After months of waiting, the Apple Watch has finally launched across the globe.
This is Apple’s first attempt at wearable technology and it’s a big gamble for the US tech giant.
Smartwatches have, so far, failed to ignite excitement amongst the tech loving public with Android Wear devices suffering dismal sales.
But if one company can change opinion it’s Apple.
Over the past decade they've revolutionised the market with the iPhone, iPad, iPod and iMac, so can they do it again with the smartwatch?
To discover how good, or bad, the Apple Watch is, we decided to put it through a month-long test.
So, with it strapped to our wrist here’s our full verdict of the Apple Watch.
LOOK & FEEL
This is one part of our review that’s been simple.
The Apple Watch is beautiful and is, without question, the best looking smartwatch money can buy.
Apple have managed to create something you want to wear and it actually looks like a classic timepiece.
On the side of the Apple Watch is the Digital Crown which brings some added style and plenty of functionality to the device – it also helps to make it look more like a traditional watch.
Its style is also helped by the huge range of straps you can choose from – there's 38 in total.
And if you get bored of the one you've picked you simply push a button on the back to change it.
It's not just on the outside that things get personal as the digital watch face can also be easily customised with plenty of different combinations.
Pop the Apple Watch on your wrist and you’ll hardly notice it’s there as this device is ultra comfortable to wear.
The only issue we’ve noticed is that the case can get easily scratched which, with its high price is a let down.
If you want it to stay looking pristine, you’ll need to take care.
Otherwise it’s hard to fault Apple’s design and this is one of the only smartwatches that won’t make you look like a gadget geek.
DISPLAY
Apple have squeezed their Retina display into the watch and it’s good…very good.
Arriving in two sizes (38mm & 42mm) content looks bright, sharp and you’ll have no problems reading it in the summer sunshine.
The touchscreen is also super responsive and Apple’s new Force Touch technology brings an added dimension to the screen.
This new tech senses force and can distinguish between a light tap and a deep press.
With Force Touch, pressing firmly on the screen brings up additional controls in apps like Messages, Music and your Calendar.
It’s clever and works well…once you’ve got the hang of it.
To save battery life, the Apple Watch display is always off, springing into life when you raise your wrist.
Whilst this works most of the time it’s not 100% foolproof and, on occasions, you will be presented with a blank screen which is irritating.
You can switch the watch on via the digital crown or by tapping the screen but it’s a shame that, like some Android devices, Apple haven’t included the option to have an always-on display.
If you opt for the more expensive Watch or Watch Edition you’ll get indestructible sapphire glass, but sadly the cheaper Watch Sport isn’t so lucky, so be careful with it.
This is one of the best smartwatch display's on the market and makes most of the competition look decidedly mediocre.
USING THE APPLE WATCH
If you own an iPhone or iPad you'll get to understand the Apple Watch pretty quickly.
In fact the device feels like a miniature version of both.
Apps are displayed on the homescreen and you can interact with them via you finger or the Digital Crown.
The screen is of course quite small and fat fingers may get frustrated.
Apple have also brought Glances to the Watch which allows you to get information by swiping up or down on the screen.
It works well and lets you get to some of the best functions such as music controls, heart rate monitor and your emails quickly.
The device is intuitive to use and within a few hours of wearing it we'd discovered most of its features.
NOTIFICATIONS
Yes the Apple Watch tells the time but it’s the notifications that really make this device worth owning.
All of your digital life is beamed to it via your smartphone, giving you instant access to texts, tweets, phone calls and emails.
When a message is received you’ll even get a subtle tap on your wrist to let you know someone’s trying to get in touch.
Notifications work well on the watch and Apple have included a nice feature which lets you decide which messages you want and don’t want to appear.
And you'll need this function otherwise the Watch constantly lights up, like a tree in December, which is highly irritating.
You can also respond to messages in some clever ways including drawing on the screen or talking directly to the watch – both of which work well.
We did notice a few rogue messages appearing during our test and sometimes the device starts buzzing for no apparent reason.
But, when you’ve left your phone upstairs and you're relaxing on the sofa, taking a phone call Dick Tracy-style will leave you feeling very smug indeed.
BATTERY
The Apple Watch has come in for some serious stick over its battery life but we’ve had no problems with power.
The device has easily got us through a day and you can almost squeeze two days out of it if you’re careful.
Clearly, the more you use it the more juice you'll get through but on our test the battery never ran flat.
If you want to be 100% certain of a working watch you will need to charge it nightly but Apple have made this simple via the magnetic charging cable.
With this clever charger by the side of our bed, we simply filled the watch with juice whilst getting our beauty sleep.
It’s easy to be critical of having to charge your watch every night but, like giving your teeth a brush, it soon becomes part of your bedtime routine and really isn’t an issue.
FITNESS
OK we’ll admit it, we’re not very fit.
With the choice of a Sunday morning run or breakfast in bed there’s only one choice and it doesn’t involve lycra shorts.
We know it sounds strange but the fitness features on the Apple Watch have actually begun to make us more active.
Each day you can see how sporty you’ve been with all the data appearing in a simple colour coded format on your iPhone.
The watch monitors steps, exercise and if you’ve been standing up enough.
Hitting your goal each day becomes very addictive.
The watch will also track runs and cycle rides, bringing data on calories burned, distance, time and your heart rate.
The only issue is that the watch doesn’t have in-built GPS so you’ll need your phone squeezed into your shorts to get precise data.
It's annoying that Apple didn't pop GPS inside and because of this the Apple Watch won’t replace some top-of-range fitness trackers.
If you're a fitness fanatic the Apple Watch probably isn't for you, but for everyone else it's the perfect companion to help get you off the sofa.
(dailystar.co.uk)
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