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Apple Watch

3,202 'Apple Watch' stories November 2013 - June 2015
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Apple Watch is Apple's wearable is designed to help you stay active, motivated, and connected. It runs watchOS, and it comes in 40mm and 44mm size options.

How to see all Apple Watch apps

Table of contents

History

The original Apple Watch (later called Series 0) was released on April 24, 2015, after years of rumors. While there was a lot of initial hype around it, the third-party watchOS apps were slow to launch due to API limitations. Native apps were available in watchOS 2. The original watch came in 38mm and 42mm sizes.

The Series 2 Watch was released on September 16th, 2016 along with a Series 1 Watch. The Series 2 included the S2 chip, built-in GPS, and water-proof construction. The Series 1 included the S2, but lacked GPS and waterproofing.

The Series 3 Watch was released on September 22, 2017, and it included an LTE option and the S3 chip. The Series 4 Watch was released on September 21, 2018. New hardware included the S4 Chip, Electrical heart sensor w/ ECG app, and larger display (40mm and 44mm sizes).

Apple Watch Series 5 was announced during Apple’s fall event on September 10, 2019. Customers were able to purchase the device later that day, and it was released on September 20. The headline feature for this model was the wearable’s always-on display. The new display always shows the time and complications and is also the first from the company to include a built-in compass.

Apple launched international emergency services to every cellular model. Series 5 also brought back ceramic white, and new natural brush and space black titanium models.

Apple Watch Series 6 was unveiled on September 15, 2020 at the “Time Flies” event alongside the more affordable SE and new iPad Air. New features of the Series 6 include blood oxygen monitoring, new watch colors, faster S6 chip, new watch faces, and more.

Apple Watch features

Apple Watch is designed to help you stay active, motivated, and connected. The newest versions are Series 6 and SE while Apple still sells Series 3 as the most affordable option.

Features include:

  • Heart rate monitoring (all models)
    • Including high, low, and irregular heart rate notifications
  • ECG readings (Series 4 and later)
  • Blood oxygen monitoring (Series 6)
  • Workout tracking, Activity Rings, competitions, and awards
  • Works with Apple Fitness+
  • Sleep tracking (with watchOS 7)
  • GPS and GPS + Cellular models
  • Always-on display (Series 5 & 6)
  • Water-resistant to 50 meters
  • Emergency SOS and fall detection
  • Phone calls and Messages
  • Music, Podcasts, and more
  • Third-party apps available through App Store built into watchOS

watchOS

watchOS is the dedicated software that runs on Apple Watch. The current version is watchOS 7 that was released in fall 2020 and is compatible with Series 3 and later.

watchOS 7 brought new features like native sleep tracking, Family Setup, watch face sharing, new workout tracking types, cycling directions in maps, and automatic handwashing reminders.

Apple Fitness+ support and new cardio fitness notifications came with watchOS 7.2 And watchOS 7.4 is coming with the exciting new Apple Watch unlock for iPhone feature.

Current Apple Watch lineup

For all the latest deals on Apple Watch, bands, and accessories, check out 9to5Toys.com.

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Analysis explains why sapphire Apple Watch and Edition lag behind glass Sport display outdoors

Avatar for Jordan Kahn Jun 29 2015 - 9:11 am PT
6 Comments
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Apple Watch Sport’s Ion-X Glass display (left) vs Apple Watch w/ Sapphire display (right)

DisplayMate is out with a new report today, this time applying its usual detailed analysis to the different displays that come with the various models of Apple Watch. In case you didn’t know already, Apple is using a sapphire display on its pricier, mid-range collection of Apple Watch, as well as with the higher-end Apple Watch Edition. That’s opposed to the Ion-X glass display on the less expensive, entry-level Apple Watch Sport models. But the report shows a detailed analysis of what many users have already noticed: despite sapphire being more scratch resistant, in many cases the cheaper glass display performs better in terms of screen reflectance and visibility in outdoor lighting:
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Apple patent details AirDrop-like sharing for Apple Watch using handshake/hugging gestures

Avatar for Jordan Kahn Jun 29 2015 - 8:39 am PT
7 Comments
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In a new patent application, Apple details an idea it’s experimenting with that would have Apple Watch users shake hands to exchange data (via PatentlyApple). The idea is simple. The patent application imagines two Apple Watch wearers exchanging data, such as contact information, for example, by performing common gestures like a handshake or a hug:
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PSA: Don’t buy these overpriced knock-off Apple Watch charging cables

Avatar for Jeremy Horwitz Jun 29 2015 - 7:34 am PT
4 Comments

Knock-offs of Apple’s official Apple Watch magnetic charging cables are now available to purchase from Amazon, but with a twist: unlike the real cables, which Apple sells for $29 to $39, the knock-offs from companies such as “Reiko,” “Somoder” and “WL” are going for $45 to $58. The $58 version is shipping now with delivery this week, while the $45 ones promise to ship at various times directly from China.

