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Apple Watch Hermès leather bands are now available
In case you haven't been paying attention for the last seven months or so, it's very, very easy to spend a lot of money on an Apple Watch. But if Apple's own lineup of bands and crazy expensive solid-gold cases aren't exactly working with your own personal aesthetic, fear not: today, the newly-announced set of Hermès leather bands are now available in selected Apple Stores and Hermès locations around the world.
Apple Watch is coming to Target stores on October 18th
If you're shopping at Target, you'll soon be able to buy something other than picture frames and bedding. The Apple Watch arrives October 18th and be available in every store by October 25th. The retailer said it will stock 20 different models, with prices ranging from $349 for the 38mm Watch Sport, up to $599 for a stainless steel 42mm Watch model. Target is the second retail chain to get the Watch after Best Buy, and apart from Apple, only high-end department stores like Galeries Lafayette in Paris have carried it. The Target deal makes sense, however, since the chain already carries the iPhone, iPad and most other Apple products.
BBM app lands on Apple Watch before WhatsApp
Apps are continuing to trickle into Apple's wearable, with recent standouts including Airbnb, Google and...BlackBerry? The company once called RIM has announced Apple Watch support for its messaging service, BBM. When reading the product description on the iTunes store, you find that the companion app will allow you to share photos and voice notes, see when people are responding to your messages, and even offer groundbreaking features like delivered and read receipts. There isn't a wide variety of alternatives available on the Apple Watch at the moment -- with WhatsApp and Facebook messanger still missing from the app store -- but maybe there's a reason for that. What's your PIN? Let's discuss this some more through our wearables. [Thanks, Sterling Jordan!]
Google Maps now works on the Apple Watch
Sure, Apple Maps has improved significantly in the past few years since it launched, but for many Apple users it still doesn't hold a candle to Google Maps. But if you're an Apple Watch user who wanted to use your watch for directions, Apple Maps has been your only option -- until today. A new update for Google Maps on iOS rolled out today that includes full Apple Watch support, among some other useful features.
T-Mobile will start selling the Apple Watch September 25th
Well folks, it seems the rumblings were in fact correct. T-Mobile will begin selling the Apple Watch this Friday when it's also scheduled to hit shelves at Sprint. As you might expect, Big Magenta is offering some zero down and zero interest options (while supplies last, it seems) for two years to make Cupertino's wearable even more attractive. The payment plan only applies to the Sport models which are $349 (38mm) and $399 (42mm) if purchased at full price. When you do the math, that's $14.54 and $16.62 for 23 months with the final payment for each going up a few cents. If you'd prefer the pricier Apple Watch you'll have to shell out the entire $549 (38mm) or $599 (42mm) to take one home. Full details on the available models and band options reside at the source link below.
BuzzFeed's Apple Watch app is a needy virtual pet
When you install an Apple Watch companion app, you typically expect something that reflects the experience you get on your iPhone. News on your phone means news on your wrist, for instance. That's definitely not the case for BuzzFeed's app, though -- instead, you're treated to nothing less than a Tamagotchi-style virtual pet. Install it and you'll have to keep a gem-like critter happy by traveling, eating pizza, listening to music on its couch and otherwise hanging out. The experience will seem more than a little familiar if you had one of these digital pets as a kid (read: it may get annoying over time), but it's at least easier to deal with on a watch than it is hanging off your keychain. And let's face it, this is probably going to be more entertaining than scrolling through GIF-heavy list articles on a tiny screen.
WatchOS 2 hands-on: What Apple Watch should have had from the start
Ignoring the mixed reviews, common sense and the usually wise advice that you should avoid first-gen products at all costs, I bought an Apple Watch last June. Honestly, I'm still surprised by that. I backed the original Pebble crowdfunding campaign, and I've tested a few Android Wear devices, but as a whole smartwatches have always left me wanting. If I was going to wear anything on my wrist, I typically preferred a dedicated fitness tracker. But after hearing about what Apple had planned for watchOS 2 (the software that powers the Watch), I felt compelled to snap up a 42mm Apple Watch Sport. Now, a little more than five months after the Watch's launch, that long-awaited update is here. And while it doesn't fix all of the Apple Watch's flaws, it's a significant improvement for the crazies like me who bought one already.
