Apple watch what color to choose. Which Apple Watch color is better to choose? Is the ECG function in the new Apple watch useful?

After a year of rumors and speculation, Apple has finally introduced a new version of the Apple Watch Series 4 smartwatch. And this is perhaps the most interesting update to the gadget since the release of the first version of the watch. The watch is still stylish, functional and comfortable, with a number of changes both inside and out, including a number of features you'd rather never use.

Naturally, the most noticeable update to the Apple Watch Series 4 is the increased size of the OLED display. True, along with the size of the screen, the size of the case has also increased. Now the watch is available in two sizes: 40 or 44 mm, versus 38 or 42 mm in devices of the previous series. According to Apple, although the body dimensions have increased, in terms of sheer volume, this watch is smaller than previous ones. This means they have become thinner, but this indicator has not yet been announced.

The screen size of the 40 mm version is 32% larger than that of the 38 mm version of the previous generation, the watch screen with a 44 mm case is 35% larger than that of the 42 mm version. Despite the increased case size, Apple Watch is compatible with all existing Apple Watch bands.

Another notable update is the Digital Crown. It's a little flatter and now has haptic feedback when scrolling - a slight clicking sensation as you use it. An ECG electrode is integrated into the crown, but more on that a little later.

Below the crown, a microphone hole appeared, which was moved to the other side of the speaker to avoid interference between them. This is done to achieve better quality calls. The speaker, according to the manufacturer, has become louder by 50%, which is also good news. To achieve better communication, the back panel of the Apple Watch Series 4 is made of sapphire glass and ceramics, which better transmit radio waves.

The new version of the watch is available in an aluminum case in three colors: silver, gold and space gray, as well as a stainless steel case in two colors: silver and space black. There is also a new case color in the gold stainless steel model. This model comes with a gold-tone woven Milanese bracelet.

Along with the new watch, Apple introduced a number of new strap options, including different colors of silicone, fabric and leather accessories. The new straps will be available this fall.

There are also some significant updates under the hood of the Apple Watch Series 4. One of them is the new S4 processor with a 64-bit dual-core chip. It provides 2 times better performance compared to its predecessor. However, battery life remains the same, with Apple promising “24/7 battery life” for the 4 Watch series.

As an operating system, the new product will, of course, use the latest version of Watch OS 5, which will be presented later this month. We have previously reviewed, including the Walkie Talkie for communication between Apple Watch users, the Siri voice assistant and the Breathe application.

It's no surprise that as the screen grew larger, the company optimized the interface to take advantage of the extra screen space. For greater convenience, icons and fonts have become larger, several widgets and watch faces have been added, and extensions have become more informative.

One of the most important innovations in body monitoring is the presence of an electrocardiogram sensor. Apple Watch 4 is the first smartwatch to have such a sensor. Huami announced something similar in its new watch, which will be presented on September 15.

To take a cardiogram, you use the new ECG application and sensors on the rear panel, as well as in the Digital Crown. To get heart rate data, just log into the application and place your finger on the crown for 30 seconds. All cardiogram data is saved in the Health application in PDF format, and can then be transferred to doctors.

The new gadget also received an improved gyroscope and accelerometer. They allow the gadget to detect unusual movements such as slipping or falling. If the sensors detect a fall, the screen asks if everything is okay or if emergency assistance is needed. If there is no response within 60 seconds, the watch will automatically send a signal to emergency services or relatives with the location. This is exactly the kind of function that we would like to never use, as we talked about at the beginning.

The watch will also be able to track some new types of sports modes, such as Yoga and Hiking, but this is more likely to be related to the watchOS 5 operating system than to the watch itself.

Apple Watch Series 4 (GPS + Cellular) version will be available to order from September 14, and will go on sale on September 21 in 16 countries. This list includes Australia, UK, Germany, Hong Kong, Denmark, Spain, Italy, Canada, China, UAE, Singapore, USA, Switzerland, Sweden, France and Japan.

Apple Watch Series 4 (GPS) version will also be available to order from September 14th, and will go on sale on September 21st. They will be available in the following countries: Australia, Austria, US Virgin Islands, Belgium, UK, Germany, Guernsey, Hong Kong, Denmark, Jersey, Ireland, Spain, Italy, Canada, China, Luxembourg, Netherlands, New Zealand, Norway, UAE, Portugal, Puerto Rico, Saudi Arabia, Singapore, USA, Finland, France, Switzerland, Sweden, Japan.

