While many consumers likely focus on Apple iPhone events and nothing more, plenty treat each Mac and iOS product announcement like Christmas. Whether it is a new line of Macs, a thinner iPad, or even something completely unexpected, Apple never ceases to generate buzz with their big events.
Today’s event was no different thanks in large part to the second unveiling of the Apple Watch. Some will remember that Apple announced their Smart Watch back in September of last year, but by the end we had more questions than answers. Now, Apple has made their watch plans a little more clear.
First, the most important information: Apple plans to release the Apple Watch on April 24th and it will come in three different models. They are:
- Apple Watch Sport (38mm Version) - $350
- Apple Watch Sport (48mm Version) - $400
- Apple Watch Metal (Space Black) - $550 to $1100 depending on Watch band
- Apple Watch Edition (18K Gold Body) - $10,000
Obviously, most consumers will go for either the Apple Watch Sport or Apple Watch Steel, both of which have several options within those categories. Like the iPhone, Apple knows that this watch will serve both as a daily device and a fashion statement, and so they want to give consumers some choices. That being said, these watches aren’t going to come cheap regardless.
As expected, the Apple Watch will sync with users’ iPhones, notifying them when they have calls, receive text messages, and more. The device can also answer calls using a built-in speaker and microphone, and it can send doodles between Apple Watch users through an app called Digital Watch.
In addition to its utility as a phone accessory, the Apple Watch functions as a health monitoring device, tracking users’ movements and providing real time statistics like calories burned and distance traveled. It’s essentially a decent replacement for a FitBit or any other exercise-tracking device.
So far, there are only a handful of apps (Instagram, Uber, Apple Pay, Twitter) available for the Apple Watch, but that will soon change. With full Siri functionality and a WeChat messaging app, there’s a ton of potential for the Apple Watch to grow into a fully-fledged, miniature smartphone.
The one big omission that we saw during the Apple Watch event was gaming. We know that some developers and publishers, like EA for example, have already begun exploring the possibility of Apple Watch games, but the event did not offer any examples. We doubt it will be too long before such experiences start popping up, though.
Will you buy an Apple Watch? What about the device most interests you?