Today Apple has entered the wearable segment with a smartwatch they have called the Apple Watch. Apple just moved away from the “i” branding here. It’s precise — synced to the universal time standard. Apple Watch is the most personal device we’ve ever created, CEO Tim Cook said. There are new intimate ways to connect and communicate from your wrist. It’s also a comprehensive health and fitness device. The CEO said in order to make this revolutionary product … a breakthrough in user interface was required.
The Crown is the Home Button
There is no pin to zoom gesture, it uses the ordinary phone crown. The “crown” on the Apple Watch is a dial called the “digital crown.” You can turn the crown to zoom in and out on a map. Or scroll a list. You can press the crown to take you back to the home screen. It can be worn all day, in any occasion.
Crazy Smartwatch Interface
CEO Tim Cook Said “What we didn’t do was take the iPhone and shrink the user interface and strap it on your wrist.” The interface really seems to stand on its own. This is more than a notification receiving device. You can dictate to the watch to reply to messages.
You can see a list of friends plus also these watches talk to each other. You can send quick sketches to each other, or your heartbeat. It’s a weird tiny, personal communicator. The smartwatch has a sapphire touchscreen, but it also senses force. It can tell the difference between “a tap and a press.” There’s a “taptic engine” inside. It has a little speaker too. The “taptic engine” is a subtle vibration you feel on your wrist for notifications. You raise your wrist when you feel one to see the notification, then you can swipe up on it to act on it, eg. accept / decline calendar invites.
You can also quickly reply to texts. The watch actually analyzes the text to give you quick, tappable answers. Wild. You can also just talk to the watch and send a voice reply or have it transcribe for you. Your other options to reply are dictation or emoji. No keyboard. Apple also put a bunch of custom emoji including animated emoji, and you can tweak it before you send it. Make the face wink, stick its tongue out, and so on.
There is a new thing called “glances.” You swipe up from the bottom of the watch face. It contains customizable pieces of information, like widgets. You can get calendar stuff, music information, etc. There’s a lot in common with Android Wear in that widgets interface.
Wireless charging
All the electronics are packed onto a tiny little board, sealed up to protect against water. There’s little LEDs to read your heart rate. It uses the GPS from your iPhone. There’s a MagSafe, wireless inductive charger. Wireless charging. That’s a pretty cool charger. But all wireless chargers are kind of cool like that.
It uses a magnet to align the inductive charger. It has an accelerometer, uses your iPhone’s GPS, and gets your heartbeat. It will also support Apple pay as shown below.
Yes, it tells time
“We have worked closely with horological experts” to understand timekeeping, Watch Designer Jonny Ive said. Apple was clearly leaning heavily into this thing being a “watch,” not a “wearable.” Apple has made six different straps, they click in with a specific kind of slot.
There’s a whole line of Apple watches announced. Two sizes. Multiple options for the casing. Even more options for straps.
There are three kinds of models: Apple Watch, Apple Watch Sport, and Apple Watch Edition. It works with the iPhone 6, iPhone 6 Plus, iPhone 5, iPhone 5C, and iPhone 5S. Available early 2015. no word about battery life . The watch will start at $349.
