IN DEPTH: Price breakdown: How much every Apple Watch will cost
Price breakdown: How much every Apple Watch
We had a feeling that "starting at $349" meant that the Apple Watch wasn't going to be cheap, and that was confirmed at the iPhone-tailored smartwatch's launch event today.
Apple CEO Tim Cook revealed how much each Apple Watch will cost along with the pre-order date and release date information, both set for next month.
Of course, with 38 watch designs in all, it can be a bit confusing to remember which watch cost how much. And you only have until April to decide.
That's why in addition to taking explaining each design, we broke down the Apple Watch price, from the $350 (£299, AU$499) Sport Edition to the $17,000 (£13,500, AU$24,000) gold Apple Watch Edition.
Apple Watch Sport with Sport Band
The entry-level Apple Watch is the Sport model with a aluminum case, Ion-X glass over the display and and rubber-like fluoroelastomer band.
It costs $349 (£299, AU$499) for the 38mm size (measured by height), while it's a little more at $399 (£339, AU$579) the 42mm size. There are five colors and, with the two sizes, ten models to chose from.
Buying the Sport Band alone costs $49 (£39, AU$79), according to the Apple Store, just in case you want to switch colors or opted for a leather strap and want to retreat to this waterproof band.
Colors include white, blue, green and pink for the bands with a silver casing. There's also one almost-all-black version; it's black band and a unique space gray casing.
Apple Watch with Sport Band
The stainless steel Apple Watch, in its "cheapest" form, also comes with a gym-friendly fluoroelastomer Sport Band.
It costs $549 (£479, AU$799) for the 38mm size and $599 (£519, AU$879) for the 42mm size, a higher price because it replaces aluminum with stainless steel and adds sapphire glass.
Since the Sport Band itself is no different, other colors can be had for the same $49 (£39, AU$79) price as the previous Sport Band.
Colors with this Apple Watch out-of-the-box, however, are limited to white and black bands, and both models feature a silver stainless steel case.
Apple Watch with Classic Buckle
The Apple Watch with a no-frills Classic Buckle doesn't come cheap, even though it has a stainless steel closure that's as simple as can be.
It costs $649 (£559, AU$949) for the 38mm size and $699 (£599, AU$1029) for the 42mm size on account of its leather build. Apple proclaims it has been milled in a famous tannery in the Netherlands.
Apart from the watch, the Classic Buckle is going to be sold through the Apple Store for $149 (£129, AU$229).
In the words of Henry Ford, you can have any color you want, as long as it's black. Again, a no-frills option from end to end.
Apple Watch with Milanese Loop
The Milanese Loop really classes up the Apple Watch with a woven smooth stainless steel mesh and a magnetic, infinitely adjustable clasp.
It costs $649 (£559, AU$949) for the 38mm size and $699 (£599, AU$1,029) for the 42mm, matching the price of the classic buckle, but beating it on style.
Separately, the Milanese Loop costs $149 (£129, AU$229). It may be a good down-the-road purchase for date nights if you initially end up with the Sport Band out-of-the-box.
It comes in one color too, silver stainless steel, which matches the glossy silver Apple Watch case.
Apple Watch with Leather Loop
The Leather Loop for where the Apple Watch gets bolder with new colors, but even pricier. It not only has leather milled in Italy, but magnets hidden in its leather loop.
Apple is asking for $700 (£559, AU$1,029) for the watch case and Leather Loop that, so far, is only being made available with the 42mm watch size.
It does, however, come in medium and large lengths and is sold separately for $149 (£129, AU$229), so it should fit the wrist of anyone who is willing to don the larger Apple Watch at launch.
Colors consist of stone, light brown, bright blue and black.
Apple Watch with Modern Buckle
Being modern is what Apple Watch is all about, so this top-grain leather band comes together with a two-piece magnetic closure that looks like one solid buckle.
At $749 (£649, AU$1,099), you may be modern, but this watch and band may cost you your paycheck and future paychecks. It only comes with the smaller 38mm stainless steel case.
It's also expensive apart from the watch, with a band-only price of $249 (£209, AU$379), making it the most expensive leather band available separately.
Colors are soft pink, brown, midnight blue and black, each with a stainless steel clasp that matches the Apple Watch casing.
Apple Watch with Link Bracelet
How much for that all-metal Link Bracelet, you ask? A lot because it has more than 100 components in the band alone.
It's $949 (£819, AU$1,399) for the 38mm size and $999 (£859, AU$1,479) for the 42mm size. Apple says that it takes nearly nine hours to cut the links for a single strap. Maybe Foxconn isn't making this one.
The Link Bracelet in space gray black stainless steel brings the price to $1,049 (£899, AU$1,549) and $1,099 (about £949, AU$1,629) for the two sizes.
The Link Bracelet alone in silver stainless steel costs $449 (about £379, AU$679), which is more money than the entry-level Apple Watch Sport with the rubber Sport Band.
It comes in two colors with the Apple Watch, stainless steel and space black stainless steel, though only the normal stainless steel version is available as a separate band so far.
Apple Watch Edition (low-end)
Is money no object? Than you may be one of the few willing to flaunt the limited-edition Apple Watch Edition that is made of 18-karat gold. It comes in eight extravagantly priced models.
The "cheapest" are the 38mm Apple Watch Editions with an rose gold case and White Sport Band, and the yellow gold case with a Black Sport Band at $10,000 (£8,000, AU$14,000).
The 42mm equivalents of these two color configurations are $12,000 (£9,500 AU$17,000). Yes, adding just four extra millimeters increases the price by that much.
Apple Watch Edition (high-end)
Apple Watch Edition doesn't stop there, however. At $15,000 (£12,000, AU$21,000) is the 42mm yellow gold case with a Black Classic Buckle and 42mm yellow gold case with a Midnight Blue Classic Buckle.
There's no 38mm. It's go big or go home (to your mansion). Instead, if you want something smaller, you'll have to opt for the more expensive Modern Buckle at that size, and it breaks the bank even more.
At an unbelievable $17,000 (£13,500, AU$24,000) is the 18-karat rose gold case and rose gray modern buckle, and the same case with a bright red modern buckle. Its Apple extravagance at its peak.
For good reason, none of the Apple Watch Edition bands are available separately in the Apple Store and, word is, they may be locked up in a safe every night.
Apple Watch accessory: Magnetic Charger price
The Apple Watch comes with a magnetic charger, but if you want an extra one, the Apple Store is already listing it as an April 10 pre-order item.
The accessory comes in two sizes, much like the many watch configurations. There's a 1m version for $29 (£25, AU$45) and a longer 2m version for $39 (£29, AU$59).
Having an extra one around (or two) isn't a bad idea for a backpack, the office, your car or a loved one's residence. After all, that 18 hours means Apple Watch needs to charge nightly, no matter where you end up up at night.
Apple Watch requirement: Newer iPhone
Apple Watch won't work without a newer iPhone, and Apple states this one its website on just about every page. Some people, regardless, are still going to complain on day one.
This may add to your end price, as the smartwatch requires the iPhone 5 or later, meaning the iPhone 5S, iPhone 5C, iPhone 6 and iPhone 6 Plus are all good to go on launch day.
This makes a lot of sense. These are the same strict requirements of the company's ongoing Apple CarPlay project, which we should see more of at WWDC 2015.
Needless to say, the next iPhone 6S, expected in September, will work with the Apple Watch and may even support new features.
Apple Watch requirement: iOS 8.2
Also a requirement of the Apple Watch is iOS 8.2. It's only compatible with the new update that launched the same time Tim Cook announced the smartwatch price.
Apple's smartwatch requires a container app to function and manage settings and watch apps. This is the same setup used by Android Wear watches and the forthcoming Pebble Time and Pebble Time Steel.
The good news is that this iOS 8.2 update is free of charge and available right now. It won't cost you any extra and there's no nagging wait.
Apple Watch pricing wrap-up
Apple Watch, depending on the configuration, is the company's most pricey gadget. That's why I am opting for the cheapest variant.
My choice, the Apple Watch Sport, has a duller aluminum finish and a rubber-like band, but it starts at $349 (£299, AU$499). And, I can add to the bands from there, say, if I one day buy the slick-looking Milanese Loop.
More than anything, though, I know that the Apple Watch that I receive on the April 24 release date is going to be dated soon.
Apple may not introduce the Apple Watch 2 in a few months (it's not Samsung) or even a year, but eventually it'll upgrade its smartwatch and I'll be glad I bought the cheapest one.
More Apple Watch coverage
There's a lot more to explore as we prepare for the Apple Watch launch. We have already tested with the Apple Watch in a an updated hands on review.
