The wait is almost over as Apple plans to unveil the highly anticipated Apple Watch on Monday, March 9. Apple gave the world a glimpse of the watch back in September, but Apple's event entitled "Spring Forward" is believed to focus on the Apple Watch revealing the final details about what people can expect from it when it is released in April.
Today, we have compiled a list of everything we already know, or at least think we know, about the Apple Watch thus far.
1. It is an iPhone Accessory
Apple has been extremely up front about the role the watch is expected to play. The Apple Watch will rely heavily on the iPhone in order to be fully utilized. Apple views the device as more of a high-end accessory that a simple, stand-alone device.
2. Fashion Accessory
Apple has targeted fashion as one of the selling points of the watch, marketing the device at Paris Fashion Week and featuring it in magazines such as Vogue and Self. When designing the watch, Apple hired multiple people in the fashion industry to help them with the design.
3. Rich Feature Set Assuming You Have Connectivity
Assuming you meet all the requirements for Internet connectivity, the watch comes with a staggering amount of features:
- Turn on its screen automatically when the wrist is raised
- The ability to distinguish between a simply touch and a longer press.
- Send "tap notifications for alerts
- Receive calls, texts, emails and even social media updates
- Siri Access
- Designed to work with Apple Pay
- Fitness tracker to track steps and a built-in heart rate monitor
- Send your heartbeat to others
- Draw and send doodles to friends
4. Different models
There will be at least three different models for people to choose from:
Apple Watch Sport
The Apple Watch Sport can be considered the base line Apple Watch. It will come with an aluminum frame in silver or black and a synthetic rubber strap in multiple colors. Current price estimates for this watch believe the watch will start at $349.
Apple Watch
The Apple Watch will have a stainless steel frame in silver or black and will come with your choice of a leather band, a link bracelet, a Milanese loop, or a synthetic rubber band for your wrist. Current estimates for the price of this midrange watch range from $700 to $1,000.
Apple Watch Edition
The Apple Watch Edition is considered the luxury version of the smart watch and it will feature an 18-karat gold or rose gold frame and will be interchangeable with all of the available Apple band options. This version is currently predicted to be one of Apple's most expensive products ever released ranging in price from $5,000 to $20,000 depending on the size and the accessories chosen.
Some models of the watch will be available in two sizes: a square 1.5-inch face or a larger 1.7-inch screen. The Apple Watch and the Apple Watch Edition will feature screens made of Sapphire Crystal, while the Sport's screen will be made of Ion-X glass. All three models will have only two buttons. One button, the "Digital Crown," acts as a home button and allows users to scroll through a list of apps, zoom in on maps, and more. The other button brings up a friends list to make it quick and easy to communicate with others.
5. Where it Falls Short
Not all news is good news about the watch. It has been reported that battery life has been a problem and will fall far short of expectations. While Apple hoped one charge would last for 19 hours with a mixture of active and passive use, at least one report says the watch will only run for only 2.5 to 4 hours under heavy use.
In an effort to save the battery and get around many roadblocks, Apple has limited much of the health monitoring components. In the end Apple removed some aspects of heart monitoring, and eliminated features that measured stress levels, blood pressure, and blood-oxygen levels.
The Apple Watch is still veiled in much secrecy but Apple is poised to shed a little light on the Watch and what it can and cannot do on Monday and it could provide answers to many of the questions surrounding the watch that so many have been waiting to it hit stores everywhere.
