Apple Announces Apple Watch, Available in Early 2015 From $349

[Gudi]

Am I the only one severely underwhelmed by the design of the Apple Watch? It looks like a toy...

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Whether or not it looks like a toy, it definitely is a toy. Smartwatches aren't tools, they lack the utility to be considered more than just toys. All of them. These whole category of devices does not exist out of any need or usefulness. It only thrills peoples imaginations of how the future might look like. It's a product selling a dream.

Was Almost sold on this until Cook announced it NEEDS an iPhone in order to work!?!
Get it to work independently and get it to make and receive phone calls.

And while you are at it, make me a breakfast. Seriously, what do you expect from such a small device? Of course it is a peripheral to your iPhone and can't work fully independent. We knew that years in advance before Tim said it on stage.

 

[Bevz]

I've gotta say it, I'm torn.

The positive spin of course is that this thing is an engineering marvel, regardless of what functions other smart watches offer. It's made from premium materials and is constructed with the same attention to detail. The customisation is stunning, and truly gives a more traditional look to what is essentially a mini computer.

But revolutionary? Not quite.

To me this product lacks focus. I dare say it's almost too over-indulgent in the cosmetic details, for while I respect traditional timepiece design (and as we all know, there are plenty of iconic pieces), I don't see how 24k gold and other luxury materials are going to enrich peoples lives. Why does the back of the device even imitate the text of traditional watches, with things like "42mm case - 7000 series aluminium". You wouldn't expect to see "SSD flash storage - 16GB RAM" splurged on the case of a MacBook Pro, so what makes a wrist watch so different? Indulgence.

One of the complaints of many smart watches is that they complete tasks that could be done on a phone anyway, so to have similar functions on your wrist is needless, unless your daily activities call for them. The irony of course is that Apple releases two larger iPhones, and touts how much more productive they are.

So if Apple is so passionate about doing "fewer things well", why wasn't this device designed primarily for health and fitness? I'm pretty sure that if they went down this avenue, they would have a product that while may not be as popular, would at least be more attractive to that audience because there is less of what's not needed and more of what is.

In addition, there would be less services that are essentially crippled on a tiny screen for the sake of pulling your wrist up. Why would I want to check my flight on a watch when there's PassBook on the iPhone? It makes no sense at all.

Cook also played up the fact that "over 200 million people can access the Apple Watch", purely because they already own a compatible iPhone. But why should the product be relegated to iPhone users when the data could be synced with a Mac or iPad? I know more elderly people that own an iPad than those who don't even own a smartphone.

One thing's for sure - this isn't the "watch for everyone". It surely has too much of a tech-stigma for most peoples tastes, and at what will equate to roughly £250, is an expensive add-on.

But then I could be entirely wrong... I'm quite happy with my F-91, and that has the time, hourly chime, stopwatch, alarm, is waterproof and practically bombproof. Oh, it costs £6.99. And it looks roughly 5.6 million times cooler.

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I know how you feel; i'm torn too. In some ways it looks lovely, but it looks chunky (although i'm a big fella so i could get over this), but like you said it seems to lack focus... They seem to have thrown everything into this including the kitchen sink! Why do you need to look at your photos on a watch!? It's even more ridiculous when you realise you actually need an iPhone in your pocket at the same time from what i can gather! I would have liked to have seen, ironically, less functions on it, but a more focused feel. I know i don't have to use those functions i don't want, but by dropping a few of them it perhaps would have meant the watch could be used without an iPhone which seems a better way forward!
I may get one; i just don't know, but if i do it will only be because 1) I've been looking around for a new watch for years anyway and 2) i'm a geek. But, it's a very expensive iPhone accessory!

 

[Arndroid]

I know Apple Pay works with Apple Watch, but will it still work even if I have a 5s?

Yes. The apple watch is compatible with iPhone 5, 5c, 5s, 6 and 6 plus

 

[foodog]

I hope this is like the original iPad and they soon release a redesigned second generation. It looks too kiddie and girlish as is IMO.

