Apple Watch features include fitness tracking, Apple Pay, Siri & inductive charging
Promising that the Apple Watch will "redefine what people expect from a watch," Apple showcased a wide variety of functions for its upcoming wearable device on Tuesday, including built-in fitness tracking, support for secure Apple Pay wireless transactions, and even a unique MagSafe-style inductive charging cable.
A key feature of the Apple Watch is support for Apple's voice-controlled personal assistant, Siri, which can be invoked through the Digital Crown physical controls.
The wrist-worn device's unique touch screen also uses what Apple has dubbed the "Force Touch," which is a technology that can sense the difference between a tap and a press. The Apple Watch also boasts the "Taptic Engine" and a built-in speaker, which allow for discreet alerts to a user's wrist.
In terms of connectivity, the Apple Watch pairs to the iPhone using 802.11b/g and Bluetooth 4.0.
The wireless connectivity also allows users to authorize transactions using Apple Pay, display passes and tickets with Passbook, and remotely control an Apple TV set-top box.
Fitness and health are another key focus for the Apple Watch, with a new Activity app designed to help motivate the wearer to be more active throughout the day, a Workout app designed to give users the metrics they need during dedicated workout sessions, and a Fitness app that collects data to show activity in greater detail.
The system smartly develops personal and realistic goals for the wearer, and even rewards users with fitness milestones to keep them motivated.
On the hardware front, the Apple Watch has a plug-less design, and will be recharged with a special MagSafe-style magnetic attachment that connects to the underside of the device. Apple did not indicate the battery life for its watch, but CEO Tim Cook did mention charging at night, suggesting it may only offer one day of uptime.
The Apple Watch also requires an iPhone, as it's been designed to seamlessly work together with Apple's handset. The Apple Watch will work with iPhone 6, iPhone 6 Plus, iPhone 5, iPhone 5c and iPhone 5s. According to Cook, that means over 200 million people will be able to use it.
Finally, developers will be able to create their own third-party applications for the Apple Watch with the use of a new WatchKit API. The new tools give developers the ability to create actionable notifications and glances intended to provide timely information. Apple has said these tools will be made available for developers next year.
The Apple Watch is set to become available in "early 2015," though no specific window was given. It will carry a starting price of $349.
A key feature of the Apple Watch is support for Apple's voice-controlled personal assistant, Siri, which can be invoked through the Digital Crown physical controls.
The wrist-worn device's unique touch screen also uses what Apple has dubbed the "Force Touch," which is a technology that can sense the difference between a tap and a press. The Apple Watch also boasts the "Taptic Engine" and a built-in speaker, which allow for discreet alerts to a user's wrist.
In terms of connectivity, the Apple Watch pairs to the iPhone using 802.11b/g and Bluetooth 4.0.
The wireless connectivity also allows users to authorize transactions using Apple Pay, display passes and tickets with Passbook, and remotely control an Apple TV set-top box.
Fitness and health are another key focus for the Apple Watch, with a new Activity app designed to help motivate the wearer to be more active throughout the day, a Workout app designed to give users the metrics they need during dedicated workout sessions, and a Fitness app that collects data to show activity in greater detail.
The system smartly develops personal and realistic goals for the wearer, and even rewards users with fitness milestones to keep them motivated.
On the hardware front, the Apple Watch has a plug-less design, and will be recharged with a special MagSafe-style magnetic attachment that connects to the underside of the device. Apple did not indicate the battery life for its watch, but CEO Tim Cook did mention charging at night, suggesting it may only offer one day of uptime.
The Apple Watch also requires an iPhone, as it's been designed to seamlessly work together with Apple's handset. The Apple Watch will work with iPhone 6, iPhone 6 Plus, iPhone 5, iPhone 5c and iPhone 5s. According to Cook, that means over 200 million people will be able to use it.
Finally, developers will be able to create their own third-party applications for the Apple Watch with the use of a new WatchKit API. The new tools give developers the ability to create actionable notifications and glances intended to provide timely information. Apple has said these tools will be made available for developers next year.
The Apple Watch is set to become available in "early 2015," though no specific window was given. It will carry a starting price of $349.
Comments
Heck I want it for the entire Apple range and not close contact either, I want WiTricity tuned resonance inductive charging.
As I said in another thread...
This thing needs a target on the face.
Stock hasn't gone up much either.
Never does. In 2016 people will be wondering what they did before it (like the iPad). This isn't game-changing, yet. But once developers developers developers get their hands on it, it'll be impressive.
I really like it.
Four clarifying comments that are still needed:
1- No Battery Life claim
2- No Waterproof/Water Resistant claim
3- No Sizes mentioned- just big and small
4- Confused on pricing. Is smaller less/more than the larger? Is the sport more or the same (as it uses a lesser material).
Apple Pay on a watch could open the door for scammers. All one would need would be to bump into an Apple Watch with a NFC reader. Set it to display something innocuous like 1 Diet Coke and you could scam a lot of $1.25's out of people.
Stock hasn't gone up much either.
The stock will go up on sales, so this keynote delivers two quarters worth sales (the next month or so for phones, and early 2015 for the watch).
What did you expect, $700 by 3:00 eastern?
I'm disappointed it requires a phone. I was hoping you could pair it with iPads too so I could purchase one. Stock hasn't gone up much either.
They only wait Apple Watch required it, but in that context there are two other models. They may have been saying the higher end models may not require an iPhone. We will see when they provide more information.
Missing the holiday sales period is a bit of a disaster in my honest opinion.
Stock hasn't gone up much either.
Never does. In 2016 people will be wondering what they did before it (like the iPad). This isn't game-changing, yet. But once developers developers developers get their hands on it, it'll be impressive.
