Updated: Apple Watch release date, news and features

Apple Watch release date and price

Apple Watch is at long last coming in April - you can set your friends' inferior Android Wear watches on it - and we know all about what's literally been hiding up CEO Tim Cook's sleeve.

It's a sapphire-coated smartwatch officially dubbed Apple Watch, shedding the fabled iWatch moniker as the company focuses on chic wearables over geeky tech.

With the new April release date announced, it's also shedding that vague "early 2015" launch window in favor of a month with 30 days on the calendar. It'll be here in three months.

Matching Apple's drive for style, this iPhone-compatible watch sports a premium rectangular design. It has rounded-off corners, though isn't a circular smartwatch like its fashionable rival, Moto 360.

Of course, behind that pretty watch face, it's still a powerful gadget and works seamlessly with iOS 8 devices including the new iPhone 6 and iPhone 6 Plus.

• Hands on: Apple Watch review

Here's everything we know.

Cut to the chase

What is it? An iOS 8-friendly watch that plays nice with your iPhone

When is it out? April

What will it cost? Starts at $349 (likely north of £223, AU$403)

Apple Watch release date

Saying something like "Hey, Siri, set a reminder for the 'Apple Watch launch' for three months from now" is going to be a whole lot easier with simple a flick of the wrist in just 90 days.

April is when the Cupertino firm will release its smartwatch on the masses, winding back the digital crown on rumors that suggested March for the official Apple Watch date.

That's still right on track with the vague "early 2015" launch window Apple had previously stated and the "spring 2015" that was leaked from an internal alleged internal memo last year.

Although this Apple Watch release date news is so fresh that not even Apple's website is updated with the information, we've already blocked off the entire month to wait in line. It's happening.

Price

We're no longer asking "when will Apple Watch come out?" Instead, we're focusing on "how much will the Apple Watch cost?" There's really no precedent for a premium smartwatch price just yet.

The answer: More than we were hoping to pay, even though its specs may be on par with Android Wear.

That notorious Apple tax pushes the pricetag to $349 given components involved. That's £223 in the UK and AU$403 in Australia, but expect those prices to be even higher, above the straight dollar conversion.

• Before iWatch: the timely history of the smartwatch

It's true that Apple has recruited high-profile people throughout the watch and biometrics industries who have wound up on its Apple Watch team. That talent comes at a price.

Then there's a hidden cost. While a subsidized iPhone 6 and iPhone 6 Plus are cheaper upfront in the US, stores make up the difference with contract kickbacks. Not so with a smartwatch. Stores need a cut too.

For the sake of comparison, Android Wear's cheaper initial watches included Samsung Gear Live at $200 (£170, AU$250) and LG G Watch at $230 (£160, AU$250) at launch.

But Apple's biggest and most stylish competition is from Motorola, and the Moto 360 price is $249 (£199, likely AU$275 given its rivals' prices).

Apple is aiming for luxury given the sapphire glass-protected display, an imposing digital crown, two sizes and even the 18k gold colored edition. Expect prices for that version to climb even higher.

Apple Watch won't be an impulse buy for most consumers. That's why we'll continue to update this page to see whether or not the iPhone-compatible smartwatch is a fit for you. Stay tuned.

What does Apple Watch do?

Apple's first wearable gadget beams messages, Facebook updates and simplified apps to our wrists, eliminating the all-too-common need to take out our devices to constantly check notifications.

There are more than a dozen ways to interact with the watch, from receiving glanceable notifications, to feeling "taptic" feedback, to summoning Siri, according to the developer WatchKit software.

It's going to become especially convenient to pocket the 4.7-inch iPhone 6 and even bigger 5.5-inch iPhone 6 Plus in your jeans, or to always stow the thin, but still 9.7-inch iPad Air 2 in a bag.

Is that phone call a telemarketer not worth your time or an emergency from a loved one? Apple Watch makes mundane notifications easy to dismiss while keeping you in the loop on life's most important alerts.

Other apps seen in the Apple Watch video include iMessages, Health, Calendar, Weather, Mail, Photos, Camera's shutter button, Passbook that now includes Apple Pay and even Apple Maps for navigation.

