CEO, Twitter the eighth wonder, says Marc Andreessen". CNET. October 7, 2014. Retrieved October 14, 2014.
  33. ↑ Shaban, Hamza (October 6, 2014). "Walter Isaacson Talks AI, Apple Watch, and His New Book The Innovators". Gizmodo. Retrieved October 14, 2014.
  34. ↑ "There's Only One Reason to Buy an Apple Watch". PC Magazine. September 10, 2014. Retrieved September 10, 2014.
  35. ↑ "The 25 Best Inventions of 2014". Time. November 20, 2014. Retrieved January 21, 2015.
  36. ↑ "Belle Gibson, Apple Watch Consultant And Wellness Blogger, Accused Of Faking Cancer Claims". Yahoo Health. March 11, 2015. Retrieved March 12, 2015.
  37. ↑ "Australian app creator's triumph with Apple Watch". The Age. September 13, 2014. Retrieved March 10, 2015.
  38. ↑ "Friends and doctors raise doubts over 'Healing Belle' cancer claims". The Sydney Morning Herald. March 10, 2015. Retrieved March 10, 2015.
  39. ↑ "Apple Watch introduces release". Thegadgetnow. March 1, 2015. Retrieved March 17, 2015.
  40. ↑ Pressman, Aaron (October 3, 2014). "Is the Apple Watch the Next Huge, Medium, or Mini Hit?". Yahoo! Tech. Retrieved October 14, 2014.
  41. ↑ Biggs, Tim (April 9, 2015). "Apple watch reviews very positive, with some caveats". Sydney Morning Herald. Retrieved April 9, 2015.
  42. ↑ Manjoo, Farhad (April 8, 2015). "Apple Watch Review: Bliss, but Only After a Steep Learning Curve". The New York Times. Retrieved April 25, 2015.
  43. ↑ Johnson, Luke. "Samsung Gear 2: Apps, Battery, Value and Verdict Read more at http://www.trustedreviews.com/samsung-gear-2-review-apps-battery-value-and-verdict-page-3#kHXE5Ls0kkolQEtq.99". TrustedReviews. Retrieved April 9, 2015. It strolled through three days moderate usage, which is two full days longer than the Galaxy Gear, but’s still short of what we would like to see on a wearable.
  44. ↑ "Apple begins releasing the first set of third-party Apple Watch apps". March 26, 2015. Retrieved April 20, 2015.
  45. ↑ "Apple Begins Accepting Apple Watch App Submissions From All Developers". March 31, 2015. Retrieved April 20, 2015.
  46. ↑ Dan Frommer. "Apple Watch pre-orders were 1 million in the US on its first day, a shopping data firm estimates". Quartz. Retrieved April 13, 2015.

External links

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