Apple Watch Series 4 on the Russian market(GPS) will go on sale on September 28 at a price of 31,999 rubles. In addition to Russia, users from the following countries will be able to purchase watches: Bahrain, Hungary, Greece, Guam, Iceland, Kazakhstan, Qatar, Kuwait, Macau, Monaco, Oman, Poland, Russia, Romania, Slovakia, Croatia, Czech Republic and South Africa.

Apple Watch Nike+ and Apple Watch Hermès version You can order from September 14. They will go on sale from October 4 and September 21, respectively.

You can order your watch on the official website apple.com/ru and in the Apple Store app.

As for the cost, it ranges from $399 to $749, depending on the size, material and strap. See the table below for more details. By the way, the price now starts at $279, which is cheaper than ever.

In 2019, Apple introduced the fifth series of watches, however, the previous model, Apple Watch Series 4, disappeared from the catalog. Now two options are available on the company’s official website: Apple Watch Series 3 and Apple Watch Series 5. Residents of Russia are limited in the choice of modifications: We traditionally do not sell watches with steel, ceramic or titanium cases. In the official sale you can only find a gadget made of aluminum.

A modification of Nike+ is also sold in Russia. These are the same watches with an aluminum case, but with a strap from the sports brand and exclusive dials with its logo.

That being said, the Series 4 hasn't disappeared from shelves, so we'll also look at them in our comparison.

How do different Apple Watch series differ?

General characteristics

Display

Hardware platform

Sensors and modules

Biometric sensors

Nutrition

Available colors, complete straps and bracelets

Prices

We took the cost of Series 5 and Series 3 from the official Apple catalog. The price of fourth generation watches may be slightly higher or lower depending on the store.

Who should buy the Apple Watch Series 5

The fifth generation watch is suitable for those who do not accept compromises and want to wear the latest Apple Watch, which will not become outdated for a long time. The appearance of a magnetic compass may please extreme travelers, and the function of determining the angle of movement may please snowboarders and skiers.

Not the most common scenario that justifies the purchase of the latest Apple Watch is the constant use of the watch as a music player. The device has 32 GB of internal memory, which, apart from music, doesn’t have much to fill with anything.

The main innovation of the fifth generation is the always-on screen. If you've been waiting for this feature in Apple watches for a long time, then this is your choice.

Who should buy the Apple Watch Series 4

Apple Watch Series 4 is head and shoulders above the third series: it is a completely redesigned device with a bunch of new features and a different design. But there are almost no differences from Series 5.

The optimal choice for those who like the dimensions, body and screen of the Apple Watch Series 5, but don’t want to overpay 5,000 rubles for an always-on display and compass.

Who should buy the Apple Watch Series 3

It's the most affordable Apple Watch yet and has all the vital features, including NFC payment and water resistance. The watch also supports the latest version of the watchOS 6.0 operating system, which means that most of the features invented by Apple in 2019 will be available on the third-generation gadget.

Suitable for those who want to save money: the mini version will cost about half as much as fifth-generation watches. In this case, the device will regularly monitor workouts, play music when the iPhone is dead, and show notifications.

Along with the new iPhones, Apple has also updated its line of smartwatches. The third generation of Apple Watch cannot boast of radical improvements, but it pleases with additional sensors and operating modes, and also promises smoother operation thanks to the new SoC. We got to know the watch and used it in real life. This article contains all the details!

Before we get into what's new and what's new with the Apple Watch Series 3, let's take a look at the current Apple Watch lineup.

As we remember, the first Apple Watch came in two sizes (42 and 38 mm) and two types of materials: aluminum Apple Watch Sport with Ion-X glass and steel Apple Watch with sapphire glass. In addition to this, there was also an elite Apple Watch Edition series, but this can be ignored, since million-dollar watches are a very tiny segment.

When the manufacturer introduced the second generation of watches a year later, there was no longer a steel version, but the first generation was still on sale in all its variety. And now, with the release of the Apple Watch Series 3, it was decided not to confuse customers completely and with a strong-willed decision to limit the choice by size (42 or 38 mm), generation (Series 1 or Series 3; Series 2 watches are no longer presented in the Apple Store) and color ( silver, gold, white or dark gray Space Gray).