We also dove deeper into the Apple Watch design, taking a look at each collection, the build quality and the watch faces.
On the same day that Apple Watch pre-orders begin, Apple plans to start selling its new MacBook 2015 with an even thinner and lighter design and a 12-inch display.
- Next breakdown: Apple Watch vs Pebble Time Steel comparison
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Google unwraps its Android Lollipop 5.1 update
It turns out the rumors were true – Google has officially taken the wrapper off its Android 5.1 update for Lollipop, with the new software rolling out to devices from today.
The confirmation comes from the Official Android blog, and doesn't mention the inevitable bug fixes that Lollipop users really want to hear about.
Instead, it focuses on the new features the 5.1 update will deliver to Android users.
A well-featured Lollipop
At the top of the list is support for multiple SIM cards, so phones can be shared between family members of work colleagues.Security gets a bit of a boost, with Device Protection ensuring your device stays locked down until you enter your Google password, ensuring that a factory reset doesn't wipe all your important information.
Verizon and T-Mobile customers in the states with a compatible handset like the Nexus 6 will also finally get support for HD Voice.
You'll also be able to join Wi-Fi networks and control Bluetooth devices from the Quick Settings menu.
- So should you be excited by the Apple Watch?
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Hands-on review: Updated: New MacBook 2015
Apple's new Macbook is all about style, while still combining it with oodles of power. This is apparently the 'notebook redefined' according to the Cupertino brand, and it certainly does push the envelope in one area: the lightness of this thing is insane.
The specs are pretty goshdarn good as well, with the new Macbook coming in at just 13.1mm thin and weighing 2 pounds (or 900g). That's insane when you consider there's a battery in there which has 35% more capacity than previous models, and also offers up to 9 hours of web browsing too.
The new notebook comes with a 1.1 GHz dual-core Intel Core M processor with Turbo Boost speeds up to 2.4 GHz, 8GB of memory, 256GB of flash storage and Intel HD Graphics 5300. If you want to turn the power up a little, then you can go for 1.2 GHz dual-core option, with Intel Core M processor with Turbo Boost speeds up to 2.6GHz, 8GB of memory, 512GB of flash storage and Intel HD Graphics 5300.
The former will cost $1299 / £1049, and the latter $1599 / £1299... not cheap despite the boosted specs and design. Speaking of which...
Design
The new Macbook is so light you could mistake it for a half-empty sheaf of papers. Holding it in one hand is quite unnerving, as you feel you could snap it without holding properly.
The balance is excellent. Yes, you can feel it tipping towards the screen ever so slightly, but the overall feel is of a well-weighted laptop that you could type on with one hand.
The screen doesn't extend too far back - possibly 50 degrees beyond straight - but it's acceptable. Plus you'll just push it over anyway, such is the lack of weight.
The edges of the Macbook are smooth and pleasant, with no sharpness to be found. I'll be honest and say I didn't want to see if it would bend in front of the stand bunnies at the Apple launch, but I didn't get the feeling that was a mistake Apple was going to make twice.
The keyboard has been retooled to include a 'butterfly hinge' underneath each key. This means they're massive and to be honest, lacking in travel. I'm sure that's the sort of thing that after a while will become a genius idea for some, but in my brief time with it all I could think was 'man, these are some big ol' keys'.
The travel was pretty minimal though - having come from typing on a Macbook Pro, with one of the easiest keyboards I've ever found to tap away on, I wasn't instantly blown away by the improvement. The keys felt more solid under my fingertips, but that was never an issue I had a lot of problems with before.
It feels like Apple has solved a problem that wasn't there - but done it well anyway.
The force touchpad is cool, with levels of clicks that aren't really there. That's to say that the more you press down, the more levels of haptic you hit - it's a cool idea but one that requires some sensitivity.
I played with it trying to fast forward through a video with different levels of sensitivity - I got quite adept within seconds, but it did require concentration.
As did remembering that the force touch was there. The idea that you can use it to expand the content you're looking for (be it more information on words, or a location in an email) is a good one - I'm just not sure the experience is as intuitive as it could be.
The lack of any port bar the USB-C connector for HDMI, power and, well, everything else, is a bold one. Initially I was saddened by the loss of so many ports, but if it makes the new Macbook this thin, I'm all over it.
I don't think I'll be able to survive on one port, which means that I'll be carrying around some connected doohickey for a long while yet. Even ethernet is still needed from time to time, and I'm not sure that's even supported.
There is a headphone jack in the side of the new Macbook, which almost seems to dictate the size of the frame itself. I didn't think I'd be saying this so soon, but laptops and mobile phones are getting to the point where the thickness isn't that different.
The new Macbook felt super speedy in tests, but then again with that much power on board I'd worry if it couldn't perform during rudimentary testing.
Shout has to go out to the new Retina display as well - its clear, bright and seems over the top in terms of sharpness already - that's Apple all over, right?
Early verdict
This is a great design from Apple, bringing a 12-inch laptop with a Retina display and stunning lightweight chassis for not much in the way of compromise... apart from the price, with it starting at $1299.It comes in silver, gold and space gray, all of which look really neat (space gray really is classy) and man... this thing is SO LIGHT.
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Salesforce embraces Apple Watch with enterprise apps
The Apple Watch isn't just for consumers. Apple showed us at its Spring Forward keynote that consumer-centric apps like Uber could allow business customers to order a ride quickly and the SPG app will help fast-paced business travelers ditch the check-in line at a hotel and use the smartwatch as a room key.
The other part of the equation is enterprise-specific apps that will help businesses reach sales goals. Partnering with Salesforce, Apple VP of Technology Kevin Lynch showed off the Salesforce apps on the Apple Watch.
Salesforce designed its apps for the wrist to offer users access to glanceable information and the ability to be notified when a major event occurs.
Quick snapshots
Unlike the tablet, phone or desktop, the Apple Watch is built for quick interactions. While you may use your computer for hours at a time and your phone for minutes on hand, Salesforce VP of Solutions and Product Marketing Michael Peachey told TechCrunch the Apple Watch is designed to be used for seconds at a time.Peachey said Salesforce's enterprise apps account for this different usage behavior. The company had launched a Wearables SDK last summer and is releasing new apps to work on Apple Watch.
The Salesforce enterprise Watch apps
Salesforce has launched the Salesforce Wave and Salesforce1 apps for Apple Watch along with a new SDK for partners to create their own apps.
In designing Salesforce Wave, Peachey said his company wants to give users quick access to information. Wave isn't about detailed analysis; instead it's about giving users snapshots of key information when they need it.
If users want more details, then they can pull out a phone or tablet, or head back to the office PC to dive in.
The Salesforce1 app is the second component to the solution that Salesforce is providing. Whereas Salesforce Wave is about access to information, Salesforce 1 is centered around giving wearable wearers alerts, including notifications for when deals are made or when marketing goals are achieved.
Finally, Salesforce Wear is Salesforce's SDK that allows customers to create their own Watch apps with information from the Salesforce platform.
For enterprise IT administrators, wearables like the Apple Watch represent a new screen size and computing paradigm to work with. Beyond the cloud, mobile and social, Apple Watch is about receiving updates and deciding what happens next.
"It's not about delivering more and more notifications," Peachey said. "Industry and people will realize, the personal and instant way you get updated on something IS important. You just get nudged, see just a snippet at the time and take action."
- Keep up to date with all the latest Apple Watch news
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Galaxy S6 battery is removable, if you don't mind getting a little screwy
The Samsung Galaxy S6 is powered by a non-removable battery, and anecdotally speaking some people are very unhappy about that.
Customization has always been one of Android's strengths, and only those suckers with iPhones should be stuck with a non-swappable battery. Right?
- Chromecast is brilliant
The "hack" was discovered by users in the XDA developer forums, and - strangely - Samsung's own user manual for the handset has instructions on how to do it.
But you probably shouldn't
You'll have to remove several screws from under the S6's backplate, then take out the phone's circuit board, to get to the battery.The process is, at best, inadvisable, and it also voids your warranty. But hey - at least the option is (sort of?) there.
Unfortunately, there's no hidden microSD card slot in there, so Galaxy S6 users will be stuck with the phone's onboard storage even if they are able to remove its battery.
- The Apple Watch stole the show today
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Updated: Is Android 5.1 coming to Nexus devices any moment now?
Update 2: Google has officially confirmed the Android 5.1 release.
Update 1: Last week came and went with no hint of Android 5.1 for Nexus devices, despite what Android Police founder Artem Russakovskii said.