I really like it.
Four clarifying comments that are still needed:
1- No Battery Life claim
2- No Waterproof/Water Resistant claim
3- No Sizes mentioned- just big and small
4- Confused on pricing. Is smaller less/more than the larger? Is the sport more or the same (as it uses a lesser material).
They said water resistent when referencing the speaker in the video. Only going to be as strong as its weakest link.
Apple Pay on a watch could open the door for scammers. All one would need would be to bump into an Apple Watch with a NFC reader. Set it to display something innocuous like 1 Diet Coke and you could scam a lot of $1.25's out of people.
That's one difference with a powered NFC though, that can't be "picked" when it's not activated unlike the earlier versions in RFID chip equipped cards that were always "on".
No, but you'd at least expect it to get past 100 dollars.
Quote:
You may want to re-read my original post. I'm not necessarily against NFC. I think that, like Satellite radio, it gets a lot more hype than it deserves, but I acknowledge that there are a ton of uses for it. Similarly, I'm not making any kind of claim that the solution will or should be powered by Bluetooth or iBeacon - my comments about iBeacon were directed at the person who claimed that iBeacon could NOT be used for Mobile Payments because the were designed for some other purpose.
My original post is a prediction that the new phone will not include NFC and a statement that NFC is not necessarily even required for a mobile payment system. If anybody is going to do something new, different and probably "better", my money says it will be Apple. I believe that Apple has been developing their "new, better and different" system for the past few years and that their new, better and different system will NOT require NFC. I don't know what it will use or how it will work - possibly Bluetooth, maybe iBeacon, could be something completely different.
It would have been pretty easy for Apple to add NFC to the 3GS, 4, 4S, 5, 5C or 5S and roll out mobile payment support long before now if they were simply going to jump on the bandwagon and use the existing technology. The fact that they have not done so in their prior devices, even though their Mobile Solution project was already in development - is what really makes it obvious to me that their solution is NFC-free.
Seriously... How many iPhone 5S and 5C phones are out there? If Apple were working on a mobile payment solution that was going to require NFC, they would have included NFC in last year's hardware so that they could maximize their customer base from day 1. What really baffles me is why nobody has even accepted my predictions as "possible" (even if they don't believe they're probable.) There almost seems to be some kind of brainwashing in effect which has caused people to think that it is an incontrovertible truth that Mobile Payments are not possible without NFC and that no better technology could or will ever come along...
It's actually pretty funny how closed minded everyone seems to be on the topic - but once again, here are my predictions on Apple's Mobile Payment system:
I'd even be willing to accept a few small wagers on prediction #1.
You were wrong, I was right. @tenly
It will require an iPhone with Touch ID, not just the watch. I think that's for sure.
Missing the holiday sales period is a bit of a disaster in my honest opinion.
They listed compatible iPhones that do not have iTouch. On those I expect a passcode authorization will be required similar to when making an iTunes purchase.
The holidays would have been nice for the watch (I'd have bought one at least), but a new product's release can be tricky and with the perfection demand placed on Apple such a release would have probably strained the system.
maybe by bluetooth
i;ll get itching for a 6 when i see apple pay at walmart
kroger, jcp, gap and restaurants
but i do like the size of my 5s maybe make it thinner
so for the apple pay to work with the watch do you need an iPhone 6???
Apple Pay on a watch could open the door for scammers. All one would need would be to bump into an Apple Watch with a NFC reader. Set it to display something innocuous like 1 Diet Coke and you could scam a lot of $1.25's out of people.
It will require an iPhone with Touch ID, not just the watch. I think that's for sure.
Missing the holiday sales period is a bit of a disaster in my honest opinion.
They said those phones were compatible with the watch and not that they were compatible with Apple Pay. Unless the Watch will have its own secure storage on some models for the device credit card numbers, then it is not going to support payments with the older iPhones.
Edit: Looks like the phone does have the storage for phones that do not.
"Paired with iPhone 5, iPhone 5c, iPhone 5s, iPhone 6, or iPhone 6 Plus. In-store purchases only."
my timex is to 50meters i wear it ALL THE TIME never take it off
wear it in the shower in the rain etc
so if this is resistant to 50m and does apple pay with my 5s Hmmmmmmm
AND THE BIG QUESTION
how often do you need to charge this puppy?
does the charger come with the phone or separate?
they need a way to make apple pay on any touch id product
maybe by bluetooth
i;ll get itching for a 6 when i see apple pay at walmart
kroger, jcp, gap and restaurants
but i do like the size of my 5s maybe make it thinner
so for the apple pay to work with the watch do you need an iPhone 6???
Touch ID really isn't the limiting issue. They only trust the secure storage for your device credit card numbers. That is only in the iPhone 6. Touch ID makes the whole thing better, but A8 looks to be what they will really restrict the feature to.
Edit: Looks like the watch has storage for the cards. That also means a 5c with no Touch ID can be used.
"Paired with iPhone 5, iPhone 5c, iPhone 5s, iPhone 6, or iPhone 6 Plus. In-store purchases only."
I look forward to Apple Watch 2.0 which will hopefully be a bit thinner. While Jony did a masterful job of camouflaging its thickness, its bulk is embarrassingly similar to the Samsung watch I've been criticizing.
Start the countdown as other entrants start adding Apple's features.
Apple Pay on a watch could open the door for scammers. All one would need would be to bump into an Apple Watch with a NFC reader. Set it to display something innocuous like 1 Diet Coke and you could scam a lot of $1.25's out of people.
Just as paper money opened the door for counterfeiters. That someone can figure out a way to abuse a technology is no reason to refuse to move forward. Like everything else on the internet, going forward will be a constant cat-and-mouse game with the anti-social crowd.