Apple Watch – The Watch Reimagined
Yesterday's tech news cycle belonged to the Apple Watch, with the Californian giants finally lifting the veil on their much hyped wearable smart device, whilst also announcing official pricing and an official release date for the first time. The Apple Watch “Collection” will range in price from $349 to $17,000 (yes, you read that right), and are due to go on sale on April 24, with pre-orders available from April 10. The low-end model, the Apple Watch Sport, will be sold in smaller 38mm and larger 42mm iterations, with the 38mm model retailing at $349 and the 42mm model at $399 (around £299 and £349). The Sport models will be housed in aluminium, and are being marketed as entry-level devices, even though the actual watches themselves are practically identical when it comes to performance. The stainless steel Apple Watch, meanwhile, starts at $549 for the 38mm model and $599 for the 42mm model, with prices as high as $1,099 depending on the band chosen (from £479 to 949 in the UK). There is also a frankly ludicrous 18-karat gold Apple Watch, which will start at $10,000, with the top-end model asking a staggering $17,000.
Apple finally lifted the veil on their much hyped wearable smart device the Apple Watch yesterday
With the facts and figures out of the way, Apple CEO Tim Cook took to the stage at the Yerba Buena Centre in San Francisco to take audience members (and the assembled millions online) through the company's first brand new product since the death of Steve Jobs. Cook was a reliably charismatic speaker, who explained that the watch will act primarily as a second screen for the iPhone. This of course means that those of us without iPhones who were coveting an Apple Watch should either look elsewhere for our wearable tech fix, or join the Apple bandwagon. Many have lambasted Apple for taking an “All or nothing” approach to their hardware and software in the past, but it can't be said we didn't all see this coming, so any dissenting opinions at this point will probably fall on deaf ears.
Apple Watch – Steel
Apple Watch – Gold
Apple Watch - Aluminium
The watch uses it's own nifty interface (though anyone who has ever played a Playstation Vita will be familiar with the floating bubble icon idea) to let users screen calls, view texts, use FaceTime and access numerous other notifications, but the real USP of the device is its ability to run its own widget-style apps. Again, these apps will be powered by your iPhone, which connects to the device over Bluetooth. Through a dedicated iPhone app, users will be able control every facet of the watch and it's operating system, selecting different customisation options that can drastically change the watch face at the click of a button. There is also the option of using the watch's in-built microphone to respond to messages with voice dictation (which reports say is surprisingly accurate) or voice recording. You can even set the watch to respond using short, canned responses, all of which can be completely customised. Oddly, users will also be able to remotely tap on another wearers wrist and stream their heartbeat in the form of a vibration pattern.
The watch uses it's own nifty interface to let users screen calls, view texts, use FaceTime and access numerous other notifications
Speaking at the event, Cook said “In addition to being a beautiful object, the Apple watch is the most advanced timepiece ever created.” He called it a “Revolutionary way to connect to others, and a comprehensive health and fitness companion.” The health and fitness component is actually a major selling point of the device, which contains an optical heart rate monitor, which connects directly to the Apple Health app, which tracks fitness levels, heart rates and more besides. Cook added that the Apple Watch “Tracks your daily movement, and even reminds you if you’ve been sitting too long,” half-joking that it's almost “Like having a coach on your wrist.”
The New Macbook – Design
Other functions demonstrated at the event, which give just a brief glimpse into the device's potential, include using the watch as a hotel key card, to check the name of a song with Shazam and even to open a garage door. Bespoke Apple Watch apps from Facebook, Instagram and Uber were also confirmed, and Cook also highlighted the ability for developers to create their own Apple Watch apps. Of course, the watch itself doesn't have any phone capabilities, but then neither do any of its Android-based competitors. Plus, by using the iPhone as a paired device, the watch will be able to run apps beyond its processors own capabilities, whilst also reducing impact on the watches reported 18 hour battery life.
“In addition to being a beautiful object, the Apple watch is the most advanced timepiece ever created” Apple CEO Tim Cook
Of course, whilst the majority of the event was focused on the Apple Watch, Cook also used the opportunity to make some other, less exciting announcements. They unveiled a new 12 inch retina screen MacBook, which it called the “World's most energy efficient notebook.” The laptop was called the company's thinnest to date, measuring just 13.1mm, it's also the first Apple laptop to provide vibration feedback via its trackpad, and is available in an all new gold-coloured option. A new software product called ResearchKit was also announced, which allows medical researchers to gather data from researchers via their iPhones without Apple themselves ever being privy to the information. A wise move indeed given the company's recent track record with iCloud leaks!
The New Macbook – Reveal
Benjamin Hiorns is a freelance writer and struggling musician from Kidderminster in the UK. He is also an unashamed Apple whore. They always manage to let him know exactly what he wants before he knows he actually wants it.
