Apple Watch (Series 1) Frequently Asked Questions FAQ
Article ID = 132Article Title = Apple Watch (Series 1) Frequently Asked Questions FAQ
Article Author(s) = Graham Needham (BH)
Article Created On = 3rd September 2014
Article Last Updated = 20th September 2019
Article URL = https://www.macstrategy.com/article.php?132
Article Brief Description:
Frequently Asked Questions about the Apple Watch
Q. When was the Apple Watch launched in the UK?
A. The Apple Watch launched in the UK at 08.01 BST on the 10th April 2015 via the Apple Online Store and started shipping on the 24th April 2015. On these dates it launched in the following countries: United Kingdom, Australia, Canada, China, France, Germany, Hong Kong, Japan and the USA. The Watch "Edition" model is only available from "exclusive" stores including, by appointment only, at Selfridges in London. Apple retail stores showcases all the different models and straps and are offering a "Reserve and Pickup" system for trying the Watch on in person with a tailored sales experience. The original Apple Watch was upgraded with a faster processor to the "Apple Watch Series 1" on 7th September 2016 and started shipping on 16th September 2016.Q. Can I buy the Apple Watch from anyone other than Apple?
A. Yes you can, from locations including the following:Q. How much does the Apple Watch cost?
A. Apple Watch starts at £269 including VAT and goes up in price depending on the case size and type of strap.Q. What models and colours of Apple Watch Series 1 are available?
A. The Series 1 is now only available with a toughened, anodised aluminium case in silver, space grey, gold and rose gold.Q. What sizes (watch faces) are the Apple Watch come in?
A. There are two screen/watch face sizes: 38mm and 42mm.Q. What straps are available and is the strap detachable/interchangeable?
A. The Series 1 is now only available with a detachable/interchangeable sport band but there are many other options to buy separately.Q. What are the requirements for using an Apple Watch?
A. You need an iPhone 5, 5c, 5s, SE, 6 or 6+, 6s or 6s+, 7 or 7s+ with iOS 8.2 or later installed to use the Apple Watch. The Series 1 requires iOS 10.0 or later.Q. Can I use the Apple Watch without an iPhone?
A. No. You need a compatible iPhone to first pair the watch which then enables the watch to communicate with your iPhone via Bluetooth (close proximity) or local Wi-Fi network. The Watch does not stop working if it cannot communicate with its paired iPhone but obviously some features are not available (e.g. notifications of incoming emails/messages). Without the iPhone the watch does continue to function e.g. tell the time, track data such as exercise and heart rate, play music and view photos from the internal storage in the Watch.Q. What about left handed users?
A. Users are able to choose the orientation of the interface when starting the watch up for the first time. The Apple Watch wrist bands are interchangeable and can be swapped around too. The only difference for left handed users is that the Digital Crown input wheel will be on the bottom left instead of the top right.Q. Is the Apple Watch water proof?
A. Apple's web site states "Apple Watch is splash and water resistant but not waterproof. You can, for example, wear and use Apple Watch during exercise, in the rain, and while washing your hands, but submerging Apple Watch is not recommended. Apple Watch has a water resistance rating of IPX7 under IEC standard 60529. The leather bands are not water resistant."Q. Can the face be scratched?
A. With difficulty as the Series 1 face is made from alumina-silicate Ion-X glass (specifically resistant to scratches and impact).Q. How long does the battery last?
A. Apple's web site states that it has "a battery that lasts up to 18 hours" with more detailed information available on a dedicated Apple Watch battery web page.Q. How is the Apple Watch charged?
A. Apple has created an innovative charging solution where the back of the watch can be attached/placed on to a charger in any orientation.
Q. Does the Apple Watch have any internal storage?
A. Yes - 8GB. However, some types of media are limited to the storage they can take up: music has a maximum of 2GB (approximately 400-500 songs) and photos have a maximum of 75MB (but at a resolution of just 312x390, which is the pixel size of the 42mm display, that's approximately 1500 photos).Q. Are there any third party apps/content for the Apple Watch?
A. Yes - see this Apple web page. Apple made a software development kit (SDK) called "WatchKit" kit available in November 2014. Some third party apps were showcased at the Apple "Spring Forward" event on the 9th March 2015. Third party apps can be searched for, downloaded and transferred to your Apple Watch via a dedicated "Watch" application on your iPhone (requires iOS 8.2 or later).Q. Can I use the phone to make calls ala Dick Tracy style?