Marketed using Apple’s own images, the knock-offs provide few guarantees as to exactly what customers will get. Reiko calls its version “Data Cable for Apple Watch” even though the magnetic cables are used solely for charging, not for data. They all tout 100cm (1-meter) lengths comparable to Apple’s $29 cables and typically use pictures of the metal-clad Apple Watch Magnetic Charging Cable, but some of the postings additionally include shots of the all-plastic cable shipped with the Apple Watch Sport. All of the listings promise that the cable is “high temperature resistant,” with “shock absorption and good air permeability,” for whatever that’s worth.

Historically, sellers of cloned Apple cables have traded on (much) lower prices as a means to attract customers, but these vendors appear to be taking advantage of Amazon’s lack of official Apple cables to charge atypically high prices. For obvious reasons, we’d strongly suggest passing on the knock-offs in favor of the authentic, less expensive Apple alternatives.

iOS 8.4 to be released 8 AM PT on Tuesday, iTunes Match song limit will increase to 100,000 with iOS 9

Avatar for Benjamin Mayo Jun 28 2015 - 5:39 am PT
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Apple directors have been somewhat talkative over the weekend about the imminent release of Apple Music. Former Beats Music CEO Ian Rogers, who now works as a Senior Director of Apple Music, blogged about the product’s launch. He reminisces on the history of digital music and radio saying that seeing Apple Music on stage at WWDC ‘it was hard not to feel like the last 20+ years was leading to this day’.

Interestingly, Apple will be releasing iOS 8.4 at 8 AM on June 30th which includes the newly revamped Music app to support Apple Music. This is slightly earlier than the usual 10 AM release window. The change in scheduling seems to be in service of Beats 1, Apple’s worldwide radio station, which will start streaming from 9 AM on the same day.

Meanwhile, Eddy Cue has also been leaking some tidbits about Apple Music on Twitter …


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AppleCare+ extends coverage to defective batteries holding less than 80% of original specs

Avatar for Jordan Kahn Jun 26 2015 - 7:54 am PT
6 Comments

Update: Apple has now made the same change to AppleCare for Mac.

Apple has made a small but welcomed change for those that have AppleCare+ for iPhone, iPad, or Apple Watch, adding improved coverage for defective batteries. Previously Apple’s terms for the extended warranty offered coverage for batteries that retained less than 50% of Apple’s quoted specs. But with the updated terms, Apple will have you covered for batteries that retain less than 80%.

If during the Plan Term, you submit a valid claim by notifying Apple that (i) a defect in materials and workmanship has arisen in the Covered Equipment, or (ii) the capacity of the Covered Device’s battery to hold an electrical charge is less than eighty percent (80%) of its original specifications…

For AppleCare+ customers with batteries holding less than 80% of their original capacity, Apple will offer to repair or provide a replacement unit.

For Apple Watch, AppleCare+ extends coverage on the Watch and Watch Sport models to two years, up from the one year complimentary warranty that comes with the device. It also gives users up to two incidents of accidental damage coverage subject to a $69-$79 fee. The pricey $10,000+ Apple Watch Edition models, however, get coverage extended to three years with accidental damage fees costing $1000.

AppleCare+ for iPhone or iPad costs $99, while Apple offers a bundle for Apple Watch and iPhone starting at $149. AppleCare+ for Apple Watch Edition costs $1,600.

As Apple Watch hits seven more countries, more coming on 17 July – inc Netherlands, Sweden & Thailand

Avatar for Ben Lovejoy Jun 26 2015 - 4:14 am PT
17 Comments
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The Apple Watch, originally launched in nine countries, hits seven more today – with a further rollout on July 17th. Apple has so far added the July 17th date to its websites in the Netherlands, Sweden and Thailand.

The countries going live today include Italy, Mexico, Singapore, South Korea, Spain, Switzerland and Taiwan … 
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Reserve Strap for Apple Watch promises 30 hours additional battery life, ships in November

Avatar for Jordan Kahn Jun 25 2015 - 11:55 am PT
40 Comments
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Following a number of teases for its third-party Apple Watch strap with a built-in battery pack, Reserve Strap, bound to be one of the first battery straps for Apple Watch, is promising an additional 30 hours of battery life for Apple Watch users as it announces plans to ship in November.
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Rapper will.i.am dismisses Apple Watch as “weird” despite attending last year’s launch

Avatar for Ben Lovejoy Jun 25 2015 - 6:07 am PT
14 Comments

will.i.am seen with Angela Ahrendts at last year’s Apple Watch event

Musician and former Beats shareholder will.i.am said that seeing someone in a gym with an iPhone 6 strapped to their arm while wearing an Apple Watch made him think “that s*** is weird,” reports the NY Post.