I'd worry that wearing one of these is just going to be like wearing a sign that says "Rob me!" when walking on the street in public considering how hot iPhones are.

Yea... a Rolex doesn't say that now.

 

[psli09]

Switzerland should be scare of this.

Scare to laugh their pants off.

 

[gbc204]

So what's it like being racist? I would not know, never been one myself but your comment is clearly racist to people outside the USA. I'm curious to know what being a racist feels like.

It's not racist, it's xenophobic and/or jingoistic.

Learn to speak English!

 

[neuropsychguy]

Based on Apple's stock price Wall Street agrees- the watch is a Major MISS.

Apple stock goes down after a keynote. That's a rule.

/OK, there have been exceptions to this rule but it's usually what happens. Besides, it's basically flat for the day. What was announced today gives Apple a lot of growing room. Investors will love it.

 

[mpavilion]

I just found out, you authenticate it with a Pass Key once when you put it on, then it stays authenticated as long as the sensors maintain skin contact.

When you take it off authentication is lost.
COOL !

So you have to type in a passkey every morning? Ugh

 

[Bladers]

Let's be 100% honest here for a moment shall we.

If this watch was shown off in pictures late last week, made by Samsung, Sony, LG, Motorola etc.

It would of been branded an ugly, uninspired, chunky lump of a design with no imagination, and we would of been saying, it will be blown out the water and forgotten about instantly when we see the amazing design Apple has to offer.

That's the gods honest truth and we all know it.

But but but... it won't fit the narrative.

 

[iBug2]

What do you mean not as customizable? its more customizable that the apple watch. and comes with more watch faces right out of the gate and you can customize the watch faces too.

Moto X destroys the Apple Watch in every way possible.
Design. Material Quality. Simplistic but in interface.
better OS, Functionality and finally Google Now completely destroys it.

I mean look at this then look at apple disgrace of a watch. its night and day.
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Depends on the person. I think Apple watch looks much better than this because I don't like watches that look like watches. If it's going to be a smart watch I want more futuristic looking. Even Apple Watch seems a bit traditional, I expected even more futuristic.

 

[harley3k]

First Generations...

 

[ioioos]

Let's be 100% honest here for a moment shall we.

If this watch was shown off in pictures late last week, made by Samsung, Sony, LG, Motorola etc.

It would of been branded an ugly, uninspired, chunky lump of a design with no imagination, and we would of been saying, it will be blown out the water and forgotten about instantly when we see the amazing design Apple has to offer.

That's the gods honest truth and we all know it.

Spot on. No one would have believe it if the real pic had leaked. They would have said their is no way they have been beavering away for 18 months that is already so behind the curve from a design perspective.

I would ACTUALLY have preferred a nano in a swatch pop strap than this.

People are going to look fools with this thing on their wrist.

 

[gbc204]

My biggest disappointment is the price point, considering an up-to-date iPhone is also required. So it's not a $350 watch. It's at least a $550 watch. I know that Apple is aiming the watch at current iPhone owners. But even so, I wonder how many will want to shell out that kind of money for a device that MUST be used only with an iPhone.

it seemed confusing, which is so Anti-Apple

Just take a look at the text and background colors in iOS 8. Apple is seeming to lose its way in the human interface department.

They said it runs on the iPhone 5, which you can now get fairly cheaply.

 

[A MacBook lover]

What do you mean not as customizable? its more customizable that the apple watch. and comes with more watch faces right out of the gate and you can customize the watch faces too.

Moto X destroys the Apple Watch in every way possible.
Design. Material Quality. Simplistic but in interface.
better OS, Functionality and finally Google Now completely destroys it.

I mean look at this then look at apple disgrace of a watch. its night and day.
Image

Advertising in macrumors forum? Try not to make it so obvious

 

[D.T.]

