Apple Watch Update: Release Date, Pricing Info, Features

The iWatch is real, only it's not called the iWatch, it's called the Apple Watch. It's going to be available next year but there's still no word on connectivity, battery life or whether or not it will be sold through mobile carriers.

Design

The Apple Watch's design is a bit understated. It's a rectangular-shaped watch face that doesn't appear to be too large--although there are two sizes to choose from. It has a button and a turnable crown on the right side of its body, which provides certain functionality and interactive ability for users depending on which app or part of the watch's UI they are currently in.

The Apple Watch will support all sorts of different watchbands, which will allow for a level of customization that is uncharacteristic of Apple devices. And whats more, the Apple Watch will come in two different sizes so people of all wrist sizes and watch face size preferences can have something that works for them.

The Apple Watch has a flexible OLED screen that is covered by scratch-resistant sapphire glass. The touch interface also can tell the difference between a tap and a long-press, which should help users have more options for navigating the Apple Watch's interface. 

Features

The watch has what Apple calls a "taptic engine," which provides different sorts of vibration notifications. This will allow users to understand what the watch is telling them (or the source or type of notification, at least) without even looking at the screen.

Wireless charging is also supported here. And the charging interface appears to be magnetic and will attach to the Apple Watch's backside while it charges.

Apps can be accessed from the Apple Watch home screen by using a tap and/or turning the watch's crown to select an app, and then users press to select. 

Messaging on the Apple Watch looks pretty cool. The watch can listen to your voice and you can reply to messages that way. It also will read your incoming messages and provide you with preselected responses that should be appropriate based on the incoming message.

Siri is built in to the Apple Watch, and users can access her voice prompt by pressing the crown. 

Favorited photos from your Apple account will appear on the Apple Watch and you can look through them with the help of the crown's zoom in and out functionality.

Apple Pay will work with the Apple watch. You can just swipe your watch over a pay terminal and it will process your payment. 

Health & Fitness

The Apple Watch will natively support two apps that focus on health and fitness; they're called 'Fitness' and 'Workout.' 

The watch will use its built-in sensor array to keep track of your activity levels throughout the day. The accelerometer, heart-rate monitor and your iPhone's GPS all are part of how the watch will track your activity levels, or lack there-of. This includes prompts that you should "stand up for at least 1 minute in every hour." Weird, but cool?

Compatability

The Apple Watch will work with the iPhone 6, iPhone 6 Plus, iPhone 5S, iPhone 5C and iPhone 5. 

It will also come in three models: Apple Watch, Apple Watch Sport and Apple Watch Edition.

Pricing and Availability

The Apple Watch will be available in "early 2015," and will cost $349 to start. Yikes. Still no word on battery life either, but hey, U2 played at the end of the event!