A. Yes, as long as your Watch is in proximity to your iPhone (either via Bluetooth or local Wi-Fi newtork). The Apple Watch has a microphone.Q. What's this I hear about "force touch"?
A. There are two types of touch capability built into the face. Standard tap and swipe gestures along with a pressure sensitive "force" touch which is like pressing a button. For example, when the normal watch face is showing on the screen a force touch brings up different watch faces each of which can be customised.Q. Can the Apple Watch work with the Apple Pay system?
A. Yes it does. See this article for more information about the Apple Pay system. A passcode is required for setting up Apple Pay with the Apple Watch. For security, this passcode must be re-entered every time the watch is put back on after being removed. A payment can be made by tapping the side of the Apple Watch twice and holding it near a payment terminal. As long as the Watch is paired with your iPhone and the passcode has been entered the Watch does not need to be in proximity to you iPhone to make payments.Q. Can the Apple Watch control the iPhone?
A. Yes. The Watch can control certain aspects of your iPhone such as music and even be used as a remote control for the iPhone camera which is ideal for group/timed shots.Q. Does the Apple Watch have it's own operating system?
A. Yes - it's called "watchOS". The original Apple Watch came with watchOS 1 or 2. The Apple Watch Series 1 comes with watchOS 3.0.watchOS 6 requires an iPhone 6s or later, running iOS 13 or later
the watchOS 6.3 security update for all supported models was released on 14th December 2020.
the watchOS 6.2.9 bug fix update for all supported models was released on 5th November 2020.
the watchOS 6.2.8 feature/bug fix/security update for all supported models was released on 15th July 2020.
the watchOS 6.2.6 security update for all supported models was released on 1st June 2020.
the watchOS 6.2.5 feature/bug fix/security update for all supported models was released on 18th May 2020.
the watchOS 6.2.1 bug fix update for all supported models was released on 8th April 2020.
the watchOS 6.2 bug fix/security update for all supported models was released on 24th March 2020.
the watchOS 6.1.3 bug fix/security update for all supported models was released on 18th February 2020.
the watchOS 6.1.2 bug fix/security update for all supported models was released on 28th January 2020.
the watchOS 6.1.1 bug fix/security update for all supported models was released on 10th December 2019.
the watchOS 6.1 bug fix/security update for all supported models was released on 29th October 2019.
the watchOS 6.0.1 bug fix update was released on 30th September 2019.
watchOS 6 was released on 19th September 2019 for Series 3 and 4 models only and included:
- New watch faces
- Enhanced Siri
- Activity trends - viewable on a linked iPhone
- Independent apps - no longer need an iPhone to manage/install apps
- App Store on the Watch
- Redesigned Reminders app
- New Apple apps:
- Noise - measure audio loudness and warns when too loud - requires Series 4 model or later)
- Cycle Tracking - keep track of female menstrual cycles
- Audiobooks
- Voice Memos
- Calculator - including "tip" and "split with friends" facilities
- Taptic Chimes e.g. on the hour
- In-app purchases for Apple Watch apps (watchOS 6.2 or later)
- Adds support for digital car keys for Apple Watch Series 5 - on launch the following BMW cars are supported: 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 8, X5, X6, X7, X5M, X6M and Z4 manufactured after 1st July 2020
- ECG app on Apple Watch Series 4 or later now available in Bahrain, Brazil, and South Africa
- Irregular heart rhythm notifications now available in Bahrain, Brazil, and South Africa
the watchOS 5.3.9 bug fix update was released on 5th November 2020.
the watchOS 5.3.8 security update was released on 15th July 2020.
the watchOS 5.3.7 bug fix update was released on 18th May 2020.
the watchOS 5.3.6 security update was released on 24th March 2020.
the watchOS 5.3.5 bug fix update was released on 18th February 2020.
the watchOS 5.3.4 security update was released on 10th December 2019.
the watchOS 5.3.3 security update was released on 29th October 2019.
the watchOS 5.3.2 security update was released on 26th September 2019.
the watchOS 5.3.1 bug fix update was released on 26th August 2019.
the watchOS 5.3 feature/bug fix/security update was released on 22nd July 2019.
the watchOS 5.2.1 feature/bug fix/security update was released on 13th May 2019.
