Apple Watch was the main reason why Apple organized this evening's conference, and after the presentation MacBook with Retina Display and updated Macbook Air and MacBook Pro, the Apple company is now also talking about the Apple Watch. Tim Cook took to the stage of the Apple conference and briefly presented a multitude of Apple Watch functions, and below I summarize them all for you.
Apple Watch - the main functions
- digital or static faces for the lock screen, each of which can be changed with a simple tap on the screen;
- digital faces with customizable elements according to need;
- glances with information from the applications installed in the iPhone, plus information about heartbeats;
- glances through which we can read emails in their entirety;
- built-in microphone and speaker to make voice calls;
- taptic engine to distinguish touches from presses and control various functions;
- quick access to friends using the side button;
- application to communicate with friends through drawings, these being animated on their screens;
- glances with complete messages received via iPhone
- functions for monitoring fitness activities using the Health application;
- function to alert us when we have not done physical activities for a certain period of time;
- the possibility to see in Apple Watch any notification received via iPhone;
Siri on Apple Watch
Siri is an important component of the iPhone, and using Apple Watch we will be able to use Apple's personal assistant by long pressing the digital crown. Because the Apple Watch has a microphone, we can ask Siri about weather information, events or quickly create reminders or calendar entries. Moreover, Apple Watch allows us to respond to messages in applications and even to insert emoticons.
Apple Pay on Apple Watch
Apple Pay is the first mobile payment system launched for iPhone 6 and iPhone 6 Plus, Apple making it available on Apple Watch as well. Double-clicking the side button accesses Apple Pay, the authorization being done through an iPhone to which you are interconnected, it not being necessary if you have unlocked the iPhone beforehand. After activation, simply approaching an Apple Pay compatible terminal will authorize the payment.
Phone calls and sending messages on Apple Watch
I told you at the beginning that the Apple Watch has a microphone and speaker, and when it is connected to an iPhone, it allows making phone calls, which are displayed on the screen or with accept or reject buttons. After acceptance, the call works on the watch through the iPhone, and you will talk directly to the interlocutor on it. Sending messages is done by accessing the side button, messages can be predefined or dictated through Siri.
Applications on Apple Watch
A multitude of applications are available for the Apple Watch, the first demonstrated being Uber, which allows you to call a car, follow it or talk to the driver. Separately, we have Passbook to access any plane/train/bus ticket, ticket or access card, the watch allowing their use exactly as in the case of an iPhone.
Separately, the Apple Watch can be used to check-in at a hotel without going through the reception, and the room access card can be forgotten thanks to the Apple Watch applications. If you like SHazam, then through the Apple Watch you can quickly find out the name of a song that is heard nearby and you can quickly buy it directly from the Apple watch.
If you have a garage with a door controlled by a remote control, well Apple Watch can open the door with a simple push of a button, some can even use Siri for this function.
App Store for Apple Watch
As you can probably already imagine, the Apple Watch has a dedicated App Store available, where the Apple company will also offer special applications for it after the official launch.
Apple Watch battery life
Apple Watch battery life was one of the great unknowns of the product presented this evening, but the Apple company provided all the details regarding the operating time of its future product. According to the American company, Apple Watch offers an autonomy of use of 3 hours up to 72 hours, a multitude of operating modes being presented by the American company. For each of them separately, I will provide details in the following and as you would expect, the 72-hour autonomy is achieved with the active Reserve Mode system.
Apple Watch battery life
- Apple Watch autonomy for the whole day up to 18 hours of operation under the following conditions: connection with iPhone for 90 time checks, 90 notifications, 45 minutes of application use, 30 minutes of physical exercises listening to music via Bluetooth, offering a total of 18 hours of operation;
- Apple Watch autonomy for talking on the phone for 3 hours: interconnection with iPhone and placing a phone call;
- Apple Watch autonomy for listening to music of 6.5 hours: interconnection with iPhone and playing songs from active applications in the terminal;
- Apple Watch autonomy of 7 hours for physical exercises: interconnection with iPhone and the use of fitness applications with the active heart rate monitoring sensor;
- Apple Watch autonomy of 48 hours: interconnection with iPhone and 5 checks, of 4 seconds each, per watch hour;
- Apple Watch autonomy of 72 hours with all functions disabled and Reserve Mode active: 4 checks, of 4 seconds each, per hour of the screen.
As you can see, the autonomy of the Apple Watch battery is poor in most cases, charging in 1.5 hours to 80% and 2.5 hours to 100%.
Apple Watch and water resistance
Apple Watch is water resistant, we've known this since last year, but the Apple company today provides a little context for this extremely important information for an extremely wide range of users. According to the Apple company, the Apple Watch is water resistant to the extent that the hand sweats around it, we use it during the rain when we wash our hands, but if we try to dive with its product, we will have an unpleasant surprise. The even worse part is that you won't be able to use your Apple Watch in the shower, so you won't quickly find out if you've received that long-awaited message or email.
APPLE WATCH IS SPLASH AND WATER RESISTANT BUT NOT WATERPROOF. YOU CAN, FOR EXAMPLE, WEAR AND USE APPLE WATCH DURING EXERCISE, IN THE RAIN, AND WHILE WASHING YOUR HANDS, BUT SUBMERGING APPLE WATCH IS NOT RECOMMENDED. APPLE WATCH HAS A WATER RESISTANCE RATING OF IPX7 UNDER IEC STANDARD 60529. THE LEATHER BANDS ARE NOT WATER RESISTANT.
The Apple Watch is water resistant with an IPX7 rating, so all the information that said it could be used even in the shower turns out to be inaccurate.
