Apple Watch

Apple has started sending emails to registered iOS developers today inviting them to participate in a WatchKit lab held at the company’s Sunnyvale, CA campus. The lab will run from March 16th until April 30th, so developers will still have the ability to take advantage of the offer even after the device has shipped.

The lab will give developers a chance to test their software on the actual device instead of the simulator built into Xcode. This will be especially important for those who want to submit their apps for day-one availability, since Apple has instituted a rule that all watch app submission must include a screenshot created on the device itself, not in the simulator.

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Apple today gave us the full rundown on the Apple Watch, revealing new details including all of the available variants and their prices. The Apple Watch Sport is going to start at $349 (as we already knew), but the mid-tier Apple Watch is going to start at $549, while the top-end Apple Watch Edition will be starting at $10,000 (and go all the way up to $17,000).

There are a total of 38 models listed in the Apple online store, and this is a pretty wide range of options to choose from considering they’re all functionally identical. But the question, knowing the prices and models available, is this: Are you going to get one? And if so, which of the 38 models are you leaning towards?

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Following today’s keynote address, during which Apple’s executive team provided more details on the availabilty of the Apple Watch, journalists were given the chance to take the company’s first wearable device for a test drive. We’ve rounded up many of the hands-on videos from those who attended the event below…

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We now know the 18k gold Apple Watch Edition will start at $10,000 with models ranging up to $17,000, while the aluminum Apple Watch Sport and stainless steel Apple Watch will start at $349 and $549, respectively.

Aside from limited availability and a monumental price difference, the Apple Watch Edition will also include a more premium warranty. For the extra $9,000 or so for the Edition model, Apple is throwing in twice as much hardware repair coverage as the Apple Watch and Apple Watch Sport collections.

Apple hasn’t yet unveiled the price for the Watch’s AppleCare+, the extended warranty for Apple products, but here’s what we know about the warranty so far.
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Alongside Apple Watch pricing and availability announcements, Apple just released a handy sizing guide that will give you an idea of what band will be best for you.

For some models, like the Sport collection, Apple is including two bands in the box—“Small-Medium” and “Medium-Large”— while others, like the Modern Buckle straps, allow customers to pick from various strap sizes. There will be some exceptions: the gold model with Sport band is only listed as coming with one strap that “Fits 130–200mm wrists”.

The Modern Buckle bands use Small, Medium, and Large straps, while the Leather Loop, Milanese Loop, Link Bracelet, and Classic Buckle all have two different sizes for the 38mm and 42mm models. The Sport collection, as mentioned above, has Small/Medium and Medium/Large bands bundled in the box, but those vary in size for the 38mm and 42mm Sport models. So your decision might not only depend on what size face you want, but also what strap will fit you best. 

Head below and click the image for the full size guide:
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In addition to making a general claim that the Apple Watch will run for up to 18 hours per charge, Apple has quietly added a new battery test results page to its web site discussing the Apple Watch’s performance across a variety of different tests. According to Apple, the 38mm and 42mm versions of the Watch will have different run times, and the 42mm Apple Watch “typically experiences longer battery life.” The company does not note how much longer the larger Watch will last for, but does disclose the 38mm model’s times for everything from phone calling to music and workouts… 
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The iOS 8.2 update released today introduced support for the Apple Watch to the iPhone and iPad. The app reveals some details about the device unmentioned at the keynote event today. For example, the app reveals how users will pair their watches with their phones using the iPhone’s camera…

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In a strange turn of events, the Apple Online Store page reveals that the Apple Watch Sport actually has two bands bundled in the box. Despite being the cheapest model variant, at $349 for 38mm and $399 for 42 mm, unlike the stainless steel Apple Watch range, the Sport comes bundled with two bands of two different sizes …

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Apple showed off a wide range of Apple Watch apps today. Kevin Lynch took to the stage to show off many examples Here’s every app that Apple demoed from its developer ecosystem. Apple has also posted information about some of the apps under development on its microsite.

Apple highlighted apps that span a large range of use cases, from unlocking your garage door, to unlocking your hotel, to tracking your health and keeping up with social media.

See the comprehensive gallery below … (click to view full screen to see app name)

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[youtube https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ibklpzKai-o&ab_channel=Apple]

After debuting two new videos about the aluminum and stainless steel Apple Watches during today’s keynote event, the Cupertino electronics maker published both videos to its website and YouTube channel, along with a third that was skipped during the presentation which explains the process behind the gold Apple Watch Edition.

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The Apple Online Store is back online after going down for Apple’s Spring Forward event today. The upcoming Apple Watch is now listed on the store, allowing users to create their own look and see how much it will cost them ahead of the pre-orders and live in-store previews start next month. Watch bands and accessories are also listed, though they won’t be available until April.

The new MacBook is also on the store, though custom configuration options don’t seem to be showing up just yet.

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We reports a couple weeks back that Apple would be selling bands separately as accessories alongside its Apple Watch. Below are details on the straps and bracelets available, which include most models apart from the gold 18k and range from $49 to $449.
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At its event, Apple has finally announced availability information for the Apple Watch. All three models will be available in Apple Stores from the 10th of April. You can preorder any of the watch-band combinations in the collections from the 24th.

The Apple Watch will initially roll out to the United States, the United Kingdom, Australia, Canada, China, France, Germany, Hong Kong and Japan.

Apple Watch Sport will start from $349 for 38mm and $399 for 42mm, the mid-range stainless steel version will start from $549 for 38mm and $599 for 42mm, and the elusive solid gold Edition casing will run at least $10,000. The pricing of bands varies dramatically, so note that these are base prices only.

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One of the biggest questions leading up to Apple’s event today was how much would the various models of Apple Watch cost beyond the device’s $349 starting price.

Pricing is a little more complex than Apple’s iPhones or iPads, with pricing for the three collections— Apple Watch, Apple Watch Sport, and the gold Apple Watch Edition— all including various tiers depending on strap and case size combinations. Look at the entire lineup, all three collections range from the starting price of $349 for the Sport model to as much as $17,000 for the 18k gold Apple Watch Edition model. 

Head below for all the specifics on Apple Watch pricing from today’s event:
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From Apple’s ‘Spring Forward’ Apple Watch event today, we’ve rounded up the notable numbers and other updates shared by CEO Tim Cook and other execs throughout the presentation. Among them: Apple recently sold it’s 700 millionth iPhone.  Cook also noted that iPhone is growing at a rate of growth double the industry (as pictured in the slide above).

Apple also shared some numbers on Apple Pay, retail stores, growth in China, and CarPlay.

Head below for more stats and company updates announced today:  
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It’s your last chance to guess what Apple Watch will cost ahead of today’s ‘Spring Forward’ event where CEO Tim Cook and company are expected to fill us in on pricing, availability, and hopefully preorders.

We know Apple Watch will start at $349, likely for the Sport model, but what we’re really interested in is the starting price for the most expensive model(s): the 18k gold Apple Watch Edition and the stainless steel Apple Watch with stainless steel band (pictured above).

Polls for both of these are below, but feel free to tell us your predictions for pricing on the entire lineup in the comments. Our own roundup of what we expect to see announced today is here.