On March 9, 2015, Apple offered the latest details on the matter.apple watch during a well-attended keynote speech. The launch of the connected watch made by Apple was therefore highly anticipated in a market that was hard to persuade, as evidenced by the poor sales of Android Wear smartwatches in 2014. But what is it really worth?
Now we know everything about the connected watch of the Cupertino company. Price, features, availability, functionality: here’s our full point about the Apple Watch, which will undoubtedly shed new light on the connected watch market, which should also benefit other brands and operating systems with Android Wear in mind.
Apple Watch Sport and Edition prices and features
Summary
Design: Curves more like Beyoncé
As always, Apple wanted to pay great attention to the design of its Apple Watch. It is known that the company pays special attention to the appearance of its products, and its linked watch is no exception to this rule. Whether you like the shape or not, the California giant wanted to stand out once again with the Apple Watch.
One square dial, two different sizes
Like Asus and Zenwatch, Apple brand preferred a square dial with rounded edges. If the fairer sex will appreciate it, some men may think that the lines of this Apple Watch are not masculine enough. Again, design is often a matter of taste, it’s up to you to let us know what you think in the comments!
By opting for this square dial, Apple clearly excludes users who are fans of round face watches that Motorola has chosen to adopt for the Moto 360 and should be even more successful in its next release. a few mistakes of youth.
- Also read: Our Moto 360 test
Apple chose to offer its Apple Watch in two sizes to fit all wrists. There is one 38mm dial, other 42mm. The difference may seem slight, but on the wrist it looks enough to please any audience.
This will also be seen at the resolution level of the Retina display that equips the watch. The resolution is 340 x 272 pixels in the 38 mm version and 390 x 272 pixels in the 42 mm version.
A wheel and a physical button like classic watches
While most Android Wear watches are designed for haptic use only, Apple has chosen to equip its own watch. Apple Watch with a physical button and a wheel. From an aesthetic point of view, this isn’t a bad idea as classic watches have at least one physical button.
What do these two physical buttons do? The wheel actually compensates for the small size of the Apple Watch screen. It’s impossible to zoom by pinching the screen as users are accustomed to doing on their smartphones or tablets, and the wheel takes care of that. In addition, it also serves Scroll information vertically like a mouse wheel.
It’s also a “Home” button found on an iPhone or iPad. Short press returns to home screen, long press launches Siri. The second physical button provides access to contacts.
Various material options, including 18 carat gold
To reach a wide audience, Apple chose to offer its Apple Watch in three different series with different materials. The Apple Watch Sport case is aluminum (silver or space gray) covered with Ion-X glass.
The classic version, called the Apple Watch, has a case made of stainless steel in metal color or space black. Finally, it has a yellow or rose gold case, which is the luxury version of the Apple Watch Edition.
Lots of wristbands for more personalization
To increase the personalization possibilities of your connected watch, Apple has created a large number of bracelets : Sport (fluoroelastomer), leather, classic buckle, Milanese, modern and link buckle. It is important to know that these bracelets are the elements that drastically changed the price of the Apple Watch.
- Also read: Apple Watch straps cost as much as 2 Android Wear watches
Apple Watch spec sheet
- BONE : watchOS
- Screen : Retina display with sapphire protection for Watch and Watch Edition models, Ion-X glass for Sport model
- Sensors: gyroscope, heart rate monitor
- Colors: Aluminum, steel or gold (yellow or pink) dial, 6 different strap models
- Processor: S1 chip
- Connection: bluetooth, wireless
- Dimensions: screen 38 mm (340 x 272 pixels) or 42 mm (390 x 312 pixels)
Features: Like Android Wear with few gadgets
The design is beautiful, but the real revolution users are waiting for obviously comes from the functions of the Apple Watch. If Android Wear watches have had a hard time convincing so far, it’s because users think they’re not really bringing anything new in terms of use.
The results of a study testify to this profound lack of interest in connected watches and bracelets: Two-thirds of users abandon their watch or bracelet within six months. Does the Apple Watch therefore provide a plus in terms of functionality?
iPhone 5 or more required
it was predictable Apple Watch only works for iPhone owners. Like Android Wear watches that only work with Android smartphones, the Apple Watch is, as you’d expect, reserved for brand loyalists.
Therefore it will be necessary have at least one iPhone 5 or newer : iPhone 5C, 5S, 6 and 6 Plus. iOS 8 is also required. Unlike Google, which is currently working on a version of Android Wear compatible with the iPhone, Apple is not currently considering opening up to other users.