So for the people saying it’s too thick - how thick is it? I have yet to see any measurements outside of the 38mm and 42mm height.

If you use a photo where there’s a same scale front and side shot, it looks like the thickness is about 10-11mm (not including the convex sensor pad which will won’t effect the thickness when you’re wearing it).

Now take a look at the thickness of a Tag Formula, or even a smaller (39-40mm) Rolex Daytona, they’re 12mm+.

I think in terms of a watch, it’s not particularly thick.

 

[SgtPepper23]

This thread reminds me of the original iPad thread. now all of us are on our 3rd or 4th or 5th iPad

Precisely! I was an iPad naysayer when it was announced, just thought of it as a glorified iPod touch. but when i used it... MAGIC. though i'm still on my first iPad, 2nd Gen, that thing won't quit and i love the fact! great for note taking!

back to the watch...

really like the design, seems to match the design of the 6 and 6 Plus, at least in terms of some of the curvature. Like mentioned by others, i think its trying to do too much, but it could possibly do it all well! i'm really excited for the wearables market, i think it does have a lot of potential, all devices. I did like the round design of the Moto360, thought it was a bummer that the OS wasn't working well with it. Might just end up being a birthday present to myself!

 

[iBug2]

Does anybody now if the Watch is waterproof or water resistant?
Better be waterproof.

Just resistant. There's no way a watch with pulse sensors is waterproof.

 

[firewood]

prices?

So the basic model starts at $349. For the regular? Or the sport? With a sport band?

So I wonder how high the price will go for a Rose Gold Watch Edition with a Milanese band? Into the lower Tag/Rolex price range?

Excellent!

 

[gri]

Nothing will ever beat this.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9hUIxyE2Ns8

THIS was genius and a revolutionary product:

 

[Bryan Bowler]

I'm surprised at the number of comments here that think the Apple Watch is ugly. I think it looks great!

Actually, I'm not surprised at the number of negative comments. The same amount of negativity was shown when Steve unveiled the original iPhone, but as expected, it went on the completely revolutionize what a phone could do. Just think back before the iPhone....back when most people had a flip phone. Think about how hard it was to read text messages, listen to voicemails, and the craptastic photos those phones took. Never-mind that our phones are now more powerful then desktop computers from that era...

Mark my words: Apple will revolutionize what watches can do and they will redefine what we think is possible. I guarantee it.

Bryan

 

[ParanoidDroid]

Ive did a great job!

I just bothered to put together a direct watch comparison in Adobe Photoshop. Braun vs. Apple Inc. watch.

Oh, what a coincidence again...

 

[newdeal]

Apple should have dropped the fitness crap and made it thinner

 

[AppleInTheMud]

I don't know what to think about the iphone 6 design. Maybe it Shall grow on me first.... The gold one looks good. But since my ipad is white my phone also has to be #

The watch looks terrible compared to the competition. The new Galaxy Gear S is a Beauty, just like Moto 360 - bit Apple Watch's functionality seems amazing.

 

[TheSlush]

"Nice to have" rather than "need to have"

I put the Apple Watch in the iPad category: a nice extension of the ecosystem but not a "need to have" if you already have an iPhone... which you do need to have because the Watch is very tethered to it, not standalone. I anticipate that it will sell lots, but far fewer than one for every iPhone sold. It has lots of nice functionality, but I'm worried the user interface may prove too fussy at times -- it doesn't necessarily always seem super-intuitive like the iPhone's UI. Industrial design-wise, I find the case's rounded, flat rectangle body a bit too thick and clunky to make me lust for it. It doesn't flow with the strap. I realize there are engineering constraints, but I sure would've preferred a more fluid or curvy profile. But I'll need to see it in person to pass real judgement.

 

[thekeyring]

People will moan like they moaned netbooks were better than iPad. But let's wait. Wait and see what the next Samsung Smartwatch will do. What the next update to Android Wear will be. Then let's judge Apple as to whether the Apple Watch is a game changer.