Items tagged with Apple Watch
As expected, Apple has announced the new Apple Watch Series 6, which continues the company's yearly cadence of iterative updates. In this case, the Series is a slight upgrade over its Series 5 predecessor with a new S6 SoC, which is now based on the A13 Bionic found in the iPhone 11 family. Apple says that the new S6 processor in the Series 6 is now 20 percent faster than the S5 found in the Series 5. But perhaps the biggest new feature, is the addition of blood oxygen monitoring. Once requested, the Series 6 can measure your blood oxygen levels within 15 seconds thanks to some new sensors that have been added to the bottom of the device. The Series 6 also includes a built-in altimeter, than...
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Well, my Apple Watch Series 5 is about to obsolete, how fantastic. I'm kidding, of course—I'm sure it will be remain relevant after today, but that said, Apple is expected to introduce the Apple Watch Series 6 today during a scheduled event, which currently sports the caption "Time flies." Yes it does, Apple, it surely does (especially in tech). Watch The Scheduled Apple Event Right Here Apple will be livestreaming the event from Apple Park. It is scheduled to commence today at 10:00 am PT (1:00 pm ET). You can catch it on Apple's YouTube channel, or stick around right here at HotHardware, as we have embedded the video below... Apple has not provided many details about the event, other...
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Apple’s upcoming fall keynote will no doubt be headlined by the iPhone 12 family of smartphones, which have been highly anticipated by consumers. These will mark the first iPhones to include 5G connectivity, and will incorporate an all-new design language for the first time since the iPhone X bowed in 2017. However, the new iPhones will be joined by a few other fresh additions to the family including new iPads and new Apple Watch models. We’ll be discussing what to expect from all of these product families below: iPhone 12 and iPhone 12 Pro Will Usher In 5G For Apple As we stated above, the iPhone 12 family will come standard with 5G connectivity, which is being provided – reportedly...
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The July 4th (Independence Day) holiday is tomorrow, which means that many folks will be setting off fireworks, enjoying time with friends (socially distanced, of course), and grilling a few burgers and dogs. This weekend also represents a good time to score some discounts on tech gear, particularly if you’re heavily invested in the Apple ecosystem. Apple Watch Series 3 Deals The Apple Watch Series 3 is a few years old, but it is still an incredibly popular smartwatch that Apple has decided to keep around to occupy the entry-level market. The 38mm watch typically retails for $199, but Amazon is knocking $30 off the price, bringing it down to just $169. That price is for either...
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Apple is working hard to expand its push into the health industry that started with the Apple Watch. The key to the health push is the Apple Health app and Health OS. The smartphone maker is reportedly building a system to aggregate data from connected devices such as watches, scales, fitness equipment, mattresses, and more. That data will be rolled into traditional health records such as lab results, conditions, medications, procedures, and more. The goal is to unlock a new and more comprehensive view of a person's health. All of that data has been available for a while, but it has never been aggregated into one place. Apple, and others, think that bringing all that health-related data into...
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Things on the smartwatch front have been relatively quiet for the past few months, but Best Buy is looking to generate some buzz this week with a rather hot deal on the current generation Apple Watch Series 5. The Apple Watch has gone from being mocked as an unnecessary accessory for the iPhone to becoming the best-selling device in its class, and now Best Buy is lopping $100 off the MSRP of the smartwatches. We should note that the $100 discount applies to all models of the Apple Watch Series 5, from the “lowly” aluminum-bodied models with a sport band, to the LTE-equipped stainless-steel models with the Milanese Loop band. If you’re looking at the low-end, you can...
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Each time a new version of watchOS for the Apple Watch turns up, people get excited about the upcoming new features. Further details have surfaced for the Apple wearable that come from hints in leaked iOS 14 code. The leaked code gives information on new watch faces, sleep tracking, and parental control features for the Apple Watch that are expected to land later this fall. One of the fundamental changes for the wearable comes in watch faces. WatchOS 7 has three key differences in the watch face arena, with the most interesting being shareable watch faces. This will allow users to share their custom watch faces with other users. Each watch face is treated like an individual file in watchOS 7....
