The Apple smart watch is a connected watch unveiled on September 9, 2014 by Apple.

It is unveiled at the press conference traditionally corresponding to the launch of new range of iPhone. It has been available for pre-order since April 10, 2015 and has been on the market since April 24, 2015.

Apple smart watch can be paired with an iPhone. It recharges thanks to an induction connector or on a base.

In September 2016, Apple launches a new generation of Apple Watch (Series 2) that provides water resistance up to 50 meters.

On September 12, 2017, Apple introduces a new generation of Apple Watch, the Series 3, cellular model available only for customers of some operators, Orange in France. Also, it brings a new, more efficient chip.

On September 12, 2018, Apple presents the Apple Watch Series 4, with a major change in the screen, which becomes larger in 40 and 44 mm.

Genesis and presentation

The project of Apple Watch would have started in 2008 in the biggest secrecy, as usual Apple.

The rumors developed very early and the public expected the Apple Watch to be presented at the WWDC 2014. Apple presented it on September 9, 2014 after presenting the iPhone 6, the iPhone 6 Plus and the Apple Pay contactless payment prototype by announcing “one more thing”.

Tim Cook, Apple’s CEO, made the suspense last by announcing an “entirely new product”, “the most personal product ever created” saying that it would be “the next chapter in the history of Apple “.

Three days after its release, the Apple Watch exceeds one million copies sold.

Design

A counter in an Apple store, showing different models of Apple Watch.

The Apple Watch is available in two sizes (38 and 42 mm high), three finishes (Watch, Watch Sport and Watch Edition). Her design is signed Jonathan Paul Ive.

Front and screen

The front of the Apple Watch features a sapphire retina screen (Ion-X aluminosilicate reinforced for the Watch Sport), covered with a tactile layer sensitive to touch and pressure exerted (“Force Touch”).

Back and case

The housings are waterproof (from the Apple Watch Series 2 version), reloading is done by induction back thanks to a magnetic MagSafe connector.

The case of the Apple Watch is 316L stainless steel, its back is ceramic. That of the Watch Sport is 7000 Series aluminum alloy, 30% lighter than the steel model. His back is composite. The Watch Edition is in 18K yellow or pink gold, its back is ceramic.

Four sapphire lenses with infrared diodes on the back allow heart rate monitoring.

Bracelets

A collection of twelve interchangeable bracelets is available in leather, steel or fluoroelastomer in several colors. Only the Sport model comes with two bracelets of different sizes.

There are 7 different categories:

-The sport buckle, nylon with a scratch closure system. The colors are flashy yellow, turmeric orange, electric rose, midnight blue, black, seashell, dark olive and pink sands.

-The sports bracelet, in fluoroelastomer with a nail closure system. The colors are red rose, cobalt blue, ultraviolet, dark olive, white cotton, gray, cloud, pink sand, midnight blue, black, white and (PRODUCT) RED.

-The Nike Sport Bracelet, in fluoroelastomer, with molded perforations and a nail closure system. The colors are pure platinum / black, black / volt, obsidian / black and anthracite / black.

-The woven nylon strap, made of strong nylon (checkered or striped) and with a classic closure system. The colors for the squares are dark olive, midnight blue, white, orange turmeric, red fruits and black and for the white, midnight blue and black stripes

-The leather strap, with a closure system in stainless steel (classic buckle or modern buckle) or magnetic. The colors for the classic buckle are blue cosmos, fuchsia, aubergine, tan, black and (PRODUCT) RED, for the modern loop (38mm only) midnight blue, powder pink, brown and black and for the magnetic (42mm only) blue cosmos and anthracite.

-The Hermès bracelet, in cowhide leather or double lap. The colors for the double tower (38mm only) are Swift Bordeaux, Barénia Fauve and Swift Étoupe and for the simple Tour Swift Bordeaux, Barénia Fauve, Swift Etoupe and Epsom Fire (38mm only).

-The stainless steel bracelet, with a magnetic closure system (Milanese) or butterfly (with links). The colors for the magnetic are light gray and sidereal black and for the light gray and black sidereal butterfly.