The comment – made at the Cannes Lions festival where Apple won an award for its Shot on iPhone campaign – was probably not what Apple had in mind when the company invited him to the launch of the Watch last year.

You don’t have to look too far to see why he would want to diss the Watch, however: he launched his own smartwatch just one month after Apple unveiled its Watch. While he may be proud of the built-in 3G connection that means the Puls doesn’t need a connection to a smartphone, consumers don’t appear to share his enthusiasm. As Business Insider noted, UK partner O2 told them that “no units had been sold” and the device was pulled, while U.S. partner AT&T said the “trial program” for the Puls had ended.

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The chemical tech that gives the the Apple Watch Sport band its shape

Avatar for Ben Lovejoy Jun 25 2015 - 4:59 am PT
1 Comment

The Apple Watch Sport band may have been dismissed by some as something that likely costs just $2.05 to make, but it appears that some clever chemical tech goes into its design. Patently Apple drew our attention to an Apple patent application that appears to describe the Sport band.

The method includes creating an inner layer of the woven fabric band with the inner layer having a first temperature melting point. In certain embodiments, a sheath surrounds the inner layer. Further, the sheath has a second temperature melting point that is different from the temperature melting point of the inner layer. The method further includes applying heat to the woven fabric band that causes the inner layer to melt and conform to a shape without melting or damaging the sheath.

Although the patent doesn’t get more specific about the ‘fabric’ than saying it “may include nylon and other such polymers,” the description matches the fluoroelastomer Sport strap.

The Sport band has proven a surprisingly popular choice, even for those purchasing the more expensive steel model and much more expensive Edition. If you want to get the Edition look for a rather more palatable price, there are both full-service and DIY gold plating options – including rose gold.

Hands-on: WatchPlate’s rose gold treatment transforms steel Apple Watch + Classic Buckle & Sport band [Gallery]

Avatar for Zac Hall Jun 24 2015 - 6:22 pm PT
16 Comments

Nope, I haven’t caved to temptation and bought a $10,000 gold Apple Watch (waiting for gen-2…kidding!) … that’s a $549 stainless steel Apple Watch that met WatchPlate’s plating service to create a rose gold version with stunning resemblance to the Apple Watch Edition.

Last month we unboxed the first 42mm Apple Watch “3rd-party gold-plated edition” with Link Bracelet, a yellow gold version that looks like the ones only celebrities like Beyonce have, and today we’re taking a look at WatchPlate’s rose gold plating on a 38mm Apple Watch with Classic Buckle and Sport band. Check out our hands-on photos below:
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Happy Hour Podcast 020 | Apple Music launch details, new iOS 9/OS X betas, and Apple Watch 2 features

Avatar for Dom Esposito Jun 24 2015 - 11:00 am PT
1 Comment

Apple Music is almost here and it looks like Taylor Swift had a thing or two to say about it. Along with that, we have some exclusive details on Apple Watch 2 and an overview of the new iOS 9, OS X El Capitan, and watchOS 2.0 betas. The Happy Hour podcast is available for download on iTunes and through our dedicated RSS feed.

This week we’re very excited to podcast with Brian from Pad & Quill and talk a little bit about some of the excellent accessories they make. Be sure to check out padandquill.com to view their products.

[soundcloud url=”https://api.soundcloud.com/tracks/211749201?secret_token=s-zIavL” params=”auto_play=false&hide_related=false&show_comments=true&show_user=true&show_reposts=false&visual=true” width=”100%” height=”150″ iframe=”true” /]


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UK Apple Pay won’t require PIN but £20 contactless transaction limit does apply … for now

Avatar for Benjamin Mayo Jun 24 2015 - 4:42 am PT
21 Comments
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Apple Pay is going international starting with the United Kingdom next month. The precise nature of how Apple Pay will work in the UK has been murky, with banks saying different things. Apple has now posted a FAQ to explain the situation.