Alas, you can no longer buy a watch with a stainless steel case and sapphire crystal, although this was a truly remarkable design decision. You can’t choose between Series 2 and Series 3. But the price of Series 1 has dropped to 18,490 rubles, so the choice strategy has become extremely simple: if you want to save money, take any version of Series 1; if you want much broader functionality, take Series 3. At the same time, In terms of appearance, they are practically the same (except for the color and straps, of course).

Let's take a look at the specs of the Apple Watch Series 3 and compare them to the two previous generations.

*Prices and offers are based on models with aluminum case and silicone strap

Of course, based on the specified characteristics, little can be said about the innovations of the Apple Watch Series 3, especially in comparison with the Series 2. Apple does not disclose details about single-chip systems: even the frequency of the CPU cores is not reported. We only know that all SoCs have two of them, but Series 3 has the most powerful SoC.

We cannot verify this with any tests, but traditionally the difference will be felt with the release of new versions of watchOS. For example, on the very first Apple Watch, the new watchOS 4 slows down noticeably.

As we can see, the main difference is the potential availability of a cellular version. However, we must take into account that such options are not officially sold in Russia yet, since our operators do not yet support this option in the form that is implemented by Apple (via eSIM and using the same number with the iPhone). However, I think it’s a matter of time.

We will talk about other differences in this article.

Equipment

The packaging of the aluminum version of the Apple Watch Series 3 looks the same as the Apple Watch Series 2 and the first generation Apple Watch Sport. This is an elongated box made of thick cardboard.

The equipment of the new product is identical to that of models of previous generations: in addition to the watch itself, it includes a silicone strap (with a spare half of a smaller size - so that you can choose the best one for your hand), a 5 V 1 A charger, a USB cable with a wireless charging tablet at the end and leaflets with information for the user.

The charger from the new Apple Watch is fully compatible with Apple Watch Series 2 and Series 1. And vice versa. Therefore, accessories will also work - for example, a convenient docking station.

Design

In appearance, the new product does not differ from its predecessor (Series 2). This is the same aluminum rectangular case with rounded corners and edges, as well as two buttons on the right side.

One of these buttons is oblong, the other is round, and at the same time serves as a wheel that can be rotated (Digital Crown). There is a feeling that the wheel scrolls more smoothly, and button presses, on the contrary, are a little tighter. But, firstly, we cannot compare directly, and secondly, even if this is so, then this is a plus, since it should have reduced the likelihood of accidental clicks and simplified the use of the wheel.

The screen size remains the same. We had the 42 mm version, and the 38 mm version is also available for sale. On the back side we see a heart rate sensor and buttons for detaching the strap. The circular area around the sensor is ceramic. On the left side are the speaker and microphone holes.

The thickness of the new product is the same as that of the Apple Watch Series 2, which is a millimeter greater than that of the first Apple Watch and is apparently explained by enhanced moisture protection and the presence of a more capacious battery. However, the watch on your hand looks no worse than the first generation model. It’s just a pity that it’s not possible to select versions from other materials, but we’ve already complained about this and won’t repeat it.

Keeping the dimensions has one important advantage: absolutely all models of all generations of Apple Watch, including Series 3, are fully compatible with all released straps. Considering that some of these straps cost more than the watch itself (such as the steel block bracelet), it would simply be unfair to the people who bought them to change the way the straps are mounted on a new generation of watches.

At the same time, Apple continues to expand its range of straps. And we will talk about this in the next section of the article.

Straps 2017

Over the past six months, Apple has expanded the line several times. The latest update, timed to coincide with the release of the Apple Watch Series 3, was, as expected, the most radical, but there are a lot of interesting things among the spring-summer models. We managed to get to know them and even used some of them in everyday life.

Let's start with the most exciting new item: the nylon strap with Velcro. Apple is consistently expanding the types of clasps. Velcro fastening has been added to the magnetic clasps, classic buckle, butterfly buckle and sport strap button.