Now Russakovskii has updated his forecast to predict that the Lollipop update will arrive this week instead, saying it's "so close, [he] can almost smell it."
He cites multiple tenuous clues, including update pages on T-Mobile's and Google's websites, and speculates that Google might have adjusted the timing thanks to Apple's Watch event today.
What seems more likely is that there was some issue with Android 5.1 that required it to be delayed - or that it was never coming out last week to begin with.
Either way, Nexus users should keep an eye out as this week continues.
Original story below…
Android 5.1 is a much-anticipated update to Android 5.0 Lollipop, and according to one source it could arrive as soon as Friday.
The incremental Android update is expected to fix some of Lollipop's biggest problems, including bugs related to settings and UI, plus general performance improvements.
Last year we heard that 5.1 might arrive in February, but with the month come and gone and most Android phones still on 5.0 or below we're expecting to see it in March.
That's now backed up by Artem Russakovskii, the founder of Android news site Android Police, who posted on Google+ that a "solid" source says the update will arrive on Google Nexus phones this week.
Well, the week is almost over, so we'll know soon whether that source was correct.
- Samsung's Galaxy S6 has arrived
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LG G4 could bring next level of Android with super sharp display
Two separate pieces of evidence point to a couple of nice new features on the LG G4: the rumored Android 5.1 update and a quad-HD resolution display.
The two sources, a Sprint user agent profile page and an html5test result spotted by MyLGphones, paint a picture of the next LG flagship, which is expected to launch in April.
As previous reports predicted, LG skipped the opportunity to unveil the G4 at this month's massive MWC 2015 conference, likely opting instead for the less announcement-crowded month of April (or possibly May)
If all the clues that have piled up so far pan out, the LG G4 will turn up sporting Android 5.1 Lollipop, a quad-HD display, a Snapdragon 810 chip, 3GB of memory, 16GB or 32GB of storage, a 16-megapixel camera with optical image stabilization (OIS), and 4K video capabilities.
Read more on what we know about the upcoming phone at TechRadar's LG G4 release date, news and rumors hub.
- The iPhone 6 is still on top
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In Depth: 10 things we learned from the Apple Watch launch
Pre-orders, apps, Amazon and MacBook
Apple just held an event for the Apple Watch. But as it launched the thing last year, we got to hear about much more than just a few of the flimsy things Apple's great wrist-worn gadget will do.Yes, we now know when the Watch is coming out, and how much we'll have to pay for it, but there's even more interesting stuff in store too.
How about the brand new 12-inch MacBook that's even thinner than the MacBook Air? Or the iPhone-led medical platform that Apple thinks is going to revolutionise medical research? As ever, Apple has big plans.
- Hands on: Apple Watch review | Hands on: New MacBook review
Apple Watch is on pre-order and sale in April
The Apple Watch goes on pre-order on April 10. And in the usual Apple style the actual 'on sale' date lands two weeks later on April 24. This is the standard delay Apple puts into its mobile devices. It's enough of a gap to get you ravenous with excitement, no so long you forget you even made the pre-order.Just to get those anticipation juices flowing even more, you'll be able to check out the Apple Watch for yourself in Apple Stores from April 10. That's a little longer than we normally have to wait for a pre-order, but it's just a quick between then and the Watch landing in your hands.
This is a totally new category for Apple, and there must be thousands, millions out there who are on the cusp of convincing themselves they might need a smartwatch. And even more that just want some first-hand experience so they can ridicule the thing to friends.
Three different models, three very different prices
We always knew that Apple was planning a few different variations of Apple Watch, but now we know exactly how many there are. The answer? Six, if we forget the different straps and colours - and an awful lot more variations if we don't.Neglecting the peripheral style choices for a moment, there are Sport, Steel and Edition series in the Apple Watch family, and all three come in two watch face sizes, 38mm and 42mm. These roughly equate to the 'male' and 'female' standard watch archetypes, but let's not put a gendered label on these, eh?
The one we imagine most people going for is Watch Sport. It's the cheapest of the three, with an aluminium alloy casing and fairly normal-looking straps: three colours plus white and black. It's $349, £299, AU$499 for the 38mm edition, $399, £339, AU$579 for the 42mm one.
Have a bit more cash? The Watch Collection get you an upgrade to a shiny steel body. There are also much fancier straps, including one woven out of wafer-thin metal wire that feels like fabric.
Prices for this version start at $549, £479, AU$799 and rocket up to $1099, £949, AU$1629 if you pick the fanciest strap. That's right, you can double the cost by picking a different strap.
Are you a rapper? A millionaire? Or a normal person with extremely misaligned priorities? The Apple Watch Edition is the 18ct gold version and starts at $10,000, £8,000 AU$14,000, creeping all the way up to $17,000, £13,500, AU$24,000.
It's to be sold in limited numbers to make it all the more attractive to hardcore consumer types, although it will be available across the world according to Tim Cook.
Apple Watch apps are parasites
There will be loads of Apple Watch apps available on launch day by the sounds of it, but they don't really have their very own space. You'll browse through, use and download Watch apps from your phone rather than directly from the watch itself.We pretty much knew this would be the case as it has been common knowledge for a while that Watch apps don't run entirely independently and are highly reliant on a connection with your iPhone. It's another confirmation that your Apple Watch is not going to be much use if you take it too far away from your phone.
Some of the apps Tim Cook and co. showed off during the Apple Watch event include Uber, WeChat, Instagram, Shazam and a home security monitor. Expect to see these plus a boatload of others, including plenty of dross, come April 24.
Don't expect anything too in-depth, though. Apple VP of Tech Kevin Lynch says most of the Watch's applications are "really about brief interactions… many of these are just a few seconds long."
Apple TV is playing hardball with Amazon
Think Apple TV is the runt of Apple's litter? Tim Cook is doing his best to change that this year. Not only has the set top box been give a price cut to keep it competitive with rivals like Amazon Fire TV, it'll also get a brand new streaming service that you won't be able to get elsewhere. For a while at least.But first, the price. It now costs just $69, £59, AU$109 bringing it just-about in-line with alternatives from Amazon, Roku 3 and others. No, it's not as cheap as Chromecast, but then few things are, and Apple TV does also include a remote.
This big push is going to happen alongside the launch of the HBO streaming service in the US, which is to launch in April exclusively (to begin with) on Apple devices. That means iPads, iPhones and Apple TV.
It'll cost you $14.99 and there's no word of a UK or worldwide release yet. Why is it so much more expensive than the much more content-rich Netflix? HBO has complained for years that the low prices of things like Netflix mean they'd never side with one of the core streaming services. They'd see it as a devaluing of their content.
We're not sure about splashing out that much cash for one network's goodies, but, they certainly have some classic shows and plenty of people are head over heels for Game of Thrones. They're sure to pick up a few subscribers. Or a few million, more like.
The MacBook has a new baby
Without any real warning, Apple just announced a totally new MacBook. "We challenged ourselves to reinvent the notebook," said Tim Cook.What the MacBook does is to really suck the most it can out of Intel's new Broadwell M architecture improvements and recent screen innovations to make an incredibly portable device.
Apple says it's the "world's most energy efficient notebook." It also makes a MacBook Air look chunky, at just 13.1mm at its thickest point. That's 25% thinner than the Air.
The brains of the MacBook are 67% smaller too, letting Apple jam-pack the rest of the body with battery. You'll get up to 10 hours off a charge even thought the thing doesn't weigh all that much more than a first-gen iPad at 900g (2 pounds).
It has a Retina 2304 x 1440 pixel 12-inch screen too. Where you pay for all this tech is connectivity. There's just one USB-C and a headphone jack on the MacBook. The USB-C port can be used for everything from charging to outputting video to connecting a hard drive, but there's only one of them.
Bear this in mind before you bin your MacBook Pro. It's currently listed as 'coming soon'. We'll be back with release date updates soon.
This is clearly just a first-gen go at a new laptop format too: the Air and Pro lines aren't going anywhere just yet. And on that point…
More MacBooks, new technology and Apple love
MacBook Air and Pro are getting a quiet upgrade
Don't fancy the new MacBook? Some of the Pro and Air models have just been given a light spruce-up too.The Air models and 13-inch MacBook Pro have been bumped up to Broadwell-generation processors. Until now they've been using Haswell CPUs: a bit slower, a bit less efficient. Along with this, you now get Thunderbolt 2.0, which is a whole mess faster, with up to 20 Gbps bandwidth.
The Pros and the 13-inch Airs also get much faster SSDs, completing the a trinity of pretty standard, pretty unimaginative, but also pretty important annual updates.
