The smartwatch was supposed to be the next big thing in 2014, then analysts promised it would happen in 2015, but another year on, it hasn’t quite happened. Luxury consumers haven’t really ditched their heirlooms or fashion watches for the Apple watch or Android wearables yet.
By now you’ve figured out that the Apple watch (just like Samsung’s Gear wearables) is engineered to play ball only with the iPhone. Does it change your life? Like almost every other product the Apple watch is magnifi cently designed.
It’s a complex product grid (starting at Rs. 30,900), straddling a range of sizes (38mm and 42mm) metallic ‘finishes’ and different straps from Silicon to the ultra luxe Hermes leather. And yes, there’s also the 24-carat gold edition. The watches look elegant on your wrist and there’s a marginal difference between the 38 mm (designed for smaller wrists) and 42 mm versions (1.5-inch vs 1.65-inch screen and 62 gms vs 70 gms for the entry level sport editions). While the lower end versions come with ion-X protective glass, the pricey Apple Watch Edition is strengthened with a sapphire glass display.
The user experience, driven by the much improved watch OS 2.0, is by and large the same across the range. Apple has chosen the ‘second screen’ approach in its wearable strategy. The watch syncs effortlessly with your iPhone (via Bluetooth); Apple’s Watch OS 2 ecosystem is clearly the watch’s biggest draw - there are quite a few Apps from popular news sites to social media. You can set your Apple Watch to notify you of text alerts and email alerts; you can also play Dick Tracy and answer calls on your watch. The call quality is surprisingly good. It’s the alerts that dispense with the need to keep drawing your phone out of your pocket when you are in a meeting or driving. Quite a few texts and email messages don’t really need you to respond and the Apple watch really works on this front.
The watch’s fitness creds are up there with the best, too. There’s a heart rate sensor allowing you to leverage from a range of solid fitness apps The watch is IPX certified water resistant. Is this the best smartwatch out there? Yes! Will this change your life? No! Should you yield to temptation? Probably.
If you are an early adopter, the Apple Watch won’t disappoint you and knowing Apple you’re probably protected at least through 2016 where another OS enhancement could add some extra zing.
(In arrangement with THE MAN)