Here the strap is a continuous band without division into halves. It is attached to the watch using plastic blocks. And it is fixed on the hand, respectively, with the help of five Velcro. The advantage of this option is that you can adjust the size of the strap to your hand with maximum flexibility - down to the millimeter.

The surface of the strap itself is made of nylon threads of different colors, this creates interesting shades: for example, the photo shows a black strap, but thanks to threads of other colors (it’s difficult to even tell which ones), an unusual combination is obtained. In our opinion, this strap goes well with a sweater or any other fluffy autumn-winter clothing.

Another new strap is a variation of the nylon straps. The essence is the same (fastening, clasp, combination of threads of two colors), but the arrangement of the threads itself is different, which is why the pattern turns out to be very different from what it was before.

To this is worth adding the spring-summer collection of nylon straps. They retain the old type of weaving, but change the approach to color. If previously intertwined threads of two colors formed a single color field, now there are options with multi-colored stripes. For example, the option in the photo below is what Apple calls “yellow pollen.”

In the meantime, we were able to appreciate three color options in everyday life: “red”, “lake blue” and “pollen yellow” (in addition to the previously described black). They fit casual clothes and suggest the presence of some bright elements in clothing. Ideally, the same shades in other clothing items.

So this is, of course, an interesting task for fashionistas. But note that the colors do not look flashy or vulgar (for example, “wild berry” is a much more universal option than any other type of pink straps). And “blue lake” is a really great option for denim.

In addition, we note that when worn on the hand for a long time, nylon straps do not cause any unpleasant sensations. On the contrary, over time they take the shape of a hand - as if they were created especially for you. It's nice. And for those who do not plan to actively use the watch for sports, a nylon strap is a very good alternative to a silicone or Nike strap (their cost is identical - about 4,000 rubles at the time of writing).

These are, of course, summer decisions. However, they can also be relevant in the fall - you want to maintain a summer mood, even when it’s dark and slush outside.

New colors have also appeared for straps made of other materials. Moreover, along with the color, the surface texture was updated, so the straps began to feel different. A striking example is the yellow leather strap with a classic buckle.

Firstly, it is actually tri-color: the outer color is yellow, the inner surface is a natural (dark beige) color, and the edges are gray. And secondly, the leather here is softer and more elastic than in the case of a brown strap and, especially, a black one (we wrote about them earlier). In addition, oddly enough, the buckle itself is different, although it cannot be said for the worse or for the better. She's just a little different.

As for the color itself, it is a little lighter and brighter than in the photos, without an orange tint. And it looks very cool - it gives you a summer mood and becomes a great accent when worn with neutral clothes.

In addition, back in the spring, regular sports straps appeared in the colors "smoky blue", "pollen yellow" and "flamingo pink", and the most widely updated line of Nike straps. “Light Violet/White”, “Purple Dust/Plum Haze”, “Orbit Blue/Gamma Blue” and “Obsidian/Black” added variety to the previously limited selection of strict shades.

Screen

The Apple Watch Series 3 screen size and resolution have not changed compared to the first and second generations. The watch is available in two display sizes: 38mm and 42mm. Accordingly, their resolution also differs: 272×340 and 312×390, respectively. We had a 42mm watch with a screen resolution of 312x390.

We conducted a detailed examination of the screen using measuring instruments. Below is the conclusion of the editor of the “Monitors” and “Projectors and TV” sections, Alexey Kudryavtsev.

The front surface of the screen is made in the form of a scratch-resistant glass plate with a mirror-smooth surface curved towards the edges. The outer surface of the screen has a special oleophobic (grease-repellent) coating (effective, slightly better than Google Nexus 7 (2013)), so fingerprints are removed much more easily and appear at a lower speed than with regular glass. Judging by the reflection of objects, the anti-glare properties of the screen are slightly better than those of the Google Nexus 7 2013 screen. For clarity, here is a photo in which a white surface is reflected when the screens are turned off:

The screen of the Apple Watch Series 3 is slightly darker (brightness according to photographs is 105 versus 113 for the Nexus 7). There is no double reflection, which indicates that there is no air gap between the layers of the screen. When displaying the white field in full screen, the maximum brightness value we recorded was about 650 cd/m² (with bright backlight on the screen), the minimum was 60 cd/m² (the first level of adjustment, office lighting).

