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.

Nomad’s Silicone Strap for Apple Watch is both durable and comfortable

If you've been tuning into iDB lately, then you probably know we’re big fans of Nomad’s Apple Watch wrist straps here. My colleague Sebastien recently shared his own opinion on the leather strap they offer, but the company also has a rugged silicone option as well.

Coupled with a custom lug design that gives the Apple Watch a more masculine appearance and quality materials that feel like they’re going to last a long time, it’s hard to go wrong with any Nomad-branded Apple Watch wrist strap. That said, the vulcanized LSR silicone strap is just another quality piece we’d like to take the time to show you in this review.

Apple Watch Nike+ arrives Friday, October 28

Confirming earlier hints, Apple this morning announced that the Apple Watch Nike+, a special version of the Apple Watch Series 2 it's created in partnership with Nike, is going on sale this coming Friday, October 28. The $369 device has the same industrial design, price and hardware features as the Apple Watch Series 2.

It also packs in exclusive perks like special fluoroelastomer Nike Sport Bands available in a choice of four colors with perforations to reduce weight and improve ventilation, Nike-branded watch faces and complications and more.

Apple Watch popup shop in Galeries Lafayette closing January 2017 due to poor sales

The original Apple Watch debuted in April 2015 in a few markets, with Apple pushing the $10,000-$17,000 Apple Watch Edition aggressively via pop up shops found in high-profile department stores, including Galeries Lafayette in Paris, Selfridges in London and Isetan in Tokyo. But those pop up shops won't be open for much longer, it would seem.

As reported by French blog Mac4Ever, Apple will be closing the mini-store in Galeries Lafayette effective January 2017 due to poor sales of the device at the location.

Apple’s free app of the week: Night Sky 4

Apple on Thursday updated its App of the Week promotion with the app Night Sky 4. This means that for the next 7 days, you can get the popular astronomy app for both iPhone and iPad for free—saving you a solid buck.

Night Sky 4 is pitched as the most advanced and beautiful stargazing app ever created. With it you can identify stars, planets, constellations and satellites above simply by holding your iPhone, iPad or Apple Watch to the sky.

Get your green thumb on with Flower Power by Parrot

Flower Power, an iOS app that promises to help you get the best out of your favorite indoor or outdoor plant, has undergone a major face lift this August. The app, developed by Parrot SA has been around since 2013, but both looks and functions have been overhauled in-depth recently. While the app is and has always been free, it requires a hefty upfront investment for the wireless plant monitor itself to supply the app with critical data. So let’s posit you want your beloved indoor plant to live up to its maximum potential - Should you pounce for it?

Apple Watch Series 2 Nike+ edition is coming October 28

A special edition of the Apple Watch Series 2 that Apple has created in partnership with Nike, will be going on sale two weeks from today, on Friday, October 28, according to an updated Apple Watch Nike+ webpage first spotted by French blog WatchGeneration. It's what I wanted to hear as I'm in the market for the Nike+ edition of the new watch.

Apple has said that the $369 Apple Watch Series 2 Nike+ will have the same design, price and hardware features as the regular edition of the smartwatch, with the exception of special fluoroelastomer bands (available in a choice of four colors) that have perforations to reduce weight and improve ventilation.

How to move your Health data from one iPhone to another

When developer Dan Loewenherz got his new iPhone 7 last month, he looked for a way to migrate his old iPhone's Health data into his new one. He eventually stumbled on a post I wrote about how to export and import your Health data last year, but he was surprised the process wasn't easier. So he decided to develop his own app. Enters Health Data Importer.

New Apple patent would use heart rate data to identify Apple Watch owner

Currently, you can protect your Apple Watch with a passcode or set it to automatically unlock itself whenever you unlock your iPhone. But if a newly published patent application from the Cupertino firm is anything to go by, the wearable device may soon be able to seamlessly identify the owner with its built-in heart rate sensor.

As published by the United States Patent & Trademark Office (USPTO), the invention titled “User identification system based on plethysmography” proposes using a pulse oximeter to intelligently identify biometric characteristics of a user's vasculature.

watchOS 3.1 beta 3 now available for developers

Apple on Wednesday made watchOS 3.1 beta 3 available to developers. The release notes don't seem to indicate any new features have been added, but rather that Apple is now focusing on bug fixes and stability improvements, which is to be expected at this point in time.