Apple is finally deciding to enter the fitness market, with the launch of a brand new Apple iWatch. By releasing this iWatch, which will officially be unleashed to the world come April 24, Apple is hoping to capture the sports and fitness market – and completely change the game for wearable tech, like it has already successfully done for iPhones and the mobile phone industry. Samsung has tried to conquer the wearable tech market too. Will Apple have more success than Samsung?
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Style looks appealing and fashionable
Like all Apple’s products, the style of the Apple iWatch definitely looks appealing. Compared to many of the other huge, chunky watches out there, wearing a brand new iWatch on your wrist would definitely appear to be a fashion statement. And the iWatch is a lot more than simply a fitness watch. Rather, it is like a smart watch. With it, you can check your emails and receive telephone calls while running, as well as being able to track your fitness and running goals, such as using RunKeeper or any other running apps that you desire, on your iWatch to track your runs.
And the official Apple fitness app could be used not only for runs, but also as a pedometer to track your daily steps – and you will be able to find out whether you are indeed walking the Health Promotion Board’s recommended 10,000 steps a day – without having to constantly check your iPhone. You will also be able to download a myriad of apps on the iWatch, having access to almost anything available on the Apple App Store with it.
You could opt to receive Facebook and WhatsApp alerts on your iWatch too, so this would eliminate the need to be constantly checking your mobile phone, especially when you are running. And you can put your mobile phone into your running backpack, without worrying about missed calls and urgent text messages. This could suit runners, who may not be able to quickly whip out their phones all the time, when they are out there pounding the pavements.
Must be paired to a smartphone
However, that said, one of the main drawbacks is that the Apple iWatch must be paired to a smartphone. However, it does not work with any smartphone. It must be an iPhone. That is because the watch does not come with its own GPS function to log a runner’s distances and pace when they are on the go. So for many runners, this would definitely be a major drawback – as it means that you will have to carry your iPhone with you at all times when running. Some runners may not be in the habit to do this, so the iWatch may not appeal to them as a result.
Especially for those who own larger iPhone models such as the iPhone 6 Plus, this may prove to be a bit of a hassle, as they may not know how to carry their big iPhones when they are running. So perhaps this is a feature that Apple could look into.
Cheapest model of the iWatch will cost you USD$349
The cheapest models of the iWatch will set you back by USD$349, with the most expensive luxury model, an 18 Karat gold version, costing a massive USD$10,000. So for those who want to get their hands on an iWatch, you should be prepared to fork out the money.
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