Apple Watch

Apple has kicked up its focus on health over recent years, but the company isn’t stopping just yet. According to a new report from CNBC, Apple has a secret team currently working on developing a solution for treating diabetes that would be seen as the “holy grail” for the condition…

Expand
Expanding
Close

WWDC 2017 is just around the corner and we’re eager to see what Apple has planned for watchOS 4 and Apple Watch. While we don’t expect to see an update that addresses every opportunity left for watchOS in one year, there are certainly a lot of areas ripe for improvement considering how new Apple Watch and watchOS are. Read on for our watchOS 4 wish list below and share your own ideas in the comments.

Expand
Expanding
Close

The folks over at Spotify had to have been impressed when Andrew Chang first revealed Spotty, a third-party Spotify companion app for the Apple Watch. We went hands-on with Spotty back in early February, and were likewise impressed by the app’s full-featured design, offline Spotify playback ability, and workout integration.

After being met with some initial legal pushback over Spotty’s name and close resemblance to the official Spotify app, it was unclear what the future might hold for Chang’s highly-anticipated creation. Since then, the app has been visually updated and rebranded as Snowy.

But give credit to Spotify, because instead of overreacting and using the company’s significant legal resources to shut the project down, the Stockholm, Sweden-based company has agreed to collaborate with Chang to help fill in an obvious void on Apple Watch.
Expand
Expanding
Close

Apple has placed a heavy focus on the Activity functionality of Apple Watch, using it throughout its marketing for the device and encouraging users to take advantage of it with challenges and sharing. Internally, however, Apple has taken things a step further and has been running a #CloseTheRings competition, offering free physical goods such as t-shirts and pins.

Expand
Expanding
Close

Apple is taking Swatch to court after the Swiss watchmaker used the slogan ‘Tick different’ to promote its NFC-enabled watch. Apple is arguing that the slogan unfairly trades on its own ‘Think different‘ campaign, while Swatch claims that the reference is purely coincidental.

‘Think different’ is arguably one of the most famous ad slogans in history, used by Apple from 1997 to 2002. It emerged from the one-minute ‘Crazy Ones’ commercial which featured a total of 17 people who changed the world by challenging the status quo …

Expand
Expanding
Close

Apple is rolling out the second watchOS 3.2.2 beta for developer testing on Apple Watch. The update likely includes bug fixes and security improvements ahead of a more feature-packed watchOS 4 announcement later this year.

Expand
Expanding
Close

Athleticism has never been my strong suit. I didn’t play any sports growing up and I don’t closely follow any today. I only started being physically active one year ago thanks in large part to my Apple Watch, and even then running has not been something I’ve enjoyed. Until recently that is…

I’ve been running with Apple Watch Nike+ ($379-$399) and tracking my workouts with the Nike+ Run Club app. My super short review is that I think any Apple Watch Series 2 is an excellent running watch while the NRC app has some kinks to work out. More on my experience below.

Expand
Expanding
Close

A supply-chain report backs an earlier claim that the next-generation Apple Watch – which would be dubbed the Series 3 if Apple retains its existing naming scheme – is scheduled for launch in the second half of this year. It also suggests that Apple will continue to offer a choice of two generations of Apple Watch at different price points.

Digitimes reports that while Quanta will remain the sole supplier of the new model, a new supplier, Compal Electronics, will be added to the roster to continue production of older models …

Expand
Expanding
Close

Apple today has shared a new commercial for the Apple Watch Series 2. The new ad is titled “Live Bright” and highlights using the Apple Watch to live an active and healthy lifestyle.

Expand
Expanding
Close

Apple’s new watchOS 3.2 software update for Apple Watch brings Theater Mode and SiriKit to all users, and there are a few new watch face colors in the official release as well. Apple Watch Nike+ gains six unique watch face colors while other Apple Watch models also have new band-matching options.

Expand
Expanding
Close

One of the long-running rumors for Apple Watch is the addition of a cellular data connection. Earlier this month, Zac outlined a few of the problems a data connection could solve, while we’ve also noted of a few of the technical hurdles involved in implementing the feature.

Would you pay more for an LTE-equipped Apple Watch in the form of a hardware or carrier premium? Take the poll below:

Expand
Expanding
Close

Apple is now rolling out watchOS 3.2 for Apple Watch. watchOS 3.2 includes Theater Mode which disables raise-to-wake and mutes alerts.

Expand
Expanding
Close

As was noted during Apple’s barrage of press releases on Tuesday, you can now purchase Nike’s Apple Watch Sport Bands separately. Previously, customers had to purchase the Apple Watch Nike+ hardware itself in order to score one of the breathable bands with compression-molded perforations.

In this post, we go hands-on with all three of the Nike Sport Bands, which include Pure Platinum/White, Anthracite/Black, and Black/Volt. Watch our hands-on video for a look at each individually packaged band.
Expand
Expanding
Close

Apple Watch is useful at putting notifications just a glance away on your wrist when you’re not using your iPhone, but that can be a distraction when you’re driving. In a recent Feature Request, we suggested Apple could address this issue by automatically enabling its upcoming Theater Mode feature on Apple Watch when the iPhone detects you’re in the car. Now it appears Apple has something similar in mind…

Expand
Expanding
Close

Apple may not have held an event for its latest announcements, but it has certainly been an eventful morning in terms of rumored products launching. There’s also a lot left in the product pipeline that didn’t get announced (and would warrant an event). Here’s what we learned from today’s announcements:

Expand
Expanding
Close

While Apple has expanded its band lineup for spring 2017 with several new styles and colors, it has also limited the band options that come with new Apple Watch purchases. Apple Watch Series 2 is now only available with Sport Band and Milanese Loop when purchased new, essentially increasing the cost of the premium leather and metal link bracelets at least for new buyers.

Expand
Expanding
Close

Apple Watch is getting a new Spring 2017 collection of bands launching today, including new colors and variations of the Striped Woven Nylon, Classic Buckle, and Apple Watch Hermès Bands. It’s also now selling its Nike Sport bands from the Nike+ edition Apple Watch separately.

Among the new bands are 3 new colors for the Sport band, 6 new colors for the Woven Nylon band, and 3 new options for the Classic Buckle which also now sports a new buckle design:

Expand
Expanding
Close

Apple is rolling out the seventh watchOS 3.2 beta for developer testing on Apple Watch. watchOS 3.2 beta includes Theater Mode which disables raise-to-wake and mutes alerts.

Expand
Expanding
Close

If you’ve checked the App Store lately via the Apple Watch app, then you’re likely aware of how limited the gaming library is on watchOS. Developer Gabriel O’Flaherty-Chan’s prototype Game Boy emulator is looking to help the cause by making a library of Nintendo games available on Apple Watch.

The emulator, named Giovanni after a Pokémon villain, is open source and available for developers to explore on GitHub. As you might expect, being a prototype it can be a bit slow and sluggish, but it’s still an impressive feat when you consider the limited nature of the Apple Watch hardware and software.
Expand
Expanding
Close

The Apple Watch has notably caused smartwatch efforts by other companies to fail, and a new profile from Fast Company details the impact Apple had on Samsung’s efforts in the category. The report explains that it all started back in 2011, when it was first rumored that Apple had an interest in developing a smartwatch.

Expand
Expanding
Close