Two new interactive tools let you try out the Apple Watch before it hits Apple Store shelves next month: The first lets you try out various Apple Watch case colors and finishes with the different strap options available. The next lets you play with the Apple Watch apps that have already been announced.
MixYourWatch.com: We know Apple will have bands sold separately as accessories when Apple Watch launches, but we’ll have to see what style of bands it has for sale. In other words, the gold case with steel milanese loop combo pictured above might not be an option if the band isn’t available separately (not that you’d want that combo anyway). But you can at least dream up your favorite combo now using MixYourWatch and hope Apple delivers with more than just its Sport bands when the device launches. Here are a few not so great combos I made:
WatchAware.com: App developers have slowly been announcing upcoming Apple Watch apps. A second tool on WatchAware.com collects them all in one place and lets you flip between App, Glance, and Notification views to get a feel for how the apps will work on the Watch.
Some of the apps you can already check out on the site include Pinterest, American Airlines, MLB at Bat, Run 5K, Twitter, and some of Apple’s own apps like Maps.
We’ll of course be bringing you live coverage of Apple’s March 9 event where the company will likely give us a second look at Apple Watch and maybe show off new features, pricing, and availability ahead of the device’s April launch.
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steel/steel (and not the dark one)
Only problem with these sites is that Apple is selling these as collections. You can’t put a Milanese band on an aluminum watch. The aluminum sport watch only can use the sport band. Read the website and verbiage carefully. This is from the steel page “The display is protected by sapphire crystal. And there’s a choice of three different leather bands, a link bracelet, a Milanese loop, and a band made from high-performance fluoroelastomer.” You only have a choice of those bands for that model.
Apple may surprise but I doubt it. These are collections.
“And the matching fluoroelastomer band comes in five different colors.”
They never show the aluminum Watch with anything other than rubber band and never show an Edition watch with a steel link bracelet. You only get what comes in the collection. So choose wisely
How does Apple stop someone from choosing a band outside of the models on their website? 9to5Mac already reported you’ll be able to buy bands seperately.
There have been photos of people in public wearing the Sport with the leather loop though…
No actually. If you look at even their introductory videos you’ll notice that there’s a standard system for interchanging bands. The cases have a special gap at each end where you can fit in any band.
Thank you for bringing a little bit of sense into this discussion thread…
There is a standard system for interchanging. But you cannot buy certain watches with certain bands. As we all now know, entry level to the black steel watch is 1049. Even if you don’t want the black steel bracelet. Again. These are collections.
I think you can only *buy* a sport watch with a sport band, but that doesn’t mean you can’t buy a Milanese band from Apple and use it with your sport watch.
I think that what people have come up with about the different collections and band availability is about what will come bundled with each watch, but I don’t see how they would keep you from buying a standalone band and using it with your watch (as long as it’s the correct 38mm/42mm size).
An exception to that might be the gold Edition bands, I could see them not being sold separately.
I disagree that the Gold watch with the Milanese loop is something “you wouldn’t want.” I think it looks quite nice.
The BIG thing missing from the mixyourwatch site is the different SIZES. If you look at Apple’s site you will see that not all watch bands are available for all SIZES. So you actually CAN’T have the macho leather loop with the small watch or the girlie leather bands with the large watch.
After market, bands will be for sale by third parties, so you can mix and match the bands and the watches beyond Apple’s prescription of what goes with what, but when it comes to the watch SIZES, that’s a solid barrier.
f Apple doesn’t produce a “small” leather loop band, then it will never be possible to use it on the small watch. If Apple doesn’t product a “large” leather strap, then it will be impossible to use those on the large watch.
They’ve said that all cases and all bands come in both sizes.
Nope, it’s shown on the Apple website that some of the plain leather bands are only for the smaller versions. So beside looking good or not, not all will be available for all sizes.
Yellow gold and space black link bracelet.
Good lord!!!!!!!
Didn’t realize how good the modern buckle and Milanese loop look until now, although they’re prominently shown on Apple’s website … Well, at least these are two alternatives if the price of the link bracelet will be nuts. At least I hope one of the three options will be less than €150.
Is there any news on whether 3rd party straps may be available at launch or not? I find it hard to believe that the Chinese aren’t manufacturing knock offs already.
I’m sure they are. However, I’m sure that higher quality (but still cheaper) third party bands will take some time so that they can get the exact specs of the connection points. But, you never know
Apple will probably release the dimensions and all the guidelines for accessories :) Just like they do with all iOS devices.
I just can’t wait to freaking get one!
Even if you have to re-charge it every 24 hours ? While the Pebble Time Steel has a projected “up to 10 days” between charges.
Can hardly wait till Monday…I’m like a kid at Christmas…