Apple Smartwatch
Smartwatches are a recent niche market. They’re an accessory that some people are already swooning over. They are watches with applications on them. What’s not to love? Previous candidates in the world of smartwatches have largely been Android-based, including the Moto 360, LG G Watch, Pebble Steel, Asus ZenWatch, and the Samsung Gear S. With a release date of April 24, Apple’s new smartwatch looks to be the newest smartwatch to look at, and it is more customizable than the Android watches to date, prior to any patches that may come in the future. The Apple Watch will come in three varieties.
The models available for the Apple Watch are the Watch, the Watch Sport, and the Watch Edition. They are each available in both 38 and 42 mm sizes, to suit one’s taste in apparel. The Watch variety has a stainless steel metal band. The Watch Sport has a plastic band (and is obviously the least expensive of the three types). The Watch Edition has an 18 karat gold band, targeted at those who may wish to show off a bit, but all three types offer the same apps as any other version. All of them feature 801.11b/g/n 2.4 GHz Wi-Fi and Bluetooth 4.0 to connect to home or phone networks; and they all have built-in speaker and microphone. There is no headphone jack on any model.
The Apple Watch is not complex to use for the average consumer. It uses brief interactions; simple examples of this might be checking the weather or time of day. The watch can be used as an exercise assistant, for example, as a constant heart rate monitor, or as a pedometer for those who count their daily steps as part of some exercise regimen. It is also capable of making or receiving calls, using the built-in speaker and microphone; phone calls can also be transferred to an iPhone via Bluetooth for more privacy.
Pros of the watch are that it can be used in a variety of ways depending on the lifestyle of the person wearing it and their preferences as to how it should be used. The Apple Watch will sync to the person’s iPhone or iPad via Bluetooth to add lots of functionality, including music playlists.
Cons of the watch are that the battery life may not be great, however, at around 18 hours per day. Also, it is water resistant, but not really submergible, as standard watches tend to be in this price range.
Pricing of the Apple watch ranges from $549 for a 38mm stainless steel casing with a sport band to about $17,000 for the Watch Edition variety, which comes in 18 karat gold.