Recently, one of the most interesting developments in the field of wearable smart technology took place when Apple released their much awaited Apple watch. Excitement has already been sky-high about the impending release of this device, with Apple CEO Tim Cook fueling the fire by saying that this gadget will “change the way you live your life”.

This new, exciting piece of advanced wearable technology coming from the Apple stable has already had Apple enthusiasts waiting, and its release has caused a lot of excitement and fanfare. After teasing the Apple watch for the first time last year, Apple provided us with a detailed preview of the device this month, and has confirmed that the device will be available in stores sometime in April. Developers around the world have already prepared themselves to launch their own apps for the Apple watch platform, and there is already a steadily growing accessory market related to the product.

The Journey of the Apple Watch

The Apple watch was teased last year during the launch of the much-awaited iPhone 6. Eager fans had to wait for quite a while before the second, detailed teaser came this month, along with the launch of the new 12-inch model of the MacBook. The device is scheduled to hit the stores in major countries in the month of April, about six months after Apple provided us with a first look at it.

Competitively priced and coming in various designs, the Apple watch is set to enter an already competitive market currently full of Android platform based devices. The specifications and feature set on offer, along with the value and quality of the Apple brand makes this device an attractive choice for Apple users around the world.

Features and Specifications

For people who are accustomed to wearable technology coming in fairly generic, unimpressive designs, Apple has solved the problem by creating multiple designs for the Apple watch. The three basic varieties available are –

• The basic, entry level Apple watch
• The Apple watch Sport, which comes with a ruggedized body and reinforced glass on top
• The Apple watch Edition, built for those with discerning fashion tastes

There are also choices based on color, packing cases and dial sizes, with a number of cosmetic and functional customization options.

With the UI, Apple has tried to address some of the problems people have when trying to work through icons on a small screen. The new Digital Crown technology uses the dial on the side to navigate the device, zoom in and out and also acts like the home button in Apple devices. The device can also recognize the force and pressure of the touch input and respond accordingly.

Apple has also incorporated a new notification system that enabled the watch to tap or nudge your wrist to alert you about important notifications. Most Apple device apps will be able to sync with the device, send notifications and present you with mini previews of their information on the watch display. The Apple watch is also set to contain a number of health and fitness features, and be perfectly compatible with Apple’s virtual assistant Siri.

Will you be ordering the Apple Watch soon? Write in to us and let us know.

The 2014 Apple Conference near its headquarters in Cupertino, California turned heads by the bunch with new devices, a new payment system and new a smart watch. If you haven’t had the chance to watch it live, here is our lowdown on the key highlights of the glittering events that was as many as 4 launches in one dazzling evening.

#1 – iPhone 6 and iPhone 6 Plus – The device every loyal Apple fan has been waiting for was finally announced by Tim Cook, the Chief Executive of Apple. While the basic look of exterior matches the iPhone 5, the slightly rounded corners managed to hold attention. Also prominent was the protrusion of the camera lens out of the phone’s body. While the iPhone 6 sports a 4.7 inch screen, the iPhone 6 Plus boasts of a huge 5.5 inch screen – the biggest screen size on iPhone till date.

Both the phones feature Retina HD display, iOS8 and 20 LTE bands. They run on the proprietary Apple A8 64-bit 2^nd generation SoC that contains a little over two billion transistors built around a 20nM process. Apple claims 25% speedier CPU and 5% boost on graphics. ¹

The price sensitive consumer would be forced to think twice before ordering the new iPhone 6. However, crazy fans around the world will see no problems in shelling out $299 for 16 GB, $399 for 64 GB or $499 for a 128 GB iPhone. The interesting thing here is the increased storage made available in place of the maximum 64GB space in previous iPhones. ²

We are sure that the new editions will be a delight to both the iOS app developers as well as the iPhone users.

#2 – Apple Pay – The conference also marked the debut of Apple Pay, a new payment process that uses NFC and fingerprint-sensing TouchId to enable purchases directly from the phone itself. Users simply have to get a one-time credit card verification done from their bank. They can then use Passbook, Apple’s online merchant services, to make payment at a wireless tap-and-pay terminal. Tim Cook claims Apple Pay to be “an entirely new category of service. And it’s all about the wallet”. ²

#3 – Apple Watch – Apple also officially announced its first Apple Watch at the event. It has an accuracy of +/- 60 milliseconds and comes in six strap styles and 2 metal frames color tones. Some of the key features include Siri integration, touch screen, a gyroscope, a heart monitor and an accelerometer. It also doubles up as a “comprehensive health and fitness device” by using a three-ring system for monitoring physical activity everyday and gauging it against set goals. It will be available from 2015 onwards at a starting price of $349.

Tim Cook’s love for music was evident when he mentioned the iTunes festival in London and the growing fan base of iTunes. He then announced the final performance of the evening by U2 and helped distribute the band’s latest album for free to the participants.

Write in to us and tell us which of the product launches of the evening did you find the most enticing?

1 – http://www.extremetech.com/computing/189787-apples-a8-soc-analyzed-the-iphone-6-chip-is-a-2-billion-transistor-20nm-monster

2 – http://bits.blogs.nytimes.com/2014/09/09/apple-live-blog-new-iphone/?_php=true&_type=blogs&_r=0

3 – Image source – Mashable