"What we didn't do was take the iPhone and shrink the user interface and strap it on your wrist," says Cook.
The "digital crown" is the secret to the new UI. It's a little dial on the side of the watch face for navigating the screen. Press it and it works like the Home button on an iPhone.
"The digital crown.. fluidly zooms into apps, enables nimble precise adjustments." One advantage of using it seems to be that you don't block the display while trying to navigate. There's a button below it that brings up a menu of your friends. Tap their face to send messages, a sketch, even your own heartbeat.
It is still a touchscreen, but also "senses
force" so it can tell the difference between a tap and a press.
There's a haptic feedback engine, it picks up your heartbeat.
It has a flexible retina display.
There are two sizes! My dainty wrists are pumped about that.
There are different version, beyond size. One is a sports version of the watch face, it's light and durable, says Ive. Apple Watch Edition is 18k gold, and is twice as hard as standard gold.
Cook is back, says they've been working on the product for a long time. He also calls it "Apple Watch."
Kevin Lynch is an Apple em
ployee who worked on the product. He's coming out for a little demo.
You can choose the watch face so that it displays different colors, looks,
and bits of information.
One display shows the earth in the background and lets you play around in the galaxy.
You can jump between information. One view shows where you are located, another the world time, a third what music is playing on devices around you (on your iPhone, say, or just on the watch).
Interesting use of the accelerometer. Raising your wrist triggers notifications, for example.
Typing is hard on a small screen so the messages app analyzes your incoming messages and suggests responses that you can send with a tap. You can also respond using dictation or special Apple Emoji.
They built Siri into the watch. They asked it a question and it displayed responses. In the demo it didn't say the results out loud, don't know if that's just a setting.
There is a photos app, you can zip all of them around or zoom in on specific shots. The maps app shows your current location, pan around by swiping or zoom out with the dial on the side of the phone.
We don't know how much memory this little guy has yet, which might influence how many of your photos you put on your wrist.
Using the maps, it will vibrate when you are walking to let you know which way to turn when it is time. "It's like having this invisible guide with you."
So how do you best communicate with a small screen that can vibrate and sense different pressures of tap? A demo of a fictional conversation. He is chatting using vibrations and drawings.
It uses a lot of short hand instead of spelling things out. You can send your heartbeat back and fourth. Would you want to feel someone's heartbeat? Is that just for people in relationships?
By default, notifications will just show up, say a Facebook friend request. Watch Kit will allow developers to make custom notifications.
You can, of course, Tweet from your watch.
Starwood Hotels has created an app that lets you check in from your watch and unlock your door with the watch. That last part is very handy.
BMW will show the charge level of your car and the location of the vehicle, in case you forgot where you parked.
"It's amazing what you can do from your wrist," said Tim Cook.
Two new applications on the watch. The fitness app monitors all your activity and movement throughout the day. A video is showing how it can help people live healthier lives, regular people or athletes.
Tracks total body movement, measure heart rate, uses GPS for distance. The activity app tracks movement (calories burned), exercise (time of brisk activity), and how long you spend standing, which is better than sitting.
No prices on Watch yet. No release date yet. No battery life info yet. No word on tethering, WiFi, etc. yet.
Another workout app tracks sports and workouts in more detail, how far and fast you're going, shows a summary of each work out. See your workout history over time and shares it through the health app, where the data can be used by third-party apps.
The recap!
It tells time, it communicates, it tracks workouts and is "so much more." Tim Cook uses his to control his Apple TV. There's a walky talky app.
It does require that you have an iPhone to work, it's not a stand-alone device.
It works with phones as old as the iPhone 5.
No price yet! Seems like it's about to happen, but first the battery I think.