Apple Pay will work with any current contactless reader. By default, it uses the same technology as other UK contactless cards. This means that performing an Apple Pay purchase will not require a PIN (as is standard with UK Chip and PIN payments). However, the usual £20 limit on contactless transactions does apply … for the time being. When Apple Pay launches in July, almost all merchants will only allow Apple Pay purchases up to £20 …


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Review: blueLounge’s Posto is the handsome headphone stand you can still afford after buying Beats

Avatar for Jeremy Horwitz Jun 23 2015 - 12:36 pm PT
1 Comment

When the iPod was surging, full-sized headphones were flailing. For decades, big “cans” were the only proper way to quietly listen to the massive audio players stored in home A/V cabinets. But by 2006, portable audio devices were king, and their pocketable little white earbuds were everywhere. Then Beats by Dre came along and convinced people that big headphones were worth buying again, even for portable media players. Beats’ signature Studio headphones aren’t as easy to carry around as little earbuds, but as their growing popularity demonstrates, people haven’t seemed to mind.

blueLounge’s new Posto ($20) is the latest in a series of “big headphone” stands made by Apple accessory companies. I’ve previously tested heavy, all-metal options such as Just Mobile’s HeadStand, which hover around the $50 price point and — to their credit — try to do one or two nice little things to justify that sort of price point. There are also cheap headphone stands that tend to look… cheap. Posto is clearly the result of a different theory of design. The black version is made from several different materials that somehow look nearly indistinguishable from one another, reducing the cost, weight, and assembly challenges found in other headphone stands. (A white and silver version uses different-looking parts.) Consequently, Posto works much the same as HeadStand, but costs less than half the price. If you’ve just dropped $250 or more on a pair of big headphones, Posto lets you manage them without breaking the bank…


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Apple becomes Promoter Member of Bluetooth Special Interest Group, gaining more influence over the technology

Avatar for Benjamin Mayo Jun 23 2015 - 5:21 am PT
7 Comments
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Earlier in the year, the Bluetooth SIG appointed an Apple employee as secretary of the board. The two institutions are developing their relationship further today with the announcement that Apple is now a Promoter Member of the Bluetooth Special Interest Group. This is the highest level with the organization and gives Apple voting rights.

Promoter members get voting rights on Bluetooth corporate matters and a guaranteed seat on the board of directors. Current promoter members Ericsson, Intel, Lenovo, Microsoft, Nokia and Toshiba ‘unanimously welcomed’ Apple to the position.

This means that Apple will now have significant influence over the technological roadmap for Bluetooth in cooperation with these other companies.


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Developer hacks 20-year old Macintosh OS 7.5.5 to run on Apple Watch (Video)

Avatar for Chance Miller Jun 22 2015 - 6:17 pm PT
8 Comments

Developer Nick Lee this evening has shared a video showing how he managed to hack an Apple Watch to run Macintosh OS, System 7.5.5. For those counting, that was released 19 years ago on September 27, 1996. The Apple Watch was released April 24, 2015. That’s a pretty impressive feat by Lee (via MacRumors).


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Hands-on with an affordable alternative to Apple’s Link Bracelet for Apple Watch

Avatar for Chance Miller Jun 22 2015 - 5:52 pm PT
28 Comments
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When Apple first announced Apple Watch, one of the things I was most excited about was the ability to use third-party bands. I was surprised when Apple announced the capability and even though I was pretty sure I was going to buy an Apple Watch, third-party band support solidified my choice. Apple Watch has now been on the market for two months and so far, companies have been slow to release their aftermarket bands. With iPhone, companies usually have cases available the day the device launches, but Apple Watch has presented a whole new set of challenges for accessory makers.

When I purchased Apple Watch, I went with the stainless model with the classic buckle. Since my initial purchase, I have also bought a black Sport band, a Milanese Loop and now, an aftermarket stainless steel Link Bracelet. I love the idea of the band for my Watch matching the Watch itself, but Apple’s Link Bracelet offering seems absurdly high-priced at $449. Looking to save money, I went with an aftermarket solution…


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Trade-in services begin accepting Apple Watch, but don’t expect to profit

Avatar for Jordan Kahn Jun 22 2015 - 1:51 pm PT
3 Comments
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While Apple Watch models were selling for a premium on eBay and elsewhere for quite a while after launch, now that the device is in Apple stores and stock of most models almost caught up to demand, trade-in services have officially started accepting the device. One of the first bigger companies to announce support for Apple Watch is NextWorth, which as of today will buy your Apple Watch, but without the eBay premiums. The company is capping Apple Watch trade-in payouts at $500, and you’ll be getting much less than that for the cheaper models that start at around $350 from Apple.
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9to5Toys Last Call: iPad Air 2 64GB $500, V-MODA Crossfade LP $70, iPhone 5 w/ 1yr service $300, more

Avatar for Jun 22 2015 - 9:15 am PT
1 Comment

Keep up with the best gear and deals on the web by signing up for the 9to5Toys Newsletter. Also, be sure to check us out on: Twitter, RSS Feed, Facebook, Google+ and Safari push notifications.

