Jessica Fisher, Staff Writer
“It’s not just with you, it’s on you.” This is the quote Apple’s CEO Tim Cook chose to lead with last Monday at the premiere of Apple’s newest product, the Apple Watch.
I have never owned any Apple product. Not an iPod, an iPhone, or even an iPod Shuffle. Some may wonder how I’ve made it and lived this long, but it is just a simple fact of my life. I have often found Apple products to be out of my price range. The Apple Watch is no exception.
On April 24, the Apple Watch will be released in three different collections ranging in price from $350 – $17,000. If you have ever wanted a phone encased in gold that you could also wrap around your wrist, then the $17,000 gold edition is for you.
For the practical consumers who are not satisfied with their iPod touch, their iPhone 6, their iPad or their MacBook, the Apple Watch Sport is available in anodized aluminum, starting at $349.
Cook brags that the watch tells time within 50 milliseconds of the UTC (coordinated universal time). I for one am always afraid of being 50 milliseconds late. The Apple Watch will tell you time on a ‘traditional’ analog face, on a digital face or on a myriad of other displays.
The watch also includes a “Glances” feature in which the wearer can swipe up from the bottom of the watch to see the weather, their calendar, their music or their heart rate. Cook says the watch will allow users to “…communicate immediately and intimately.” He added that the watch can receive calls, something he says he’s wanted to do since he was five.
If an Apple Watch user is not already inundated by their emails, they will now be able to view them on their watch. The watch’s side button will bring up the user’s contacts. Users will also be able to connect with other Apple Watches via a ‘digital touch.’
The folks at Apple say they want to encourage healthier lifestyles, so the fitness applications on the Apple Watch will remind you if you’ve been sitting too long. They will also remind you to be more active.
In order to access Apple Watch’s apps, owners will need to download iOS 8.2 onto their iPhones. The new operating system will come complete with the option to download the Apple Watch App, where users can download the apps that they want or need on their watch. The watch also provides 18 hours of battery life.
While the Apple Watch Sport is the affordable option, the Apple Watch is the mid-range option, with prices ranging from $549-$1,099. The limited edition Apple Watch Editions, which will only be available for a limited time and sold in select stores, are being sold for $10,000-$17,000. All options from Sport to Edition come with either a 38mm screen or 42mm screen.
