Berlin – Apple fans need to be patient. Because a supplier from China is unable to supply the required quality is an important component for the Apple Watch, customers need to wait weeks for the SmartWatch. But the test shows that it pays to wait for the Apple Watch, even if it is not a perfect product.
The tested SmartWatch with 42-millimeter stainless steel case and bracelet feels very pleasant on the wrist. The sapphire screen goes without edges over into the housing. The bracelet not only meets the quality requirements, as they are known from Swiss precious brands, but can also be cut without tools to the appropriate extent. For initial setup of Apple Watch you need an actual iPhone (5, 5s, 6 or 6 Plus), which runs with the iOS version 8.3. Android smartphones are not supported.
In an iPhone with many installed apps will take about three minutes until the Apple Watch has given an overview of the smart phone applications can communicate with the clock. Then you should take some time to define in detail which iPhone app may trigger a notification to the Apple Watch. Finally, we want to avoid that the clock on your wrist constantly vibrates, just because about an acquaintance has published a trivial photo again in a social network.
The Apple Watch has a AMOLED screen with a resolution of 272 times 340 pixels. The image appears crisp sharp, the colors look strong and brilliantly made. The brightness was set in the test regardless of the battery life to the maximum, so that the screen is easy to read even in bright surroundings.
The Apple Watch dominated three disciplines: Firstly, it is a watch for other health and fitness tracker and finally a versatile computer on the wrist for which there are now more than 3,700 apps. Is the iPhone near, you can make calls via the Apple Watch also. The dial of the watch Apple shows a classic chronograph, but also playful Mickey Mouse-pointer, the current moon phase or a number of other “complications” to. To activate the screen from the power saving mode, you have to raise the wrist or tap the digital crown. By pressing the crown twice in quick succession, the last used app is displayed.
As a fitness tracker that Apple Watch can record not only steps when walking or jogging and crested stages include, but also bike rides and workouts on a stepper, cross trainer or rowing exercise machine. Just for swimming, the Apple Watch is not compatible. Although the SmartWatch has a “protection against temporary submersion” according to the standard IPX7, but even a hard water jet in the shower could put the clock incapacitated.
Apps, need to retrieve the content from the Internet, a time need long until you see the desired information about the Weather app or stock ticker. This could be done more quickly. The construction of some apps still leaves room for improvement. Thus, the Twitter app shows only either at the latest Tweet from its own timeline or the current hot topic. Individual Twitter user or a particular topic can not pursue on the watch with the app. Users can hope for quick improvements here but. And every day come out new apps that make Apple Watch valuable. Some of the “Car Location Finder”: With this app you can save with a push of a button the location of his parked car on the clock and the iPhone and find the car in bad short-term memory later in the street crowd.
In addition to the design of the clock itself the apps when competition from Apple will be crucial with the competing SmartWatch manufacturers. The apps for the Apple Watch run without distinction to the three model lines: the Apple Watch Sports (349-449 euros), the tested here Apple Watch (649-1249 euros) and the ridiculously expensive golden Apple Watch Edition that between 11 000 and EUR 18 000 costs.