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Do you have any fitness-related New Year resolutions? Apple’s latest series of partnerships may be what you need to get moving. Apple recently introduced its “Apple Watch Connected” program which will help users earn rewards for working out at select gyms. The Apple Watch Connected program is an expansion of its GymKit technology. GymKit technology was originally introduced in 2017 and allowed Apple Watch wearers to sync their devices with gym equipment. Apple hoped that this technology would allow users to better track their gym workouts. Fitness trackers tend to do well when the user is moving across distances, but struggle when the user is working out on a stationary...
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Many argue that Apple has their finger on the pulse of technology trends. This claim may be more literal than originally anticipated. A cardiologist is currently suing Apple for stealing his Atrial fibrillation (AFib) detection technology and using it in Apple Watches. Dr. Joseph Wiesel is a cardiologist and clinical assistant professor at New York University’s School of Medicine. In 2006, Dr. Wiesel filed a patent with the United States Patent and Trademark Office for a method and apparatus for detecting atrial fibrillation or irregular heartbeats. The patent states that the heartbeat is detected either through an inflatable cuff or “light transmitted through a body appendage, such...
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The Black Friday deals have been coming hot and heavy over the last week or so. One of the deals that got a lot of people excited over at Walmart was for the Apple Watch Series 3 at a very low price of $159. As most stores are apt to do, the stock was apparently very limited, and reports indicate that Walmart sold out in just three minutes. There were lots of people who had placed an order while the Apple Watch still showed in stock during the sale. The problem is that a lot of the people who placed their order while the smartwatch was showing in stock and received a confirmed order reply woke up Thanksgiving Day to an email from Walmart that said the wearable was out of stock and their order...
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With the holiday shopping season here, it's time to find the best deals out there to save money on items you might want or need. If someone on your shopping list wants an Apple wearable, Amazon has some deals on the Apple Watch Series 4 offering the best prices we have ever seen. Amazon is offering the Apple Watch Series 4 40mm GPS watch in space gray with the black sport loop for $299, which is a $100 discount off the regular $399 price. That is a significant discount on the the best-selling smartwatch on the market. Those wanting the larger 44mm GPS Apple Watch Series 4 in Space Gray Aluminum with the black sport band can get it with a $100 discount making the price $329. The best deal...
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Last month, Apple announced the Apple Watch Series 5, which as its name implies if the fifth-generation of its best-selling smartwatch family. The Series 5 represents a minor update over the previous generation, with the biggest change being the inclusion of a new LTPO display that allows the display to be on at all times without negatively affecting battery life. With that in mind, Apple and its retail partners are looking to reduce inventory of the older Series 4 to make room for the Series 5 (the Series 3 remains in the lineup at a discounted price). Amazon is offering some pretty nice discounts on the Series 4, with biggest discount going to the 44mm GPS + Cellular model (aluminum)....
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Apple today announced the new Apple Watch Series 5, which looks very much like its predecessors -- especially the Series 4. However, the big change with the Series 5 is the addition of an always-on display (finally), which is made possible with Low-Temperature Polycrystalline Oxid (LTPO) technology. So instead of having to raise your wrist to provoke the Apple Watch to turn on, you can always see the time and all of your complications no matter what you're doing. Apple says that even though the display is now always visible, the battery life remains at 18 hours. It also features a built-in compass (alongside a new compass app). Apple Watch Series 5 starts at $399, while the LTE models will be...
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Some Apple patent applications have turned up that show what the folks in Cupertino are working that could be incorporated into future Apple Watch bands. One of the patents outlines a method that Apple is working on that would eliminate the need to enter a passcode on the Apple Watch or a paired iPhone to unlock the wearable. The patent talks about skin texture cracks generally being warmer than surrounding skin and hair being cooler than the surrounding skin. The watchband could use an IR thermal image sensor as a wrist biometric sensor. Another patent sounds like something out of Back to the Future, and describes an Apple Watch band that can tighten itself. A self-tightening band could be important...
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Owners of the Apple Watch Series 2 and Apple Watch Series 3 thankfully now have a new screen replacement program in place that afford repairs of cracked screens at no cost for some watch owners. Apple has determined that "under very rare circumstances" a crack may form along the rounded edges of the screen of aluminum models of the Apple Watch Series 2 and 3. The cracks will begin on one side and often will continue all the way around the screen, according to Apple. Apple says that it or an Apple Authorized Service Provider will replace the screen on eligible Apple Watch units that have this specific type of crack at no cost for owners. Only specific watches are covered in the repair program;...