Apple Watch prices
The 38mm Apple Watch Sport starts at $349, while the 42mm Apple Watch Sport starts at $399, and they come with fluoroelastomer bands. The prices for this model are standard, but if you choose a bracelet other than the recommended one you will pay more, Apple does not list the prices for them at the moment.
The 38mm stainless steel Apple Watch starts at $549, while the 42mm stainless steel Apple Watch starts at $599. In case of combination with one of the bracelets available from Apple, the price can increase up to $1049 or even $1099.
The 38mm gold Apple Watch Edition has a starting price of 10.000, but it will not be sold online, but only in stores chosen by Apple, where it will be tried on.
- 38mm stainless steel Apple Watch - sports bracelet - $549;
- 42mm stainless steel Apple Watch - sports bracelet - $549;
- 38mm stainless steel Apple Watch - classic buckle - $649;
- 42mm stainless steel Apple Watch - classic buckle - $699;
- 38mm stainless steel Apple Watch - Milanese bracelet - $649;
- 42mm stainless steel Apple Watch - Milanese bracelet - $699;
- 38mm stainless steel Apple Watch – modern buckle – $749;
- 42mm stainless steel Apple Watch – modern buckle – $799;
- 38mm stainless steel Apple Watch - leather strap - $699;
- 42mm stainless steel Apple Watch - leather strap - $749;
- 38mm stainless steel Apple Watch - metal link bracelet - $949;
- 42mm stainless steel Apple Watch - metal link bracelet - $999;
- 38mm stainless steel Apple Watch - black link bracelet - $1049;
- 42mm stainless steel Apple Watch - black link bracelet - $1099.
UPDATED: Below are the prices for Europe.
- 38mm stainless steel Apple Watch - sports bracelet - 399 euros;
- 42mm stainless steel Apple Watch - sports bracelet - 449 euros;
- 38mm stainless steel Apple Watch - classic buckle - 649 euros;
- 42mm stainless steel Apple Watch - classic buckle - 699 euros;
- 38mm stainless steel Apple Watch - Milanese bracelet - 649 euros;
- 42mm stainless steel Apple Watch - Milanese bracelet - 699 euros;
- 38mm stainless steel Apple Watch - modern buckle - 749 euros;
- 42mm stainless steel Apple Watch - modern buckle - 799 euros;
- 38mm stainless steel Apple Watch - leather strap - $749;
- 42mm stainless steel Apple Watch - leather strap - $799;
- 38mm stainless steel Apple Watch - metal link bracelet - 849 euros;
- 42mm stainless steel Apple Watch - metal link bracelet - 749 euros;
- 38mm stainless steel Apple Watch - black link bracelet - 1199 euros;
- 42mm stainless steel Apple Watch - black link bracelet - 1249 euros.
Prices of Apple Watch bracelets, straps, buckles
After the presentation Apple Watch news and Apple Watch prices, the Apple company has reactivated the Apple Store Online where we find the not very pleasant details about the prices of bracelets, buckles, belts and accessories. For Apple Watch the Apple company created fluoroelastomer straps (a kind of silicone), metal bracelets, modern and classic buckles, Milanese bracelets and each one has a different price. Below you have the prices of all of them separately and unfortunately they are high, much higher than they should be, but since we are talking about Apple, there should not be much surprise.
Prices of bracelets, buckles, straps and Apple Watch accessories
- Apple Watch Sport 38mm fluoroelastomer bracelet in colors: black, white, red, blue, black green and space gray - 49 dollars or 59 euros;
- Apple Watch Sport 42mm fluoroelastomer bracelet in colors: black, white, red, blue, black green and space gray - 49 dollars or 59 euros;
- Milanese metal bracelet for Apple Watch 38 mm and 42 mm - 149 dollars or 169 euros;
- 42mm Apple Watch leather strap – $149 or €169;
- modern buckle for 38mm Apple Watch - 249 dollars or 269 euros;
- modern buckle for 42mm Apple Watch - 249 dollars or 269 euros;
- metal Link bracelet for Apple Watch 42mm - $449 or €499;
- magnetic charging cable for 38mm Apple Watch - 29 dollars or 35 euros;
- magnetic charging cable for 38mm Apple Watch - 39 dollars or 45 euros;
As you can see, the prices in Euros are "normally" higher than those in dollars, and this is because the dollar is stronger than anything, and Europeans have so many taxes and so much money that they can afford anything.
How do I choose the right bracelet, belt or buckle?
Apple Watch it is available in 38mm and 42mm versions for purchase from the Apple store, and many users are probably undecided about which version they should buy for their hand. Considering that the decision is not an easy one, the Apple company published a guide for choosing a strap, bracelets or buckles for Apple Watch, presenting the various models and explanations for choosing them according to wrists. Basically, Apple offers recommendations for choosing one model or another depending on the circumference of our wrist, so you will know which type of bracelet and Apple Watch fits your hand.
As expected, the 38mm Apple Watch is mainly suitable for women or young people, the bracelets dedicated to it can be worn on wrists that have a circumference of 130mm - 180mm. The 42mm model has bracelets that fit 130-210mm wrists, so no matter what type of hand you have, Apple is sure to have a bracelet, strap or buckle that fits your hand. Each type of bracelet, buckle or belt is available in small, medium and large models, so you must be careful which type you choose for your hand.
Apple Watch launch
Apple Watch will be launched on April 24 by Apple in Australia, Canada, China, France, Germany, Hong Kong, Japan, Great Britain and the USA. Starting from April 10, anyone will be able to pre-order the Apple Watch in all these countries, but will also be able to try the product in one of the American company's stores.
