Smartwatches and wearable technology have been around for some time now but only recently have they begun to gain mass adoption. Companies like FitBit and Apple have brought these technologies to the edge of what is possible to do with something that you wear on your wrist.
Gartner estimate that the wearables market will reach an estimated value of $72 billion by 2020, almost twice the $39 billion it’s valued at today. Smartwatches alone will account for $20 billion of this, compared to $13 billion today.
One of the main driving forces behind this spending is the Apple watch, a smartwatch capable of integrating with the rest of the range of apple smart products including iPads, iPhones, and Macs. The Apple watch was announced in 2014 and went on sale in the spring of 2015, and quickly became the fastest selling wearable on the market. The initial release of the Apple Watch saw 4.2 million sales in the second fiscal quarter of 2015.
Since then Apple has released an updated version known as the Apple Watch Second Generation which comes in two tiers, the Apple Watch Series 2 and the Apple Watch Series 1. Both have upgraded spec but are otherwise identical in design to the first generation.
Do you have an Apple Watch and want to make the most of it or are you thinking of getting one but don’t know what to do with it? Take a look a CBR’s helpful guide on how to use the Apple Watch and you’ll be set up and ready to go in no time.
First of all you will need to set up the device, just like with most Apple products this is a relatively straightforward and painless process though will need an iPhone 5S or higher. Simply check that your Bluetooth is on and ensure you’re connected to WiFi and open the Apple Watch app on your phone, if the watch is one it should show what looks like static on the screen. Now you need to hold the watch in view of the phones camera and the phone will decode the static and link the two devices.
Now all you need to do is follow the onscreen prompts to configure your language, watch orientation, and a passcode. Once you’re linked with your Apple ID you’re good to go and its time to get to the fun stuff.
Next up, you’re going to want to install some fun apps to get the most out of your new wrist mounted computer. Watch OS3 comes with several native apps but in order to truly find what applies to you you’ll have to look around the store.
It’s also worth noting that you should probably uncheck automatic install of apps, as you probably don’t want every single app on your phone to download itself onto your watch.
One of the more popular uses for the watch is to measure your fitness, this is another easy step and simply requires you to input your health information and you can start tracking your activity. You can even set reminders for yourself if you feel that you haven’t had the exercise you require.
The watch is also great for paying contactlessly, rather than getting your phone or wallet out of your pocket every time you want to pay for something. Once your card details are installed on the watch then Apple Pay can be used the same way it always is. Be careful you don’t scan it accidentally though!
The watch will also receive notifications that come through to your other devices so you can ensure that you never miss that important phone call or text.
The Apple Watch is a relatively straightforward product and much like other Apple products the simplicity and ease of access are a big selling point. These are just the basics of course, and if you want to experiment and find out what else the watch can do then start tinkering and you’ll open up a new world of possibilities.
