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Apple Watch - page 76

Study examines Apple Watch quitters and their quibbles

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Not everybody who bought the Apple Watch is wearing it.
Not everybody who bought the Apple Watch is wearing it.
Photo: Apple

If you bought an Apple Watch that now collects dust on your dresser, you are not alone.

Web-based research firm Wristly, which found a 97 percent user satisfaction rate among early adopters, took equal interest in the unhappy 3 percent. What it found from 340 former Apple Watch users could provide valuable insights for Cupertino as it works on future generations of the smartwatch.

The reasons people gave up the watch include:

British Airways app takes off on Apple Watch

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As smartwatches grow in popularity, the Apple Watch will continue to be the hands-on - or wrist-on - favorite.
App usage is sky high right now.
Photo: Apple

Apple’s refusal to release any hard and fast Apple Watch figures (it has most likely sold in the region of 7 million) has led some people to dismiss the wearable as a failure, despite the company’s vague assertions otherwise.

Now British Airways has thrown out its own stats, noting that its Apple Watch app saw usage increase by a massive 386 percent between June and October, demonstrating that Apple Watch app usage is most definitely on the rise.

Apple scores its strongest Black Friday sales in history

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Apple raked in the cash last quarter.
Apple raked in more cash than ever over the Thanksgiving weekend.
Photo: Jim Merithew/Cult of Mac

Black Friday may have handed Apple its strongest Friday sales in history, thanks to third party retailers heavily featuring the company’s products in their own promotions.

According to a note sent out by analyst Trip Chowdhry from Global Equities, the Apple Watch is likely to emerge as the M.V.P. of the shopping holiday — as the result of retailers offering big discounts on the device, as well as free shipping and zero sales tax.

Apple could sell up to 6 million Watches over holiday season

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Space black link bracelets kits now available.
Interest in Apple Watch could double over holiday season.
Photo: Apple

Compared to the massive numbers of iPhones it unloads each year, Apple has “only” sold around 6-7 million Apple Watches since the device’s launch earlier this year.

Granted, that’s still more than the entire rest of the smartwatch industry combined, but a new report suggests that Apple could be on course to sell almost the same quantity again over the holiday quarter — signalling a near-doubling of sales for Apple’s debut wearable device.

These are the features Apple Watch owners love most

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apple-watch
Which of these apps sums up your Apple Watch experience?
Photo: Apple

The average Apple Watch user checks his or her timepiece four to five times an hour, and are most likely to use the device’s Maps function, according to two separate studies.

Carried out by Wristly.com and researchers at the University of Stockholm’s Mobile Life Centre, the two surveys quizzed Apple Watch owners on their typical usage, and discovered a few interesting observations in the process.

Vine comes to Apple Watch with featured and favorite clips

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Apple Watch users can now watch Vines on their wrist.
Apple Watch users can now watch Vines on their wrist.
Photo: Vine

Twitter is bringing its short video sharing service, Vine, to wrists across the globe today with its first Apple Watch app.

Vine for Apple Watch brings two feeds to users — favorites and featured — which allows you to catch up on clips from favorite creators, as well as watch featured videos that are handpicked from channels across the network.

Mysterious ‘snake’ Apple Watch error? Here’s what it means

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Apple Watch error
Okay, so this isn't what the error message actually looks like. But it might as well be.
Photo: Evan Killham/Cult of Mac

Seven months after its launch, we appear to be seeing a previously unheard-of Apple Watch error, but we think we’ve figured out what it means.

Wall Street Journal tech editor Joanna Stern brought the issue to attention on her Twitter account; the screen kind of looks like her Apple Watch had suddenly decided to play a round of retro game Snake. But the actual issue isn’t nearly as fun.

Apple forces you to buy only approved Apple Watch wireless chargers

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Screen Shot 2015-11-18 at 14.09.19
Want to do this? It'll cost you.
Photo: Apple

Apple’s official charging pad may be a not-too-cheap $79, but if you want to wirelessly charge your smartwatch, Apple’s not leaving you a whole lot of options.

That’s because, despite the wide range of Qi chargers around, Apple has made it so that its watch will only work with a select few which have received the Cupertino stamp of approval.

Jony Ive was right — Swiss watchmakers are dying

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apple-watch
Do Swiss watchmakers wake up sweating at the sight of the Apple Watch?
Photo: Apple

Jony Ive memorably (allegedly) described Swiss watchmakers as “f**ked” due to the then-impending launch of the launch of the Apple Watch, and one year later — like some kind of creepy, well-dressed soothsayer in an Apple-centric episode of The Twilight Zone — it seems he may have been correct.

Swiss watch exports suffered their biggest decline in six years in October, with sales dropping 12 percent to $2 billion. Jon Cox, an analyst at Kepler Cheuvreux in Zurich, describes 2015 as a year “to forget” for watchmakers.

Unless their name is Apple, of course.

Apple Watch tops holiday list for IBM’s Watson

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iBM Watson
IBM's supercomputer Watson isn't just good at Jeopardy.
Photo: IBM

If you’ve watched any YouTube videos lately, you might have learned that IBM’s Watson supercomputer is a big fan of Bob Dylan, even though the deep-learning machine can’t carry a tune. But we can also add the Apple Watch to Watson’s list of likes, as the wearable has topped the think-bot’s list of items trending this holiday.

These results come from a brand-new, free app that collects and analyzes customer sentiment from across the Internet.

Apple Watch dominates list of 10 most wanted smartwatches

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Chances are you'll see quite a few more of these in the coming years.
It's nice to be wanted -- Apple Watch is blowing away the competition heading into the holiday season.
Photo: Jim Merithew/Cult of Mac

A new report from analytics firm Argus Insights puts the Apple Watch well ahead of its competitors heading into the all-important holiday season.