Lucky 13-inch MacBook Pros get one extra new feature. They have been given the new ForceTouch trackpad seen in the new MacBook design.
Apple just redesigned its keyboard and trackpad
Call us big old nerds if you like (well it is our job), but two of the most interesting things at the Apple Watch event were not to do with the Watch or how slim the new MacBook is, but its keyboard and trackpad.Apple's engineering bods have redesigned both to try and get rid of two niggling problems with laptops: trackpad dead zones and wobbly keyboard keys. Now, you may not have thought of these as problems, but your current MacBook Air might just feel rubbish as a result after you've tried the new MacBook.
Instead of having a 'scissor' mechanism under each key, the new MacBook keyboard has a butterfly one. This makes the key more stable, and means the key moves straight down even when you apply pressure at its edge.
Don't care? Well how about the ForceTouch trackpad? Rather than using a hinged pad, this new one has four pressure sensitive pads at each end of it with the action relayed using 'Taptic' feedback motors.
Now, the current MacBooks using this sort of software-based feedback already, but this means you can use the entire TouchPad as a button, including the top inch that at present does zilch.
Pressure sensitivity also allows for different button effects depending on how hard you press. It's a trackpad gesture without, well, the gesture.
Still not impressed? How about the new keyboard backlight? It now uses separate LEDs for each key to get you more focused light. It also is part of the MacBook's super slim design style. If that doesn't do the trick, we give up.
Apple is getting into medical research
As well as the bonus Watch details and the new MacBook, Apple just announced ResearchKit, a platform that can help patients log data about their conditions for research and monitoring. It's open source too, which is about as un-Apple as moves get. It's brazen altruism at it's finest, not that this'll do anything to harm Apple's public image.It has been working with a whole bunch of medical research institutions, including Oxford University, on creating apps that patients can use to log data. We heard about heart health monitoring, diabetes, asthma and breast cancer, but it was the Parkinson's app that showed how it'll work directly.
It'll let patients perform the sort of status checks that you might normally go to a GP for. Your iPhone's accelerometer/gyroscope will check your gait while you walk 20 steps, and monitor for tremors in your voice as you say 'Ahhhhh' into the mic. "We're incredibly confident that ResearchKit is going to transform medical research," Apple said during the talk.
Oh, and we're promised "Apple will not see your data". Although we await with dread the day ResearchKit gets hacked.
Apple has sold an awful lot of iPhones, again
As ever with an Apple event we got to hear a few facts and figures on top of the hardware and software bits. Apple has now sold 700,000,000 iPhones. That's roughly one for the each person on the Earth circa 1750, or 29 for every person living in Australia (well, according to the census records anyway).Tim Cook boasted that this was a growth of 49 per cent on the year before.
It also makes the 25 million lifetime sales of the Apple TV box look pretty puny, but perhaps that'll change now that it costs just $69, £59, AU$109.
Everyone loves CarPlay, sort of
For a while it seemed like the fuss around CarPlay had been and gone in an instant when it arrived a year ago, but apparently it's going great guns according to Tim Cook.He boasted that "every major car manufacturer" has signed up to the platform, and said we'd see 40 new CarPlay models by the end of the year.
While we imagine those 'major' car brands may be heavily US-skewed, we hope to see Apple's connected platform start to drip down to base models. Not just for those who could splash out for a Apple Watch Edition on a whim. We'll see, eh?
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Accessories you might need for the new MacBook
Storage drives
Apple's thinnest, lightest, and most advanced notebook will start shipping on April 10th. The new MacBook introduces a bold change on how you connect peripherals and accessories.During the keynote introduction, Apple CEO Tim Cook billed the new MacBook as the "reinvention and future of the notebook," highlighting its slim stature, long battery life, and performance-driven Intel Core M processor that allows Apple to shed fans and vents.
To get as slim and light as the new MacBook, Apple boldly omitted a number of ports. Instead of separate connectors for the MagSafe power port, traditional USB 3.0 port, Thunderbolt, and Mini DisplayPort, the new MacBook utilizes a single USB Type C port, which Apple is marketing as USB-C. This means that existing accessories will not work with the new USB-C port unless you buy adapters or new cables.
"To create a notebook as thin and light as the new MacBook, we had to strive for efficiency in every detail, right down to how it connects to peripherals and power," Apple said of the change. "So we contributed to a new universal connectivity standard that combines the essential functions you need every day in one dynamic port."
The USB-C port gives users access to power, USB, Mini DisplayPort, HDMI, and VGA port with the right connectors and adapters, but if you're ready to embrace Apple's wireless world and shed the cables, here are some top accessories you should outfit your new MacBook with:
USB-C flash drive
As the new USB-C connector is a smaller, reversible connector based on the USB 3.1 specs, older USB flash drives will not work unless you have an adapter. If you're looking to cut down on accessory clutter, SanDisk is one of the first to market with its Dual USB Drive with Type C connector.
The best part about the SanDisk option is that it comes with two tips. One side fits USB 2.0 and USB 3.0 ports while the second Type C tip will be compatible with Apple's new MacBook. This allows you to store, access, and transfer files between the SanDisk drive and your new MacBook and also between your MacBook and an older Mac or PC that's not equipped with the USB-C connector.
We expect plenty more USB-C drives to hit the market in the coming months. Though SanDisk promised that its drive will ship in the second quarter with 32GB of storage, it has not announced pricing for the Dual USB Drive.
Wireless hard drives
Flash drives are great for carrying small files with you, but to back up the 128GB or 256GB SSDs on the new MacBook, you'll likely need more robust storage options. Those who want to store photos, documents, and files locally can use a wireless hard drive.
Wireless hard drives can come as self-contained units that just needs its internal battery to charge. Options include the 2TB $200 (£135, AU$260) Western Digital My Passport Wireless, the $220 (£150, AU$290) LaCie Fuel, and the $220 (£135, AU$260) Seagate Wireless Plus. All three drives come with internal batteries and WiFi radios that create an ad-hoc wireless network for your new MacBook to access.
For those in an office and with more robust storage needs, network-attached storage drives, or NAS solutions, can be a useful tool for use with the new MacBook. There are solutions from Netgear, Western Digital, Seagate, Verbatim, and more. The benefit of NAS is that it can offer redundant storage in case one of your drives fail.
Cloud storage
If you don't want to manage your own storage solutions locally, you can turn to the cloud to back up, store, and share files. Apple's iCloud will probably be the simplest solution to backup your Photos library and to share and access Apple's home-grown productivity suite with Pages, Numbers, and Keynote.
Apple gives users 5GB of free storage when you sign up for iCloud. If you need more space, iCloud is priced at $0.99 (£0.65, AU$1.30) per month for 20GB of space, $3.99 (£2.65, AU$5.20) for 200 GB, $9.99 (£6.60, AU$13.00) for 500GB, and $19.99 (£13.20, AU$26.00) for 1TB.
Aside from Apple, there are a number of other solutions with varying options for pricing, storage needs, and more. Google Drive, Microsoft OneDrive, BitCasa, Amazon, Dropbox, and Box are just a few options available.
Read our cloud storage comparison.
Displays and peripherals
Displays
If the MacBook's native 12-inch Retina screen is not big enough for your taste, you can connect the laptop to a larger HD or 4K monitor.There are several ways to connect to an existing display or larger HDTV with your new MacBook. The most simple way is to get an adapter or USB-C to HDMI or DisplayPort cable to get a wired connection to your current desk monitor or HDTV setup.
A second way would be to get Apple TV. At its new lower $69 price tag, Apple TV allows owners of the new MacBook to mirror their laptop's display using AirPlay technology. All you need is to be connected to the same network.
- Check out our picks for the best monitors
Printers and scanners
Most businesses have either invested in a wireless workgroup printer or all-in-one that can print, scan and fax. As long as you're on the same wireless network, you can send your documents for printing to the shared printer.Homes and smaller offices can also enjoy the conveniences of wireless printing. If you're in Apple's ecosystem with a Mac, iPhone, and iPad, you can leverage the power of AirPrint to send your photos, files, and documents for printing to a smaller home or home office printer.
There are great solutions from Epson, Canon, and HP, and a few dedicated wireless scanners can even capture your documents and photos for digital archiving purposes without even requiring a cable to be connected to your MacBook. Many inexpensive wireless printers today start at under $100 (£700, AU$130) for either inkjet or laserjet quality.
Gone are the days of getting up from the couch to connect to a scanner or printer at your desk to scan or print a few sheets, and then having to return to the living room.