- ECG (Watch series 4 only) + irregular heart rhythm features now enabled for more European countries:
- Croatia
- Czech Republic
- Iceland
- Poland
- Slovakia
the watchOS 5.2 feature/bug fix/security update was released on 27th March 2019.
- ECG (Watch series 4 only) + irregular heart rhythm features now enabled for some European countries:
- Austria
- Belgium
- Denmark
- Finland
- France
- Germany
- Greece
- Hungary
- Ireland
- Italy
- Luxembourg
- Netherlands
- Norway
- Portugal
- Romania
- Spain
- Sweden
- Switzerland
- United Kingdom
the watchOS 5.1.3 bug fix/security update was released on 21st January 2019.
the watchOS 5.1.2 bug fix/security update was released on 6th December 2018.
the watchOS 5.1.1 bug fix/security update was released on 5th November 2018
the watchOS 5.1 bug fix/security update was released on 30th October 2018 and withdrawn as it bricked some watches
the watchOS 5.0.1 bug fix was released on 27th September 2018
watchOS 5 was released on 17th September 2018 and included:
- Participate in Group FaceTime calls via audio (requires iOS 12.1 or later or macOS 10.14.1 or later)
- Enhanced Do Not Disturb - set for meetings, time and/or location
- New background audio mode supporting third-party apps
- Activity competitions
- Brand-new workouts (yoga + hiking)
- Automatic workout detection
- Pace alerts
- Apple Podcasts support
- Walkie-Talkie feature (not available in China, UAE and Pakistan)
- Smarter Siri
- Improved Notifications
- View web content
- Contactless student ID cards via Wallet (very limited locations at first, primarily in the USA)
the watchOS 4.3.2 bug fix/security update was released on 9th July 2018.
the watchOS 4.3.1 bug fix/security update was released on 29th May 2018.
the watchOS 4.3 bug fix/security update was released on 29th March 2018.
the watchOS 4.2.3 bug fix/security update was released on 19th February 2018.
the watchOS 4.2.2 bug fix/security update was released on 23rd January 2018.
the watchOS 4.2 bug fix/security update was released on 5th December 2017.
the watchOS 4.1 bug fix/security update was released on 31st October 2017.
the watchOS 4.0.1 bug fix/security update was released on 4th October 2017.
watchOS 4 was released on 19th September 2017 and included:
- Activity
- Daily inspiration
- Evening push
- Monthly Challenge
- Celebrations
- Workout
- Quick start
- High intensity interval training
- Enhanced swim tracking
- Gym equipment sync (TechnoGym / Matrix / LifeFitness / Cybex / Star Trac / StairMaster / Schwinn)
- Quick switch
- Do not disturb
- Music
- More songs on your wrist - Apple watch knows what you love to listen to and holds more of it
- Automatic sync
- Other improvements:
- Siri watch face
- Kaliedoscope watch face
- Toy Story watch face
- Person to person payments (via Apple Pay)
- Apple Pay Cash
- News App - curated news headlines throughout the day
- Flashlight option in Control Center
the watchOS 3.2.3 bug fix/security update was released on 19th July 2017.
the watchOS 3.2.2 bug fix/security update was released on 15th May 2017.
the watchOS 3.2 bug fix/security update was released on 27th March 2017.
the watchOS 3.1.3 bug fix/security update was released on 23rd January 2017.
the watchOS 3.1.1 bug fix update was released on 12th December 2016.
the watchOS 3.1 bug fix/security update was released on 24th October 2016.
