The Good, The Bad and Everything Else in Between
It is definitely not the first of its kind, but industry insiders are already saying, it is the best of its kind. The Apple Watch, the global tech company’s latest and most ambitious foray into wearable tech, made its debut to a very eager Australian audience. And just hours after its April 24 release, hundreds of reviews have already made their way online.
Here’s our take on what is shaping up to be the number 1 must have tech accessory of 2015.
The Perfect Marriage of Form and Function
This wearable tech from Apple is an iOS 8.2-compatible watch that is essentially an extension of your iPhone. It was released last April 24 and so far, it has sold more units on day one of its release through pre-orders compared to the entire sales of Android Wear watches for the whole year of 2014. The Apple Watch focuses on chic style without compromising its more techy features. Which basically means it will definitely pique the interest of more than just the tech heads and the fitness fanatics. The Apple Watch is well on its way to becoming the most sought after fashion accessory this year.
The Apple Watch has two sizes: the 38mm and the slightly bigger 42mm. This puts to rest the assumptions that the Apple Watch is an oversized, clunky watch. From the moment you unbox it, you will already be taken with its clean lines, its overall subtle classiness and its familiar Apple trademark shape. The moment you put it on, it just feels right – not much thicker than a regular analogue watch but still solid, and definitely sits firmly on your wrist.
There are three Apple Watch editions, the aluminum Sport edition, the stainless steel “Watch” edition and the Gold Watch edition. This means there’s an Apple Watch that suits every particular lifestyle, fashion sense and budget.
Okay, so we know how it looks like, let’s talk about what it can actually do.
Let’s talk basics. The Apple Watch can beam messages, Facebook updates and some simplified apps straight to our wrists – effectively eliminating the need to constantly whip out our phones to check for notifications. It also allows you to summon Siri, make phone calls and monitor your heart rate. Now, bear in mind that the Apple Watch is not built for prolonged browsing and lengthy interactions like the kind we have with our phones, tablets or computers. Primarily, the watch is designed to act as a sort of medium for our phones.
This feature is quite possibly the watch’s best feature as it allows us to still stay on top of things such as messages, calls and emails without alienating dinner companions, friends and family by having full-on phone interactions. Just make sure you train yourself not to keep glancing at your watch as that too could be taken the wrong way when done all the time.
What if you don’t have an iPhone to pair with the Apple Watch? That’s okay because Apple Watch could also work sans iPhone for selected apps including but not limited to Apple Pay, Passbook flight check-ins, monitoring fitness metrics whilst letting you listen to music. It also comes with a standard 8GB of storage, double the storage space of that of an Android Wear watch. And let’s not forget, the Apple Watch can also be used to tell the time – accurately of course.
Let’s discuss pricing, shall we?
Ok so we’ve discussed how stylish it is, we’ve also tackled how useful it is. Let’s cut to the chase and discuss prices.
In Australia, the Apple Watch starts at AUD$799 and goes upwards of AUD$1,629 and comes in 20 models.
The Watch Sport starts at AUD$499 to upwards of AUD$579 and comes in 10 models.
The Watch Edition ranges from AUD$14,000 up to AUD$24,000 and comes in 8 models.
All aforementioned prices include Goods and Services Tax.
Why does it cost so much?
With the Apple Watch, you’re not just paying for style, you’re paying for top of the line tech too. Take for example, the Apple Watch’s all-metal Link Bracelet. It has 100 components and takes nine hours to cut. Its biometrics features are also unparalleled too.
How to Set it Up
Set up is quick and easy, just hold your Apple Watch up to your iPhone camera while simultaneously launching the Watch app which was added to your phone via the iOS 8.2 update. It should take a few minutes for the transfer of information such as your contacts to finish.
So there you have it, the good, the bad and everything else in between. Oh and pro-tip: once you’ve got your Apple Watch set up and you think the display is too small, use the Digital Crown to zoom in and zoom out of your watch display. You can also use this nifty feature to scroll through your contacts list.
By the way, you might have to wait a little while before you can buy your own Apple Watch because new orders have been pushed to July this year because of high volume demand. However, if you want to try it out, you can call your nearest Apple Store to set up an appointment to try out the watch and its features.