Apple releases watchOS 2 to put apps directly on your wrist
It's arriving a few days later than originally anticipated, but the first big Apple Watch software upgrade is here. watchOS 2 lets third-party developers create apps that run directly on the device itself, without relying on a connected phone. That means the apps have access to sensors embedded within the Watch itself, and they should run faster and be easier to interact with. Some have compared this change to the introduction of the App Store on iOS in 2008, but we'll have to see what developers use it for first. Other changes include new customizable Watch faces with Photo, Photo Album and Time-Lapse, plus upgraded Apple Pay and Siri integration. It also has Activation Lock, so if someone steals your Watch they can't just reset it or easily access your data. One thing you'll still need your iPhone for is to actually get the update -- owners can check Software Update under the Watch app to start the download now.
Apple Watch will be available at Sprint on September 25th
Now that Cupertino's wearable has been on sale for a while, it's making its way outside the confines of the company's retail locations and online store. In addition hitting shelves at Currys and PC World in the UK, the Apple Watch will go on sale at Sprint this week in the States. T-Mobile CEO John Legere tweeted that his company would also begin selling the wearable device too, but the carrier has yet to announce any official availability info. However, MacRumors reports that Big Magenta will sell the gadget on the same day. In the US, the Sprint and T-Mobile will join Best Buy as places other than Apple's own shopping spots that you can pick up the smartwatch. Internationally, there's a sizable list of places to nab the Apple Watch as well, including department stores like France's Galeries Lafayette.
Ford's smartwatch apps let drivers unlock their electric car
In recent months, both Hyundai and Volvo have launched smartwatch apps, allowing car owners to control some of their vehicle's functions from the comfort of their wrist. Now Ford wants in on the action. In the latest update to its MyFord app, available on both iOS and Android Wear, the car maker is letting drivers of select electric and plug-in hybrid models access information on their vehicle battery status (including the estimated range), enable the air-conditioning, lock and unlock the car and follow directions to where their car is parked.
Apple delays the launch of watchOS 2 because of a bug
Apple has pushed back the launch of watchOS 2 because of a tricky bug, a spokesperson confirmed to TechCrunch. The new software was expected to hit Apple Watches today, September 16th. "We have discovered a bug in development of watchOS 2 that is taking a bit longer to fix than we expected," an Apple spokesperson told TechCrunch. "We will not release watchOS 2 today but will shortly."
Apple Watch heads to more UK retailers by way of Currys & PC World
It seems you'll soon be able to buy an Apple Watch from Currys and PC World stores across the UK. As 9to5Mac notes, the retailer is now teasing the wearable on its homepage, with the messages "Coming Soon" and "Pre-Register" in tow. If you click the banner, however, you'll be sent to a page where you can register your interest in all new Apple products -- so it's not clear exactly when the smartwatch will be available.
Lloyds and Halifax now support Apple Pay in the UK
Apple Pay had a difficult start in the UK. Not all of the banks supported it at launch, leaving some iPhone and Apple Watch owners feeling frustrated. Slowly but surely, however, most of the major players have now jumped on board. Lloyds and Halifax are the latest to enter the fray -- some customers are reporting that they're able to link their accounts and make payments. It appears to be a gradual roll-out, however, so if your card isn't supported just yet, we suspect it will be shortly. As 9to5Mac reports, that brings the grand total up to 11 banks in the UK: American Express, First Direct, HSBC, Halifax, Lloyds, NatWest, NationWide, MBNA, Royal Bank of Scotland, Santander and Ulster. The most glaring omission? Barclays, which is probably still hoping that you'll adopt bPay instead.
