Apple Watch

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"iWatch" redirects here. For other uses, see Watch (disambiguation).
Apple Watch
Apple Watch official logo.svg
White AppleWatch with Screen.png
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 From US$349[2]
Operating system Watch OS[3][4]
System-on-chip used Apple S1
Display Sapphire crystal (Apple Watch, Apple Watch Edition), strengthened Ion-X glass (Apple Watch Sport), display 312 x 390 pixels (302 ppi)
Sound speaker output
Controller input Multi-touch[citation needed] Retina Display
Connectivity Bluetooth 4, NFC, Wi-Fi
Dimensions Two case sizes: 38 mm and 42 mm (height)
Backward
compatibility
iPhone 5 and later running iOS 8.2 are compatible with this device.
Website www.apple.com/watch

Apple Watch is a smartwatch created by Apple Inc. and announced by Tim Cook on September 9, 2014. The watch incorporates fitness tracking and health-oriented capabilities as well as integration with iOS and other Apple products and services. Apple announced the Apple Watch as three 'collections', distinguished by different combinations of cases and interchangeable bands. The watch relies on a connected iPhone to perform many of its functions, and will be compatible with the iPhone 5 or later models running iOS 8.2. The device is available to pre-order on 10 April[5] and scheduled to begin shipping April 24, 2015.[6][7]

Features[edit]

The Apple Watch will work with Apple Pay, a mobile payment service introduced at the same event as the watch. It is capable of receiving phone calls as well as iMessage and SMS Texts via a paired iPhone and can track fitness metrics, 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 and a viewfinder for an iPhone camera.[8]

Design[edit]

The watch has three collections, featuring two case sizes (38 mm and 42 mm high) spread across 34 individual models.[9] The case of the watch includes a mechanism to enable straps to be interchanged. Its screen is a pressure-sensitive touchscreen that can distinguish between a tap and a press, and features a dial called 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.[8]

The watch is charged by means of inductive charging, using a cable similar to the MagSafe cable for Apple's MacBook family of laptops.[6]

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

Technology[edit]

The Apple Watch uses Apple's new Apple 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.[10] This smartwatch is water-resistant with IPX7 rating.[11]

The watch is compatible with the iPhone 5, iPhone 5C, iPhone 5S, iPhone 6, and iPhone 6 Plus, running iOS 8.2 or later, connecting via Wi-Fi or Bluetooth 4.0.[12]

Collection comparison[edit]

Collection Apple Watch Sport Apple Watch Apple Watch Edition
Pricing US$349(38 mm) / US$399(42 mm) US$549–1,049(38 mm) / US$599–1,099(42 mm) US$10,000–17,000(38 mm & 42 mm)
Processor Apple S1
System software Watch OS (iOS-based)
Display Flexible Retina Display - density of 290 pixels per inch for 38 mm version, and 302 pixels per inch for the 42 mm version.

38 mm: 21.2 x 26.5 mm, 33.5 mm (1.32 in) diagonally, 272 x 340 pixels,
42 mm: 24.3 x 30.5 mm, 39 mm (1.5 in) diagonally, 312 x 390 pixels

Other outputs Taptic Engine, speaker
Dimensions (estimated)[13][14] 38 mm: 38.6 × 33.3 × 10.5 mm (1.52 × 1.31 × 0.41 in) (17.1 mL),

42 mm: 42 × 35.9 × 10.5 mm (1.65 × 1.41 × 0.41 in) (19.3 mL)

Back Composite Ceramic
Screen [15] Strengthened Ion-X glass Sapphire crystal
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:
316L stainless steel (in highly polished cold-forged steel or diamond-like-carbon coated "space black" stainless steel)


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 midnight blue)
Fluoroelastomer plastic: sport band (in white or black)

Input methods Digital crown, multi-touch, force touch, microphone, connected iPhone[citation needed]
Connector MagSafe inductive charging
Connectivity NFC, Bluetooth 4.0, Wi-Fi 802.11b/g/n[16]
Sensors Accelerometer, gyroscope, heart rate sensor, barometer
Compatibility iOS 8.2 or later running on: iPhone 5, iPhone 5C, iPhone 5S, iPhone 6, iPhone 6 Plus

Initial reception[edit]

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", while others offered criticism of these same aspects.[17] Venture capitalist Marc Andreessen said he "can't wait" to try it,[18] 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".[19] 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.[20] 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.

