After a wait of over 6 months, Apple Watch will finally hit the Indian shores on November 6. Yes, the announcement was made through Apple’s India website.
The Watch is Apple’s first wearable device that not only tracks your fitness (in addition to reminding you to stand up every hour), but also gives you email, text messages, notifications and apps right on your wrist.
Meanwhile, there is no mention of the Apple Watch’s price on the official website. It is expected that the smartwatch will start at approximately Rs 30,000 in the country. Available in two sizes – 38 mm and 42 mm – prices in the US range from $349 to $17,000 before taxes.
It comes in three variants – Apple Watch, Apple Watch Edition and Apple Watch Sport. The first two come with sapphire crystal to protect the screen from cracking, whereas the sports version has a strengthened Ion-X glass on the display.
The Apple Watch was launched in a handful of countries including the US, France, Japan, and the UK in April, and has since seen a phased rollout in other countries.
NewsMobile jots down some of the key feature of the watch that would make buyers accustomed to the device.
Battery Life: Tim Cook promised that the Apple Watch will have “all-day battery life” of 18 hours, and the device uses a magnetic charging system.
Functionality: Despite having a small screen, the use of the Digital Crown (small wheel on the side of standard watches) helps zoom in and out without obscuring the screen. The Apple Watch has a flexible retina display which is sensitive to how hard you touch it.
Personalisation: There is an enormous variety of straps and three different watch variants for different users. The variants are Apple Watch, Apple Watch Sports and Apple Watch Edition. Straps are made from leather, metal and plastic.
Siri: Linking in with the iPhone to use Siri means that there is no keyboard on such a small screen. You can select pre-determined responses to messages or you can dictate with Siri.
Apps & Maps: Popular apps such as Instagram, MLB.com At Bat, Nike+ Running, OpenTable, Shazam, Twitter, WeChat and more will also be available on Apple Watch. The Apple Watch will also guide you by using the Taptic Feedback. It has two different kinds of notifications to let you know when to turn left or right.
The Digital Touch system enables users to use the Taptic feedback vibration feature to nudge other Apple Watch wearers. This includes the ability to send your heartbeat, as well as doodle on-screen and send them as animations.
Fitness: A comprehensive range of functions for fitness include the Stand Ring, Exercise Ring and Move Ring. To show when you should take a break from sitting down, when you should be more active and how much exercise you’ve done.
The Apple Watch includes real-time analysis on calories burnt, time exercised, pace and distance for your work outs. The Apple Watch learns you over time to perfect how to guide you to be a fitter person.
Glances: The Watch’s OS contains a feature called Glances, which revolves around notifications and enables the wearer to see the key highlights from their day, including the ability to read full emails and text messages, and quickly reply in a couple of taps.