Items tagged with Apple Watch
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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