The number of apps coming is increasing all the time, even before the launch of the watch, and users can even try out the functionality of the wrist-dweller before deciding to go out and buy one.

We've rounded up the best Apple Watch apps to help you decide whether you'll want one at launch. Many will be extensions of built-in iPhone apps, but there will also be new ones.

Use the watch as a flashlight (by making the screen go white), track your pizza delivery or even browse Instagram without getting the phone out of your pocket - certainly a hassle of some more than others.

All of these Apple Watch apps and settings can be organized within a single iPhone companion app, according to newly leaked iOS 8.2 beta details.

Developers are now readying more Apple Watch apps thanks to the WatchKit SDK launch. They're being given a headstart with the software and it could bring a whole new section to the iTunes App Store.

The smartwatch also takes cues from the Nike FuelBand SE and other fitness trackers with health sensors and nutrition apps, a must for any serious wearable gadget these days.

Sure there are fitness apps on your smartphone, but you're not always carrying your iPhone while tracking your steps and activity. The Apple Watch is better suited for your everyday workout.

Apple Watch design, buttons and straps

Apple Watch design

The final Apple Watch design isn't too far from the made-up renders that we saw ahead of the official announcement. It draws inspiration from iPod Nano with a rectangular-shaped screen plus one knob and a single button.

The Apple Watch is more than iPod Nano meets the iPhone, though. The smartwatch display comes in two sizes measured by height: 38mm (1.5in) and 42mm (1.65in). Both are slightly smaller than the entire Pebble Steel watch height, which measures 46mm (1.8in).

We also now know the resolution of each screen. It'll come in two sizes: the 38mm Apple Watch will have a resolution of 272 x 340, while a 42mm version will have a 312 x 390 display.

Apple has only revealed the height of its new smartwatch screen, so we can't properly calculate the pixels per inch, and anyone who does is just guessing. But it'll likely rival the 300ppi of the Samsung Gear S.

The Apple Watch's screen is surrounded by casing made of custom alloys of stainless steel and aluminum that, according to the company, stand up to the physical demands of daily wear and another BendGate.

Beyond the "Apple Watch" and "Apple Watch Sport" versions, a special "Apple Watch Edition" mixes in 18-karat yellow or rose gold for a premium look. It certainly goes well with that gold iPhone 5S.

That brings the metal colors to six: stainless steel, silver aluminum, space black stainless steel, space gray aluminum, 18-karat yellow gold and 18-karat rose gold.

Apple Watch digital crown

The Apple Watch doesn't have a round display like the Moto 360, but the casing does feature a circular knob known as the "digital crown."

This input is unique among smartwatches, but a true classic derived from traditional watches. Apple has of course put a modern-day twist on its functionality.

The Apple Watch digital crown replaces the pinch-to-zoom touchscreen mechanic used on everything from iPhones to MacBooks, which is too impractical on such a small display, according to Apple.

Rotating it allows you to zoom into your app selection, your location on Apple Maps and a photo from a gallery. Scrolling through dates and stopwatch times is handled by this knob too.

The digital crown also acts as the Apple Watch home button. There's no Touch ID sensor here, but Apple Watch is smartly tied to your wristwatch with an anti-theft passcode required whenever it's taken off.

Apple Watch conversation button

The button below the digital crown allows you to start a conversation with friends. Pushing it brings up a their contact info photos and zooming into a specific person with the digital crown gets things started.

Beyond calling and messaging Apple Watch wearing friends, you can get their attention with a gentle tap. It vibrates the "taptic" feedback on their smartwatch.

What's intriguing about this taptic feedback system is that it's said to be more precise and subtle than a vibration everyone can hear. Want to ditch a party? Your friends' secret sign may be three taps on the Apple Watch before bailing. It's an interesting way to get someone's attention.

The Apple Watch goes all Drawesome on us with a bizarre sketch function for light messaging on the wrist. Snapchat became big, why not Swipechat? You can also share your heartbeat with someone in real time, though we're not sure why you would want to.

Apple Watch bands

The variety of Apple Watch bands played better than U2 at the press conference, giving consumers a way to personalize their smartwatch.

Standard straps include Leather Loop that conceals magnets for easy fastening, the leather Modern Buckle and the leather Classic Buckle. There's also a gym-friendly elastomer Sport Band.