Four of the 10 most favorably reviewed smartwatches on the market are Apples. More surprisingly, however, is that price doesn’t seem to be a factor.

Apple Pay says ‘G’day’ to Australia

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Apple Pay iPhone
Apple Pay finally an option for digital purchases.
Photo: Apple

Apple Pay has finally made its way to iPhone and Apple Watch users in the Land Down Under, but only if they’re using American Express.

One day after the mobile payments service launched in Canada, Apple has flipped the switch for Apple Pay in Australia, allowing iOS device owners to make payments at any retailer that accepts Amex contactless payments.

Here are some of the stores participating in the launch:

Apple begins selling official Watch charging dock

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Screen Shot 2015-11-18 at 14.09.19
Finally, a dignified way to charge your Apple Watch!
Photo: Apple

Apple today launched an official $79 charging dock for the Apple Watch, which functions both as a flat charging puck and in Nightstand mode — giving you the option of either charging your smartwatch in a flat position with the band open, or else on its side.

Glance conference will take a long look at Apple Watch

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Chances are you'll see quite a few more of these in the coming years.
The attendees of the Glance conference are interested in what makes the Apple Watch tick.
Photo: Jim Merithew/Cult of Mac

An upcoming summit aims to get to the bottom of what is going on with the Apple Watch.

The Glance conference, which describes itself as “the first conference on the business of Apple Watch” is going down in San Francisco next month. It will bring venture capitalists and industry insiders together to try to figure out the wearable.

Apple’s making its own Apple Watch charging dock

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This official Apple Watch dock is coming soon.
This official Apple Watch dock is coming soon.
Photo: Grobgebloggt

Apple is getting ready to release an official Apple Watch dock, according two leaks that have revealed the upcoming device’s packaging and design.

Pictures of the new dock published by a German Apple fan site reveal Apple’s charging solution will simply be called the “Magnetic Charging Dock.” It is circular in shape, comes with two different charging orientation, and features tons of Apple simplicity.

Take a look:

Wozniak: I don’t like being trapped in Apple’s ecosystem

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The Woz tells it like it is.
Woz remains as independent as ever.
Photo: Universal Pictures

Despite still technically being an Apple employee, Steve Wozniak isn’t known for voicing the Cupertino official line when asked about recent iDevelopments.

Speaking at a recent conference, hosted by enterprise software firm New Relic, Woz chimed in about his thoughts on the Apple ecosystem, Tim Cook’s belief that the iPad Pro could replace your need for a MacBook, and the Apple Watch — which he’s previously expressed his skepticism of.

How to fix the Watch Sport in version 2 (Hint: GPS and Nike integration)

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Concept mockup: will Apple Watch 2 focus on runners needs?
Concept mockup: will Apple Watch 2 focus on runners needs?
Photo: Graham Bower / Cult of Mac

Rumor has it that Apple Watch will get an update next year. There is already plenty of speculation about what cool new features Cupertino will add.

Personally, I’m hoping that the new watch will focus on fitness, so I’ve created a mockup concept to show what I’d like to see in the next generation of Apple Watch. I call it the Apple Watch GPS, Nike edition.

Can TAG Heuer help Android Wear defeat Apple Watch?

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fnf_1024
Or is the TAG Heuer Connected destined to fail?
Photo: Ste Smith/Cult of Mac

When it comes to smartwatch sales, Apple Watch has well and truly embarrassed the entire Android Wear ecosystem, even though it hasn’t spent anywhere near as long on the market. But with Google’s platform getting a high-profile supporter this week, is it time for change?

Friday-Night-Fights-bug-2TAG Heuer’s new Connected is the first smartwatch from a luxury watchmaker, giving consumers a high-end alternative to the Apple Watch. It has beautiful hardware, great specifications, and even comes with an upgrade program that lets buyers swap it for a traditional TAG watch when it’s no longer useful.

So, is this the device Android Wear needs to mount a threat against Apple’s popular wearable?

Join us in this week’s Friday Night Fight between Cult of Android and Cult of Mac as we battle it out over that very question!

Your Apple Watch will sparkle on this bejeweled charger

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This crystal-encrusted charging dock for the Apple Watch and iPhone can be had for $5,000.
This crystal-encrusted charging dock for the Apple Watch and iPhone can be had for $5,000.
Photo: Defined Corp.

Watch snobs say the Apple Watch could never be a true collector’s items. But there is one Apple Watch charger guaranteed to be a pricey collectible.

It is saucer-shaped, gold in color and encrusted with 1,000 Swarovski crystals. Act now and you could own one of 10 for $5,000.

Samsung may be Apple’s exclusive OLED provider

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Samsung
Samsung and Apple may be about to get even closer.
Photo: Jim Merithew / Cult of Mac

Apple may be about to broker a deal with Samsung, which would see the South Korean tech giant exclusively supply Apple with OLED panels.

According to a new report, Samsung is currently expanding its OLED production capacity on the basis that a deal with Apple is “on the fast track.” A source claims that negotiations are progressing rapidly, and that Samsung may end up building a dedicated OLED facility with the sole purpose of supplying to Cupertino.

Pro Tip: Check your Apple Watch battery from your iPhone

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Get your battery info fast and easy.
Get your battery info fast and easy.
Photo: Rob LeFebvre/Cult of Mac

Pro Tip Cult of Mac bugYou can of course check the status of your Apple Watch battery on your wrist, but it’s even easier to discover how much Apple Watch juice you have left right from your iPhone.

In fact, you can check the battery status of anything connected via Bluetooth, including headphones and speakers.

Here’s how.