Update: Apple has added these four tour videos to its YouTube channel, as well. They are available below.
In the lead-up to the retail debut of its first wearable device, Apple has launched a new website that features demo videos demonstrating the watch’s capabilities. At the moment, there are four videos available on the site, covering the Messages ap, customizable watch faces, and Digital Touch communication features. A general overview at the top of the page provides a broad look at the watch’s capabilities.
At the moment, only those in-depth videos seem to be available, but spaces detailing phone calls, Siri, the mapping application, music playback, Apple Pay transactions, and the built-in pair of health and fitness apps are all marked as “Coming Soon.”
The Apple Watch will be available to try in Apple Stores or pre-order on April 10th. Retail purchases will be available on April 24th. 9to5Mac recently reported on Apple’s retail plans, including training materials for store employees, the new appointments system for purchases, how to try the device without an appointment, and potential stock limits.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=LHdVkPrdRYg
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kMhqSeNMSDA
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=N6ezjg6-0hU
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qPYtz6vSMOw
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Great videos. This way one can be an expert before getting it.
I want one. Have no use for one, but all this exposure has me thinking about it all the time. And so, now I want one. Not getting one, but damn you, Apple! Damn you! (impotently shakes fist)
Hahaha. The marketing doing its magic
On the Canadian store there are 7 sections under “Guided Tours,” none of which are the two mentioned here, and all of which are currently greyed out.
Very strange. It’s not like this content is different country to country.
Disable your adblock and they will show up ;)
Wow! You are correct. That’s insane. More evidence of the “new” (evil) Apple I guess.
Hey!
I think Apple has updated some of the pages on their Apple Watch site. If you go onto the Apple Pay section, there is a NEW video showing a guy using it with a link bracelet Apple Watch.
I believe it’s new, correct me if i’m wrong!
From the videos I’ve seen so far, it looks like an UX nightmare :(
Looks good to me. I especially like the Force Touch options… basically gives you a “right click”… something that’s been sorely needed on touch screens (long press is a pain in a lot of situations).
It’s also nice that you can touch a “complication” to get more info quickly.
I like the way you raise your wrist to see a notification and put it down to dismiss. Very natural if it works properly.
Finally: the fact that you can raise your wrist and talk to Siri is great. It means that you don’t need two hands free (to press a button or anything else) to set a reminder, send a quick text or anythi else Siri can do.
What part didn’t you like specifically?
I agree with all your points, but getting used to “right click” everywhere to bring up extra buttons/commands it will take some time, especially for the non-tech savvy people. In order to achieve a task, it looks like you have to use a (somewhat weird) combination of taps, swipes, force clicks, and crown scrolling. The problem with that (in my humble opinion as a fellow ux designer) is that you have very little cues about where “the next step” is and how to get there (should I swipe? should I force click?), since most of the information is hidden off-screen.
I might feel this way just because its new and unfamiliar, and it’s hard to tell for sure from videos. Maybe, once you try it you’ll find it to be extremely consistent across the system and everything will become very familiar. I am sure they already thought of everything I mentioned in here, and much much more than that. They probably user-tested the shit out of this thing :) I have great faith in Apple.
@florinnica “you have very little cues about where “the next step” is and how to get there (should I swipe? should I force click?)”
Wow, you have two whole options. I don’t think people wanting to access a deeper level will ever intuitively swipe. Do you? Swiping is dismissive, force touch is affirmative. It’s pretty simple.
I kind of get the feeling you think hugs are confusing too. Should I squeeze the individual, or shove them away? It’s all too difficult.
I think the lack of contextual cues are absolutely valid to point out. That said, with such a small and unknown interface and a lack of consequence to a “wrong” action, I don’t think it’s going to be a big deal for most people. Since force touch isn’t on the phones and iPads (yet), that will be the tricky part. After the next generation, it will likely become ubiquitous and we’ll wonder why we ever had an issue with it.
I don’t know why people keep saying this is complicated. It’s all really straightforward.
Personally, I kind of disappointed in these videos though. The one I was interested in the most (“Faces”), doesn’t actually tell us any more than we already knew from the previous announcements.
I want to know particularly what can be changed on which faces, as there is currently only one face that I like but only on the assumption that the central calendar part can be swapped out for something else as I don’t use a calendar.
It’s clear that they can be changed extensively so I’d guess that whichever one you’re talking about, it can easily be removed.
Can someone tell me where the visual clue is to insert a photo or video into an email on an iOS device? Or how about copy/paste? Would someone who has never used an iOS device know that long pressing brings up these menus? People will get used to force touch as long as it’s implemented consistently.
Teachers are going to LOOOOOVE their students wearing these.
Like the teachers can’t just say “take off your Apple Watch and start the test”…
It’s about distraction and disruption. Nothing to do with tests, kids contantly glancing at their watches.
And of course, there eventually will be policy in place regarding wearables in classrooms and workplace.
I don’t see what the watch offers in terms of being distracting that isn’t already available. We already feel phone vibrations in our pockets, we already wear watches so we can see what time it is, what exactly can the watch do that isn’t within the realm of possibility now? I could see perhaps in an environment like in a hospital, where nurses or doctors can’t use their phones, that it would make policing that harder with the watch. Who knows. I don’t see it as having the potential problematic as cell phones at all in the majority of situations. If it becomes a problem, the watch will result in businesses and schools developing some sort of policing method for the use of the watch. My opinion is that until we have a problem, and there’s not too much to indicate that watches will result in increases in distractibility, we shouldn’t worry too much. I do see the point of view you’re coming to it from, and it definitely could cause a deepening of our technology addiction issue.