Higher-end metal straps include the Milanese Loop with flexible magnetic stainless steel mesh and the stainless steel Link Bracelet.

The ability to swap the straps without having to use tooling or visit or jeweler is one of our favorite features in the Apple Watch vs Moto 360 comparison.

Watch faces, battery and the competition

Apple Watch faces

Apple is promising customizable watch faces with "millions of different appearances." It brings everything to its timepieces, from time lapse backgrounds to classic Mickey Mouse arms as dials.

However, just to be clear, the smartwatch comes with a base of 11 watch faces, according to the official Apple Watch press release. Most allow you to change the colors, design elements and add functionality.

The Apple Watch face gallery shows off an Astronomy design with an interactive, real-time 3D model of the earth, moon and planets. Likewise, the Solar acts as a contemporary sundial.

If you want a moving background, there's the Motion watch face, or a still image, there's the Photo face. Utility, Chronograph, Color, Modular and Simple exhibit more contemporary designs.

Apple Watch has a number of competitors that run on Google Wear, and since their upgrade to Android 5.0 Lollipop, you can now download a large range of watch faces there already.

Google has made the Watch Face API available for developers and a number of striking designs are already available to download. We're guessing that Google will be a bit more relaxed about custom watch faces compared to Apple.

This could mean that we'll see a quality versus quantity debate when it comes to comparing watch faces on Apple Watch and Android Wear devices. By the time the Apple Watch launches, there is a good chance there will be a huge variety of faces already available for Android Wear, so Apple might have a fight on its hands when it comes to customization.

Apple Watch battery life

Tim Cook didn't go into great detail about the Apple Watch battery life, but he did hint that the smartwatch is designed to be "worn all day" and is "simple to charge at night."

"We think people are going to use it so much you will wind up charging it daily," Cook later reiterated at a conference in late October.

That had led us to believe that the Apple Watch battery life will be approximately one day, sort of like the Moto 360, LG G Watch and Samsung Gear Live we've reviewed.

An Apple spokesperson backs up our theory, more or less confirming that the smartwatch requires a daily charge. The person also reportedly said Apple is working on modifications to eek out more battery life.

Previously, when it was known as the Apple iWatch, it was rumored to have a 400mAh battery, but Cook is saving that announcement for a later date.

He did, however, call attention to the unique recharging method. The Apple Watch's back crystal houses a magnetic inductive wireless charging solution similar to the MagSafe design. Again, it looks as if Apple bucks another trend - this time it's the popular Qi wireless charging method - in favor of its own standard.

The competition

Although we don't know the exact release date of the Apple Watch, what we do know for sure is that it will be launching amid fierce competition.

By the time the Apple Watch launches a number of its competitors will have been well established and may even be gearing up for a new version.

LG G Watch R

The LG G Watch R is one such competitor which could give Apple a run for its money. Unlike the Apple Watch (and many other smartwatches) the LG G Watch R comes with an attractive round face that gives it a classy, traditional look.

The screen also looks gorgeous thanks to the P-OLED technology, and on the back of the watch is a heart rate monitor for health apps.

Unlike the Apple Watch the LG G Watch R only comes in one size so if you're not a fan of the design then there's little you can do about it.

At £220 (around $250, AU$280) the LG G Watch R is one of the more expensive smartwatches on the market, and is around the price that the Apple Watch may launch at. By that time, however, the LG G Watch R could have seen a price cut.

Moto 360

The Moto 360 is another stylish smartwatch with a circular design, and it's one of the best wearables on the market today. Although the LCD screen won't be quite as accomplished as the Apple Watch's display, we feel the round design gives the Moto 360 the edge in the looks department.

It's also around $100 cheaper than the lowest priced Apple Watch will be, and again there's a good chance that it will get even cheaper by the time the Apple Watch launches.

The Apple Watch beats the Moto 360 in customization options with the large variety of bands that will be available. Both the Apple Watch and the Moto 360 also allow you to change the style of the watch face, with the recent update to Android 5.0 Lollipop allowing a huge range of new designs to be available to Moto 360.

