The Apple Watch is a revolutionary wearable device which comes in three versions: Apple Watch, Apple Watch Sport and Apple Watch Edition. It is a touch-screen wearable with Apple Pay, heart-rate tracking sensors, an all-new interface, and a stunning design.
The standard Apple Watch comes in a stainless steel casing with a sapphire glass display, while the Sport model features an Aluminium body, and the Edition model comes with an 18-carat gold body. The watch is highly customisable, thanks to vast number of permutations and combinations of straps, watch dial size and watch faces. A variety of straps are available in various materials, including leather, metal, and fluoroelastomer (a rubbery material that’s perfect for sport) combined with the customisable watch faces, there are many different combinations. The Apple Watch will also be available in two sizes, a 38mm high model and a 42mm high model, in order to cater to different sized wrists.
The watch will connect to an iPhone and enable health data tracking such as heart rate, steps and elevation. It is compatible with the iPhone 5, the iPhone 5c, the iPhone 5s, the iPhone 6 and the iPhone 6 Plus. It connects only to Apple smartphone by using Wi-Fi and Bluetooth 4.0.
The Apple Watch includes smaller versions of Apple apps, like Siri, Photos, Maps and Calendar. Apple has a crafted out a brand new interface that will help users to easily navigate through apps. There are third-party apps too such as On-Stage. Furthermore, Apple is also releasing Watch development kit that will allow others like Facebook and Twitter to add their apps to the Apple Watch.
The Apple Watch uses a touch-screen interface, but there is a dial too on the side of the watch, which functions more like a scroll wheel. Users can use this scroll aka ‘Digital Crown’ to scroll through lists, zoom in and out of photo albums, maps and even app view, and click it to glide through different functions as well.
Apple has also included a Force Touch control. The display will sense when you are pressing into the screen, so you can push in on the screen to bring up home screen no matter where you are in the menu. The Apple Watch automatically switches on when users raise their hand to check the time, and another button on the side of the device, below the Digital Crown, will help to access Siri, which is built-into the Apple Watch. Users can also use voice command to reply to text messages, either as a voice clip or as a dictated message.
The Apple Watch comes enabled with a sensor on the back of the watch face that powers infrared and visible-light LEDs, as well as photodiodes. The sensor and the motion trackers within the Apple Watch, are able to track all kinds of health activities, including steps taken, elevation, heart rate and even the number of times you stood up. The data will be loaded directly into iOS 8's new Health app, so that users can keep track of their regular exercise levels in one place. One can also set daily goals on Apple Watch and receive notifications as they train to know the performance. With time, the watch will learn user’s training habits, and provide with helpful tips, training regimes and more.
The Apple Watch also features an NFC chip, which allows users to make contact-less payments by simply commanding the Apple Watch to a payment panel via simple touch. The system will integrate with the new 'Apple Pay' system in the Passbook app on iPhone. Users can register multiple cards, then easily make payments for items with a touch on the payment pad. The NFC payments are highly secure and reliable. Apple Pay will be available in the US next month. Apple says that ‘work is underway’ to take it worldwide in the future. The company has partnered with the Top 6 banks in the US, and a few others too. The banks that will allow the usage of their cards with Apple Pay from day one are apparently hosting for more than 80% of card-based transactions in the US. As for the cards themselves – Visa, MasterCard, and American Express will be available on Apple Pay right from day one.
We can expect it to reach India in mid or late next year, possibly at a price tag of Rs 25,000 to 30,000.