It’s worth making a reservation here: Apple promises brightness up to 1000 cd/m², but it’s impossible to verify this, because when measuring brightness, the light sensor is partially blocked and the brightness is automatically reduced, and it’s impossible to disable this parameter. So we couldn’t confirm the numbers promised by the manufacturer, but we have no reason not to trust Apple.

As already mentioned, automatic brightness adjustment based on the light sensor always works. The user can only make adjustments to the operation of this function by choosing one of three levels. At any brightness level there is modulation with a frequency of 60 Hz, but its amplitude is small, so flickering is not visible. Graphs of brightness (vertical axis) versus time (horizontal axis) illustrate the above:

This screen uses an AMOLED matrix - active matrix organic light-emitting diodes. A full-color image is created using subpixels of three colors - red (R), green (G) and blue (B) in equal numbers, as confirmed by a fragment of a microphotograph:

For comparison, you can familiarize yourself with those used in mobile technology.

The spectra are typical for OLED - the primary color areas are well separated and appear as relatively narrow peaks:

However, there is also cross-mixing of components (programmatically), so the coverage is not excessively wide, but adjusted to the sRGB boundaries:

Accordingly, typical images (with sRGB coverage) on the Apple Watch screen have natural saturation. Unfortunately, color profiles are not supported (or transferred when images are copied to the watch), so even images with a wide color gamut will still appear as sRGB. The color temperature of the white and gray fields is approximately 7350 K, and the deviation from the black body spectrum (ΔE) is 4.4-4.7 units. Color balance is good. Black is just black from any angle. It is so black that the contrast setting is not applicable in this case. When viewed perpendicularly, the uniformity of the white field is excellent. The screen has excellent viewing angles with a much smaller drop in brightness when viewed from an angle compared to LCD screens, but at higher angles the whites fade noticeably to blue. Overall, the quality of the Apple Watch screen is very high.

New opportunities

The watch comes preloaded with watchOS 4.0 operating system. You can read about its main innovations in, and what is said there is true for all generations of Apple Watch. Let us remind you that even the very first generation is compatible with the latest OS. Here we will look at those functions and features that apply only to the Apple Watch Series 3 and are not available on older models.

So, perhaps, the main innovation of the Apple Watch Series 3, not counting the LTE connection, which is not yet available to Russian users, is constant and rather in-depth monitoring of cardiac activity. As Apple rightly notes, cardiovascular diseases are one of the leading causes of death today, especially among men. Moreover, their danger is that for quite a long time a person, already being unhealthy, may not feel any discomfort and, therefore, does not take any measures to prevent a heart attack or the like.

In addition, regular medical examinations in Russia are still not established, and obtaining health certificates is nothing more than a formality. And somehow it is not customary for us to go without any complaints and have our heart checked. Therefore, the importance of constant monitoring of heart function is difficult to overestimate. It is clear that this cannot be compared with diagnostics in medical centers and using professional equipment, and it is stupid to expect that a watch will immediately give us a diagnosis (although, who knows, maybe in 10 years we will live to see that). But Apple Watch Series 3 can alert you if it notices problems with your heart rate. And even if this is a mistake, it is better to be safe.

So let's take a closer look at how this happens.

While you're wearing Apple Watch Series 3, the watch automatically measures your heart rate every few minutes. At the same time, they correlate the information received with your current activity (which, of course, is reported by other sensors - the accelerometer and gyroscope), and if you sat still for 10 minutes, but your heart rate exceeded a specified threshold (by default it is 120 beats minute), the watch will warn you.

You can view or change settings in the Watch app on your iPhone by going to the “Heart Rate” section.

The watch also measures heart rate variability, which is the difference in time between two heartbeats. This figure should be small.

All your heart monitoring information is automatically exported to the Health app. There, in a visual form, you can see to what values ​​and when your heart rate rose, what the average heart rate was for a certain period of time and other useful information.

In fact, among non-professional household devices, the Apple Watch Series 3 now collects and provides maximum information about the functioning of the heart. And, what is important, without any user effort. That is, you don’t have to run measurements, then do anything with the results, etc. You just wear the watch - and then see all the results in the application on your iPhone.