watchOS 3 was released on 13th September 2016 and included:
- Performance and Navigation
- Press the side button to access your favorite apps in the Dock
- Apps in the Dock launch instantly with already updated information
- Add up to 10 apps in the Dock, control music from Now Playing or launch your most recently used app
- Swipe edge-to-edge to quickly switch your watch face
- Swipe up from the bottom of your watch face to access important settings in Control Center
- Watch faces
- New Minnie Mouse, Activity, and Numerals watch faces
- Complications now available on Photo, Photo Album, Timelapse, and Motion
- New complications including Workout, Music, and Messages
- New Face Gallery in the Apple Watch app on iPhone to add and customize watch faces
- Discover and add third party complications in the Face Gallery
- Activity
- Ability to share and compare your Activity rings
- Rank alphabetically, or by progress towards Move goal, Exercise goal, steps or today’s workouts
- Automatic notifications when a friend completes their rings, finishes a workout, or earns an achievement
- Customized smart replies for encouragement or smack talk
- New Sharing tab in the Activity app on iPhone to view history
- Workout
- Quick Start for most commonly used workouts
- Multiple metric view, customizable for each workout type
- New gestures for pause, resume, and marking segments
- Labels for “Other” workouts to keep track of Yoga, Pilates, Cross Training, and more
- Auto-pause for running workouts
- Siri support for pause, resume, and end workouts
- Route maps with speed indicators for outdoor workouts
- Wheelchair use
- Activity rings optimized for wheelchair users
- Accounts for varying speeds, terrains, and pushing techniques
- Pushes contribute to all-day calorie goals
- Time to roll notification and roll ring
- New Outdoor Run Pace and Outdoor Walk Pace workouts
- Breathe
- New Breathe app to take a moment in your day for short deep breathing sessions
- Calming visualization and haptic cues guide you while you inhale and exhale
- Adjust session length and breaths per minute
- Summary upon completion including heart rate
- Time to breathe reminders
- Weekly summary
- Communication
- Expressive Messaging
- Full-screen effects to celebrate special moments
- Tapback for quick replies to messages, links, and photos
- Handwritten messages animate like ink on paper
- Send recent built-in or third-party stickers
- View secret messages with invisible ink
- Scribble
- Write words on the display and Apple Watch will convert the handwriting to text
- Use the Digital Crown to scroll through predicted options
- Available in English (US), Traditional Chinese, and Simplified Chinese
- Reply options available in the Messages and Mail notification, including Digital Touch, emoji, and smart replies
- New emoji, including gender diverse options to existing characters, single parent family variations, rainbow flag, and redesigns of popular emoji
- Emergency SOS
- Press and continue to hold the side button to call emergency services
- Automatically notify SOS contacts and share your location
- Display your Medical ID with information about medications, allergies, and medical conditions
- Adjusts the emergency number to your current location
- Home
- New Home app to control HomeKit enabled accessories
- Enable scenes created on your iPhone to control groups of accessories with just a tap
- Control favorite accessories from your wrist, even remotely with Apple TV or iPad
- Support for IP cameras to see live video in rich notifications and accessory controls
- Other improvements
- New Reminders app for managing scheduled reminders, grocery lists, and more
- New Find My Friends app for viewing location of friends and family
- Pay with Apple Pay within third party apps
- Delete events and switch calendars in Calendar app
- Support for FaceTime Audio calls directly from Apple Watch
- Search for Settings in Apple Watch app on iPhone
- Camera app controls for Flash, Live Photos, HDR, Zoom, Burst, and Front or Rear facing
- Siri support for Spanish (Chile), Chinese (Cantonese - China), English (Ireland), English (South Africa)
watchOS 2.2.2 - this release contains bug fixes and security updates.
watchOS 2.2.1 - this release contains bug fixes and security updates.
