Apple tried to open all doors and place the smartwatch in the must-have category at the start of the year. This generated significant interest towards the new device.
Pebble is all about simplicity and functionality, but the Apple Watch feels more friendly and aims to be an engaging gadget that people can use, and not just a device you keep track of when you check your emails or time.
Is the Apple Watch really worth it? Both yes and no. Smartwatches could be the future of smartphones, and Apple Watch has many interesting features that give us a glimpse at the future.
It works great, thanks to the updated software. An Apple Watch is a great gadget for anyone who likes to monitor your heart rate and track your steps. You can also play music wirelessly, send animated emojis to people, view notifications, dictate messages, view notifications, and send your heartbeat directly to loved ones.
This helps you look away from your phone more often while still keeping you connected. But don’t forget that it is not a standalone device. To enjoy its full functionality, you must have it connected to your iPhone. You can either be within 30 feet of the phone or connect via WiFi to extend that range.
Let’s take a closer look at what the Apple Watch can do!
Design
Apple Watch is a beautiful watch. It has a discrete and elegant design with a curved glass and metal that unites. You won’t find one sharp edge.
It is made of stainless steel, also known as rose gold or aluminum. The case looks thicker than it is because it curves inwards. This issue plagues most smartwatches and we must accept the fact that smartwatch technology is still not as advanced as we would like.
The Apple Watch is still quite balanced at 1.5 pounds. It measures 0.4×1.4×1.6 and 0.4×1.3×1.5 inches. If you have ever worn a watch before, it won’t be a problem. There are two options for the Apple Watch: a 1 1/2 inch and a 1 3/8 inch case. This is to please both men and women, although the larger one has a longer battery life.
The Digital Crown is located on the right side. It also has a button that you can use to hide or show friends, access Apple Pay by double clicking and turn the Watch ON or OFF.
The magnetic inductive charging system and the heart rate sensor are located at the watch’s base (Qi compliant). You will not even notice the mic and speaker on the Watch’s left side for calling.
The Apple Watch is certainly more attractive than other smartwatches, but it costs a lot more.
Three straps came with our Apple Watch: a Black Sport Band and a Milanese Loop. It is extremely comfortable and similar to other plastic bands on smartwatches. The unique clasp mechanism will make it easy to get used to.
The Milanese Loop is a mesh-like material that complements the metallic case. However, it feels a lot more feminine and feminine than other strap options. It is flexible and comfortable. It can be adjusted easily. It is also suitable for casual and more formal clothing. Magnetic clasp keeps the bracelet closed. It may be easier to adjust the band so that it is balanced with the watch’s weight.
Magnetically closing, the Leather Loop bracelet uses magnetic segments that attach to one another. There are some flaws, such as scratches on the clasp that we noticed after a few days. Also, the strap can slip once in a while so you might need to adjust it throughout the day.
Display
The Apple Watch has a 1.5in OLED display (or 1.3in for 38mm), with a resolution 312×390 pixels or 272x340p and a pixel density 326ppi (just as the iPhone 6). Retina displays are different from iPhones, as Apple chose to use flexible OLED technology from LG instead of the standard LCD technology.
Protect the display from scratches and minor bumps in furniture with a toughened IonX or sapphire glass.
OLED screens are bright and vibrant with high colour accuracy. It is still not as sharp as the Samsung Gear S’s, which has a larger colour palette.
Let’s not forget about Force Touch technology, which is a new feature in smartwatches. It senses force and distinguishes between light and hard presses thanks to the tiny electrodes surrounding the display.
This is an interesting addition to certain apps that allows for more functionality and options without making things more complicated.
Battery Life and Hardware
Apple Watch comes with a 500MHz Apple S1 CPU, a Power VR SSG543 GPU and 8GB storage. When connected to an iPhone, it can access all of its storage.
The watch also has a heart rate sensor that uses visible and infrared LEDs, as well as photodiodes, to determine your heart rate. There’s also an accelerometer, gyrometer, and unfortunately no GPS built-in.
You will also find a Lithium Ion battery of 205mAh (246mAH) inside the case. The battery promises an 18-hour battery life for normal use, 6 hours music playback, 6 hours with the heart monitor, 3 hour talk time, and up to 48 hours of juts testing time.
Software
Watch OS 2.0 is the software running on the Apple Watch. It’s an updated version of the less-laggy first generation. The Apple Watch must have an iPhone 5 or later to function fully.
Although the watch is not intended for long-term use, it offers a more enjoyable experience when used for shorter periods. This is due to some apps being slow and not many apps are developed. It may be difficult to use Facebook or other Google apps on the Apple Watch’s small screen.
Let’s now talk about the interface. You can swipe away to see the watch face, with notifications and glances. If you press the Digital Crown, you will have access to the apps. Although there is a learning curve with the watch, you will soon get used to it.
Since the update, the watch faces now have many options that allow you to change the colour, add or remove elements.
You can choose from one of the single screens that displays quick summaries of information from the apps you use most often. You can swipe up on the watch face to access Glances or ask Siri for it.
The Apple Watch’s Watch faces and glances are pretty cool, but there’s more. The Taptic Engine is an innovative feature that taps your wrist whenever a notification arrives. This ensures you don’t miss any important information and can be used to navigate. It can tap several times on your wrist for left or right turns, or it can be used with the Digital Touch.
Digital Touch allows you to communicate with Apple Watches using taps, finger sketches, or your heart rate.
Apple Pay is similar to the one you have on your iPhone. This feature allows you to pay at any place that accepts this payment. It allows you to buy goods and services by simply touching the Apple Pay button on your watch. Two taps are all that’s required to summon your card. You don’t even need an iPhone to use it.
You also get the Camera remote, which allows you to view a preview of the view finder of your iPhone and focus, set a timer and trigger the shutter.
Conclusion
How has the Apple Watch experience been so far? It’s not too different from any other smartwatch. Notifications are sent to your wrist.
It is obvious that the Apple Watch doesn’t have to be a necessity. However, if you can afford it, it will make your life easier in certain small ways.
