The Apple Watch has just recently become available for direct purchase with a most recent release date. For those looking to purchase one, you should know its price, features, as well as many possible apps and accessories.
According to CNET, you might not be able to just walk in an Apple store and leave with an Apple Watch on your wrist. Instead, you will need to make a reservation, and this is going to be a policy at Apple for the "indefinite future". For those that want to quickly pick up an Apple Watch, then it is recommended that you know exactly what model, finish, and band that you want.
The reason why Apple is using this new tactic is based on inventory availability, but there is another factor as well. The Apple Watch isn't like an iPhone, iPad, or MacBook where every single product is the essentially identical. The Apple Watch has several options in its design, and they want to have these fitting appointments so Apple consumers feel good about leaving the store with the one Apple Watch they have chosen.
If you are interested in the Apple Watch, it would be best to set up your appointment now. It might not be possible to just walk in to get a fitting unless it is a slow day at your local Apple Store. The appointments will be done in 15 minute increments, and you can see which is right for you.
The Apple Watch has a stainless steel and sapphire screen, and it has a dial on the side for controls which they call the "Digital Crown". The interface looks very different to other iDevices, sacrificing square icons for circular ones. The user can magnify the content using the dial, and the Digital Crown is the "home" button. For a small screen, it has haptic feedback and can tell the difference between a press and a touch, which will be very important when it comes to navigation with the Map program.
There is also a feature known as Glances which gives the user quick info with a swipe of a finger. By the way, Siri is built into the watch in case you are one of those people who will literally "talk to the hand", and you can also make phone calls on it as well. Other features include four LED lenses, pulse-rate detector, gyroscope, and accelerometer. A lot of emphasis in the presentation shows the Apple Watch's fitness applications, which means it is a fitness bracelet/fitness tracker as well as a smartwatch. On the back of the watch is a different type of charger, and the battery life will be about 18 hours.
For those interested in accessories for the Apple Watch, they are available now. Gotta Be Mobile reports on such products like the Reserve Strap, which is essentially a strap with a battery to charge the Apple Watch as you go for about $249. Then there are also screen protectors and stands designed for charging as well.
As for applications, reports have been flooding in of various applications made for the small screen and control with the Digital Crown. They are too numerous to name, and you should check the out at the Apple Store.
The 38 mm model of the Apple Watch is about $349, and then there is another 42 mm version for about $399. There will be mid-level models for about $549 to $1,099. There will also be a luxury 18 karat gold edition for $10,000. Since the Apple Watch is a very new product, it is not known how much of a game-changer that it will be.