watchOS 2.2
This update includes support for pairing multiple watches to one iPhone, Maps improvements and new language support. This release also includes additional improvements and bug fixes.- Adds support for pairing multiple Apple Watches to one iPhone
- Adds Nearby in Maps to browse for places around you by category, including Food, Shopping, and more
- Adds support for system language in Catalan, Croatian, Slovak, Romanian, and Ukrainian
- Adds support for dictation in Catalan, Croatian, Slovak, Romanian, Ukrainian, and English (Saudi Arabia, UAE, and Indonesia)
- Adds support for Siri in Malay, Finnish, and Hebrew
- Increases frequency of background heart rate measurements when you are stationary
watchOS 2.1
This update includes new language support and bug fixes.- Adds support for system language in Arabic, Czech, Greek, Hebrew, Hungarian, Malay, Portuguese (Portugal), and Vietnamese
- Adds support for Right-to-Left user interface
- Adds ability to switch between Latin and Hindi numerals for Arabic
- Adds a new complication for Islamic and Hebrew Calendars
- Adds support for Siri and dictation in Arabic (Saudi Arabia, United Arab Emirates)
- Adds support for dictation in English (Malaysia), Czech, Greek, Hebrew, Hungarian, Portuguese (Portugal), and Vietnamese
- Resolves an issue that could prevent events from updating in the Calendar complication
- Fixes an issue that could prevent the time from displaying in Power Reserve mode
- Addresses issues that could prevent third party apps from launching
- Fixes an issue that could prevent third-party app icons from displaying correctly
- Fixes an issue that could cause instability when changing the system language
watchOS 2.0.1
This update contains new emoji characters, performance improvements, and bug fixes, including:- Fixes an issue that could cause software updates to stall
- Fixes issues that were impacting battery performance
- Resolves an issue that prevented a managed iPhone from syncing iOS Calendar events to Apple Watch
- Addresses an issue that could prevent location information from properly updating
- Fixes an issue that could cause Digital Touch to send from an email address instead of a phone number
- Addresses an issue that could cause instability when using a Live Photo as a watch face
- Resolves an issue that allows the sensors to stay on indefinitely when using Siri to measure heart rate
watchOS 2.0
This update contains new features and capabilities for users and developers, including the following:- New watch faces and timekeeping features
- Time-lapse videos of Hong Kong, London, Mack Lake, New York, Shanghai, and Paris
- Photo and Photo Album so you can see your favorite images every time you raise your wrist, including support for Live Photos
- Time Travel with the Digital Crown to see what’s coming in the future or what’s happened in the past
- Nightstand Mode so your Watch can be used as a bedside alarm clock
- 9 new colors to customize your watch face, and a new multicolor Modular face
- Support for third-party apps to create complications
- Siri improvements
- Start a specific workout, get transit directions, or ask to see a glance
- Support for FaceTime audio calling and replying to email
- Support for HomeKit to control supported devices in your home using Siri
- New support for Austria, Belgium (French and Dutch), and Norway
- Activity and Workout improvements
- Workouts from third party apps on the Watch can be included in your Activity rings
- Activity rings, workouts, and achievements can be shared from the Activity app on iPhone
- Interactive achievements
- On-demand weekly summary
- Mute Activity notifications for one day
- Workouts saved automatically
- Apple Pay and Wallet improvements
- Support for Discover cards
- Support for rewards cards and store credit and debit cards
- Add passes to Wallet directly from third party apps on your Watch
- Friends and Digital Touch improvements
- Add more than 12 Friends directly from Apple Watch
- Multiple Friends’ groups that you can name
- Send sketches using multiple colors
- New options for animated emoji
- Maps improvements
- Transit view, showing transit lines, stations and intermodal connections in select major cities
- View the list of directions for your current route
- View station placards with departure information
- Music improvements
- New Beats 1 button to start playing the 24/7 radio station
- New Quick Play button to play a variety of songs from Apple Music
- Reply to emails using dictation, emoji, or smart replies customized specifically for email
- Make and receive calls using FaceTime audio
- Support for Wi-Fi calling without iPhone in proximity on participating carriers
- Activation Lock prevents anyone from activating your Apple Watch without your Apple ID and password
- New developer capabilities including
- Native SDK to build faster and more powerful apps running natively on Apple Watch
- Access to accelerometer to more granularly track your motion
- Access to heart rate sensor for use during a workout
- Access to microphone and speaker to record and play audio
- Access to the Taptic Engine with 8 different types of Haptic feedback
- Access to the Digital Crown for more precise controls
- Ability to play video directly on Apple Watch
- Support for running apps without iPhone in proximity, including access to networking capabilities when connected to known Wi-Fi networks
- Complications on the watch face
- Workouts from apps can be counted towards Activity rings
- Workouts from apps can be included in Activity app on iPhone
- New support for system language in English (India), Finnish, Indonesian, Norwegian, and Polish
- New support for dictation in Dutch (Belgium), English (Ireland, Philippines, South Africa), French (Belgium), German (Austria), Spanish (Chile, Colombia)
- New support for smart replies in Traditional Chinese (Hong Kong, Taiwan), Danish, Dutch, English (New Zealand, Singapore), Japanese, Korean, Swedish, Thai
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