Check out our picks for the best printers
Mobile hotspot
If you're still using a USB wireless modem on the go, now's the time to visit your favorite wireless carrier of choice and invest in either a smartphone with tethering support or a dedicated mobile hotspot.Essentially, a mobile hotspot allows you to access a mobile 3G or 4G broadband network through WiFi. The hotspot pulls in the cellular data connection and broadcasts it to your Mac over WiFi so your Mac can get on the internet when you're away from a free WiFi connection.
If you're looking to stay within Apple's ecosystem, the iPhone's Instant Hotspot feature allows you to instantly share your phone's internet connection without having to enter in any passwords provided that both your iPhone and Mac are signed into the same iCloud account.
If you'd rather not use your iPhone as a mobile hotspot, a dedicated unit is free with a two-year contract in the US and priced around $200 (£135, AU$265)without a long-term agreement.
- Read our comparison of the new MacBook versus the competition.
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Are these the apps that will make Apple Watch a hit?
Intro
Apple's app store has just opened a whole, new Apple Watch area as part of an iOS 8.2 update and the Cupertino chaps have just talked us through what you'll be downloading first. By and large it's the usual suspects, given an Apple UI twist.
Apps helped make the iPhone and iPad incredibly successful. Can these repeat the same trick for the less obviously useful Watch range? Erm… We'll get back to you on that one in six months.
Workout and Activity
Fitness app makers have been doing simultaneous facepalms this evening as Apple announced its Activity and Workout apps, potentially making some of them redundant. A fairly vanilla and proprietary fitness app, Activity lets you know how your stepping's looking, and advises you to do more of it. Workout tracks metrics including distance, time, calories burned, and even gives pace advice for your longer runs. The app will also be able to pull workout data from compatible gym machines.
Pay
Still TBC in the UK and Europe, Apple announced that 700,000 US outlets now take Apple Pay through iPhones and, shortly, Apple Watches. Interestingly, as Apple told us about a pretty incredible tie-up with medical researchers, they also announced that Coca-Cola's vending machines will work with Apple pay. So the Watch will cause your obesity, then help address it! Meanwhile, you can save individual credit cards to the Pay app and choose which one to charge. A haptic buzz tells you it's been accepted.
Siri
Not an app as such, but Apple's personal assistant is on the timepiece, and you can either prod the crown or just holler "Hey Siri" to make it listen to you. At the event, Siri was used to tell the weather and issue haptic reminders to take an umbrella, if the weather reports looked unfavourable. Time will tell if Siri works any better on a watch than it does on a phone or tablet…
A no brainer, this. The world's biggest photo sharing site sends a selection of tiny thumbnails to your timepiece. You scroll up and down with a push of your thumb, then zoom in (a bit) with a prod. Another prod allows you to favourite your friend's expertly filtered Chinese meal by touching a heart icon.
Uber
The cab giants link with your phone, telling you how near your driver is, allowing a request, then hollering back your cab's number plate and tiny picture of your driver's face and car, so you can find them with less difficulty. This looked pretty slick, although we'd need to order a LOT of taxis before we'd currently start wishing we didn't need to fish out our phone to do so.
For those unfamiliar with this Chinese app, it's essentially much like WhatsApp and the rest of the message services out there. One notable quirk is that when you get a message you can send a text back, or choose an emoji to tell your life partner that you "funny kissing face" them. WeChat was arguably further away from the standard Apple aesthetic than any app ever demoed at one of its events. Possibly that tells you something about how keen Apple is to crack the Chinese market…
W Hotels
This is slick. The W Hotels app gives you your check in details, including room number, then allows you to go straight to your room without the usual loitering around for 10 minutes waiting for the check in desk attendant to stop ignoring you. The Watch takes the place of the traditional hotel key once you're checked in.
Alarm.com
A home automation app, this links with your abode's heating, lighting, aircon and even compatible door locks. Our Apple employee showed how he can not only open his garage door to allow his forgetful daughter in – over wi-fi – but can also watch her safely enter via a camera stream on the watch face. Hopefully he didn't then see a third party creep quietly in, like the start of Taken. The demo also showed off Watch's communication skills, with the option to send a voice memo trilled into its mic as text or audio.
Shazam
You know the drill: hear a song. Ask Shazam. Be schooled in what you're listening to then, we expect Apple would suggest, buy it on iTunes. You also get to see lyrics scroll by in time with what's playing, so you can sing along, or just work out what Dave Grohl is on about.
American Airlines
Doubtless all the airlines will have Watch apps, because they're potentially even handier than on Passbook on your phone. No matter how stressed you get at airports, you can always remember where your watch is, whereas searching for your phone or - heaven forbid - a paper ticket can cause momentary panic that the Health app would probably tell you is bad for your heart. As with its iPhone big brother, this gives you up-to-date information on your flight, whether it's on time, boarding or given up, and a bar code takes the place of your boarding pass, so you need not fumble in your travel bag's infinite number of cavernous pockets every time someone asks to see your papers. All that's needed now is a passport-and-visa app…
And then there's Twitter. Well of course there is. Microblogging comes to your wrist with a scrollable, ever updating list of shovelwear and angry exchanges about celebrities. A side swipe gives trending topics, although replying wasn't shown, so you may have to get your phone out to do that, but hopefully you'll be able to dictate replies along the lines of "LOL WTF is that dress ROFL" via Watch's voice recognition.
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Updated: The new MacBook: release date, news and features
Introduction, release date and design
Update: Apple has gone and announced the Retina Macbook Air, but skipping out on any prefixes or suffixes, the Cupertino company has named it simply the new MacBook.As the old adage goes: the best things in life are worth waiting for, and Apple's long-awaited MacBook has finally be announced and oh, boy is it a doozy. Apple is held an event today that was almost entirely expected to focus on the Apple Watch, but the Retina display-equipped MacBook Air stole the show for computer nerds.
Apple outgoing MacBook Air machines had excellent battery life and portability, but suffer from poor low-resolution TN displays. The new MacBook corrects this issue with an excellent high-resolution 2,304 x 1440 pixel display, thinner body and much more.
Cut to the chase
What is it? A brand new MacBook even thinner than the Air with a Retina display
When will it release? April 10, 2015
What will it cost? Starts at $1,299 (about £1,049, AU$1,799)
What is it? A brand new MacBook even thinner than the Air with a Retina display
When will it release? April 10, 2015
What will it cost? Starts at $1,299 (about £1,049, AU$1,799)
Retina MacBook Air release date
We originally hoped that the Retina MacBook Air release date would be announced at Apple's event back in October, which many thought the company would use to show off the new laptop. But finally after a long wait we finally now know the new notebook will be available starting April 10.Although it feels like the Retina MacBook Air's release date should have come and gone by now, factors such as the delayed availability of Intel's new Broadwell-series processors means that Apple and other laptop makers have had no choice but to sit tight.
Many of Apple's rivals in the Windows arena - including Lenovo, Asus and Dell - have now launched thinner and laptops sporting Intel's Core M Broadwell CPU - and just like that Apple has followed suit.
Digitimes reported that Apple's supplier Quanta Computer was looking to bring in an additional 30,000 workers to help with production of the Retina MacBook Air, in addition to the Apple Watch. Sources close to the company claimed that the machine would launch in the first quarter of 2015.
Now it seems they were right. Along with going with a 1.1GHz Intel Core M processor, the new MacBook will feature a 12-inch, 2,304 x 1440 resolution display. As expected, the 13-inch model will remain and it has even been upgraded with a 5th generation Broadwell Processor.
Retina MacBook Air design
Apple has succeeded in making MacBook that is both lighter and thinner than the current Air models. The new MacBook measures a 13.1mm thick, a few hairs thinner compared to the 17.3mm thick 11-inch MacBook Air. According to Apple, the new MacBook is 24% thinner and the overall unit only weighs two pounds.
Despite shaving down the laptop's overall frame, Apple has still managed to fit a full-size keyboard. the new keys also feature a slightly different butterfly switch for more uniform keystrokes. Unlike most laptops that come with keys sitting on top of scissor keys, the iPhone maker argues its redesigned a keyboard offers a better, "much more precise" typing experience. The keyboard also features LEDs that light each key individually.
Apple also spared no expense with a new track pad design that does away with the mechanical element found on current MacBooks. While the track pad no longer clicks, it instead has four sensors on each corner to detect clicks. Beyond simple taps, the buttonless track pad senses pressure, which the company demoed by pressing harder on fast-forward button in QuickTime to make the video advance faster and faster.
