Consensus
Apple Watch is the most beautiful and best smartwatch to buy right now, but lacks a must-have feature
Average Overall Rating
★★★★★★★★★★
3.73 out of 5 stars (6 reviews)
Critics Reviews (Around the Web)
Unless you are an Apple fanatic, or simply like having new tech gear, skip this version, especially now. No one knows what the upgrade cycle is going to be for the Apple Watch, so there is no hurry to run out and buy a half finished product which could be obsolete in a few months. Read full review →★★★★★★★★★★
3.5 out of 5 stars
– Audioholics · Aug 19, 2015
For iPhone users desperate for a smartwatch, the Apple Watch is perfect for you. It relays some iOS apps and all notifications to my wrist without requiring me to constantly pull out and unlock my phone, and that's a nicely convenient thing to have. Read full review →★★★★★★★★★★
3.5 out of 5 stars
– TechRadar · Jul 21, 2015
The Apple Watch is the most ambitious, well-constructed smartwatch ever seen, but first-gen shortfalls make it feel more like a fashionable toy than a necessary tool. That may change with a big software update later this year, though. Read full review →★★★★★★★★★★
3.9 out of 5 stars
– CNET · Jul 15, 2015
The Apple Watch is the best smartwatch yet, but it's more of a luxury item than a replacement for your Timex. Read full review →★★★★★★★★★★
4 out of 5 stars
– PC Magazine · Apr 28, 2015
The Watch Sport may be the cheapest in the range, but it does everything its more expensive sister Watch models do, and there’s really no need to pay more. Read full review →★★★★★★★★★★
4 out of 5 stars
– Digital Trends · Apr 25, 2015
The Apple Watch is light-years better than any of the feeble, clunky efforts that have come before it. The screen is nicer, the software is refined and bug-free, the body is real jewelry. Read full review →
– Yahoo! · Apr 8, 2015
There’s no question that the Apple Watch is the most capable smartwatch available today. It is one of the most ambitious products I’ve ever seen; it wants to do and change so much about how we interact with technology. Read full review →★★★★★★★★★★
3.5 out of 5 stars
– The Verge · Apr 8, 2015
Pros
- Exceptional build quality with good material choices
- Refined OS and interface
- Excellent out of the box functionality from 1st party apps
- Feels natural on the wrist
- Intuitive activity tracking
- Does not require separate activation with a service provider
- It's feature-packed, with solid fitness software, hundreds of apps, and the ability to send and receive calls via an iPhone
- Attractive design
- Secure, comfortable fit
- Plenty of third-party apps
- Unique communication methods make it special
- Attractive design in multiple sizes
- Notification taps are subtle Setup is a breeze
- Easily the nicest smartwatch available
Cons
- Slow 3rd party apps especially between watch and iPhone
- Requires daily charge (18 hour battery life)
- Some glitches both with WatchOS and iPhone Apple Watch app
- Some features seem half-baked or incomplete
- Requires a WiFi or Bluetooth connection to an iPhone for GPS and data connectivity
- Expensive
- Average battery life
- Little functionality without connected iPhone
- Software has a learning curve
- Performance issues, especially with apps and location services
- Notifications need way more granular settings
Our Final Conclusion
The first generation Apple Watch is more luxury than necessity. However, software updates and new apps should improve it over time.
Product Overview
March 9, 2015 - Apple today announced Apple Watch will be available Friday, April 24, 2015 in three collections priced from $349 to over $10,000. Pre-orders will be accepted online starting April 10th for customers in Australia, Canada, China, France, Germany, Hong Kong, Japan, the UK and the US. Apple Watch is an incredibly accurate timepiece, an intimate and immediate communication device and a groundbreaking health and fitness companion. Highly customizable for personal expression, Apple Watch also brings an... Read product announcement →
- Type:
- Smart Watches