Employers are going to loooove their employees wearing these.
A lot of workplaces forbid employees taking peaks at their personal phones, this is going to be an another HR headache for some.
I’m on the same page as you, I just see it as an evolutionary mechanism to weed out the distractible people ;). But yes, it could cause some problems, albeit not necessarily significantly more so than what is already happening. In college you can have your phone and laptop out 99% of the time without any ramifications…meaning you can be even more distracted than anything a watch could cause. I’d also imagine that many jobs involve working in front of a computer, which is once again far more distracting than some tiny screen on your wrist. Definitely isn’t going to make the distraction better though, admiteddly.
Using the band instead of digital crown would be better.
Charging over lightning port, even from an iPhone or iPad would be far better.
A GPS would be priceless.
Smart-bands for extra battery, sensors would be priceless.
Why not using the screen as a CCD for camera :p
Support for Nike+ sensors would be flawless
So let’s wait for the watch 2,3,4…
No idea what ‘using the band instead of digital crown’ even means.
No idea what ‘charging over lightning port’ means,but if you’re saying it should have a lightning port… Lol, that would be horrible.
Isn’t there a GPS now?
What I would like to know is if you can use Siri to reply to a text message if you get one, like you would be able to do with your iPhone? So, for example you get the text message and you say “Hey Siri, reply whatever whatever, whatever” and it is sent to the person who sent you the text? Does anyone know if you will be able to do this?
Battery life is my only concern. Videos are so convincing but i am gonna wait for 2nd gen apple watch.
Getting the first GEN, making sure it stays in mint condition, might wait till the third generation to upgrade
Actually, going to keep the watch and upgrade to the third or fourth GEN, probably third GEN
Re: first video. White sport band, glance is “chat with Jony,” and isn’t that Tim’s navy sweater from the Mar9 presentation?
That’s a black leather jacket. And the calendar/reminder says “Chat with Jon” not Jonny.
Have you noticed that two watch faces have disappeared from the original Apple Watch concept? The timelapse and the simple photo watch face.
Great videos but I find the watch design uninspiring and quite ugly. Apple’s focus on well executed features + the Moto 360 body (black case, black metal strap) would be ideal. I tried a black 360 the other day, and it looks awesome as is the circular display. But Google Wear is a disaster of UX design. I think it a pity Apple were not more brave and tried to implement all this on a circular display. No, I’m not going to watch full length movies on a watch, so a smaller rectangular area is ok.
Jony Ive said that there’s no point in making
… in making a round display for the «list» design. So the whole UI is based on the idea of a more comfortable working with content rather than cutting it (and this is what happens with a round display).
Good thing you aren’t working at Apple. Round display for a smartwatch is horrible. The Moto 360 is the cheapest looking watch and terrible design on multiple levels. Every other smartwatch besides maybe samsung’s curved one, looks better. You don’t have very good design taste if you think the apple watch is ugly considering it’s already won multiple design awards and it’s not even released yet.
I personally love the 360. It does not look cheap in real life. There’s no doubt the Apple watch will function and sell a lot better, but the style doesn’t appeal to me, that’s all.
Round faces are pointless unless your entire basis for a watch face is the movement of the hands. That spot on your wrist isn’t even round. The band you wrap around your hand lends itself to a rectangular design.
There’s literally no reason to make it round, except “that’s what watches look like” and that’s a horribly limited reason to do anything.
Noodles.
Can……you……speak……any……f****ng…………….slower…….?
Now the demons have maximum raport on you. Because they will have your heartbeat.
You got to be a (insert your favourite insult here) to buy this crap.
Uh oh we got us a religious nut job.
So much round UI for a device that claimed it was square purely for GUI purposes.
Like that means anything? It’s a square display because a round display does not make sense for what smartwatches are. A round display is simply awful for displaying text and the like. Soon enough there will be no round smartwatches because everyone will copy Apple, which will be the only ones selling them.
can ANYONE tell me why ANYONE actually needs this device? i mean this is by far the most useless thing ever! only thing it promotes is a CASHLESS SOCIETY. I mean it has no cam, no gps, no internet and cant be used without having the iphone connected to it…. its a $400 PRE BETA, BETA BETA iphone 3g with a wrist band and ppl are going to really go and get it. It does nothing to advance any feature! u cant even go on a hike/job and take pics/or record things or GPS and leave phone n the car its POINTLESS
Pointless for YOU.
I think it’s great to see my notifications without pulling out my phone. Or sending messages without pulling out my phone.
Or checking the time without pulling out my phone.
Or getting directions without pulling out my phone.
Or answering the phone without pulling out my phone .
To ME, none of that is pointless.
The fact that you mentioned it not having a camera tells me how clueless you are. This device should absolutely never have a camera.
This is very unlike Apple. I have always been a fan of Apple because of their focus on “pick up and go” user experience. Take the iPhone, no need for instructions – the user experience is natural.
The fact you have to watch a video, to know whether to touch, long press or turn the digital crown is awkward.
The original iPhone had guided tours. The original iPad had guided tours. Many Mac OS X releases had guided tours.
Why is it so surprising that an entirely new product in an entirely new form factor has guided tours available?