Another innovation of the Apple Watch Series 3 is the appearance of an altimeter. Thanks to it, the watch can measure the number of floors climbed and generally record your ascents and descents. Note that during everyday use, the same information can be collected by the iPhone - and in the Health application, the iPhone is listed as the priority source. But, for example, on a hike or when playing sports, a watch will clearly be a more convenient tool.

And the last innovation, available only on Apple Watch Series 3: Siri can now talk through the watch speaker (and the sound is quite clear and loud) or through AirPods headphones. The manufacturer claims that this became possible thanks to a new, more powerful processor. Of course, it is difficult to call this an important innovation, but in certain situations it can really be useful.

Autonomous operation

As before, we don't have the tools to accurately test the battery life of the Apple Watch Series 3 - only subjective impressions. But if you rely on them, it turns out that Apple has done a really great job, and three days of work without recharging is already quite a reality for its watches.

Note that the first Apple Watch, updated to watchOS 4.0, worked for us for no more than two days. So there is a positive trend. Of course, the more intensively you use the watch, the faster it will drain, but if you use the Series 3 solely for notifications and viewing the time, you can safely count on three days.

conclusions

If we talk about the version without LTE, the Apple Watch Series 3 is a rather modest update. The vast majority of innovations reported by the manufacturer are related to watchOS 4, and not to the watch itself. Therefore, if you have an Apple Watch Series 2, then there is undoubtedly no reason to update. If you are the owner of an Apple Watch Series 1, then it all depends on whether you need the innovations that we noted in Series 2, and whether the watch with watchOS 4 slows down. The very first generation (which, let us recall, was functionally identical to the Series 1, but with a twice as slow SoC) there were slowdowns and “thoughtfulness”. So if you have the very first Apple Watch, then it’s worth upgrading, but if you have Series 1, you still need to think carefully.

Perhaps the main feature of the Apple Watch Series 3 is serious monitoring of cardiac activity. And this is, perhaps, an important argument, especially if you are a man over 40. But the main thing is that this is a very productive signal to the entire industry and an attempt to answer the still pressing question: why do we need smartwatches at all?

Other innovations - the appearance of an altimeter and Siri voice response capabilities - can hardly be considered truly significant. But, strictly speaking, Apple does not offer to compare Series 3 and Series 2. Only Series 3 and Series 1 are now sold in the official store, so the third generation replaced the second, adopting all its features (moisture protection, GPS) and adding a few of my own. This is probably a boring situation for reviewers and tech geeks; I wish the Series 3 were a more serious step forward. But, on the other hand, we can’t help but be glad that Apple is developing not only hardware, but also software, and even owners of models of previous generations can take advantage of the innovations in watchOS 4.

From the same opera, there are new straps, of which there are many (if you count all those released after the Apple Watch Series 2). They, like the operating system, are suitable for absolutely all Apple Watch models ever released. And for this you can even forgive the lack of updating the watch design. Yes, again, a little boring, but it is fully compatible with all existing straps. Apple is clearly trying to convey a message to doubters: buy our watches now, they will be relevant for a long time. And to make it easier for them to make such a decision, the manufacturer has lowered prices for Series 1, so that the threshold for entry into the “Apple Watch owner’s club” has become lower than ever.

We continue the conversation about the new products shown on September 9 at the Apple presentation. Two additional colors of the Apple Watch case and new collections of straps were revealed to the world. Now it has become even easier to get confused in the models, but we will still try to figure it out. Apple TV will also get a little attention, although for the Russian market it is still a practically useless toy.

Apple Watch

First, a few figures from official statistics. First of all, they talked about 97 percent of satisfied Apple Watch buyers. And here everything is easily explained.

Firstly, if you have an extra at least 350, and in fact 400 dollars on an Apple Watch, you probably know why you spent that amount. As a result, we were satisfied because we received the desired gadget.

Secondly, Apple still hasn't mentioned the number of smartwatches sold. If there was something to brag about, believe me, the Cupertino people would not fail to take advantage of this opportunity.

The second number is the number of applications. For Apple watches this figure is now 10,000 in the company store. Understandably, many software developers have rushed to port their existing iOS apps to watchOS.

Now about the innovations. The first concerns appearance. Starting today, two additional body colors will be available for sale: rose gold and simply golden aluminum. Both finishes are matte and will be supplied at the same price as the entire sports version.

