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Apple showed off its Apple Watch devices to the world for the first time today, putting months of rumours and speculation to rest.
The Apple Watch has a force-sensitive Retina sapphire crystal display and stainless steel/black stainless steel cases, with a choice of three different leather straps, a link bracelet, a Milanese loop and a sports strap made from rubber. There are 18 standard models, ten sports models and six premium ‘Edition’ models including gold, yellow gold and rose gold versions. Have a look at more here.
Apple Watch will work with the iPhone 5 and 6, and it comes in two case sizes: 38mm and 42mm. It is powered by Apple’s own new S1 chip.
The Apple Watch starts at $349 and will be available in early 2015.
It features a brand new Watch OS with a ‘Digital Crown’ that lets users zoom, scroll and select without covering the screen. You can also push it like a button to return to the customisable home screen, which lets users quickly find their favourite apps, change watch faces or the custom font.
Users feel a gentle tap when they receive an incoming message. A Taptic engine allows the user to raise the watch to respond to notifications. QuickWord allows the user to reply smartly and quickly to questions with auto-reply style answers, or they can skip words altogether by sharing a new animated emoticon.
Probably the coolest thing about the Apple Watch is its unique features. Sketch allows the user to use their finger to draw something quickly. Their friend on the other end can watch their drawing animate, then respond with a custom creation.
Walkie-Talkie uses the built-in speaker and microphone to trade spur-of-the-moment sound bites with friends.
Tap lets friends or loved ones know you’re thinking of them with a silent tap they’ll feel on the wrist. You can even customise taps for different people.
And when you press two fingers on the screen, the built-in heart rate sensor records and sends your heartbeat. It’s a "simple and intimate way to tell someone how you feel", says Apple.
A built-in speaker and microphone can be used for quick phone calls, or callers can be put on hold while the user gets their iPhone. Calls can be transferred from Apple Watch to a car’s speakerphone or Bluetooth headset. And incoming calls can be silenced by covering Apple Watch with your hand.
You can also set up email alerts and read, flag or mark new emails as read or unread, delete them, or open the message on an iPhone, where you can type a lengthier response.
The Apple Watch can also measure movement, such as the number of steps you take, and features a separate Workout app for dedicated cardio sessions, with personalised daily fitness goals.
Of course, the Apple Watch will feature other popular apps already known to Apple users including Maps, Stocks, Calendar and more.
Contactless payment system ApplePay will also work with AppleWatch, so you can pay for things by placing your AppleWatch over a reader.
You can also control music on your iPhone or computer using the iWatch. Siri is also built into the AppleWatch so users can ask the watch questions.
Finally, the devices use MagSafe inductive magnetic charging to "make it easier to charge at night". Users can simply hold the connector near the back of the watch, where magnets cause it to snap into place automatically.
Apple CEO Tim Cook said: "We love to make great products the enrich people’s lives and make technology that is more personal. We believe this product will redefine what people expect from this category.
"We’ve been working on this a long time."
