Updated: Apple Watch release date, price and features

Apple Watch release date and price

Apple Watch owners began donning the iPhone-compatible smartwatch in April and it's coming to coming to Apple Stores soon. You can read how this Android Wear rival performs in our full review.

Want the verdict? Check out our final Apple Watch review

The first Apple Watch sales projections indicate it sold more on day one through pre-orders than Android Wear watches did in in all of 2014. Some new orders have been pushed back as far as July.

This means two things: don't expect Apple Watch in physical stores until after WWDC with few exceptions, and now we have plenty of time to tell you every detail about what's been hiding up Tim Cook's sleeve.

It's an iPhone-tailored smartwatch officially dubbed Apple Watch, shedding the fabled iWatch moniker, as the company focuses on its first chic wearable over geeky tech.

To that lavish point, the Apple Watch price ranges from $349 (£299, AU$499) for the entry-level Sport model to $17,000 (£13,500, AU$24,000) for the top-tier 18-karat gold editions.

YouTube : https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=U3OXz1si_YU

The best Apple Watch apps let you read email, summon Siri, make calls and track your heart rate. Facebook and Twitter notifications are also be beamed your wrist without pulling out your smartphone.

But is this really the first smartwatch that matters, like Cook says? Does Apple Watch battery life of 18 hours hold up? Is it waterproof? We finally have those answers now that it has launched.

Cut to the chaseWhat is it? An iOS 8.2-friendly watch that plays nice with your iPhoneWhen is it out? It's been out for over month following its April 24 release dateWhat will it cost? $349 (£299, AU$499) to $17,000 (£13,500, AU$24,000)Apple Watch release date

The Apple Watch release date was April 24, though it was delivered in the mail. Pre-orders began two weeks prior on April 10, and you can now try it on at the Apple Store during 15-minute appointments.

Apple initially required appointments to demo the popular smartwatch and make an in-store purchase. This eliminated sleep-deprived diehards, who used to camp out for new Apple products. In-store buys still happened in six rare cases around the world.

It's available in nine countries: US, UK, Australia, Canada, China, France, Germany, Hong Kong and Japan. More countries get the Apple Watch at later date, likely in June. Tim Cook promised.

Finally, our Apple Watch vs Android Wear comparison can really get underway. Apple would certainly be winning if hype-building video tours were part of this best smartwatch debate.

Apple Watch price

We finally have an answer to the question: "How much does the Apple Watch cost?" The answer: More than we were hoping to pay in some cases.

Only the aluminum Sport edition "starts at $349 (£299)" and that's for the smaller 38mm version. The 42mm size is slightly more at $399 (£339).

The shinier stainless steel "Watch" collection starts at $549 (£479) and goes up to to $1099 (£949), depending on the Apple Watch bands and size configuration.

The gold Watch Edition's price ranges from $10,000 (£8,000) to $17,000 (£13,500, AU$24,000) and are in limited supply at select Apple Stores. It does come with fancy VIP treatment and a charging stand.

These prices don't seem to be a problem, though. Apple Watch sales in one day are estimated to have outstripped Android Wear watch sales in all of 2014.

Optional add-ons include interchangeable Apple Watch bands and AppleCare Protection Plans, starting at $49 (£49, AU$79).

More designs may arrive with Apple Watch 2 in a year or so. Many critics holding out hope it will include a round watch face and significantly cheaper price to compete with an inevitable Moto 360 2.0.

In-depth: Complete Apple Watch price range breakdown

Why Apple Watch costs so much?

It's not just the notorious Apple tax pushing the price tag to $349 and well beyond, it's the components involved. For example, the all-metal Link Bracelet has 100 components and takes an insane nine hours to cut.

Apple also 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 initial watches were the Samsung Gear Live at $200 (£170, AU$250) and LG G Watch at $230 (£160, AU$250). The more stylish Moto 360 was at $249 (£199, AU$329) before its recent price drop and LG Watch Urbane is set to be even more expensive.

Apple is clearly aiming for luxury given the sapphire glass-protected display, an imposing digital crown, two sizes and even the 18 karat gold edition.

See: Apple Watch bands guide for all 38 bands and cases, and nine facesWhat does Apple Watch actually 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.

YouTube : https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Zr72v7Z7m4Y

There are more than a dozen ways to interact with the watch, from receiving glanceable notifications, to feeling "taptic" feedback, to calling upon Siri.

Apple Watch can also work without an iPhone for select apps, including Apple Pay, Passbook flight check-ins, listening to music during a run and tracking fitness metrics. Oh, and for telling the time accurately too.

