Apple finally offered more details regarding its highly-anticipated Apple Watch, its first smartwatch set to hit commercial availability next month.
The wearable device market is increasingly gaining momentum, and Apple will soon join the race with its own smartwatch. The company officially announced the Apple Watch several months ago, but the gadget has yet to hit retail.
During a big press conference on Monday, March 9, Apple finally unveiled more details regarding its upcoming smartwatch. Not only is the Apple Watch the company's first smartwatch, but it's also the first new product category Apple has created in years. At the same time, the company also touts that the Apple Watch is the most personal product it has ever developed.
"Our goal has always been to make powerful technology more accessible. More relevant. And ultimately, more personal. Apple Watch represents a new chapter in the relationship people have with technology. It's the most personal product we've ever made, because it's the first one designed to be worn," Apple touts on its website.
"High-quality watches have long been defined by their ability to keep unfailingly accurate time, and Apple Watch is no exception. In conjunction with your iPhone, it keeps time within 50 milliseconds of the definitive global time standard. It even lets you customize your watch face to present time in a more meaningful, personal context that's relevant to your life and schedule."
"Apple Watch makes all the ways you're used to communicating more convenient. And because it sits right on your wrist, it can add a physical dimension to alerts and notifications. For example, you'll feel a gentle tap with each incoming message. Apple Watch also lets you connect with your favorite people in fun, spontaneous ways - like sending a tap, a sketch, or even your heartbeat."
The Apple Watch is also marketed as a fashion accessory, not just a useful wearable that can keep you connected and deliver various functionality. When it comes to pricing, the gadget will run from $349 to a whopping $17,000, with the latter variants consisting of luxurious gold-encased models.
Apple's smartwatch will be able to track the wearer's fitness activity, deliver messages, offer reminders of appointments, and other such functionality. As expected, the Apple Watch requires pairing with an iPhone in order to have wireless connectivity and GPS navigation.
In terms of specs, the Apple Watch features a 1.5-inch flexible display with a 340 x 272 pixel resolution for the 38mm version, and a 1.7-inch panel with a 390 x 312 pixel resolution for the 42mm variant. Pixel densities are 290 ppi and 293 ppi, respectively, which Apple markets as Retina resolution.
Under the hood, the smartwatch packs an Apple S1 processor designed by Apple and made by Samsung, and it's allegedly nearly as powerful as the processor powering the iPhone 4S. The company didn't reveal much else in this regards, but the Apple Watch is expected to feature 512MB of RAM and 4GB of internal storage capacity.
When it comes to the much-disputed aspect of battery life, the Apple Watch will reportedly last for 18 hours on a single charge, provided you don't use it too heavily.
The watch face is customizable, allowing users to add the date, weather, appointments, and others such. Users will be able to check out various "glances" simply by swiping up, going through widget-like screens for various tasks.
The Apple watch also comes with a built-in microphone and speaker, allowing users to make or take calls without the need to pull out their iPhone. Incoming texts, calls, or notification will make the smartwatch vibrate on your wrist in order to notify you.
When it comes to fitness capabilities, the Apple Watch can track the wearer's movements, keep track of how long they've been exercising, or even if they've been sitting for too long.
The Apple Watch Sport features an aluminum case, comes in silver or space gray color options, and costs $349 or $399 for the 38mm or 42mm size, respectively. The Apple Watch version with a stainless steel casing (pictured above) will range from $549 to $1,049 for the 38mm size and from $599 to $1,099 for 42mm. The luxurious Apple Watch Edition, meanwhile, boasts an 18-karat solid gold casing and starts at $10,000, going all the way up to a staggering $17,000.
Lastly, the Apple Watch is set to hit retail on April 24 in nine countries, and the company will start taking pre-orders on April 10.