Forecasts[edit]

Financial analysts offered early sales estimates from a few million to as many as 40 million in the first year.[21] 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".[17]

WatchKit API[edit]

WatchKit is an SDK for developing Apple Watch apps. It is included in iOS 8.2 beta 3, iOS SDK 8.2 beta 3, and Xcode 6.2 beta 3.[22]

Innovation[edit]

In November 2014, Apple Watch was listed by Time as one of the 25 Best Inventions of 2014.[23]

See also[edit]

References[edit]

  1. ^ Eva Dou (June 20, 2014). "Who Is Apple’s Watch Maker?". 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. ^ http://store.apple.com/us
  6. ^ a b "The Verge live blog". The Verge. Vox Media. September 9, 2014. Retrieved September 10, 2014. 
  7. ^ Etherington, Darrell. "Tim Cook Says Apple Watch Ships In April". TechCrunch. AOL. Retrieved January 28, 2015. 
  8. ^ a b "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. 
  9. ^ "Apple Watch Models". YouTube. March 9, 2015. 
  10. ^ "Apple - Apple Watch - Technology". Apple. Retrieved September 10, 2014. 
  11. ^ "Apple Watch & New MacBook: What You Need To Know", eCloudBuzz, March 10, 2015.
  12. ^ "Press Release - Apple Unveils Apple Watch". Apple. Retrieved September 10, 2014. 
  13. ^ Introducing Apple Watch. Apple. September 9, 2014. Event occurs at 8m00s. Retrieved September 10, 2014. The stainless steel link bracelet has a slim deployment clasp that is contained within a 2.6mm band. 
  14. ^ Christensen, Michael (September 10, 2014). "Apple Watch - 38mm Case". Retrieved September 10, 2014. Based on Apple's site photos and the 38mm face height reference dimension. It should be really close to the as built scale, although we won't know for sure until the watch is actually released. 
  15. ^ Zubair, Aamir (March 2, 2015). "Samsung To Supply Apple Watch Screens.". Retrieved March 2, 2015. 
  16. ^ "Apple Watch Likely Uses BCM4334 Broadcom Wi-Fi Chip". Macrumors. September 18, 2014. Retrieved October 6, 2014. 
  17. ^ a b Bajarin, Tim (September 29, 2014). "Nobody Can Predict the Success of Apple’s Watch Yet". Time.com. Retrieved October 14, 2014. 
  18. ^ "Zuckerberg is world's best CEO, Twitter the eighth wonder, says Marc Andreessen". CNET. October 7, 2014. Retrieved October 14, 2014. 
  19. ^ Shaban, Hamza (October 6, 2014). "Walter Isaacson Talks AI, Apple Watch, and His New Book The Innovators". Gizmodo. Retrieved October 14, 2014. 
  20. ^ "There's Only One Reason to Buy an Apple Watch". PC Mag. September 10, 2014. Retrieved September 10, 2014. 
  21. ^ Pressman, Aaron (October 3, 2014). "Is the Apple Watch the Next Huge, Medium, or Mini Hit?". Yahoo! Tech. Retrieved October 14, 2014. 
  22. ^ Jacobs, Bart (November 30, 2014). "This Is What You Need to Know About WatchKit". TutsPlus. Envato. Retrieved January 21, 2015. 
  23. ^ "The 25 Best Inventions of 2014". TIME. November 20, 2014. Retrieved January 21, 2015. 

External links[edit]