A closer look at that fancy new Hermes Apple Watch band
It might not have been the most groundbreaking thing Apple announced today. In fact, I'd wager that new Apple Watch bands rank at the very bottom of the list, behind new iPhones, a refreshed Apple TV and a big-screen iPad Pro. (I'll let you all weigh in on how you'd rank the other three.) That said, this is a gadget blog, and what are we here for, if not to give you a healthy serving of gadget porn? Chief among the new bands is a leather one made by luxury brand Hermes, available in a "Single Tour" style for $1,100 (ouch) and a "Double Tour" version that wraps twice around your wrist for $1,250 (double ouch). Also pictured: matching Hermes watch faces, because of course. If that's a little outside your budget, Apple also unveiled new silicone "Sport" bands in a host of colors. There's really not much more to it than that -- we think our gallery of hands-on shots tells you all you need to know. Get all the news from today's iPhone event right here.
Pre-event Apple rumors nailed almost all of the surprises
If today's big Apple event taught us one thing (beyond the fact that Tim Cook's music taste remains questionable at best), it's that the rumor mill has fully figured out Apple's game plan. If you've been paying attention to the news over the last few months (particularly if you've been reading 9to5Mac), there was almost nothing to be surprised by. The iPad Pro and iPad Mini 4 were unveiled; a new app-friendly Apple TV will be coming soon; and Apple's new iPhones are largely what we expected. That doesn't mean that there wasn't a ton of news jammed into today's two-hour event -- it's just that just about every bit of it was predicted ahead of time. Let's go through the announcements in detail and see exactly how the rumor-mongers stacked up.
Apple's first major Watch update arrives September 16th
The iPhone 6s might be what most people are waiting for (or that iPad Pro), but that doesn't mean Apple Watch owners aren't getting any attention. As expected, Cupertino just confirmed the first (significant) software update for the wearable will arrive next week -- September 16th.
Airbnb's Apple Watch app focuses on putting hosts and guests in touch
The last year or so has seen Airbnb put a major focus behind design, from its company logo and identity to new apps for phones and tablets. Now, it's putting its attention towards a new platform: wearables. Starting today, the iOS Airbnb app is compatible with the Apple Watch. Fortunately, Airbnb put a lot of thought into what features would make the most sense living on your wrist rather than try and cram the entire experience onto the smallest screen in your life. To that end, the first iteration of Airbnb's Watch app will focus primarily on messaging, so hosts and guests can stay in touch quickly.
Apple becomes the second-biggest wearables maker, behind Fitbit
The big question surrounding the Apple Watch is how well it's selling, but Apple isn't saying just yet. Without concrete numbers, we're forced to turn to various projections -- and one of the more reliable sources says that Apple's first wearable is doing well. According to IDC, Apple shipped 3.6 million Apple Watches during the second quarter of 2015; that's good for second place in the global wearables market, behind market leader Fitbit.
MLB allows Apple Watch in dugouts, but phones remain off limits
For coaching in its annual All-Star Game, Major League Baseball gave Kansas City Royals manager Ned Yost an Apple Watch. As you might expect, Yost has been wearing quite a bit -- even during games when cellphones and other devices are banned from the dugouts. The wearable raised some concerns over cheating, but after the league reached out to the manager for an explanation, the Apple Watch can remain on the wrists of team staff seated on the bench. Until now, the only approved device was telephone used to call from the dugout to the bullpen to discuss pitching changes. Of course, without an iPhone close by, the Apple Watch isn't much more than a... well, watch. And that's exactly what Yost told the league. [Image credit: Ed Zurga/Getty Images]
Hack puts custom faces on your Apple Watch
You don't have to wait for a possible software update to put custom faces on your Apple Watch... if you're willing to throw caution to the wind, anyway. Developer Hamza Sood has written code that lets you load the watch face you want, such as a silly animation with variable colors. It's crude (you're modifying a hard-coded list of supported faces), and will most definitely void your warranty while you're using it. However, this might scratch the personalization itch if Watch OS 2's Photo face doesn't go far enough.
