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How to Pair Your Apple Watch With Your iPhone and Install Apps

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Apr 12, 2001
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In just over a month, we will finally have the long-awaited Apple Watch in our hands, or technically, on our wrists. The first thing you'll need to do once you get a hold of the new gadget is pair it with your iPhone and prepare to install apps for it.

To make sure you are ready for the big day, we have a how-to guide for pairing your iPhone with your Apple Watch. It won't be hard, but it will use technology to pair the two devices in a way we've never seen before on an Apple product.

Apple Watch will require connection to an iPhone 5, 5s, 5c, 6, or 6 Plus running iOS 8.2. With varying methods of connectivity between the devices, Apple has developed a interesting system to pair the two devices using a camera feature.

apple_watch_pairing_auto.jpg

Steps for Pairing Apple Watch with iPhone

  1. Launch the Apple Watch App on your iPhone
  2. Tap "Start Pairing" on the main screen
  3. Hold Apple Watch up to your iPhone's camera so the screen is in alignment with the yellow outlined box on your iPhone's screen
  4. Follow the on-screen instructions provided in the Apple Watch app
apple_watch_pairing_manual.jpg

Alternate Method for Pairing Apple Watch Manually

If you do not wish to use the camera feature, you can alternatively pair Apple Watch with your iPhone manually.


Click here to read more...

Article Link: How to Pair Your Apple Watch With Your iPhone and Install Apps
 
Article Link
https://www.macrumors.com/how-to/how-to-pair-apple-watch-install-apps/
Since there won't be native Apple Watch apps until later this year, what apps are displayed inside the Apple Watch app's App Store? Since the "apps" for Apple Watch are just normal apps with Watch extensions, will they just display these apps from the regular App Store? From my understanding there is no difference, e.g. you will just download the Evernote update and you'll get the Watch extension.
 
Waiting this launch out.....use the money for 6s Plus

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marvz said:
Since there won't be native Apple Watch apps until later this year, what apps are displayed inside the Apple Watch app's App Store? Since the apps for Apple Watch are just normal apps with Watch extensions, will they just display these apps from the regular App Store?
Click to expand...

There will be apps at launch that Apple and some developers have built.
 
Interesting - I wonder how that camera pairing system works? I'd assume it has little to do with the camera itself and more to do with the Bluetooth connection underneath. Still an intriguing way to pair the two devices.
 
This is shameful linkbait. Lory Gil is not a usual MacRumors contributor, and this entire article is based on guesses and assumptions.
 
marvz said:
Since there won't be native Apple Watch apps until later this year, what apps are displayed inside the Apple Watch app's App Store? Since the "apps" for Apple Watch are just normal apps with Watch extensions, will they just display these apps from the regular App Store? From my understanding there is no difference, e.g. you will just download the Evernote update and you'll get the Watch extension.
Click to expand...

I believe it will list apps that have watch extensions.
 
DavidTheExpert said:
This is shameful linkbait. Lory Gil is not a usual MacRumors contributor, and this entire article is based on guesses and assumptions.
Click to expand...

Hardly. You can go through these steps on the Apple Watch companion app after you've upgraded to 8.2. Try it yourself.
 
jrswizzle said:
Interesting - I wonder how that camera pairing system works? I'd assume it has little to do with the camera itself and more to do with the Bluetooth connection underneath. Still an intriguing way to pair the two devices.
Click to expand...

It's just a funky UI gimmick. It doesn't recognize anything when you show a picture of a watch to this app. Clearly it searches instead for Bluetooth for pairing.
 
jrswizzle said:
Interesting - I wonder how that camera pairing system works? I'd assume it has little to do with the camera itself and more to do with the Bluetooth connection underneath. Still an intriguing way to pair the two devices.
Click to expand...

It could be that the Apple Watch screen emits a signal - undetectable to the naked eye - that uniquely identifies itself. This is purely speculation, of course.
 
Mactendo said:
It's just a funky UI gimmick. It doesn't recognize anything when you show a picture of a watch to this app. Clearly it searches instead for Bluetooth for pairing.
Click to expand...

l00pback said:
It could be that the Apple Watch screen emits a signal - undetectable to the naked eye - that uniquely identifies itself. This is purely speculation, of course.
Click to expand...

I'm inclined to think there's more to it than a simple UI gimmick....but who knows. I'm sure we'll figure out how it works when people get their hands on the watch.
 
Mactendo said:
It's just a funky UI gimmick. It doesn't recognize anything when you show a picture of a watch to this app. Clearly it searches instead for Bluetooth for pairing.
Click to expand...

Just curious: what your level of technical expertise is to say this?
 
l00pback said:
It could be that the Apple Watch screen emits a signal - undetectable to the naked eye - that uniquely identifies itself. This is purely speculation, of course.
Click to expand...

Just curious: what your level of technical expertise is to say this?
 
marvz said:
But no native apps. These are just extensions from regular iOS apps. Am I missing something?
Click to expand...

There will most definitely be apps available at launch, native apps. I'm also not sure you'll have to have the app for the Watch and the iPhone to make it work. I think the Watch just needs location and internet from your phone, but beyond that the app works by itself on the Watch.

For instance I saw in the promo pictures that Dark Sky will be available for $3.99. I don't believe you have to have Dark Sky on your iPhone, but Dark Sky will need internet and geolocation from your iPhone to properly work on the watch.

Not sure how accurate that is, but that's what I'm thinking. When you do buy Watch apps though, it will be through this Watch app on the iPhone, not directly the Watch.
 
Mactendo said:
Just curious: what your level of technical expertise is to say this?
Click to expand...

l00pback said:
This is purely speculation, of course.
Click to expand...

None. Your turn.

Edit: I believe this is technically possible. Not from any formal studies, just from what I've picked up over the years. I just wanted to know if you have anything to back up your claim, or is it - like me - just speculation.
 
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The question is how people without iPhones will be able to install apps on their watches?
 
l00pback said:
None. Your turn.

Edit: I believe this is technically possible. Not from any formal studies, just from what I've picked up over the years. I just wanted to know if you have anything to back up your claim, or is it - like me - just speculation.
Click to expand...

I applied some common logic, high IQ and an experience of software development :) And a test using a photo of iWatch in front of iPhone camera :)
 
Mactendo said:
It's just a funky UI gimmick. It doesn't recognize anything when you show a picture of a watch to this app. Clearly it searches instead for Bluetooth for pairing.
Click to expand...

While it uses Bluetooth for pairing, camera can be more convenient than entering PIN code (which the manual mode is).
 
Mactendo said:
I applied some common logic, high IQ and an experience of software development :) And a test using a photo of iWatch in front of iPhone camera :)
Click to expand...

You didn't imagine the watch would flash up a qrcode or similar to verify the pairing?
 
marvz said:
But no native apps. These are just extensions from regular iOS apps. Am I missing something?
Click to expand...

Maybe you're trying to say, "no stand alone apps"? They're definitely native to the device.

I would assume some of Apple's apps are indeed stand alone and not just an extension. I haven't heard anything about third parties having that opportunity but Apple says that someday we will.
 
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