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| matroclass |
It can be argued that the Apple Watch is the most hyped product since the original iPad. And like the iPad it has a penchant for polarising opinion. While it is still not available in India, fanboys and connoisseurs alike have thronged and acquired it by hook or crook. We managed to get our grimy mitts on one too, and on initial inspection it looks a cut above any smartwatch in the market purely on the basis of build quality.
It can be argued that the Apple Watch is the most hyped product since the original iPad. And like the iPad it has a penchant for polarising opinion. While it is still not available in India, fanboys and connoisseurs alike have thronged and acquired it by hook or crook. We managed to get our grimy mitts on one too, and on initial inspection it looks a cut above any smartwatch in the market purely on the basis of build quality.
We checked out the steel model, which sits bang on between the base range 'Sport' model and the absurdly expensive 'Edition' gold plated wearable. Unlike most traditional timepieces, the Apple Watch has a square dial. It looks darn good, somehow Apple has made a product that looks good in this shape. So far, only the Moto 360 and the LG G Watch R have been aesthetically accepted as smartwatches and both of them have round dials.
Apple's argument is that for a card based user interface a square dial is just logical. We agree with Apple, as even the Moto 360 has an ungainly cutaway on the bottom half of its screen. Moreover, if you look at Android Wear some of the interface elements don't make sense on a circular screen.
That's the thing about the Apple Watch. A lot about it makes sense. For instance, the digital crown on the side is quite an intuitive way to move back and forth between the home screen and the watch face. A swipe to the top brings up cards, which can be horizontally swiped to show different apps. Its synergy with the iPhone is also pretty solid, but then again we just played with the product for around 5 hours.
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| matroclass |
While all these things are good, the most striking thing about the Apple Watch is its looks. The main problem with most smartwatches is that they just don't look like wristwatches. People, more importantly, tech companies forget, for many the watch as a time piece is dead, it is more of a fashion statement.
This is where the Apple Watch scores highly. With its beautiful retina display and steel dial, it has the fit a finish of relatively expensive Tissot. Most smartwatches just look cheap including the LG G-Watch R and the Moto 360. Unlike most smartwatches the steel version of the Apple Watch also has a sapphire screen and back, which is one of the hardest materials to scratch.
Apple makes a number of watch bands through a custom clasping mechanism. The clasping mechanism is super easy to use and now even third parties are making straps. The one we played with actually had a third party dark blue leather strap, which was bought for $50.
The smartwatch as a category remains unproven and the Apple Watch is not necessarily more functional, but it is wildly superior in fit and finish and aesthetics.
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