Today’s can’t miss deals:

Last Call Updates:

Apple iPad Air 2 Wi-Fi 64GB in all colors: $500 shipped (Reg. $599)

Amazon Gold Box – V-MODA Crossfade LP Over-the-Ear Headphones in multiple colors $70 shipped (Reg. $150)

iPhone 5 & 1-Yr Unlimited Talk/Text, 500MB LTE/m $300 shipped

…and even more great iPhone 6 dock options

Giveaway: Grovemade’s latest wooden creation provides a luxurious home for your Magic TrackPad

More new gear from today:

The best deals to really take advantage of Microsoft’s Xbox One free game promotion

Daily Deals: 2-pack Nokia Mini Proximity Sensors $15, Acer 21.5″ IPS LCD HD Monitor $90, more

More deals still alive:

Beats by Dr. Dre Powerbeats2 Wireless Bluetooth Headphones in multiple colors: $150 shipped (Reg. $200)

App Store sale – Amazing Fantasy Games at least 50% off: Badlands $2, more

App Store Free App of the Week: Warhammer Snotling Fling ($4 value)

New products & more:

The 5 biggest iOS and Android games announced at this year’s E3 Expo

Monoprice’s $200 Action Camera matches GoPro on specs & has a slick viewfinder

E3:

Report: Apple already working on putting a virtual Home button into the iPhone screen

Avatar for Ben Lovejoy Jun 22 2015 - 6:41 am PT
71 Comments
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Concept image: Martin Hajek for Computer Bild

The idea of replacing the iPhone’s physical Home button with a pure touch one embedded in the display has been around for quite a while now, but a report from the variably reliable DigiTimes claims that Apple is already working on the technology.

Apple is internally developing touch and display driver integration (TDDI) single-chip solutions for its iPhones, according to sources in Taiwan’s IC design industry.

The TDDI single-chip solutions will also come with integrated fingerprint sensors, said the sources. The integrated design would fit into future iPhone designs – models with ultra-thin and ultra-narrow displays, and with a whole plane design eliminating the Home button.

While the report doesn’t specifically reference embedding the home button into the display itself, referring only to ‘a whole plane design,’ this would seem to be what the report hints at …
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Tim Cook: Apple Watch attracting more developer interest than early iPhones and iPads

Avatar for Ben Lovejoy Jun 22 2015 - 4:28 am PT
12 Comments
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In an interview with the Chinese language edition of Bloomberg Businessweek, Tim Cook noted that developers are showing more interest in the Apple Watch than they had in the iPhone and iPad at a similar early stage.

Developers are working on more than 3,500 apps for the gadgets, he said. That’s well ahead of the 500 apps available for the 2008 edition of the iPhone and the 1,000 for the first iPad in 2010, he added.

Cook also confirmed what most had assumed: the gold color introduced for the iPhone, iPad and now MacBook (and presumably real gold for the Watch) was “in part” driven by the popularity of the color in China. Greater China now accounts for a whopping 29% of Apple’s revenue … 
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Review: SchuttenWorks’ Wave uses magnets and wood in a beautiful Apple Watch charging stand

Avatar for Jeremy Horwitz Jun 19 2015 - 12:00 pm PT
8 Comments

Wood has historically been a tricky material for Apple accessories: it can be challenging to precision-fit to Apple devices, and isn’t always a good visual match for metal and glass. But wood accessories are beginning to enjoy a renaissance thanks to the Apple Watch. Since nightstands are almost invariably made from wood, and Apple Watches need to be left on nightstands for overnight charging, matching wooden Apple Watch stands can blend in to an extent that plastic or metal stands cannot.

Oregon-based SchuttenWorks’ new Wave Apple Watch Charging Stand ($75) arrives on the heels of well-regarded wood stands from Pad & Quill and DodoCase, and is actually a little less expensive — there are cheaper wood options, but they don’t look great and are getting bad reviews. Thankfully, SchuttenWorks hasn’t skimped on Wave’s design. Available in your choice of seven different woods, the C-shaped holder can hold open- or closed-band Apple Watches, and uses internally hidden magnets to make assembly a snap. Is there one that’s right for your nightstand?…


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Apple refines how Apple Watch screenshots are presented in the App Store

Avatar for Chance Miller Jun 18 2015 - 2:22 pm PT
3 Comments

Apple this evening appears to have updated the way in which Apple Watch screenshots are presented in the App Store on iOS. Prior to this recent update, Apple Watch screenshots were shown as normal, rectangular screenshots, which looked unappealing and out of place. Now, Apple has added a black border to the screenshots and has given them rounded corners.


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