Apple CEO Tim Cook speaks on stage during an Apple special event at the
Yerba Buena Center for the Arts on March 9, 2015 in San Francisco,
California. Apple Inc. announced the new MacBook as well as more details
on the much anticipated Apple Watch, the tech giant's entry into the
rapidly growing wearable technology segment as well. PHOTO | AFP
SAN FRANCISCO,
Apple aims to
have its smart watch on wrists in China, the US and beyond in April, and
ignite its first new gadget category since the debut of the iPad.
The
Apple Watch will be available in nine countries from April 24, at a
starting price of $349 (31,000). A limited edition gold Apple Watch will
be available with a price topping Sh900,000 ($10,000).
"Apple
Watch begins a new chapter in the way we relate to technology," said
chief executive Tim Cook, who starred at an Apple Watch media event in
San Francisco on Monday.
Cook said
"the most personal device we have ever created" can display a variety of
displays ranging from a classic watch face to an animated Mickey Mouse.
Connecting
wirelessly to a user's iPhone, the watch is designed as a wrist device
for messaging, calls and a cornucopia of apps, especially those geared
toward health or fitness.
BESTSELLER
Apple CEO Tim Cook debuts the Apple Watch
collection during an Apple special event at the Yerba Buena Center for
the Arts on March 9, 2015 in San Francisco. PHOTO | AFP
Users can send a real-time display of their heartbeat to another Apple Watch to "let someone know you are thinking about them."
"I hope someone sends me one of those," quipped Cook.
Apple
enters a market that has a number of players, ranging from South Korean
giants Samsung and LG, to Japan's Sony and startups such as Pebble.
But analysts expect Apple to invigorate the market by integrating the watch with the iPhone and its mighty software ecosystem.
"Apple will outsell all the rest of them combined in 2015," said Forrester analyst James McQuivey.
"But
in so doing, Apple will bring very valuable attention to the market,
essentially releasing a rising tide that will float all their boats."
Apple Watch offers a range of communication apps and can be used as a sort of wrist-radio from the Dick Tracy comics.
"With
the built in speaker and microphone, you can receive calls on your
watch. I have been wanting to do this since I was five years old," Cook
said.
Apple CEO Tim Cook waves from stage after an
Apple special event at the Yerba Buena Center for the Arts on March 9,
2015 in San Francisco, California. PHOTO | AFP
APPLE PAY
The
watch is integrated with Apple Pay's mobile wallet and can be used to
view pictures, monitor news and connect to social media.
Apple said that the ranks of businesses accepting Apple Pay is booming, and that it recently sold its 700 millionth iPhone.
"Now it's on your wrist, not in your pocket or your pocketbook," Cook said.
An Apple employee demonstrates how to use an
Apple Watch during an Apple media event at the Yerba Buena Center for
the Arts in San Francisco, California on March 9, 2015. PHOTO | AFP
Apple
demonstrated using the watch to find out lyrics to songs being heard,
remotely opening home doors and displaying barcodes that act as airline
boarding passes.
But a key focus was health and fitness applications.
The
watch has an accelerometer, a heart rate sensor and sensors for "a
comprehensive picture of your all-day activity and workouts."
It will prompt a user to get up and walk if sedentary too long.
SHORT BATTERY LIFE
Apple Watches are seen on display during an
Apple media event at the Yerba Buena Center for the Arts in San
Francisco, California on March 09, 2015. PHOTO | AFP
Cook boasted that the device will have "all-day battery life" — or some 18 hours.
Entry
price will be $349 in the United States, with the price climbing
through three style categories, the top being the luxury gold model.
Initially,
it will be available in Australia, Britain, Canada, China, France,
Germany, Hong Kong, Japan and the United States. Pre-orders will be
taken from April 10.
Apple Watches are seen on display during an
Apple media event at the Yerba Buena Center for the Arts in San
Francisco, California on March 09, 2015. PHOTO | AFP
Moor
Insights and Strategy founder Patrick Moorhead, who attended the event,
said "the secret weapon here is the ability to message each other by
tapping on the watch, I think people, particularly kids, are going to go
nuts over that."
"Apple has a big chance of success, and what that is going to do is set the bar for the (smartwatch) experience," he added.
Jan
Dawson at Jackdaw Research said he expects Apple to sell around 20
million of the devices this year, which will "catalyze the overall
smartwatch market and help other vendors even as Apple comes to enjoy
levels of market share it hasn't had since the iPod."
ONE OTHER THING
Apple CEO Tim Cook stands in front of an MacBook
on display after an Apple special event at the Yerba Buena Center for
the Arts on March 9, 2015 in San Francisco, California. Apple Inc.
announced the new MacBook as well as more details on the much
anticipated Apple Watch, the tech giant's entry into the rapidly growing
wearable technology segment as well. PHOTO | AFP
At the event, Apple unveiled a new Macbook laptop computer that weighs less than one kilogram (two pounds).
The
new MacBook starting at $1,299 is 0.5 inches (13.1 millimeters) at its
thickest point, and its features include all-day battery life, a
high-resolution 12-inch (30-centimeter) edge-to-edge screen and
greatly-enhanced keyboard and trackpad.
Apple
also announced that it cut the price of its Apple TV set-top box to $69
and that the service will next month handle the exclusive launch of an
HBO Now streaming movie service.
Known
for shows like "Game of Thrones" and "Boardwalk Empire," HBO enters the
streaming-only video market dominated by Netflix as part of a
partnership with the California tech giant.
The service called HBO Now will cost $14.99 per month and launch in April.
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