The invention of the wristwatch made the humble pocket watch obsolete. These miniature clocks went by the way of dial-up internet. Personal computing is following a similar path to clocks. Becoming ever smaller in size and ubiquity

Bulky desktop computers were shared between members of the house just like grandfather clocks. The continued miniaturization of personal computing devices leads us to pocketable rectangles. Smartphones have become so powerful and portable that many people are opting out of buying laptops.

We use our smartphones to carry out a multitude of tasks. The constant barrage of notifications from the ever-increasing number of apps can become a hassle for the user. The smartwatches of today do more than letting you screen notifications. They are a stepping stone towards a future where all our personal computing will be done from our wrists.

Apple Watch has become the most sold smartwatches since it was introduced in 2015. Apple’s incredible attention to detail and tight integration to its ecosystem makes it a must-buy for Apple fans. The user experience provided by Apple Watch is unmatched by other players in the market.

Apple is not the only player in this new market segment. In this article, we will go through the reasons that set the Apple Watch apart.

1. Notifications                                            

Notifications are integral to using a smartphone. They keep us updated with news, events and connected with friends and family. But they can become overbearing. The sheer number of apps we use on our smartphones and their respective notifications can make it a chore.

Apple Watch can put all the notifications you get on your phone right on your wrist. This intuitively reduces the number of times you have to unlock your phone. Just a tilt of the arm lets you glance at your notifications. Then you can decide whether to respond or ignore them.

We are constantly on our phones. It can become quite the intrusion during conversations. Putting your phone out of the way can seem like an extreme measure. The Apple Watch is a sensible middle ground. You can stay updated on the notifications you receive and act on the ones that really require your attention.

2. Always-on display

A watch should be able to show the time. All the time.

There are many ways to combat this problem. Some manufacturers opt to use e-ink displays that use very little power to show static graphics. But the low refresh rate on those screens doesn’t shout futuristic. Other companies have used a secondary transflective LCDs to show the time.

These approaches are well-intentioned but they lack the vibrance and detail that we enjoy on our phones. Apple’s approach is the most future-forward. Apple Watch uses OLED displays that are energy efficient. The company even takes it one step further.

The Always-on Display slows down the refresh rate of the screen to 1 Hz when not in use. You still get to enjoy a vibrant fluid screen when you are interacting with it. The adaptive refresh rate allows the watch to last a whole day without needing a charge.

3. Apple Pay

The introduction of Apple Pay on iOS 8.2 allowed you to store your cards on the iPhone. You could finally carry all your cards without any added bulk. Not just credit or debit cards you can even add transit cards.

The NFC chip on your iPhone can communicate with Point-of-Sales terminals to make fumbling through your wallet a hassle of the past. Apple is continually working with companies to increase the number of supported cards. And one day you can just leave your wallet at home.

The Apple Watch also contains an NFC chip. Just a double press on the side button shows you all your added cards. This makes it even easier to pay during checkout as it keeps your hands free.

Apple Pay is also more secure than physical cards. The card numbers are not saved on the phone and each transaction is authenticated. The authentication process is made less tedious through an Apple Watch.

The watch prompts a password when you wear it. The watch then maintains this authentication as long as you don’t remove the watch from your wrist. This keeps your transactions secure and seamless.

4. Ease of Use

Apple designs its products with the average user in mind. Most people can pick up and start using their devices without consulting that one tech-savvy person of the family.

This remains true even for their most future-forward product. Setup is straightforward and once you pair the watch to your phone you are all set. Your notifications will automatically show up on the watch.

You can use voice commands to respond to messages or interact with the watch. The digital crown is a satisfying way to scroll through menus. The companion app on the phone can be used to change all the watch settings. The user interface is fluid and colorful.

Apple has taken great care of designing the watch faces available to you. From whimsically colorful to sleek and utilitarian.

5. Taptic engine

Ringtones can be obnoxious. In most settings having a loud ringtone interrupt the peace is a sure-fire way to receive judgmental stares.

You can put your phone on silent. That makes sure you never receive those stares with the downside that you won’t receive any alert in a timely manner. The Taptic Engine is Apple’s answer to innovating haptic feedback systems.

In simpler words, the Taptic Engine allows for more accurate vibration. Instead of rattling your device with different intensities. Apple’s solution allows for more discreet and distinguishable feedback. This allows you to know the kind of notification arriving on your wrist.

Taptic engine shows its usefulness in navigation. It can send distinguible haptic feedback for a left or right turn. This means you can keep your eyes on the road and not buried in a screen.

6. Siri

The voice-activated digital assistant is integral to the Apple Watch. You can hail Siri to do everything on the watch. This hands-free user experience makes the Apple Watch, even more, futuristic.

We can list down all the things you can do with Siri on the Apple Watch but then this article will become too long. So we will mention the ones we think are the coolest.

You usually hail the digital assistant by saying “Hey, Siri” but on the Apple Watch it’s seamless. You just raise your hand and Siri is ready to do your bidding. Siri makes it possible to carry out all the tasks on the Apple Watch without ever having to fiddle with its screen. You can even ask Siri to carry out complex tasks for you like sending a photo to a contact on Whatsapp.

There’s a myriad of tasks you can do through Siri. Apple’s integration of its voice assistant makes Siri indispensable. Raising your hand to command your digital assistant is something right out of science fiction.

7. Health and Fitness

Smartwatches are heavily focused on the health tracking of the user. Constantly monitoring your heart rate and movements is an easy way to quantify your lifestyle. You can then take all that information and use it to take better care of your health.

The Apple Watch is packed with sensors that monitor you. Heart rate sensors, accelerometers, and gyroscopes help it gather information about your daily life. Apple uses all that information to provide you the Activity Trends.