Features

Thanks to the “Handoff” function, the Apple Watch makes it possible to consult various contents such as e-mails, messages, cards, etc. It has 8 GB of physical memory and shares its data with the synchronized iPhone. Thanks to Siri, it can be used to write messages and emails.

The navigation in its interface rests on a digital crown and a touch screen with haptic response. It can for example send vibrations to its user for notifications or  a GPS application.

The Apple Watch is compatible with Apple brand phones from the iPhone 5 from iOS 8.2.

With Digital Touch, two Apple Watch users can send themselves drawings on the screen or share the heart rate, captured by the heart rate monitor on the back of the device and transmitted by haptic response.

A shutter function for photos via the iPhone with remote display is integrated.

The time is set to 50 milliseconds.

In March 2019, Apple launched new features in Europe to detect the risk of atrial fibrillation.

Impact on the health & medical community

Between March 2016 and February 2017, the University of California at San Francisco and Cardiogram, a heart rate monitoring application used with the Apple Watch, recruit more than 6,000 participants on a study entitled Health eHeart 30. The study concludes that the Apple Watch detects cardiac irregularities with an accuracy of 97%, insufficient precision for a diagnosis, but useful as a screening tool.

In November 2017, the Food and Drug Administration authorizes the first medical device accessory for the Apple Watch. The accessory is an electrocardiogram reader a sensor coupled to an application. And it can detect abnormal heart rhythm and atrial fibrillation.

At the same time, Stanford University and Apple announce a large study to identify irregular heart rhythms with the Apple Watch. For this study, Apple launches a specific application called Apple Heart Study. This app sends notifications to users who may be suffering from atrial fibrillation. It runs on all models up to the Apple Watch Series 3. In March 2019, Stanford researchers presented the preliminary results of the study that enrolled more than 400,000 participants. The study shows that the Apple Watch can detect irregular heartbeats that could indicate the need for additional monitoring for an atrial fibrillation problem. 

Dean of Stanford University’s Faculty of Medicine says, “Atrial fibrillation is just the beginning.Because this study opens the door to new research on wearable technologies and how they could be used to prevent disease before it happens. “

Apple Smart Watch Series 

Series 1

Launched in 2016. It incorporates the features of the original Apple Watch released in 2015, featuring a new dual-core S1P processor and running on watchOS 4. It is available in a single model, Apple Watch Series 1.

Series 2

Pre-order September 13 for a release date September 16, 2016. It has a dual-core S2 processor, a screen 2 times brighter than the Series 1, a sapphire crystal glass, a GPS, and is water resistant up to 50 meters. It comes in four models: Apple Watch Series 2, Nike Watch Series 2 Nike +, Apple Watch Series 2 Hermes and Apple Watch Series 2 Edition (ceramic).

Series 3

Pre-order on September 15, 2017 for a release date September 22, 2017. It is equipped with a S3 bicer processor more powerful than the S2, S1P and S1 of previous Apple Watch. Series 3 would be, according to Apple, 80% faster than the Series 2. It also embarks an eSIM that allows you to phone with the watch, without the phone with you. This feature requires a special model of Apple Watch Series 3 called Cellular. The price is about 50 euros more expensive than the simple GPS model (399 € GPS, 449 € GPS + Cellular) It is also equipped with watchOS 4.

The Nike + Watch Apple is equipped with the Nike + Run Club app, a Watch Face and special wristbands. The same applies to the Hermes Apple Watch which has a Watch Face and special bracelets. It does not have, however, an exclusive application.

Series 4

The main novelty of the Apple Watch Series 4 is the addition of an electrocardiogram offering the possibility to have accurate monitoring of cardiac activity in real time.

Embedded technology

It is equipped with an Apple S1 processor, a speaker and a haptic response engine Taptic Engine. The interface with the user is via the touch screen and the digital crown, to zoom or scroll items, and also serves as a home button.

The S1 chip has a series of sensors to track the physical activity of its user. This data can be viewed via a suite of applications available on the watch and the device coupled in Bluetooth to the watch.

It can be used as a contactless payment method with the compatible Apple Pay system.

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