Lastly, as Apple insiders leaked to a website simply called A Tech Website, the gold Retina MacBook Air has been in the works along with ones decked in space grey and aluminium grey that will all be available this coming spring.
Specs and connectivity
Retina MacBook Air specs
Aside from the outwardly aesthetic changes of the new MacBook, Apple has also overhauled the entire design of its latest laptop. Starting with the notebook's logic board, it's 67% smaller than previous generations. Despite it being the densest circuit board Apple has ever put together, it's an entirely fanless design thanks to the 1.1GHz Intel Core M processor.With a smaller logic board, Apple was able to fill in every available space with a newly developed battery that tappers off and conforms to the curved interior of the laptop chassis. Apple said this in effect, has allowed it to increase the battery life of the MacBook to nine hours of web browsing or 10 hours of movie playback.
Of course, the biggest drawback to the 11-inch and 13-inch MacBook Air has been the display, which tops out at a pixel-resolution of 1,366 x 768 on the smaller model and 1,400 x 900 on the latter. The new MacBook corrects this with a 2304 x 1440 resolution. That's a bit shy of the pixel-resolution of 2,732 x 1,536, a blog post by Canalys analyst Daniel Matte originally cited, but it's a big step up from the non-Retina MacBook Airs.
Beyond pure pixel counting, the new MacBook's display is also a considerable step up in efficiency. By redesigning the screen down to the pixels, Apple was able to create a display with larger aperture pixels for more light to pass through. The Cupertino company claims this has allowed it to use LED backlighting that's 30% more efficient than the Retina displays on any other Mac.
Retina MacBook Air connectivity
Even the ports - or should we say, singular port - on the new MacBook Pro has been overhauled. Gone are the Magsafe charging connector along with every port with the exception of a 3.5mm headphone jack. In their place is a single USB-C connector, otherwise known as USB 3.1 a smaller and reversible data port that supports everything from video output, data transmission to charging the laptop.
All in all it follows the trend the Lenovo's Yoga 3 Pro first demonstrated. Giving a laptop very thin dimensions can leave little room for ports. Jack March (via 9to5Mac) reckoned that the Retina MacBook Air would feature "a noticeably thinner design" that would force Apple to abandon the traditional USB port in favor of the forthcoming reversible USB Type-C connector, which would require an adapter to connect peripherals - an unfortunate, but perhaps necessary trade off.
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Hands-on review: Updated: Apple Watch
Apple Watch hands on review
Most of us expected the Apple Watch to appear in 2015, but it made a (semi) surprise launch alongside the iPhone 6 and iPhone 6 Plus.And we've now seen it in more depth at Apple's special launch event, with all the variants on display and a little more info on the bits you might not have seen.
The Apple Watch release date has been set for April 24, with pre-orders going live on April 10.
This means the September launch was a deliberate ploy by Apple to make sure you weren't buying a Samsung, LG or Moto 360 option in the run up to Christmas.
But there's a pretty good reason for most to hang on – this is a very stylish wearable indeed.
Apple's clearly aiming this at the fashion market as much as the person who loves to be an early adopter – given the smartwatch market is still yet to take off, it makes sense to focus further afield in terms of consumer targeting.
It also packs NFC, allowing it to be used as part of the new Apple Pay system - something that's either going to be really helpful or a big turn off to some.
But essentially this is a product that defines a new chapter for Apple. Well, that's if it's any good, of course.
Design
The Apple Watch is coming in six different versions: there's the Apple Watch, the Apple Watch Sport and the Apple Watch Edition. And each of these comes in two sizes, for those that like a larger or smaller device for their wrist.In terms of combinations with straps, that's a whopping 34 options - and we've rounded them all up here.
You can't call it a lady or man's watch, but there will be those that do, and it's opened Apple up to a new market in doing so.
While I expected it to be rounded, the fact is the Apple Watch looks like a small fusion between iPhone 6 and iPod Nano. It's not unattractive, but it is on the chunkier side of things.
It's rounded at the sides, which works in its favour, and the very slightly curved back makes it feel nice, if a little heavy (depending on the band) on the wrist.
The Edition... edition is a properly heavy device though. It's one that will look great but feel like you've spent a thousand dollars on it. Actually, that's bang on the money: it will cost $10,000. Ouch.
The design is basically saying 'money money money MONEY' as even the sports band, the basic rubber strap you use to stop sweat destroying your leather has a gold pin.
Interface
The interface is curious, but I really think Apple has done better than most with the way it's approached interacting with a wrist-dwelling device.The Digital Crown is essentially a scroll wheel that lets you zoom in and out of the interface, so for apps (with a fun new home screen that looks NOTHING like the iPhone's version, more a spherical look at all the apps available on the watch) it's a new way of doing things.
The spherical interface is going to take some getting used to. The demos I saw showed a slightly tricky method of hitting the right area to open the app you want, leading to needing to use the Digital Crown more often than not.
It's got a very smooth action when twisted and pressed, where I expected it to be a clicking feel (just because that's what you get with a watch). It will be interesting to see if this becomes embedded as a way of using the Watch, but anything that takes away from having to touch the screen will be a good thing.
Tapping the crown inwards sends you back to the home screen, but you can also use the touchscreen on the Watch to to interact with apps.
The button below the Digital Crown serves two functions: one to take you to your contacts, and the other to work as a way into activating the Watch as a payment vehicle.
The contacts app is interesting, as it allows you to send things through to your friends that go beyond the normal messaging paradigm. And it's been updated: it's now a circular dial to track through your best buddies, and it works a lot better than just tapping their faces in rows.
That said, the Apple Watch is adept at doing the basic smartwatch things: you can make and receive calls from your wrist (with mic and speaker) and it will scan messages coming in to work out if it can generate an easy response for you to tap.
So if someone asks 'Fish or Chips for dinner?' the Watch will ask you to tap Fish or Chips as a reply. Although if it's really smart, it will offer both as an option. Because everyone loves fish and chips.
Beyond that though, you can send some really weird things. For instance, you can draw pictures and send them over (although let's be honest, you're going to be getting lots of pictures of male genitalia from your friends sent to your wrist when you're presenting) or a vibration code that you've predefined with a pal.
Or you can even hit the screen with two fingers to send over a heart rate image, which vibrates on that person's arm. The graphic is kind of intense - but it doesn't explain why Apple has offered this.
I tried this again today... and it feels weird. Really weird. I'll leave it at that.
The Apple Watch is neither a fitness band, watch or fashion accessory though, despite taking a bit from each of those camps. It's hard to define what it really is, which means that users may struggle to justify the purchase.
I think its greatest chance of success is in the health market, as Apple has made this a decent choice for people looking to get a little bit healthier.
What has saddened me in the time since launch is finding out that Apple won't be selling it properly into the health market. Apparently early tests to add in a stress sensor and blood pressure monitor failed, (beautifully partly because of hairy arms) so the Apple Watch - at least version one - will be a cut down version of what it could have been.
That said, the Watch will still have decent health ability. Not just checking steps or heart rate once in a while, the watch will be able to help you be a bit less sedentary as well as noting when you run around and how hard the exertion is.
Of course, it needs an iPhone to work really effectively, but it works very well autonomously too in terms of tracking the above. However, with no GPS on board it can't be classed as a running watch - although the interface is nice.
This partly explains why Samsung has teamed up with Nike to make the Gear S a running companion – but at least Apple has got its own version of a full running system to make up for it.
As a smartwatch, the Apple Watch is a pretty nifty device too. Its discreet dimensions mean that while it's obvious when it lights up, most of the time most won't know you're wearing a smartwatch.
It's annoying needs to be flicked upwards to turn the screen on – unlike the Android Wear devices which are visible when in standby mode – and I wasn't able to test this function during my limited hands on time.
The Apple Watch will also come with the ability to pay for things with the aptly-named Apple Pay – however, this wasn't available for demo, and therefore I can't work out how the security aspect will be handled.
With the phone you'll need to hold the TouchID element to confirm it's you that's paying, and without that on the Watch it's hard to see how you'll manage it.
If you have to press it on your phone, it kind of makes it redundant as a mechanism on the watch, and we're still waiting to find out exactly how it will work - although in all likelihood it will be for lower cost items, the same way contactless cards work now.
Battery life
Apple has confirmed that you'll need to charge this device every day, which is a bit of a shame - with the lack of GPS I was hoping that it would at least match the competition and only need to be plugged in every 48 hours."We think people are going to use it so much you will wind up charging it daily," Cook later reiterated at a conference in late October - and at the launch event he said that it would last 18 hours with most use cases.
That's not enough, let's be honest, and especially not for the money being charged.
