Apple Watch

Apple Watch

The Apple Watch collection features highly polished stainless steel and space black stainless steel cases. The display is protected by sapphire crystal. And there’s a choice of three different leather straps, a link bracelet, a Milanese loop and a strap made from high-performance fluoroelastomer.

Release date

The Apple Watch will be available to pre-order online and in-store from 10 April before it goes on
sale on 24 April. 

Apple has reportedly ordered 'five to six million' units ahead of the release, andanalysts are expecting around 20 million units to ship in 2015 alone. 

However, a report has claimed that Apple Watch stock might be in short supply at launch, with just 30 percent of units produced being deemed defect-free.

This reported lack of stock unlikely will harm the enterprise market too much, with CIOs dismissing the Apple Watch as not suitable for business.

Price

Apple has finally spilled the beans on UK pricing. The 38mm Apple Watch Sport will be available from £299, while the larger 42mm model will cost £339.

The 'Watch' edition will be available from £479, going up to £949 depending on the case and band combination. For example, a 38mm Apple Watch with a Black Classic Buckle strap will set you back £559, while the 42mm model will be £50 more expensive.

As expected, the Apple Watch Edition, which is crafted from custom rose or yellow 18-carat gold, will be available from £8,000, rising to £13,500 for the most expensive version.

Specifications

The Apple Watch will be made available in 1.5in (38mm) and 1.7in (42mm) screen sizes and with 272x340 and 319x390 resolutions respectively. The smartwatch will feature a square display, unlike the round screen on the Moto 360, coated in a protective layer of sapphire crystal. 

Apple didn't mention this, but the website confirms that the smartwatch is also certified to the IPX7 waterproof standard, which means it's protected against a "short duration of water immersion" at a depth of less than one metre. 

The smartwatch will be available to pick up with different faces and straps, 34 to be precise. Buyers can mix and match these at the Mix Your Watch website or try them in-store from 10 April.

The Apple Watch will run a version of iOS designed from the ground up. It supports touch navigation, but the UI can also be controlled by the handset's 'Digital Crown'. This mechanical wheel, like that which you would normally use to set the time on a standard watch, lets you scroll and browse through the user interface.

For example, scrolling the Digital Crown will allow you to zoom in and out on Apple's Maps app, while tapping it will take you back to the main home screen.

Apple's new 'Taptic engine' improves the mapping experience, buzzing wearers with different vibrations when they need to turn left or right. This feature can also be used to send fellow Apple Watch wearers a nudge, and for notification alerts.

On the software side, the Apple Watch comes with Siri, allowing users to bark commands at their wrist and to reply to messages. On-screen typing will not be supported owing to the small screen size, but a feature called Smart Replies will allow users to choose from a number of pre-written responses for those who feel silly talking to their wrist. Those who don't will be able to answer calls from the Apple Watch.

Handoff is supported on the Apple Watch, a feature introduced alongside iOS 8 and OS X Yosemite, and HomeKit and HealthKit support is included, which means users will be able to control devices in their home and track fitness levels while wearing the smartwatch. 

Apple has yet to give the full rundown, but the Apple Watch is stuffed full of health and fitness sensors, and is capable of measuring heart rate, calories burned and body movements. This all comes baked in to Apple's new Activity and Workout apps, where users can also count calories and set personal goals.

Apple had reportedly planned to install more advanced health features, such as sensors to measure stress and oxygen levels, but encountered reliability problems during testing. 

There will be a number of different watch faces to choose from, which can be changed with a long press on the homescreen. Swiping up from the bottom of the display will launch a feature called Glances to swipe through recent notifications.

Apple confirmed during the event on 9 March that some third-party apps will be available from launch.

These include EasyJet, Salesforce, Shazam, WeChat and SPG Hotels, which will allow adopters to use the Apple Watch to unlock their hotel room. 

Perhaps ensuring that London's hipster crowd are the first to pick up an Apple Watch, the firm also said that Instagram and Uber apps will be available from launch.