New straps will also appear on the shelves. The entire new collection, again, belongs to the sports series: beige or marbled white, dark blue, lilac, pink and deep pink, dark gray, regular gray, light brown, blue and soft turquoise. What can I say, see for yourself in the photo below.

In addition, a special version of the Apple Watch Product RED will be available - this is a classic watch with a steel case and a bright red bracelet. By the way, such a strap will be sold separately, so it can be installed on the sports version.

Among the steel watches, brown and black leather straps also appeared, or rather they were slightly modified. And for the dark version a black silicone strap is now available.

For the truly fashionable audience, Apple announced that it will collaborate with the design house Hermes Paris and release special versions of the leather strap for the device. There will be three options available: Single Tour, Double Tour and Cuff. Prices are expectedly not for everyone: $1250, from $1100 for a single-loop bracelet and $1500 for a wide strap. In Moscow it will be possible buy apple watch with bracelet Hermes in TSUM only.

Below are photos of all the variations of the Apple Watch Hermes Paris that exist today. Click on the pictures to find out their names.

New variations of smartwatches will be available for sale starting today in 24 countries (excluding Russia this time). And from September 16, 2015, anyone will be able to install watchOS 2 on their smart accessory.

Release date: available now in 24 countries Price: same

Apple TV

A new design, its own control panel with a touch pad and a separate button for calling Siri, powerful hardware and a slightly taller body - these are the key features of the updated TV set-top box.

Inside, it has its own operating system, now with a new name, tvOS, which has access to the App Store.

The dimensions of the console remained the same as before, with the exception of height and weight: 33 versus 23 millimeters previously and 425 versus 272 grams in the previous version.

In addition to films, TV series and other visual content, various toys will also be available. Some of them have already been shown, for example Guitar Hero Live, Manticore Rising, Rayman Adventures, Shadowmatic, the children's toy Beat Sports or a special version of Crossy Road. The latter, by the way, can even be played by two people: one player controls it from the Apple TV Remote, and the other from the iOS device that happens to be at hand.

In addition to entertainment content, online clothing catalogs will also be available, for example, Gilt, an Airbnb housing booking application, sports channels with their own statistics (MLB.com), and so on. In fact, most of all these services are personalized for the American market and are not interesting in Russia, so let’s move on.

Inside there is a 64-bit A8 processor with support for Metal graphics. The remaining technical characteristics of the new generation Apple TV look like this:

• Ethernet port 10/1000 BASE-T
• Wi-Fi 802.11 a/b/g/n/ac
• Bluetooth 4.0
• HDMI 1.4
• IR receiver
• USB-C (service connector)

The complete control panel is equipped with Bluetooth 4.0, an infrared port, a microphone, a gyroscope and an accelerometer, as well as its own touch pad for gestures. Of course, it has its own battery inside, which provides 3 months of operation without recharging. The accessory is charged via its Lightning connector.

There will be two versions available: with 32 and 64 gigabytes of internal memory. The price, of course, varies and will be $149 and $199, respectively.

The console will go on sale later, in October. And by the end of the year they promise to deliver the device to other countries, possibly including Russia.

At the end, Apple made an unambiguous hint to the developers that it was time to get to work. Starting today, the beta version of the new tvOS and the Developer kit are available.

Release date: October 2015 Price: from $149

Side notes about the Apple Watch series 3 combat watch, let's talk about what watch to buy this year, about accessories, about performance, about why they are needed, and about some other things. Let's fly!

Which Apple Watch should you buy in 2018?

Any current watch is worth buying - you can check its relevance on the Apple website; if it is on the list, then everything is fine. If you have a lot of money, then you can safely take the Watch Edition from white ceramics of the second generation or from gray ceramics of the third generation. If you just want to try, feel free to take sports ones made of aluminum, I just wear these and don’t break off, the material doesn’t rub, the glass doesn’t scratch, you can choose a bunch of different straps, they hold a charge just like regular ones. The main question for many is whether to buy a Cellular watch or not? The fact is that if we expect support for models, it will be closer to the end of the year or even next year - our operators must do a colossal job of updating the equipment and we can talk about this in more detail. I note that the same technology is used in the iPad - remember the Apple SIM, the most convenient thing abroad. If I were buying a watch now, I would choose a third generation model made of steel, silver, I like to wear these with a metal bracelet, but as for the Cellular, I can easily do without this option. In general, I try to wear a smart watch every other day, because the vibration on my wrist gives me a nervous tic - I want to somehow relax, a good old mechanical watch helps. And when the smart watch starts ringing when separated from the smartphone, then all hell breaks loose.

