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As long as there will be smart watches, "portable" electronic devices, the rumor was that Apple would get into the category with a mobile phone. This is exactly what they did in September 2014, during an event that also saw the presentation of iPhone 6 and 6 Plus, and Apple Pay. It was also the event that included the much-maligned announcement of a new free U2 album.
Rumors and development
Other than perhaps the iPad, the Apple Watch was the longest of all Apple products of the century. Even the iPhone was not as expected: for at least three years, the rumor continued to make suggestions that Apple had a watch in the works.
In fact, the project started with Jony Ive shortly after the death of Steve Jobs in October 2011. Expressing in 2014 to Hodinkee, a magazine for watch enthusiasts, Ive said that he did not remember speaking with Jobs on the subject. Moreover, Jobs has never expressed any interest in the concept either.
"The process was both typical and atypical for us," Ive said. "We are a tight group of designers and, as always, these things start with an idea that quickly becomes a conversation that changes in nature as soon as you start drawing and making physical objects." Things are exceptionally fragile as an idea – entirely abstract – but once there is an object between us, it is galvanize. "
I've started thinking about what would become Apple Watch at the end of 2011 and the company worked on it throughout 2012. Then, according to the 2015 article in Cable About "The Secret History of Apple Watch," Kevin Lynch was hired by Apple as a vice president of technology in early 2013 to officially lead the Apple Watch project. was working.
L & # 39; introduction
It took about 18 months between Lynch's hiring and Tim Cook's arrival at the revelation of the sentence using familiar Steve Jobs' phrase about the announcement of a "something else". This single sentence caused applause in the auditorium of the Flint Center in Cupertino.
"We have been working very hard for a long time on an entirely new product," said Cook. "And we think this product will redefine what people expect from its category.I'm so excited, and I'm very proud, to share it with you this morning.This is the next chapter in the business. Apple's story. "
Cook then presented a video that first crossed the planet Earth's atmosphere, then close-ups of the sides and face of the watch, and finally the Apple Watch. The watch would be paired with an iPhone, and also came with a heart rate sensor.
The product has actually received a standing ovation, something rare in Apple. Cook went on to describe the Apple Watch as "the most personal device we have ever created. We decided to make the best watch in the world, a precise watch. It is synchronized with a universal time standard and specifies less than 50 milliseconds. It's incredibly customizable, so you can find one that reflects your style and personal taste. Because you're wearing it, we've invented new, intimate ways to connect and communicate. "
First generation
While the long awaited announcement and revelation of the Apple Watch took place on September 9, 2014, the device itself will not be available until eight months later. Even then, it was only available online: April 24, 2015, if you were very fast, you could order one from $ 349. The Watch was not available in the Apple Stores before the month of June of the year.
Wherever you bought it, this first version came out in three models: Apple Watch, Apple Watch Sport and Apple Watch Edition. While the base model started at $ 349, the Edition version could cost you over $ 10,000. It was the same watch at every price, but the materials ranged from aluminum to steel and to gold.
While the first year of the product caused a sensation and the Apple watch was timidly welcomed, it quickly became the most popular smartwatch on the market.
In our review of April 2015, AppleInsider called the first Apple Watch "beautiful, but rough on the edges", ranking it 3.5 out of 5 stars.
"We do not regret buying one.We do not regret either having bought the iPad, iPad 2 or the original iPad 3" , let us write. "We are early adopters, and in general, we really appreciate Apple products.We think the Apple Watch has huge potential and very real benefits at the moment.But if you decide to buy Watch now or expect the next generation, are not the first habitual users, maybe you should wait or, at the very least, buy the cheapest sports model possible. "
Second generation
The second generation of Apple Watch was announced on September 7, 2016, during the keynote of Apple which also saw the launch of the iPhone 7 and the iPhone 7 Plus, as well as AirPod.
It did not look very different from the first watch, but the big changes in what was called Apple Watch Series 2 included the addition of GPS, a brighter display, and improved water resistance. , from "splash-proof" to "swim-proof." It has also upgraded the operating system to watchOS 3 and upgraded to a dual-core S2 processor.
"We are thrilled with the response to Apple Watch and how it has changed people's lives, we are committed to fitness and health and believe that our customers will love the new features of Apple Watch Series 2 "in the announcement. "With a new powerful dual-core processor, 50-meter water resistance and integrated GPS, the Apple Watch Series 2 has features to help our customers live healthy lives."
Series 2 started at $ 369 at launch. The first Apple Watch was relaunched as Apple Watch Series 1, priced at $ 269. This was not the original device with a lower price, however. Unofficially, the original watch began to be referred to as Series 0 and was discontinued at this 2015 event. Series 1 was much more like Series 2 with items such as missing GPS.
In our review, published this month, AppleInsider gave the series 2 4 out of 5 stars and called the watch "a great improvement".
"Apple Watch Series 2 deserves your attention, we do not recommend waiting for potential features, what it's doing now – fitness tracking and wrist notifications – it's doing fine – do not worry about what the future brings Buy with confidence. "
The third generation
The third version of the Apple Watch arrived a year later, at the first keynote at the new Steve Jobs Theater, on September 12, 2017. She joined iPhone X, iPhone 8 and 8 Plus, and Apple TV 4K . announcements of the event.
Presenting the latest watch, Tim Cook revealed that Apple Watch overtook Rolex at that time to become the # 1 watch in the world.
The overall improvement of Series 3 was the addition, for the first time, of LTE cellular connectivity. It has been upgraded to a dual-core Apple S3 processor and watchOS 4.
"We believe that adding cellphone will transform the way users use Apple Watch, offering a new sense of freedom as they can stay connected with or without their iPhone," said Jeff Williams in the press release. press. "The Apple Series 3 watch combined with the power of watchOS 4 is the ultimate device for a healthy lifestyle."
Series 3 is out for $ 329 for the regular model and $ 399 for the edition with cellular capacity. To use the cellular features, you had to pay a monthly fee that varies from one provider to another, but usually $ 10. Then, especially internationally, not all cell companies supported it at all.
While Series 2 was abandoned, Apple continued to sell Series 1.
In our review, AppleInsider delighted with the series 3, giving it a rating of 4.5 out of 5 stars.
"Apple Watch Series 3 with cellular is a big step forward in making Apple's wrist device its own independent, connected computer platform – in short, it's a must-have tool for athletes in the Apple ecosystem." other use cases not related to fitness. "
AppleInsider watched series 3 again a year later:
Series 4
Apple is expected to launch an Apple Watch Series 4 at the September 12 Gather Round event. This is thought to be the first significant material difference since the first watch with what should be a larger display area, with a higher resolution. on the face and a thinner case.
But, obviously, this chapter has not been said yet.
Watch the watch
Apple Watch can only be considered a great success. It's the smartwatch and the most popular wearable electronic product in the world, and at least last year it was the most popular watch in the world. By mid-2018, Apple's laptops division was deemed large enough to include a Fortune 300 company. While Apple does not market sales of Apple Watch, the Apple Watch Series 1 was the the world's best smart watch in the second quarter of 2018, with Series 3 ranked fourth.
The Watch has significantly expanded the smartwatch category and changed the definition of the word "Watch". And perhaps more importantly, he saved several lives, with at least half a dozen reports in 2018 indicating that the Watch heart rate monitor had alerted them to medical emergencies.
Steve Jobs may not be much concerned about watches, but Apple Watch has shown that Jobs' successor could create a new category of products and make it a key part of Apple.
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