Apple Watch

Stay up-to-date on the latest Apple Watch news, and learn how to get the most out of your device with our comprehensive tutorials. From updates to features to troubleshooting tips, we’ve got you covered.

Twelve South Forté review: a truly luxurious stand for Apple Watch

Timothy Reavis ∙ Updated April 19, 2018

Soon after the launch of Apple Watch, Twelve South released HiRise, its first charging stand for the digital timepiece. Our review of the $50 accessory detailed it as a solid product that did its job well, with its durable build and aluminum finish giving it a pleasantly subtle design.

Now, Twelve South is back with Forté, a bolder, more luxurious Apple Watch stand that is designed to be more versatile while remaining true to Twelve South’s Apple-like design paradigm. Supporting closed and open bands, portrait and landscape charging, and a docked Apple Watch and iPhone, Forté shines with the aura of a stand that could’ve easily been designed by Apple. And by selling it in their online and retail stores, Apple has, in a way, put their stamp of approval on Forté.

Viber rolls out Apple Watch app

Christian Zibreg ∙ October 27, 2015

Mobile messaging platform Viber today rolled out a new version of its iPhone app in the App Store which enables native experience on your Apple Watch. While pretty basic, the app is functional, easy to use and efficient.

With it, you can read and respond to messages straight from your wrist, and even send stickers created exclusively for the Apple Watch, all without having to pull an iPhone out of your pocket. Viber is available at no charge in the App Store.

A look at 5 Apple Watch knockoff bands

Sébastien Page ∙ Updated October 16, 2018

One of the best features of Apple Watch is how customizable it is. There are millions of watch faces variations to play with, and of course, you can use a multitude of watch bands to make your device stand out or blend in, depending on your mood.

If customizing your watch faces doesn't cost anything, buying bands from Apple can turn out to be expensive, with each band selling for hefty prices, especially if you don't want to settle for the fluoroelastomer bands.

An alternative Apple Watch users might want to look into is the knockoff bands available online. They appear to be exact replicas of Apple's official bands, and sell for a fraction of the price. I was curious about the price/quality ratio of these bands so I decided to purchase seven of them (two of which are still on back order) and see for myself if they are worth the money.

In this post, I will give a brief overview of each band that I received, as well as personal thoughts regarding the quality and whether or not it's a smart buy.

Review: track how well you sleep at night with Sleep++ for Apple Watch

Christian Zibreg ∙ Updated February 4, 2018

I was having high hopes ahead of the Apple Watch unveiling that detailed sleep analytics would be part of the headline feature set, based in no small part on the company's hiring efforts in that field.

As a blogger, my sleep is basically in disarray so I was keeping my fingers crossed that Apple's wearable would benefit my rest. Much to my surprise, the device arrived without specialized sleep-tracking functions.

But thanks to developer David Smith's nifty little app called Sleep++, I can now measure the duration and quality of my sleep thanks to the power of software.

Opinion: The Apple Watch is a fashion device first

Jeff Benjamin ∙ Updated June 12, 2018

As many of you may know, I’m now on my second Apple Watch. I got in the game on launch day with a 42mm Space Grey Sport, and after a month or so with the device, I quickly realized that it just wasn’t for me.

Not only was the functionality not quite there with watchOS 1, it was heavily lacking in the looks department. You may not agree with me, but I think the aluminum Apple Watch Sport looks pretty bad with anything other than sweatpants or basketball shorts. Don't feel bad if that's what you have or prefer; remember, it's just one person's personal opinion.

If you’re the type that uses your Apple Watch primarily as a fitness device, then fine, I can certainly see the appeal of the Apple Watch Sport, hence its name.

For me personally, however, the Apple Watch is a fashion device first. It’s pretty good on the technical side of the fence in several areas as well, but coming to terms with this reality has made the experience of wearing this watch so much better in my eyes.

Runkeeper’s latest update lets you record your runs directly on Apple Watch

Christian Zibreg ∙ October 22, 2015

Runkeeper has refreshed its iPhone application with a fully native watchOS 2 app so you can record your runs and heart rates directly on your Apple Watch, without needing to bring your iPhone with you. If you typically go running with an iPhone strapped to your arm, you'll appreciate phone-free jogging with the new Runkeeper.

In other changes, new post-activity music analytics will create a full rundown of your playlist and your pace for each song after you've finished your run.

Watch: seven new Apple Watch TV ads highlighting Apple Pay, Siri, and more

Sébastien Page ∙ October 21, 2015

Apple is out tonight with seven new short TV ads for Apple Watch. The format is similar to what the company company up with two weeks ago, when it debuted the first ads in this series.

Each short film focuses on a specific feature of Apple Watch, from apps, Apple Pay, Siri, physical activity tracking, to the convenience the device can offer. Yes, convenience is a feature!

Apple releases watchOS 2.0.1 with improved battery performance, new emoji, and more

Sébastien Page ∙ October 21, 2015

Along with the release of iOS 9.1 this morning, Apple just release watchOS 2.0.1 for Apple Watch users. Most notably, this update contains support for the new emoji characters already present in iOS 9.1, and improvements to battery life.

Jony Ive talks growing relationship between tech and fashion

Cody Lee ∙ October 20, 2015

Ahead of next year's Apple-sponsored Met Gala, Jony Ive sat down with The Wall Street Journal to talk about the growing relationship between tech and fashion. Ive will be co-hosting the Gala in May, along with Vogue Editor-in-Chief Anna Winter, actor Idris Elba and pop star Taylor Swift.

The red-carpet event is New York's biggest fashion function of the year, and the main exhibit of 2016 will be "Manus x Machina: Fashion in an Age of Technology." The message is that beautiful designs can result from both craftsmanship and automation, whether created by hand or machine.

Cook: Apple Watch sales accelerating, new health features in development

Christian Zibreg ∙ October 20, 2015

Apple CEO Tim Cook discussed a variety of topics at the Wall Street Journal’s WSJ.D Live conference last night in Laguna Beach, California, including confirming pre-sales for the new Apple TV next Monday and revealing that Apple Music currently has 6.5 million paid customers.

And while Cook was mum on Apple Watch sales—”We don't want to give information to competitors,” he said—he did allude to additional health-related functions coming to Apple's wearable platform in the future.

LUNATIK EPIK Apple Watch Kit offers rugged protection in a handsome package

Cody Lee ∙ Updated April 19, 2018

I would argue that it was the LunaTik and TikTok watch kits for the iPod nano, not the Pebble, that sparked initial consumer interest in smartwatches. Two years before Pebble's Kickstarter debut, the two kits garnered $1 million on the crowdfunding site from folks who wanted to wear their nanos on their wrists.

Fast forward to this summer, and Minimal, the company responsible for those kits, returned to Kickstarter with a similar accessory for the Apple Watch. It's called the LUNATIK EPIK, and it's a premium case and strap solution, that offers rugged protection for Apple's [42MM] smartwatch in a handsome package.

Boston transit data and Amtrak routes for Northeastern U.S. launch on Apple Maps

Christian Zibreg ∙ October 19, 2015

In addition to bringing Yellow Pages-powered business listings to Apple Maps customers in Canada, the Cupertino firm has apparently refreshed a Maps backend in the United States, adding transit directions for Boston and multiple Amtrak routes in the Northeastern United States.

The longest Amtrak route available runs from Chicago to New York. As first noted by MacRumors, other supported routes with transit directions include the Northeast Regional, Acela Express, Keystone, Lake Shore Limited, Pennsylvanian and Maple Leaf.