Accordingly, choosing an Apple Watch is the best and easiest way based on your budget. As a gift for a girl, for example, you can safely take the pink sports version, they look very cool, and they help in life.

Still, Cellular or regular?

Well, look, the main question is whether the Cellular version will be repaired in Russia - I called the authorized B2X service and asked a question, they say, I bought a watch with Cellular in the USA, they say, it stopped turning on, what should I do? They told me that they would take the watch for examination (2-3 weeks), the warranty is worldwide, repairs are possible. This made me think about whether I should hit the floor with my hat and please myself with gray ceramics with a red button. All other things being equal, I also advise you to take the Apple Watch series 3 with Cellular, someday it will work for us.

What if I like the Nike version?

Well, just buy it, the original strap with holes is easy to replace, this watch looks cool, the headband can also be changed. The photo shows not Nike, but Hermes (yyyy).

Which size should I choose?

This question is often asked about the Apple Watch, I see that many men also choose small watches because they look quite proportional on the hand. I always advise you to take it and try on both versions, then make a decision there. But, in general, my advice is this: I advise even girls to pay attention to 42 mm watches.

Straps

I tried almost all the original Apple Watch bands except Hermes and settled on the following models. First of all, I really like the bracelet, aka Link, it looks great with a stainless steel watch, wears out over time but still looks great. Secondly, now I wear a black Milanese loop with my sports watch, an ideal bracelet for any clothes and any situations - it dries instantly, does not press, does not pull hair, is very easy to adjust, fits well and is worth the money. Thirdly, the original silicone straps are still very good and are ideal as an initial option - in second place are nylon straps with Velcro, which are also cool. But, in general, everything is very good with Apple Watch straps, rich gentlemen and ladies can buy Hermes at the Central Department Store, but we, mere mortals, can easily buy a simpler strap. The industry is rocking and there are already a lot of offers, tons of straps for one hundred, two hundred, three hundred rubles, if you don’t want to buy them, please, there are small companies that produce high-quality leather straps. For example, there are such companies in the USA, I have a desire to try products from Grovemade, Pad&Quill, Nomad (very cool), crazy Casetify straps - just awesome.

The main thing is that all this magnificence fits watches of all generations, it’s easy to change with colleagues, the straps that I got my wife for her second-generation watch are perfect for the third. In short, the straps are in perfect order, the choice is huge and you don’t need to be afraid to experiment. If I suddenly forgot about some smart straps, write to me by email [email protected], I think we might even make a video about accessories for the Apple Watch.

Performance

To be honest, only the Apple Watch series 3 is so good that there are no questions about it at all, they turn on and off quickly, they update quickly, they charge quickly and work for a long time. The maximum in my case was about three days (!), when on Friday morning we went on another trip and I returned on Sunday night. There were ten percent left, but the “watches” clung to the battery until the last. I’m already used to taking a charging cable with me and using an external battery to quickly add hours of life.

They do not sink in water, fresh or salt, and you can take a shower or sit in the bath with them, play sports or even sleep. I didn’t just put the word “tool” in the title, it really is a tool, although many perceive the gadget as some kind of image thing. Well, I don’t know what’s important about the image here - these are some smart Tag Heuers, all image. Here there are only functions - for me the most important thing is notifications, understanding whether I passed my quota today or not, the ability to answer a call without trying to frantically find a smartphone. Sometimes you wash the dishes, someone calls, runs your nose across the screen, talks, you continue to wash the dishes and calm your combed nerves. I really like the “Breathing” app, when I meditate for a minute I feel really good. I advise you to use the program too.

I don’t even know what to expect from the next watch, I can assume that the operating time will increase, the performance will improve along with the protection, they are unlikely to change the form factor, as you know, Apple tries to use a successful design for as long as possible. We are living with the series 3 until the fall and it is a very, very, very good smartwatch, in fact, the best on the market.