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Apple has announced that it has disabled the Apple Watch Walkie Talkie app due to a recently discovered security and privacy vulnerability in the app. Apple didn't give any specifics on the vulnerability, only stating that the flaw could allow a person to listen on another customer's conversation without consent. Apple has apologized to users for removing the app, but it is working on a fix. Once a fix is made to address the vulnerability, Apple is expected to relaunch the Walkie Talkie app. Apple did issue a statement on the vulnerability, saying that it disabled the function "as we quickly fix the issue." Apple goes on to say that it will restore functionality as soon as possible. The...
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The current Apple Watch Series 4 launched to much fanfare in part because of ECG functionality that can detect an abnormal heartbeat in a person. That feature rolled out widely last December thanks to watchOS 5.1.2, and the Apple Watch reportedly grabbed half of the smartwatch market in Q4 2018. A new rumor has now surfaced that claims the Apple Watch Series 5 expected to launch this year will continue to us an OLED screen, this time supplied by Japan Display. The rumor is attributed to two sources familiar with Apple's plans, but not authorized to speak to the public. Japan Display being attached to the rumor is a good thing for the company as it's profits have been hit hard as Apple has...
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It’s not often that we’re witness to vaporware products from Apple, but AirPower definitely fit that category. The wireless accessory – which was supposed to charge an iPhone, AirPods and Apple Watch simultaneously -- was first announced alongside the iPhone X way back in September 2017, and was supposed to launch in 2018. However, 2018 came and went with no sign of the device. Today, Apple confirmed what many thought was coming anyway: AirPower has been canceled. The Cupertino, California-based company made the announcement in a statement to TechCrunch, which reads: After much effort, we’ve concluded AirPower will not achieve our high standards and we have...
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Back in mid-February, we received some sales figures from NPD Group that showed the Apple Watch was the "clear market leader" in smartwatch shipments ahead of second place Samsung and third place Fitbit. Apple's position at the top came despite the fact that prices increased across the board for the Apple Watch Series 4. New figures have come in from Strategy Analytics, and it's more of the same. According to the research firm, global smartwatch sales increased by 56 percent during Q4 2018 compared to the same period in 2017. Mirroring NPD Group's numbers, Strategy Analytics showed that Apple secured 51 percent of the smartwatch market, putting it firmly in first place. Breaking down...
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Ah, the sweet rejuvenation of a good night's sleep is like nothing else. The trick is actually getting a solid eight hours of rest. It is an important part of health and well being, and unfortunately, sleep tracking is not a native feature of Apple's smartwatch. That is going to change, though, with Apple said to be testing a built-in sleep monitor. There are third-party apps that offer this functionality on the Apple Watch, though there are shortcomings with some of them. Sleep tracking is also a competitive advantage that Fitbit holds over Apple, as the company's fitness bands can automatically detect sleep stages—light sleep, deep sleep, and that all-important REM sleep. How long that...
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The smartwatch market is booming according to research firm The NPD Group. When they first hit the market, smartwatches were seen as an unnecessary (and expensive) accessory for a smartphone, but as companies have pivoted towards more fitness- and health-centric features, that market has expanded at a rapid clip. In fact, The NPD Group says that for a twelve-month period ending in November 2018, U.S. smartwatch [dollar] sales exploded 51 percent year-over-year to $5 billion, and unit sales of the devices increased by 61 percent. Although individual numbers weren't broken down by manufacturers, The NPD Group says that the Apple Watch was the "clear market leader" during the 12-month period. Interestingly,...
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Google has been making moves in recent weeks to beef up its Wear OS and the hardware that runs the operating system for wearable devices. In mid-January, the company spent $40 million to acquire key Fossil smartwatch intellectual property and members of the company's research and development team. Now, it appears that Google is looking for a Vice President of Hardwire Engineering for Wearables, which is a new position. The job listing was posted to the Google Careers website, and shows that Google is finally starting to take the wearables market seriously. The company launched Android Wear back in 2014, and rebranded it as Wear OS in March 2018. After Motorola made a splash with...
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