Apple Watch 'Apps at a tap' ads focus on travel, fitness and music apps
Apple on Monday released three new Apple Watch spots done up in the usual "poppy" style introduced with the first Watch ads, this time highlighting third-party travel, fitness and music apps.
The latest promos again put Apple Watch hardware front and center, but place a greater emphasis on third-party software than previous advertisements. Apple carries over the "floating device" concept and adds in a layer of undulating circular app icons that at the start of each spot explode beyond Watch's bezel. Subsequent shots show onscreen app simulations, much like the "App Store Apps" section of Apple's dedicated Watch webpage.
For its travel-minded commercial, Apple features Expedia, Uber and Yelp.
Fitness apps include Nike+ Running, WaterMinder and, curiously, MLB At Bat.
Finally, Apple throws a spotlight on music apps like Shazam, Pacemaker and StubHub.
Unlike past Watch ads, the trio of short commercials shies away from putting too much emphasis on Apple's first-party software. As with iPhone and iPad, developer support plays a key role in platform success, and to that point Apple is equipping coders with better tools and greater access to hardware functions. For example, watchOS 2 will launch this fall with support for native apps, allowing commands to be processed on-device instead of offloaded to an iPhone.
The latest promos again put Apple Watch hardware front and center, but place a greater emphasis on third-party software than previous advertisements. Apple carries over the "floating device" concept and adds in a layer of undulating circular app icons that at the start of each spot explode beyond Watch's bezel. Subsequent shots show onscreen app simulations, much like the "App Store Apps" section of Apple's dedicated Watch webpage.
For its travel-minded commercial, Apple features Expedia, Uber and Yelp.
Fitness apps include Nike+ Running, WaterMinder and, curiously, MLB At Bat.
Finally, Apple throws a spotlight on music apps like Shazam, Pacemaker and StubHub.
Unlike past Watch ads, the trio of short commercials shies away from putting too much emphasis on Apple's first-party software. As with iPhone and iPad, developer support plays a key role in platform success, and to that point Apple is equipping coders with better tools and greater access to hardware functions. For example, watchOS 2 will launch this fall with support for native apps, allowing commands to be processed on-device instead of offloaded to an iPhone.
Comments
Nice. To the point. Fun.
I don't know what the market says, but I have been observing peoples wrist and I am seeing lots of wrist with Apple Watch. Certainly a lot more than Samsung or LG or Motorola. I certainly see many more showing up in Christmas List. Now that Apple has announced that they will be available at Best Buys and most likely followed by at Target.
It would be nice to see cases of use where pulling out a phone would be either impractical, impossible or inappropriate. Like when skiing, in the lab, when driving(?), when cooking, when baking, when swimming, when paying, when having a brilliant idea is the most unlikely situation and you wanna take a note etc.
How do you find using it with no hands? Is it working?
You know I was one of the early adopter's as they say and purchased one out of the gate. Of course, I received mine sometime in May but I got one. Anyway, here is the thing or should I say the Magical thing about my Apple Watch...I just like wearing it. I like it on my wrist. Nothing more nothing less...I look at it on occasion...I check the time...and honestly that is all it has to do. People say well, I'm not sure why I need it? What can it do that my phone can't. For me, let me answer that question...no one EVER has told me...hey you look good with that phone on you. Yet when they see my Apple Watch they say, hey that looks good on you! So it tells the time and looks good on me...and I spend about $500 for that. I can't be the only person in the world who spend a lot of money to buy something that looks good on them. So I'm happy.
Outside of that...sure little things are helpful. If there is one thing I use its the Activity App. It probably can be better but for now, it is solely responsible for me going just that little bit extra every day and now I am up to walking 4.5 miles every evening. I got a little bit of music with me to boot and with my Bluetooth headphones I'm walking light and enjoyably. Summer bliss...
Anyway, I'm just saying all these people who seem to have negative things to say about the Apple Watch ought to just buy one (well if its in their budget) and just wear it. Its magical how you will feel when wearing it...even if it did nothing more than tell you the time.
Done!