Maybe the best idea within the Apple Watch is the Find My iPhone feature that rings your iPhone from the wrist. A "Find My Watch" and "Smart Leash" reminders are reportedly coming to a forthcoming update.

All of these current function run smoother after the Apple Watch OS 1.0.1 update, and more refinements are expected at WWDC 2015 along with iOS 9.

Its 8GB of storage with restrictions limit the amount of photos and music that can be stored directly on the smartwatch, but it's double the space of 4GB Android Wear watches. Most content streams from the iPhone anyway.

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 from 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 with important alerts.

Apple Watch apps, fitness and battery lifeApple Watch apps

Apple Watch doesn't just beams all iPhone notifications to your wrist, it lets you play with and control all sorts of native Apple Watch apps with its touchscreen and digital crown.

Among Apple's 20 built-in apps are Messages, Activity, Workout, Calendar, Weather, Mail, Photos, Camera Remote, Music, Passbook and Apple Maps for navigation.

There were also 1,000 of third-party Watch apps submitted to the App Store even before Apple Watch's launch. It's all thanks to entruperal developers taking advantage of Apple's WatchKit software.

Yes, there are more apps than already-plentiful Apple Watch bands, and we've rounded up the best Apple Watch apps to help you decide before you get your "iWatch."

All Apple Watch apps and settings are organized within a single iPhone companion app that's been available since iOS 8.2 launched, and no this smartwatch container app can't be deleted.

Apple Watch heart rate monitor

Apple Watch's two built-in fitness apps make use of its heart rate monitor and other sensors. Its Activity app tracks movement, exercise minutes and how long the wearer stands.

The smartwatch can also – optionally – ping you when you're unhealthily sitting idle for far too long, like the Jawbone Up24 can do. If "sitting is the new cancer," as Tim Cook said, this is a potential solution.

Apple Watch's other app is Workout, which gives real-time stats for your total exercise time, distance, calories and pace. Keeping you motivated are goals, reminders and achievements.

Apple Watch may be more accurate than the Nike FuelBand SE and Fitbit Surge. Without GPS, structured coaching or marathon-worthy battery life, Apple Watch 1.0 doesn't offer the best fitness routine.

But it could become world's best running watch one day with the right training. The company has been fine tuning its custom heart rate monitor and other sensors in a secret gym lab over the last two years.

Which is better at fitness? Apple Watch vs Microsoft Band

Apple Watch battery life

The Apple Watch battery life is supposed to last all day, but don't expect a full 24 hours from this first iteration of the smartwatch.

Instead, Tim Cook has promised 18 hours of a typical day, which technically does sync with his comments that it can be "worn all day" and is something that's "simple to charge at night."

This number is based on an Apple Watch being paired with an iPhone and used for 90 time checks, 90 notifications, 45 minutes of app use and a 30-minute workout with music playback via Bluetooth.

The Apple Watch battery size is 205mAh for the 38mm case, which is half that of other top Android Wear watches, and the 42mm case features a slightly bigger lithium-ion battery.

Luckily, there's a Power Reserve mode that kicks in when the battery life is critical, giving users an extra 72 hours of juice. Either sizes' watch battery, said to stay good for 3 years, can be replaced – by Apple.

By comparison, the Moto 360, LG G Watch and Samsung Gear Live last about a full day and newer Android Wear watches ASUS ZenWatch, Sony SmartWatch 3 and LG G Watch R go a day and a half.

Before iWatch: the timely history of the smartwatch

We have to test out the Apple Watch to see how it stacks up. At least the disturbing reports about it having as little as 2.5 hours of battery life were unfounded. As we predict, these fears were overblown and likely based on an always-on screen or an Apple Watch prototype.

Apple Watch magnetic charger

There's no USB port on the Apple Watch. Instead, its crystal back houses a magnetic inductive wireless charging solution similar to the MagSafe design.

Again, Apple bucks another trend here – this time it's eschewing the popular Qi wireless charging method – in favor of its own inductive charging standard.

As pointed out at the end of our Apple Watch price range guide, an extra magnetic charger can be bought as an accessory. The 1m cable length is $29 (£25, AU$45) and a longer 2m cable is $39 (£29, AU$59).

Apple Watch design, buttons and strapsApple Watch design

The final Apple Watch design isn't far from the made-up renders we saw ahead of the official reveal and is, thankfully, very different from the first Apple Watch prototype made of an iPhone and Velcro. It's much more refined now.

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. The 38mm Apple Watch has a resolution of 272 x 340, while a 42mm version has a 312 x 390 display. The Apple Watch battery life is longer on the latter size.

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

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 6.

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

A total of 38 design choices for the Apple Watch band designs complicate the lives of early adopters. But knowing the Apple Watch price range has helped narrow that decision.

