Are you looking to own an Apple Watch? With its beautiful design and ingenious engineering, it’s not hard to understand why. But there are some things you need to know before deciding on the one that will end up on your wrist. Here you will find the ultimate guide to choosing the right Apple Watch for you!
With the recently announced Apple Watch Price reductions and promotions by various retailers, this is definitely a great time to pick up an Apple Watch if you were considering to buy one.
Contents
Apple Watch Models
There are three main models of the Apple Watch, including:
- Apple Watch Sport
- Apple Watch
- Apple Watch Edition
The least expensive version is the Apple Watch Sport, followed by the Apple Watch and then the high-end, luxury Apple Watch Edition.
In terms of functionality, the watches are the same, the difference lies in the materials used to make each model. For the Apple sport watch, it has an aluminum casing and the watch face which is made of Ion-X glass. These two combine to make for a weight which is 30% less than the standard Apple Watch. You can choose from a silver or gray finish and 5 different colored fluoroelastomer straps. Lastly, a pin is used to keep the watch fastened.
The Apple Watch is cased in stainless steel, and it comes in black or a polished metal look. You can choose from 6 strap options ranging from leather variations to a link bracelet, or fluoroelastomer. The front is made of sapphire crystal and as for the buckle, it’s either a magnetic clasp or a normal buckle.
Lastly, the Apple Watch Edition is made of an 18-carat gold and comes in either yellow gold or rose gold. This model is paired with strap options particular to the size and color of the watch face. Apple claims the casing is 2 times as hard as standard gold, so it will hold up in the terrible case that it does get dropped. Additionally, the front is polished sapphire crystal.
There is also a special edition you may be interested in:
Apple Watch Hermes features the standard Apple Watch stainless steel body but distinguishes itself with a leather strap made by Hermes’ artisans in Paris. There are three straps available, the Double Tour, Single Cour and Cuff, and they are available in four colors: Fauve, Etain, Capucine and Bleu Jean.
iPhone Support
In order for the watch to work, it requires being connected to an iPhone 5c, 5s, 6, 6 Plus, 6s, or 6s which is running iOS 8.2. The iPhone does most of the processing and then pushes information to the Watch. With the release of iOS 8.2, all iPhones are ready to be paired with an Apple Watch through a pre-installed app, so there is little you need to do in order to get your Watch set up and running.
Which Size Do you Want? 38mm vs. 42mm
The Apple Watch features cases in two sizes – 38mm or 42mm, which is the height of the watch face. These are built to suit the average woman (38mm) or man (42mm), but can be chosen depending on your personal preference. Other than size, there are no other design differences, however, the larger face comes at a higher price tag. It’s important to factor the size of the watch face into your purchasing decision because that will impact its comfort. The available options for materials, color and strap are slightly different for each size, so you will want to choose your size and then see which configurations are available.
Strap and Face Variation
Each version of the Apple Watch comes in one or two colors. The Apple Watch Sport and Apple Watch both come in silver and black in their respective materials – stainless steel and aluminum. Hermes is only available in silver while the Apple Watch Edition comes in yellow gold or rose gold. The color you pick doesn’t affect the price, so the choice is based purely on preference.
The type of strap on the other hand, does have an impact on the price. You will want to look at the different types of straps as well as the colors available for each type of the watch you choose and compare prices to find the best fit for you. Also, keep in mind that there are third-party straps available.
As for the watch faces, don’t fret, this is not another decision you have to make before buying. Watch faces can be changed under the settings on your watch. There are many watch faces available, and they are also customization, including Chronograph, Color, Modular, Utility, Mickey Mouse, Simple, Motion, Solar, Astronomy, Timelapse, Photo, and X-Large.
Features
The Apple Watch boasts multiple features. These include the following:
- Phone notifications like messages and calls that you can respond to directly from the watch
- A heart rate monitor and fitness tracking, along with the Apple Workout app which is one the core features.
- Digital Touch, which is a person to person way of communicating with other Apple wearable wearers. Not only that, you can also sketch images, use the watch like a voice walkie-talkie or tap which will contact another wearer.
- A neat feature is how you can share your heart beat which will cause vibrating on another person’s wrist in sync with your heartbeat. How romantic!
- There’s also a contactless payments feature called Apple Pay, which allows for credit, debit and loyalty numbers to be used with just a wave of the device in front of the reader at eligible stores.
OPINION: We also wrote a recent opinion piece that highlighted some of our experiences after owning the Apple Watch for nine months. This article was very well liked by our readers.
Upcoming Update
In the upcoming March update to the Apple watch, there’s reportedly a series of new band color options being added to the lineup. There will also be entirely new bands made out of new materials in collaboration with companies other than Hermes. There was also talk last year about partnering up with popular third-party accessory makers, such as Incase, but it’s not clear if this will be part of the release in March as of yet. We hope so!
It’s also unlikely that there will be new hardware functionality in this March update, but Apple will probably be releasing the WatchOS 2.2 update, which went into the developer beta stage earlier this month, alongside the new variations. Developer betas have shown that the new software allows for multiple Apple Watches to be synced to a single iPhone, in addition to new functionality in the Maps app. We will find out soon!
Apple Watch 2 Rumors
What can we expect from the next Apple Watch and is it worth holding out? When it comes to hardware, there have been some rumors from Korean news outlet MK News. One said the Apple Watch 2 will feature the same LG OLED screen as its predecessor. These sources report that Apple plans to stick with LG because of the company’s proven fast production times and high-quality products, which means that there will not be a need to worry about panel shortages and delays. However, some other rumors claim that Apple has roped in LG and Samsung to produce screens for the next-generation Apple Watch. The report said that the display will have a flexible OLED, but won’t change in terms of size or resolution.
RELATED: Apple Watch 2, What to Expect
Another rumor flying around is saying that the next Apple Watch will come with a FaceTime camera. It seems that the video camera will be integrated into the top bezel, enabling users to make and receive FaceTime calls while on the go. This same report claims that Apple may improve the battery life of the smartwatch with a longer-lasting unit that will also allow more health sensors to be added.
On the software side, Apple Watch 2 may be less reliant on a connected iPhone, allowing for un-tethered texting and emailing, with their new ‘tetherless’ initiative. This will come through a more dynamic wireless chipset, which will also come with a ‘Find my Apple Watch’ feature. There is also talk that the second-generation Apple Watch will be available in new hues, including a rose gold color. However, these are just rumors, for now, only time will tell!
You’re now armed with all the information you need to get an Apple Watch for yourself. Now all that’s left for you to do is to decide on your budget, and the design that suits you and your lifestyle best! Which color
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