After the simultaneous launch of the iPhone 6 and iPhone 6 Plus yesterday, we had a sneaking suspicion that Apple’s eagerly-awaited wearable would be next, and after years of on-off rumors, the Apple Watch trio was finally revealed. As expected, the Apple Watch is abundant with sensors and, by all accounts, is ready to take on the elements as wearers seek to attain optimal fitness and general health. But while it is water-resistant and will be able to deal with sweat or a spot of rain, it’s not waterproof, and as such, should not be taken into the bath or the shower.
In many respects, Apple Watch is like Nike’s FuelBand, which was also described as water-resistant, but the key thing to remember is that water-resistant and waterproof are two largely differing concepts. Water resistant only means that a device will continue to function after encountering liquid or condensation at a minor level. Waterproof products, conversely, can be submerged into water at varying depths without causing any lasting damage.
The fact that Apple Watch is able to cope with some water is a relief, though, particularly given the emphasis on fitness and the deep integration with iOS Health. The lion’s share of the Apple Watch demonstration seemed to focus on physical activity, and given that blood, sweat and tears are often the by-product of a rigorous fitness regime, the new wearable does need some kind of minimum tolerance threshold.
Even though it has been something of a relief to finally see Apple Watch unveiled, we’re essentially back on the trail again due to the fact that the wrist-worn devices won’t launch until “early 2015.” In the run-up to yesterday’s fanfare, analysts touted a January roll-out, but given Apple’s reluctance to pin down a month, it could be four, five, even six months until Apple Watch hits the consumer market.
Still, the mere fact that it’s official will prevent Apple-fanning smartwatch buyers from picking up an alternative device like the Moto 360 from Motorola or the famed Pebble, and with Google’s Android Wear set to spawn a host of new wearables from HTC, ASUS and others, we’re looking forward to a fierce battle looking ahead to 2015.
Thoughts on the matter?
(Source: David Pogue [Twitter])
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