TechSmart 121, October 2013 TechSmart 133, Octobert 2014 | Page 10

NEW GEAR GREAT GEAR! APPLE WATCH It’s official, with Apple debuting its first ever smartwear device, wearables are no longer a hip trend, but rather a newly disrupted sector all on its own. Far less radical than many were expecting (some would say drab), the Apple Watch is the manufacturer’s “most personal device ever”, with three different models for users to choose from and up to 11 different watch faces to flip between. Along with the standard Apple Watch, added to the mix is the fitness-focused Apple Watch Sport and fashionforward Apple Watch Edition. To set itself apart from the Android Wear sporting competition, Apple has designed a specialised digital crown on the side of the face. This mechanism allows wearers to scale the size of the Apple Watch’s screen, as well as navigate through apps. Sticking with the screen, Apple has opted for a Retina display with Force Touch, a new technology capable of discerning the difference between soft taps and hard presses. Other new integrations include an redesigned S1 processor and Taptic engine for in-app vibrating feedback. With only a handful of apps built for the Apple Watch at this stage, Apple has rolled out its WatchKit API for developers to start brainstorming innovative uses for this new wearable when it releases in early 2015. Local pricing for the Apple Watch still remains a mystery, but US residents will be paying upwards of $350. IPHONE 6 AND IPHONE 6 PLUS With the Apple Watch stealing the limelight, Cupertino’s larger iPhone 6 and