Switching between views on your Apple Watch won’t even require a touch

Apple’s announcement of WatchKit, the tools developers will use to create Apple Watch apps, has provided a few insights into what the device will be like to use. We noted yesterday that there will be a Short Look, with just key information displayed, and a Long Look with more details – illustrated above. The Verge notes that switching between the two views won’t even require you to touch the watch.

The “Short Look” is only seen briefly when you raise your wrist — it’s an app icon, an app name, and some brief information. If the wearer keeps their wrist raised long enough — “after a moment,” according to Apple — the screen changes to a “Long Look” notification, which provides more information and is more customizable. For Long Looks, the app icon and name move to the top of the screen, and wearers can scroll down through the interface to use custom actions (such as “comment” or “favorite”) or dismiss the notification.

Third-party apps will initially need a connected iPhone, with ‘fully native’ watch apps coming later in 2015.

Apple has still not provided a specific date for availability of its smartwatch, but there have been reports of chip suppliers gearing-up for production following a leaked comment by retail head Angela Ahrendts that the launch would be in “the spring.”