Apple Watch, iPhone Relay
Like Android Wear watches, The Apple Watch is first and foremost a relay for the user’s smartphone.. Apple watch connects via Wifi or Bluetooth to access user data, allowing you to view SMS, email or calls. The goal is to move the screen of the smartphone to the screen of the watch.
The built-in speaker and microphone also allow you to make calls by bringing your wrist close to your face. Or chat with Siri. As with the K2000, that’s it!
Apple Watch, unlike Android Wear watches, has the “Glances” function that allows you to create shortcuts to the most used apps and functions.
Since the clock is a relay for the iPhone, its autonomy is therefore very important. Tim Cook announced 18 hours of autonomy, enough for a full day. As with Android Wear watches, the smartphone will have to withstand the shock, otherwise the Apple Watch will no longer work.
Some unnecessary features like Gadget Inspector
In addition to these functions, Apple Watch some features that can be called gadgets. “Toc”, as Apple calls it, allows the user to vibrate a contact’s watch simply by pressing the finger on the watch’s display.
It is also possible to send a temporary drawing the same way or to share your heart rate with another user of the watch (digital touch). What about the utility? Finally, the NFC chip of the Apple Watch allows you to take advantage of Apple Pay, the company’s contactless payment service, although it is not used much at the moment. It is not possible to take advantage of this in France at the moment.
On the app side, Apple has asked developers to do everything they can to make their apps as simple as possible. Strictly speaking, there is no Store for Apple Watch, developers actually had to work to find widgets suitable for the Apple Watch.. Again, apps are just transitions to the core interface for the native app available on the iPhone.
- Learn more: Android wear and Apple Watch, interface comparison
Fitness tracker: original interface, not better than existing
It says activity tracker that says connected clock. The Apple Watch is no exception to the rule and performs more or less the same functions as, for example, Android Wear smartwatches with Android Fit.
That’s why the Apple watch allows you to track data about health and sports activities.. According to initial feedback, the data is not as precise and complete as some stronger bonded bracelets.
On the other hand, since the interface is original Activity app provides display of data in three rings represents exercise time in green, standing time in blue, and calories burned in red, respectively.
The educational app is based on the same principle however, it shows the distance traveled, the training time and the number of calories burned per exercise. Note that the Apple Watch is not waterproof, so it doesn’t account for swimming in its stats.
All data is then retrieved and classified. And every week it is possible to look at more complete charts on the iPhone.
Availability and price: Apple Watch Sport €399, Apple Watch Edition €18,000!
One of the biggest questions about this Apple Watch was its price. Apple rakes wide, very wide Prices start at €399 for the Apple Watch Sport and rise to €18,000 for the Apple Watch Edition. Here are the bracelet prices as well as the details of the prices:
- Watches
- Apple Watch Sport: silver aluminum case
- 38 mm silver aluminum case with sports strap (green, pink, black or blue): 399 euros
- 42 mm silver aluminum case with sports strap (green, pink, black or blue): 449 euros
- Apple Watch: stainless steel case
- With sport strap (white or black): 649 euros in 38 mm and 699 euros in 42 mm
- With classic buckle strap: €749 for 38mm and €799 for 42mm
- With the small Milanese ring bracelet: €749 for 38mm and €799 for 42mm.
- With modern buckle strap: 849 euros in 38 mm (no 42 mm version)
- With leather buckle strap: €749 in 42mm
- Link bracelet in silver metal (called “maillons”): €1,099 in 38mm and €1,149 in 42mm / €1,199 for the star black version in 38mm and €1,249 in 42mm for this same version
- Apple Watch Edition: 18K yellow or rose gold strap
- With sport strap (white or black): 11,000 euros for 38 mm and 13,000 euros for 42 mm
- With classic buckle strap: 16,000 euros (no 38 mm version)
- With modern bracelet: 18,000 euros (not available in 42 mm)
- Apple Watch Sport: silver aluminum case
- lonely bracelets
- Plastic Sport strap (six colours) 38 or 42 mm: 59 Euro
- Leather strap (four colors) 42 mm: 169 Euros
- Small Milanese link bracelet (silver only) 38 mm: 169 euros
- Modern buckle bracelet (four colors) 38 mm: 269 Euros
- Silver or space gray metal bangle (called “link”) (four colors) 42 mm: 499 euros
The opening of pre-orders for the Apple Watch took place on April 10, and the first numbers are already talking about record pre-orders. In three days, the Cupertino company would have sold more Apple Watches than Android Wear smartwatches sold in 2014. The success is such a success that it was out of stock on April 24, the brand’s official release date. .
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