Activity trends consist of colorful concentric circles that relate to different types of activities. Distance moved, time spent exercising and even the pace of your walking. It compares the last 90 days of activities to the previous year.

This is a holistic and intuitive way of analyzing your lifestyle. The Activity Trends makes the watch not only a great companion to your iPhone but a great companion in your journey to a healthier life. The watch can remind you to stand up more if you’ve been sitting on your desk for too long.

You can even add activities that you want to track and easily track your improvement. Most health professionals agree being aware of your body is a stepping stone to a healthier body overall. Anyone looking to make a positive change in their life should really pick up the watch.

8. Retina Display

The watch face on a wristwatch makes or breaks it appeal to the end-user. A watch with an ugly looking watch face is sure to gather dust in the wardrobe.

The display on a smartwatch is the conduit of endless watch faces. Apple made sure they equipped their smartwatch with the very best in the industry. The OLED screen with its deep blacks is perfectly matched with its bezels. The result is a stunning seemingly borderless screen on your wrist.

Most OEMs won’t bother with such minute detail. There lies the secret sauce to Apple’s success. Making the watch more than just a utility but a beautiful piece of technology users would love to wear every day.

The Apple watch is adorned with a bright, vibrant and pixel-dense Retina Display. Ensuring all your watch faces and information remain readable in any condition. The Retina moniker informs the user Apple is maintaining the quality of screen across its products.

9. Life-saving features

The Apple Watch uses its numerous sensors to go beyond just tracking your health. Apple is working tirelessly to add features that make the watch an indispensable addition to your wellness suite.

The most prominent of this is the ECG feature. This constantly checks your heartbeat for any irregularities. This came in handy when a user’s life was saved as the watch was able to detect an Atrial Fibrillation and call 911 for them.

Another feature is the fall detection that uses its accelerometer and gyroscope to detect falls. This can help the elderly call for help when they are unable. Medical emergencies have a way of sneaking up on you and this goes a long way to ensure the safety of our loved ones.

Features like these make the Apple Watch more than a novel product. It can use its suite of sensors to monitor and automatically call for help in emergencies. The automatic system is always there looking out for the user. Also being able to perform an ECG is quite useful.

10. Design

Apple is known for its ability to design attractive devices. They did not disappoint with their smartwatch. The Apple Watch is crafted to perfection. They come in different sizes to accommodate all wrists and materials to suit every user’s needs.

From anodized aluminum to smooth stainless steel housing. The Apple Watch doesn’t fail to astonish the beholder. Apple Watches now come in rugged titanium housing to brave the elements.

Apple uses sapphire crystal to protect the Retina Display and heart rate sensor. The durable material prevents scratches in everyday use. This marriage of vastly different materials is seamless keeping the watch waterproof. Another testament to Apple’s attention to detail.

Apple’s design flourishes are not limited to the hardware. The various first-party watch faces show the company’s willingness to go above and beyond for their users. The watch faces Motion was created by taking time-lapses of real flowers and butterflies. They then used those to create incredibly realistic animations that react to the user’s touch.

We can talk about how intricately each and every watch faces were created. But the best way to experience them is to get yourself an Apple Watch of your own.

11. Watch Bands For Every Occasion

From stainless to silicone there is an Apple Watch band for every occasion. Each product Apple introduces comes with an endless range of accessories. Their smartwatch is no exception.

Watchbands can take a casual wristwatch to a stylish one you can don in fancy events. The Apple Watch is a versatile modern timepiece. You can easily change the bands without a sweat. One press of a button and you can slide the bands out. Then swap it with another to match the occasion.

The Milanese Loop captured all our fancy during its unveiling. It is a much more refined choice than silicone bands. Woven from stainless steel it provides a flexible yet sturdy fit. This brand is a great choice for anyone who wants to avoid the clunkiness of metal chain links or the temperamental weathering on leather straps.

The Sport Loop is a more sophisticated option for the fitness-minded. Made from double-layer breathable nylon it can accompany you from intense gym sessions to the boardroom.

Bands from Supcase, Kades, WFGEAL, Carjett and many others provide you with limitless options to accessorize your watch. The only thing you will be left wanting is a little more money in your wallet.

12. Extended Battery Life

Battery life is an important consideration when purchasing any tech product. Apple has worked hard to make sure their product lasts through the day without hindering its performance.

We have already mentioned the strides it has made in display technology to avoid a black screen. Apple’s in-house processors are tuned to make the most of their tiny batteries. We can already see them at work in the iPhone which often uses way smaller batteries than their Android counterparts.

A discussion about battery life is incomplete without the experience of recharging them. Apple uses a Magsafe inductive charger so you don’t have to fiddle around with a port. The charger aligns itself magnetically and charges using induction to maintain its waterproof rating.

You can charge the Apple Watch to 80 percent with only 1.5 hours of charge. You won’t have to worry about charge times though. The Apple Watch has enough juice to last a whole day. So you can just drop it on it’s charging station at night. And it’s ready to seize the day with you the next morning.

13. The bleeding edge of technology

Every aspect of the Apple Watch and its features comes together to make one singular impression. This is the future.

Filled to the brim with innovation, the Apple Watch stands out from its “smart” brethren. There are smartwatches out there that may have a brighter screen, longer battery life or feature especially suited for the fitness conscious among you. But Apple is clearly the only one that manages to provide a complete experience.

This is largely due to its integration with other Apple products. The word seamless has been mentioned to describe parts of the Apple Watch in this article. Seamless can be used to describe the Apple Watch as a whole too.

It manages to integrate itself into your daily routine without any major interruptions. Always available when you need it and out of the way when you don’t. When you do use it, you get a glimpse of a very near future when smartphones themselves will become like pocket watches. A relic of the past.

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