At least the charger is attractive: it's an inductive option that clasps to the back of the Watch through magnets. It looks the business, although it doesn't look cheap to replace if it breaks, unlike a Lightning cable.
Early verdict
The Apple Watch is a device that many will want to own with the iPhone 6, as the stylings match really well, and let's be honest: people like buying wholeheartedly into the Apple ecosystem.Now we know the price of the Apple Watch: $349 all the way to $10000, and it will be here at the tail end of April. The battery life is a shame, but then again it's not unexpected.
One thing's for sure – now Apple has brought visibility of wearables to the wider market through the Apple Watch, everyone will benefit through higher consumer traction.
Will we see everyone wearing one? Probably not, but then again not everyone owned an iPad or iPhone at the start. This is phase one of a much longer product game – but the Apple Watch One is a quite good start.
Official Apple Watch photos
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Opinion: Apple blew its chance to impress me with the Apple Watch
I went into today's Apple's Watch event ready to be convinced. I wanted Cook and Co to settle the nagging unease I had around the timepiece, to show me this is a smartwatch worth owning.
Instead, I'm wholly disappointed. You know that equally empty and irritated feeling you get when your favorite sports team blows an early lead? Yeah, that's about how I feel right now.
I'm still impressed with the Apple Watch's design, don't get me wrong. I think it's one of the sleeker if not the sleekest-looking smartwatches around. And the ability to customize the actual hardware of the timepiece is something other watches should envy.
I also appreciated how Apple played up the Watch's health and fitness features. As someone who is constantly looking for external motivation to get my butt out of my desk chair, Christy Turlington Burns running a half marathon with an Apple Watch strapped to her wrist resonated with me. MAYBE I CAN DO THAT, TOO.
But then things flatlined. Kevin Lynch, vice president of technology at Apple, took us on a too-long journey through the airport, drew a poor excuse for a flower, talked to his dog groomer and viewed a garage camera to see who was entering his house.
I get the real-world-application demonstration, but the entire time all I could think was a) I don't want to nor do I think I will look down at my wrist that often during the day and b) I can already do all of that on my phone.
And then came the kill shot: the price.
The Apple Watch Sport starts at $349 (£299/AU$499), the smaller stainless steel Watch eases users in at $549 (£479/AU$799) and the 18-karat gold Apple Watch Edition has an entry price of $10,000 (£8,000/AU$14,000).
Yes. $10,000.
Apple has fallen into its usual trap: creating a product that has all the bells and whistles with a price to match. Mind you, I think that's a bad thing - I don't have $300+ to spend on a watch. I'll turn to Fitbit to reach my fitness goals and pull out my phone when I need to tell the time or, you know, answer a phone call. If I do decide I want a smartwatch, there are fair more affordable ones I'll buy instead.
I know, I know. Apple isn't in the business of making cheap hardware, and that $10,000 Watch isn't for the everyday buyer. But as someone who wants access to Apple products yet doesn't have the bankroll to do so, I can't help but feel ignored and pretty put off by Apple's strategy, one that's continued right into its wearables. You aren't making this smartwatch for me, Apple. And I don't like that.
We'll see if over time there's a price drop, and whether enough buyers find the upfront cost worth the investment. As more apps come to the Apple Watch, it could become useful enough that - if the price falls, too - I'll seriously consider buying one.
It's just that today Apple had a chance to get me on-board the iWatch train. It totally whiffed on, and I'm still here, standing on the platform.
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Download of the Day: GOM Media Player
When downloading films, TV shows or music videos from the internet it opens you up to a world of codecs and formats that seem mighty confusing unless you have a program to cover them all like GOM Media Player.
Why you need it
Having trouble finding a media player that can handle every video you are throwing at it? GOM Media Player can make sure that problem no longer plagues your life with a advanced player that does its best to find the codecs to play your videos.On first look the slick interface will entice you in but in truth there is lot to get excited about than just the exterior. GOM Media Player already support scores different video formats including all the regulars like MPEG, MP4, AVI and WAV, and it has a handy way of adding more. GOM Medi Player's Codec Finder uses the internet to search for the correct codec and then adds it to the program so that you don't have to go off searching for it every time a video of the same format comes up.
Its not just videos downloaded from the internet that it plays as there is also support for DVDs and it's important here to note that subtitles come as part of the package. There are various advanced features that include A-B repeat, screen capture, audio capture, playback speed control, video effects and different ways to change the sound output.
The settings page lets you tinker with literally anything you that exists in the program. This can include anything from being able to set videos to play from the point they were last stopped and setting the colour and size of subtitles to configuring the built-in video on demand feature and uninstalling the program.
GOM Media Player seems impressive all on its own yet there is a small ecosystem surrounding it that makes it even better. This includes the aforementioned codec finder plus a video format converter, freestanding audio player plus a remote that lets you control everything on your PC using a smartphone.
Key features
Works on: Windows 7 and 8.1Price: Free
Play any video: Even if GOM Media Player can't play a certain video the built-in Codec Finder can use the internet to locate.
Customise your experience: With everything from the size and colour of subtitles to customised skins available as variable this media player is one that can be truly changed to fit your mood.
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Apple TV 2 release date, price, news and rumors
Where it's at now, plus some Apple TV history
In the battle royale of set-top boxes that has erupted over the last few years, there's always been one contender who's not afraid to quietly sit on the sidelines and garner attention by being inclusive, sleek and to-the-point, and that's Apple TV.Now, before you go down into the comments and leave a nasty retort, we know that Apple TV 2 - technically a moniker for the second version of Apple TV - has come and gone.
But Apple bows to no numerical and/or logic system, and Apple TV has yet to see a true sequel, instead receiving iteration after iteration of internal upgrades.
It's been about two years since the last minor change to the system and three since the last major one. Which, for a company that's bound and determined to release a new iPhone every 12 months, seems a little strange that Apple's popular streamer has been MIA since the iPhone 5.
So what's the hold-up? Why hasn't Apple launched a stick to fight the Amazon Fire TV Stick or Roku Streaming Stick? Why hasn't it taken the fight to Roku 3 and Nexus Player by launching a new set-top box based on iOS 8?
Honestly? It's just a matter of time. There are a ton of possibilities with Apple's next streaming system. From a small stick to a 4K streamer, from a TV service like Sling TV to a 40-inch TV, anything and everything is on the table for the future of Apple's must-own A/V accessory.
Cut to the chase
What is it? The next generation of Apple's set-top box, the Apple TV
When is it out? We don't know. Apple hasn't set a release date, or shown it publicly.
Before we tackle any possibility of what Apple's TV could become, let's look at where it came from. What is it? The next generation of Apple's set-top box, the Apple TV
When is it out? We don't know. Apple hasn't set a release date, or shown it publicly.
The history of Apple TV
The first Apple TV launched back in 2006 and stuck out from the crowd by boasting its own hard drive and composite cables to hook up to then-new SD TV sets. It had a measly Intel Crofton Premium M processor and 256MB of DDR2 memory.
Version 2 ditched the internal storage for a better 802.11a/b/g/n Wi-Fi antenna, upgraded Apple A4 processor and favored streaming media over anything stored on physical drives. While some lamented the disappearance of a HDD, some appreciated the Apple TV's smaller size as a result of the change.
Launching in 2012, Apple TV Version 3, the latest version of the Apple TV, didn't offer much of an upgrade over its predecessor. It still streamed media and had a streamlined user-interface based on iOS (at that time it was iOS7). Of course the processor got a bump to the A5 to handle 1080p video and it finally doubled down on RAM to a solid 512MB.
Starting on March 9, 2015, the currently available Apple TV will drop to $69 (about £45, AU$90) and has first-dibs on HBO's new standalone streaming service, HBO Now.
Exactly what will the next Apple TV be?
But as much as we know about the past versions of the Apple TV, we know next to nothing about its upcoming fourth iteration. But its not the TechRadar way to leave you high and dry.Here are three very distinct possibilities:
Apple TV (fourth generation)
The most likely path Apple TV will take is another streaming box, not unlike its third iteration. Rumors floating around the internet claim that the new box will have an 802.11ac Wi-Fi antenna, Dolby 5.1 audio, a new processor and 1GB of RAM to potentially turn out 4K streaming.If it does turn about to be a new box, chances are good it will look - and have many of the same apps as - iOS 8. This could include some of the announced Apple initiatives like HomeKit and HealthKit, as well as a few in the works, like the Beats music streaming service or live-TV streaming service. It could also have a heavy emphasis on gaming.
