Apple announced Apple Watch, its new wearable device, along with its new iPhone 6 and iPhone 6 Plus at its event at the Flint Center in Cupertino, California, Tuesday.
Apple CEO Tim Cook unveiled the company's first foray into smartwatches, which have yet to take off in a big way with consumers. The square-faced new Apple Watch is a precise timepiece (plus or minus only 50 milliseconds) available in two sizes with either stainless steel, aluminum or 18 karat gold finishes. Each comes with multiple interchangeable watch bands, and the display screen also has many different options for customized looks.
Using a rotating dial on the side, called the digital crown, the watch can be manipulated without obscuring the screen, a major problem with other smartwatches. Its display is a curved touchscreen made of an ultra hard material. The screen technology can understand the difference between a tap and a more forceful press. The watch features a system that can give haptic and audio feedback, depending on how a user is manipulating it.
There are four sapphire lenses on the back of the watch that can detect pulse rate, for example. The watch also features wireless charging. There will be 6 different straps available. Straps can be swapped in and out quickly.
To make up for the smaller screens, the device relies heavily on Siri, the company’s voice-activated assistant.
Among the features executives demonstrated at the long-awaited unveiling: built-in software that tracks how many steps you take and how hard you are exercising, suggesting fitness goals.
Digital Touch, another app the company showed off, is intended to let Watch wearers communicate with one another. Users can send each other small, animated drawings that are transmitted back and forth.
And, much like Apple’s other iDevices, developers will be able to make apps for the device.
The Apple Watch is dependent on having an iPhone nearby to feed it information from the Internet or GPS. The watch will be compatible with iPhone 5 and 6 models. Whereas the iPad, when it debuted in 2010, was essentially an oversized iPhone minus the ability to make calls, the watch appears to be a companion device.
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