Is Apple Watch waterproof?

Very few of today's smartphone-linked smartwatches can be considered waterproof enough for swimming, and Apple is one that shouldn't be completely submerged in deep water.

However, you'll be pleased to know that the timepiece is water resistant, as Tim Cook stated that he wears his in the shower. It may also survive a shallow pool for a bit.

The Apple Watch waterproof rating has been certified at IPX7, which means that it can be immersed in water up to 1 meter for up to 30 minutes. That matches and even beats some Android Wear watches.

Pebble is one of the few smartwatch makers, with watches like Pebble Time and Pebble Time Steel, that lets you dive tens of meters down (between 30m and 50m, depending on the model) without a problem.

Comparison: Apple Watch vs Pebble Time SteelApple 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 heartbeat sharing

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 vibration is like nothing we've seen on a smartwatch before, with variations in n pace, number and force of vibrations. So a phone call may urgent, whereas a text feels like a finger tapping your wrist.

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 device's first 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 case-matching 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.

This ease of use comes at a price, as Apple Watch's proprietary bands are not the commonly used 22mm size and don't contain universal spring bars. But fear not, affordable third-party bands are on the way.

Apple Watch faces, compatibility and competitionApple Watch faces

Nine default Apple Watch faces make this wrist hugger even more personal and, like apps, developers are likely to support additional designs via the WatchKit SDK.

Apple mixes it up out-of-the-box with fashionable analog watch faces Chronograph, Color, Simple and Utility. Less professional, but still a timeless classic is the Mickey Mouse watch face.

Digital watch faces show off something special too. Motion flutters with animated background, Astronomy lets you rotate a 3D Earth and Solar follows the sun's real-time path based on your location.

Modular is shaping up be the most customizable watch face of the nine. Swap in stock quotes, weather forecasts or your next calendar event to make this grid-like design in tune with your day.

Apple promises custom watch faces with "millions of different appearances," and this is how it gets there from the initial nine. Most allow you to change the colors, design elements and functionality.

The best part about these Apple Watch faces is that none of them are permanent. If you tire of starring at the a layout, you can always swap it out by pressing down on the face and sliding through the gallery.

Compatibility

Apple Watch compatibility follows the company's strict iPhone 5 or later policy that reflects its recent Apple CarPlay initiative. It's lightning or nothing.

Even though the battery-saving Bluetooth 4.0 Low Energy technology made its debut in the iPhone 4S, it's time for an upgrade. It's also be time to find space to step up to iOS 8.2.

Just don't expect a Android phone to ever work with the Apple Watch, even if you have the new Samsung Galaxy S6 Edge. Yes, Android Wear compatibility for iOS is being worked on, but we don't expect Apple to return the favor.

The competition

We plan to strap the Apple Watch to our non-dominant wrist, but its got a lot of competition to stay buckled in due to all of the Android Wear and Samsung smartwatches.

In fact, since MWC 2015, there are even more Apple Watch competitors that are compatible with new, sleeker phones like the Samsung Galaxy S6 and HTC One M9.

LG Watch Urbane

Now out, the LG Watch Urbane is one such competitor which rivals Apple for all of its money if you're concerned about the price. Unlike the Apple Watch (and many other smartwatches) the Watch Urbane comes with an attractive round face that gives it a classy, traditional look.

A reboot of the G Watch R, the Urbane swaps out the chunky plastic body for a slightly more slender all metal affair, making it clear LG is going after Apple with its latest wearable. 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.

It's also be the first Google-powered with the newly announced Android Wear update featuring Wi-Fi connectivity, better battery performance and emojis you can draw on the wrist.

Unlike the Apple Watch, the LG Watch Urbane 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 £299.99 ($350, about AU$550), the LG Watch Urbane is one of the most expensive smartwatches on the market, but it's still cheaper than the Apple Watch.

Moto 360

Moto 360 is another stylish smartwatch with a circular design, and it's one of the best-looking wearables on the market today.

No, its LCD screen and Android Wear software are as dynamic as Apple Watch's display and WatchKit, but we feel the round design gives the Moto 360 the edge in the looks department. It's also around $100 cheaper than the lowest Apple Watch price.

Apple beats Moto 360 in customization options with the variety of Apple Watch bands that will be available out-of-the-box, but Motorola made its smartwatch compatible with standard 22mm bands, so there are technically more third-party choices than what's sold in the Moto Maker store.

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

TechRadar is going to keep updating this feature explainer, including more tests for the battery life, now that we have launched our full Apple Watch review.

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Original source: Updated: Apple Watch release date, price and features.