• Check out who won when we pitted the Apple Watch vs Moto 360

Previous rumors

Apple's smartwatch remained firmly up Tim Cook's sleeve until the very end. Plenty of iPhone 6 spy shots leaked, but so-called "iWatch" photos didn't surfaced before the official announcement.

The final Apple Watch design isn't too far from the renders that we've seen in recent weeks. The iPhone-compatible smartwatch features a rectangular-shaped design, one knob and a single button.

The Apple Watch screens features scratch-resistant protection thanks to sapphire glass. That's really important for wearables that we bang and knock around all day.

Previous rumors indicated that the "iWatch" will end up with a 1.6-inch display, which is slightly larger than the square-shaped iPod Nano 6G, and a two bigger screen options at 1.8 inches.

For a real-world comparison, the now-launched Moto 360 has a circular 1.56-inch LCD touchscreen with an almost completely round 320 x 290 resolution.

It's the 2.5-inch screen that has us collectively scratching our heads. Samsung Gear Live is a large at 1.63 in. and LG G Watch is even bigger at 1.65 inches. Samsung Gear S tips the scales at 2 in.

Apple already makes a device with a 2.5-inch display, the iPod Nano 7G, but it's difficult to imagine the company crafting the same dimensions onto wrists without some of that Apple "magic."

This could be why we're hearing that the iWatch could come in two different sizes that conform to bigger and smaller wrist sizes.

There's also a chance that Apple may compete directly with the Moto 360 smartwatch that features a stunning circular watch face. Could Motorola's stylish smartwatch be why iWatch isn't due until 2015?

The company could, alternatively, go with a more fitness-focused approach with an Apple iBand that's modeled after the Nike FuelBand SE, but its smartwatch features would be limited.

Specs

That LG-made iWatch display may be locked behind sapphire glass to protect it from the sort of nicks and bumps that comes with a constantly worn wearable.

Sapphire glass is the same tough-as-nails material that's supposedly being used in the iPhone 6 in an effort to replace Gorilla Glass 3.

The move, though expensive, would be much appreciated. We've brushed our Android Wear smartwatches against walls in just one week's time and that's too close for comfort.

At the heart of the iWatch needs to be a speedy, yet small processor along the lines of the 1.2 Qualcomm Snapdragon 400 that's inside the Samsung Gear Live.

Apple has partnered with Samsung and ARM for its iPhone processors in the past, including the A7 CPU iPhone 5S, so the same could be true for the iWatch core.

It would also help if Apple could match its two Android Wear competitors' the 512MB of RAM and 4GB of internal storage. Something tells us it won't be user-replaceable.

Sensors

Apple isn't all about cramming more megapixels into its smartphones vs the competition, but it may be inclined to add more sensors than any other smartwatch manufacturers.

The iWatch has been speculated to include more than 10 sensors including an accelerometer, gyroscope, altimeter, compass, heart-rate monitor, pulse oximeter, among others.

This would pivot the iWatch from an iOS notification-reading wearable to a full-fledged fitness tracking devices, taking cues from the Nike FuelBand SE and expanding on that relationship.

Health-focused smartwatches and apps seem like the future of wearables given the biometric sensor-filled Samsung Simband prototype and Apple's own iOS 8 Health app that's just crying out for the iWatch.

Interface and apps

Like a Jetsons watch from the future, iWatch is likely to incorporate Siri on the wrist so that Apple's personal assistant can head your every beck and and phone call.

iWatch could put iOS 8 at your dominant-hand's fingertips at all times thanks to a streamlined interface and smaller versions of the apps that you use every day.

It's expected to push both iMessages and SMS texts to the Apple smartwatch and alert you of upcoming calendar events and reminder tasks.

This would eliminate the all-too-common problems of "I left my phone in the other room," "in the charger" or "in the car overnight." On second, it may ruin some of your best excuses!

The benefit of iWatch apps

An iWatch would basically take the most important notifications from your iPhone and beam them to your wrist.

Care to dismiss a call without the pomp and circumstance of taking your phone out? Done. Or maybe you're waiting by the iPhone for important news? Check.

The iWatch touchscreen may deliver the ability to more discretely dismiss calls and actively keep on top of the ones you want to answer.

Meanwhile, a built-in microphone could launch Shazam to identify a mystery song more quickly (like before the track ends five seconds too soon) or call up directions more safely.