Some fixes we're hoping for are an included wireless HD TV tuner and a slightly more open ecosphere that allows a few of Apple's closest third-party developers to develop apps for the system. A smaller streaming stick and a remote with built-in voice search would also be welcome additions, though, at this point those are more of added bonuses than necessities.
A fourth generation Apple TV announcement may happen as soon as March 9, at the Apple Watch event in San Francisco. But, more realistically, we could see it announced in August of 2015 alongside the new iPhone and iMac devices for an autumn release.
Apple TV (streaming service)
We'd give 2:1 odds that, like its last three iterations, Apple TV 2 is going to be a set-top box. If you're more of a gambler however, we'd say the chances Apple's got an ace up its sleeve in the form of a streaming service are about 10:1.
This possible-but-not-probable scenario was first given life on the web around the same time Sling TV made a splash in the US. The only problem with this plan is that Apple would need a lot of partners - FOX, NBC, ABC, Viacom, etc… - within a short time period.
Possible? Sure. Probable? Not likely.
The potential package in question would have a number of channels you know and love from cable but streamed over your Internet service for a lower monthly cost than traditional vendors like Sky, Virgin, Verizon or Time Warner Cable.
A service like that, exclusive to Apple TV, could be a huge differentiator and killer app for Cupertino. Whether Apple's TV streaming dreams come to fruition - or actually exist at all - however, remains to be seen.
An Apple television set?
The last possibility in the TechRadar crystal ball is an Apple TV … television.It's a bit of a longshot obviously, but rumors have been circling for years that Apple's got plans to go up against the likes of Sony, Samsung and LG in the TV space by offering its own brand of sets based on iOS or OS X operating systems.
Apple has some skilled panel technicians on its staff (have you seen the latest MacBooks?), which means maybe an iTV isn't completely out of the question. This rumor's been around since 2010, so until we see Tim Cook on stage with a 50-inch screen on stage we're not ditching our unconnected flat-panels yet.
How will Apple's iTV work? We have a few ideas.
- What about Apple's screen for your wrist? Read our Apple Watch review!
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In Depth: Stacking the new MacBook up against its competition
Introduction and comparisons
Earlier today, Apple unveiled its new MacBook, a device that looks to be a marvel of laptop design. Fortunately for laptop enthusiasts, the new MacBook has a ton of competition.In addition to the MacBook, which is sure to rank highly on the spectrum of consumer-class laptops, the new Dell XPS 13, the Lenovo LaVie Z HZ550, and the Asus Zenbook UX305 are the best laptops introduced this year. I'll take you through the specs and design features of each device to help you better understand how the MacBook stacks up against its competitors.
Keep in mind, we haven't run the soon-to-be-released MacBook and LaVie through our series of benchmarks, so we're basing many of these comparisons on manufacturer-provided spec sheets. Once we've fully tested these two laptops we will be able to provide you with a much more comprehensive comparison.
The MacBook
At just 2.0 pounds (0.90kg) and 0.5 inches (13.1mm) thick, the MacBook is a highly portable laptop among the lightest on the market. It features a fanless Intel 5th Generation Core M processor, a 2304 x 1440 Retina display, and its battery will provide up to 10 hours of video playback.Among Apple's other innovations, the new MacBook features a butterfly mechanism in its keyboard that Apple says will provide more precise clicking. It also features a Force Touch TrackPad that enables you to click anywhere and get the same feel across the surface, unlike old trackpads that are more rigid up top and looser on the bottom. You can use the TrackPad to Force Click, which allows you to preview Wikipedia pages when you select words and phrases, or preview documents before clicking in. You can also Force Click to go faster or slower while scrolling video depending on how hard you press.
One of the more interesting innovations is the reversible USB C, which allows you to input and output USB, DisplayPort, HDMI, and VGA from one port.
The new MacBook is available starting April 10 at $1299 (£1,049 in the UK).
MacBook versus XPS 13
The MacBook features only a 2304 x 1440 Retina Display, whereas the XPS 13 comes in a full HD model (starting at $799, £520, AU$980) and a quad HD+ (3200 X 1800) touchscreen model ($1,299, £852, AU$1,605). The MacBook does not feature a touchscreen.
Because of its Core M processor, the MacBook narrowly beats the XPS 13 in size and heft. The standard XPS 13 is 0.6 inches (15mm) thick and weighs 2.6 pounds. So you're sacrificing about a half-pound by getting the XPS 13 instead of the standard MacBook. However, Core M is less powerful than the XPS 13's Intel Core i5 processor, so you'll have to ask yourself if processing speed is more important than portability.
In terms of battery life, the standard XPS 13 is reportedly capable of providing 15 hours of video playback, compared to the Mac's 10 hours. However, we tested the XPS13 QHD+ model and we were only able to crank out 7 hours and 40 minutes of video playback by lowering the screen brightness and audio volume to 50%. So if you're not interested in touchscreen design, but battery life is your number one priority, then you're probably better off getting the standard XPS 13.
The XPS 13 is also much more connectable than the MacBook. It features two USB 3.0 inputs, a mini DisplayPort, and a 3-in-1 (SD, SDHC, SDXC) reader. The MacBook only has a USB C input, which will require you to purchase adapters to connect more than one input and output at a time.
In terms of storage, the standard MacBook features 8GB of memory and a 256GB SSD, which is comparable to the standard version of the XPS 13.
Against Asus and Lenovo
MacBook versus Zenbook
The Zenbook only comes with a full HD display, but it is exactly as thin as the MacBook. Like the XPS 13, the Zenbook weighs 2.6 pounds, so by choosing the Zenbook, you're sacrificing screen quality and heft in order to save a pretty penny. Don't fret: Asus also plans to ship a $999 (about £648, AU$1286) version of the UX305, with a 3,200 x 1,800 resolution display in April.
Like the MacBook, the Zenbook features an Intel Core M processor. However, the MacBook bests the Zenbook in terms of battery life: we were only able to stretch five hours and 26 minutes out of the Zenbook when pushed at a moderate pace. According to Asus, the Zenbook can run for eight hours of video playback, which is two hours less than Apple's projected 10 hours.
Like the XPS 13 and MacBook, the Zenbook comes with a 256GB SSD and 8GB of memory.
MacBook versus Lenovo LaVie Z HZ550
Internally the Lenovo LaVie features only 4GB of RAM and a 128GB solid-state drive. As for connectivity, you'll get two USB 3.0 ports, an HDMI output, and an SD card reader, which is similar to the MacBook, minus the DisplayPort and the VGA, but doesn't require an adapter to input and output multiple cords at once.
What's really cool about this device is that Intel was somehow able to pack it with a Broadwell Intel Core i5 processor, rather than the less powerful Core M chips you find in lightweight devices.
Unfortunately, the LaVie's battery life only nets up to six hours for the WQHD (2560 X 1440) touchscreen model. When comparing this device to the MacBook it is really an apples to oranges comparison; the Lenovo is built more for its portability, touchscreen functionality and processing power, whereas the MacBook is designed to be portable, long-lasting and crazy thin.
What to do. What to do.
You can't go wrong with any of these devices. Neither of them runs the table in terms of specifications, so you'll have to determine what the most important features are for you and then select your device based on that assessment. This has been an excellent year for laptop design, and the new MacBook furthers a category that was already stacked with major players.
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Updated: Apple Watch will be available April 24, and this is how much it will cost you
Apple has revealed the release date and prices for the Apple Watch, as well as confirming when pre-orders will be opening.
The Apple Watch Sport version will cost $349 (£299/AU$499) for the smaller 38mm version and $399 (£339/AU$579)) for the larger 42mm model, which converts to about £280/300.
The stainless steel Watch will start at $549 (£479/AU$799) for the 38mm, while the 42mm will begin at $599 (£519/AU$879).
The 18-karat gold Apple Watch Edition, meanwhile, will start at a whopping $10,000 (£8,000/AU$14,000). Yup, you heard.
The Apple Watch will go on sale on April 24, with pre-orders beginning April 10.
- Follow the Apple Watch event on our live blog
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Apple Watch will offer 'all day' battery life
Apple held a special event in San Francisco today to reveal more details on the Apple Watch and this time around we heard more details on the wearable's battery life.
During the conference Tim Cook said the Apple Watch will offer "all day battery life across a range of activities."
Those activities haven't been revealed just yet and there are no official details on the size of the battery cell inside the wearable.
We can probably expect a similar battery life to that on Android Wear smartwatches that need charging every evening but survive a full day with moderate use.
We'll only really know for sure when we get to test one out for review - roll on April 10.
- Check out all the latest on the Apple Watch announcement.
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