The much anticipated Apple Watch has been unveiled – and China, Hong Kong and Japan will be among the first 10 markets globally in which it will go on sale.
From April 10, the Apple Watch range will be available for preview, fitting and ordering in Australia, Canada, China, France, Germany, Hong Kong, Japan, the UK and the US and on the Apple Online Store. On April 24, Apple Watch will be available to purchase online or by reservation in Apple’s retail stores and in China and Japan through selected Apple authorised resellers. Customers who purchase online or in-store from Apple will be offered Personal Setup to customise and pair Apple Watch with their iPhone.
Apple describes the Apple Watch as its “most personal device yet” – an “incredibly accurate timepiece, an intimate and immediate communication device and a groundbreaking health and fitness companion”.
“Highly customisable for personal expression, Apple Watch also brings an entirely new way to receive information at a glance and interact with the world through third-party app experiences designed specifically for the wrist.”
Apple says the watch will keep time to within 50 milliseconds of UTC, the universal time standard. Its face can be customised by the user, with a traditional analog look, an “information-rich Modular face” or animated butterflies and jellyfish.
“Apple Watch begins a new chapter in the way we relate to technology and we think our customers are going to love it,” said Tim Cook, Apple’s CEO. “We can’t wait for people to start wearing Apple Watch to easily access information that matters, to interact with the world, and to live a better day by being more aware of their daily activity than ever before.”
Its touch screen can differentiate between touch, tap and swipe and the watch ‘taps’ the wearer’s wrist if new information is received.
Features include email, the ability to answer phone calls from your wrist (the device must be wirelessly connected to an iPhone 5 or later running on iOs 8.2, downloadable from today), Apple Pay (where markets and retailers accept this payment mechanism), communication through social media apps and monitoring your health and fitness.
Apple Watch is available in two different sizes, 38 mm and 42 mm, and in three distinct collections – Apple Watch Sport, Apple Watch and Apple Watch Edition. Apple Watch Sport features a lightweight anodized aluminum case in silver and space gray with a Retina display protected by strengthened Ion-X glass and matching high-performance fluoroelastomer Sport Band in five colors.
The Apple Watch collection features highly polished stainless steel and space black stainless steel cases with a Retina display protected by sapphire crystal. The Apple Watch collection comes with a choice of three different leather straps, a stainless steel link bracelet and Milanese loop, and a black or white Sport Band.
Apple Watch Edition features cases specially crafted from custom rose or yellow 18-karat gold alloys developed to be twice as hard as standard gold, a Retina display protected by polished sapphire crystal and a choice of uniquely designed straps and bands with 18-karat gold clasps, buckles or pins.
Apple Watch Sport is priced at US$349 and $399 and Apple Watch, from $549 to $1099. The Apple Watch Edition, crafted from custom rose or yellow 18-karat gold alloys, starts at US$10,000.
In line with its luxury brand positioning, Apple will also put the Apple Watch on show at selected department stores around the world.
Apple Watch will also be available to preview or try on at Galeries Lafayette in Paris, Isetan in Tokyo and Selfridges in London on April 10 and for sale on April 24. It will also be sold from boutiques in major cities, including Colette in Paris, Dover Street Market in London and Tokyo, Maxfield in Los Angeles and The Corner in Berlin.
Apple Watch can be viewed online from today.