With an iWatch literally on hand, there'd be no more dangerously fumbling with the iPhone on your dash while you wait for Apple CarPlay to be installed on your vehicle of choice.

iWatch apps in the making

We haven't seen official iWatch apps just yet, but Apple's iOS 8 Health app is almost certainly being readied for its first wearable due to metrics you just can't track with a normal iPhone.

Apple's HomeKit has also been previewed as a way to tie together smart home electronics. It could trigger smart light bulbs, door locks and thermostat setting.

Since Android Wear devices like Moto 360 can initiate commands and message replies via voice recognition technology, the same is likely a part of Apple's iWatch roadmap too.

Just don't expect a full iOS 8 experience on the wrist or a phone-call-cabale iWatch decked out with a SIM card like the rumored Samsung Solo. Your Dick Tracy wristwatch days aren't here just yet.

Battery life

The biggest hurdle for the Apple iWatch and all smartwatches in general is battery life. No one wants to charge another gadget every day. We do that too much as it is.

Case in point, one of the major cons we mentioned in our Samsung Galaxy Gear review revolves around its pitiful one-day-per-charge battery cycle. It has a 300mAh battery.

The LG G Watch, which also runs Android Wear, is hardly better at a day-and-a-half average capacity running off of a still-tiny 400mAh battery. Moto 360 is in the middle with a 320mAh battery.

Apple has previously patented a curved battery design that could give it the extra space that it needs to boost the rumored iWatch beyond a day or two.

The smartwatch components need to be small, but the battery life does not, according to energy-drained consumers.

At the same time, they require more than the monochrome display of the Pebble Steel and the originalPebble watches, which eked out a respectable 3-4 and 5-7 day battery life.

This impossible task may be why Tim Cook and company reportedly faced battery woes early on with the iWatch and still hasn't overcome them completely.

Wireless battery charger

At least when the iWatch battery dies, there may be a cool way to recharge the device thanks to wireless charging technology.

Apple has reportedly called upon a wireless charging coil supplier in China to send samples of its technology so that it can implement it into the iWatch.

The iWatch could therefore wirelessly charge through magnetic induction, a method similar to the Qi-compatible Moto 360 smartwatch.

The Moto 360 wireless charging cradle is rather slick, perfect for a nightstand. It could even come with the iWatch, sort of like the first iPhone included a dock in the box initially.

Qi is quickly becoming the more popular wireless charging standard ahead of its rivals. That being said, Apple does like going with its own proprietary technology more often than not.

Waterproof

A lightning connector could also be an alternate way to charge the iWatch, but that may be a more difficult task if Apple is to make it waterproof or at least water resistant.

Smartwatches that can stand up to the elements are being demanded by consumers who want their "24/7 wearables" to be true to that term down to the second.

If the iWatch is like currently Android Wear watches, expect it to be splash proof up to IP67, which is rated for a depth of 1 meter (3.3 feet) for 30 minutes.

That's good for the shower and accidental submersions, but not exactly fit for dunking the iWatch in the swimming pool or taking it in the ocean. Not this first generation at least.

Compatibility

iWatch is likely to loosely follow the iOS 8 compatibility chart by working with new iPhones and iPads that contain newer Bluetooth antennas.

The battery-saving Bluetooth 4.0 Low Energy made its debut in the iPhone 4S, iPad 3 and iPad miniand can be found in all newer models.

It's the exact same lineup that can wirelessly sync with the Fitbit Force, Jawbone Up24 andNikeFuelBand SE.

The iPad 2, which can be upgraded to iOS 8, is the one exception to the chart. It may be left off of the iWatch compatibility list.

It may mean it's time to turn in that old iPhone 4 for an iPhone 6 or a price-reduced iPhone 5S when the new phones launch later this year.

Just don't expect any Android phone, new or old, to work with the iWatch. Android Wear can't connect to Apple's devices, and we expect Apple to return the favor.

TechRadar is going to keep updating this feature explainer leading up to the release date and cost reveal, going beyond the vague spring 2015 and $349 (likely well north of converted £223, AU$403) price.

from TechRadar: All latest feeds http://ift.tt/1yeEsjO

via IFTTT