Apple Watch breaks cover: All you need to know about design, functionality, pricing, availability & more

The Apple Watch is now finally official, making its big debut at the company's press conference on Tuesday, Sept. 9, as expected.

Referred to as the "iWatch" for what seemed like ages, Apple's first wearable device has now made its debut as the Apple Watch, leaving some in awe, while others are rather disappointed.

The Apple Watch doesn't really revolutionize the smartwatch market as some expected, but it does mark the first new product category from Apple since the company launched the original iPad. It marks a "new era" for the company, as CEO Tim Cook highlighted, and it does hold its own in a growing wearable device market.

First of all, the Apple Watch seems to offer more choices in terms of customization than any other smartwatches out there. It comes in several options and users have plenty of choices, which will likely add to its appeal.

Design and options: The Apple Watch collections

Rather than making a one-size-fits-all smartwatch, Apple made its gadget with various colors and options in mind, making up three collections: Apple Watch, Apple Watch Sport, and Apple Watch Edition. Each model in these three collections comes in either a 38mm or a 42mm display size, with the smaller variant aiming to fit even smaller wrists without looking bulky. Moreover, Apple has also created a slew of custom watch faces, reminiscent of the old iPod nano.

The Apple Watch collection consists of entry-level models with either "polished" or "space black" stainless steel, as well as six wrist straps to choose from. Each strap is designed to suit different tastes and preferences. Strap options include the Sports Band, the Classic Buckle, Leather Loop, Modern Buckle, Milanese Loop, and Link Bracelet. All straps come in different colors for even more choices.

The Apple Watch Sport, as the name itself suggests, is aimed at more active individuals who want a wearable device mainly for fitness purposes. This variant is made of more lightweight aluminum with a reinforced Ion-X glass display, but it remains unclear at this point just how durable it will actually be. The Sports collection includes 10 possible configurations of colors and band options.

Lastly, the Apple Watch Edition is the luxurious category, sporting a sapphire display just like the regular Apple Watch, but boasting a fancier exterior made of 18-karat yellow or rose gold.

Digital Crown Navigation

The Apple Watch will allow for easy navigation through the Digital Crown, as the company calls it. This traditional-looking dial on the side of the gadget allows for gestures such as pinch-to-zoom, scroll, or navigation between apps. That's not to say the display is not touch-enabled, but it mainly serves for simple swipe gestures. For most of the interaction, the Digital Crown and Siri will be at your service.

Sensors and functionality

As expected from a modern smartwatch, the Apple Watch comes with a slew of relevant sensors that will allow users to track their movement, heart rate, calories burned, and others such. The usual array of sensors such as accelerometer, GPS, and gyroscope are also on board, and the gadget even comes with a "Taptic Engine" that delivers haptic feedback for notifications, turn-by-turn directions, and others.  

Health and Fitness highlights

The Apple Watch focuses on health and fitness through two apps designed to keep users active. One of them is called "Activity" and will keep track of the user's daily health and activity, while the other is called "Workout" and, as the name suggests, it aims to serve as a personal trainer. Not too long ago, Apple has added former Nike executives to its team, which means that the Apple Watch should boast some top-notch functionality when it comes to fitness and health. It's also worth pointing out that any health-related achievement on the Apple Watch will synch up with the Health app on iOS, allowing healthcare providers and third-party fitness apps to access that info if necessary.

Third-party app support

As previously rumored, the Apple Watch will indeed come with third-party app support. Developers, for instance, will be able to use the WatchKit Application Programming Interface (API) to make apps for the Apple Watch. The company demoed apps such as Facebook and Twitter with actionable notifications, but there's a lot more potential there. Apple Watch users will be able to get through the whole process at an airport with nothing more than their wearable gadget, thanks to compatible apps for various airlines. Some hotels will even let users unlock the door to their room with their smartwatch, thus eliminating the need to carry a key or card. Heavyweight companies such as BMW, Pinterest, Major League Baseball, and others, are currently working on apps for the Apple Watch, and a plethora of applications are expected to grace the device once it makes its commercial debut next year.

Compatibility

As expected, the new Apple Watch will only be compatible with iPhones. More specifically, it will pair up with the new iPhone 6 and iPhone 6 Plus, as well as the iPhone 5S, iPhone 5C, and iPhone 5, over Bluetooth. Apple also designed its smartwatch to work closely with all of its ecosystem. The Apple Watch, for instance, can serve as a remote camera for the iPhone, or a remote control for the Apple TV. The Continuity feature found in iOS 8, meanwhile, will allow users to start a task on an iPhone, and continue it on the Apple Watch.

Battery life?

While Apple went out of its way to demonstrate the functionality and potential of its first smartwatch, it failed to give relevant details on a crucial aspect: battery life. The company detailed how a magnetic inductive charger attaches to the rear of the watch face, but gave no details on how much you'll be able to get from a single charge. Battery life can make or break a device, and it remains to be seen how the Apple Watch fares in this department.

Mobile payments platform - Apple Pay

Recent rumors have indicated that Apple was working on a mobile payments platform of its own, aiming to make things easier for iOS users. The Apple Watch, as well as the new-generation iPhone 6 models, will come with Apple Pay, the company's new mobile payments platform. As expected, this platform will allow users to wirelessly pay for things for more convenience, and finally makes use of NFC.

Pricing

The Apple Watch will start at $349 for the cheapest model, but Apple failed to provide any details on upgrade pricing or storage. It's safe to assume the 18-karat gold collection will cost significantly more, but no exact details are available for now in this regards. Even at $349, the Apple Watch is among the most expensive smartwatches out there.

Availability

Although the rumors claiming the Apple Watch would debut on Sept. 9 were true, so were those indicating that the gadget won't actually hit retail this year. Apple has indeed made its smartwatch official, but the device will not be commercially available until early 2015.