I see there's a post going around about a better UI for ?Watch. A couple places I saw it though failed to point out the guy who put it together works for Google. :rolleyes: obviously he's going to try and turn ?Watch into Android Wear. No! I'm sure there are improvements Apple is working on or thinking about but turning it into Android Wear shouldn't be one of them!
I think what should be top of Apple's priority list (outside of faster native 3rd party apps) is an always on display for the time. I've seen several comments in my Twitter feed that ?Watch sucks as a watch. John Gruber's review mentioned it too...that when he's typing away on his computer he'd like to be able to just glance at his wrist and see the time without having to raise it. If Apple can come up with a low power way to always display the time like some Android Wear devices do I think that will increase sales.
Love my ?Watch and I am sure more people get to experience it, more people will get it. The employees at best buy saw mine and they told they couldn't wait to get it.
My top 5 apps are:
IMessage
Phone
Music
Fitness
Starbucks (passbook)
Very true. Most things I do on it needs a tap or two and the crown so hands is needed. I don't use it for personal fitness at all! It's the other stuff I use it for
With that said my battery life was at 50 percent after 15 hours of use
Top 5 apps I use
LA fitness card reader
Dark sky
Siri
IMessage
Calendar
The UI is very well thought out. Anyone else with a top 5 list?
I bought the 42mm SS watch Thursday (my wife said to get it over the sport as she said it looked prettier). It's been in the shower a few times, and may visit the ocean later this week (with a bottle of water to clean it off once I get out of the water).
For me, the fitness aspects are great. I'm an enterprise software consultant, with a well-deserved nickname (earned back in '82 when I would zone out the world when in front of a VT-100 terminal). I get reminded to stand up. I get reminded (via the timer complication) that my coffee is ready. All 3 activity bars yearn to be completed - and I have done so 3 days now.
My top 5 apps so far:
Modular watch face
Activity
Workout
Fantastical
Wunderground
likewise. guy at work, waiter, lady next to me, guy at the post office, etc... interestingly every one has been the 42mm sport in space gray.
Apple Watch is going to kill it this year as a top Christmas gift. Just wait and see.
My top three would be:
iMessage
Dark Skies
British Airways
The thing I love most about my Apple Watch is Apple Pay though. Genuinely fast and convenient to use.
Oh come on. There's nothing negative about hoping a future version of the Watch has an always on display. After all it's called Apple WATCH and one of the three tent pole features according to Apple is an accurate time piece. I'm not aware of any mechanical watch that makes you raise your wrist to see the time. I'm sure the reason Apple Watch doesn't is because of battery life. But there are other smart watches that do have always on display so it is possible. And my guess is that might be a surprise Apple announces this fall (I'm guessing they some Watch surprises saved for the fall) or the next Watch will have that functionality.
Now, this is what I call a great ad for the Apple Watch:
No complex interface, you just DING! (and start the meeting)
Oh come on. There's nothing negative about hoping a future version of the Watch has an always on display. After all it's called Apple WATCH and one of the three tent pole features according to Apple is an accurate time piece. I'm not aware of any mechanical watch that makes you raise your wrist to see the time. I'm sure the reason Apple Watch doesn't is because of battery life. But there are other smart watches that do have always on display so it is possible. And my guess is that might be a surprise Apple announces this fall (I'm guessing they some Watch surprises saved for the fall) or the next Watch will have that functionality.
The only ones that do are the ones with an e-ink display like the pebble (which looks like complete shit), so stop trying to make a dishonest comparison. Sure, Maybe Apple can figure out how to incorporate BOTH types of display, and get the e-ink to turn on in specific circumstances, but you're never going to get an "always on" display like the Apple Watch's.
likewise. guy at work, waiter, lady next to me, guy at the post office, etc... interestingly every one has been the 42mm sport in space gray.
Admittedly, I don't get out much, but I have not seen any ?Watch in the wild, except mine, and also not counting at the Apple Store. Mostly I just go from home to work, occasionally to the grocery store. I'm the only one at work who has one, although we have many iPhone users, and several Rolex owners. A few people have noticed mine and commented. I keep forgetting to wear it though. It has not become a habit to put it on in the morning. I like it though. Before the launch I didn't find it very attractive from the photos but now that I have one it is growing on me. I'm glad I got the SS Milanese.