Apple iPhone 6 VS Samsung Galaxy S6

 It's the clash of the titans, as Samsung’s best takes on Apple’s finest. But which is right for you?

Apple iPhone 6

Pros

• iOS operating system
• Popular apps launch first on iOS
• Award-winning design

Cons

• Shorter battery life than the S6
• No microSD slot

Samsung Galaxy S6

Pros

• Huge quad HD screen
• Metal build
• Wireless charging

Cons

• Third-party apps can be less polished
• No microSD slot

What do you want to read about?

• First Impressions
• Design
• Screen
• Camera
• Performance and battery life
• Value for money
• Verdict

First Impressions

The Samsung Galaxy S6 and iPhone 6 are two of the best smartphones around right now.

They’re both very highly specced, extremely desirable in terms of design and have bags of features. But there are plenty of differences between them.

Read on as uSwitch, the UK’s largest and most respected mobile phone comparison site, pits the handsets against each other to help you find the best smartphone for your needs.

The iPhone 6 is the first Apple phone with a 4.7-inch screen. Its predecessors, the iPhone 5, 5S and 5C, all had 4-inch displays, so this is a step up for Apple. That said, it’s still relatively small compared to others on the market.

Samsung’s Galaxy S6 boasts a metal body, which is a departure from its plastic predecessor. It too is an absolute stunner design-wise, and it runs Android, Google’s mobile operating system.

iPhone 6 at glance

• Apps are generally better quality than Android
• Works seamlessly with Mac computers and iPads
• iPhones are the easiest smartphones to use

Samsung Galaxy S6 at a glance

• Wireless charging (charging plate sold separately)
• Metal and aluminium construction
• 5.1-inch Super AMOLED screen is larger than iPhone 6

Design

The iPhone 6 has a new premium aluminium body and rounded corners that give it a friendly, though no less stylish, appearance. It’s amazingly slim – so much so that the camera lens protrudes from the back a little – and feels natural in the hand.

Compared to its predecessor, the Samsung Galaxy S6 is unrecognisable. Its sleek metal and glass design is up there with the best of them.

iPhone 6 at a glance

Extremely lightweight. If it wasn’t for its size, you could easily forget it was in your pocket.
The buttons have been redesigned to fit the new look. They’re long and oval-shaped rather than round as on previous models.
Power button is on the right side instead of the top, making it easier to reach.
A word of warning: it does get quite cold to the touch in chilly weather.

Samsung Galaxy S6 at a glance

Like all phones with a glass finish, the back is an absolute magnet for fingerprints.
It can also be a bit slippery, so it’s worth shelling out a little extra for a case.
It’s a tiny bit heavier than the iPhone 6, but not noticeably so.
Because of the new super slim design, the S6 doesn’t have a removable back. That means that, as with the iPhone 6, you can’t swap the battery.
There's no microSD card slot for expandable storage (once again, this is a feature missing from the iPhone 6). That slimness had to mean compromises.

Screen

The iPhone 6’s Retina HD screen is a little smaller than the Galaxy S6’s, but it still packs plenty of punch. And it performs especially impressively when viewed from wide angles, so it's easier to enjoy clips with your friends.

The Galaxy S6 boasts A 5.1-inch, 2K display, giving it a pixel per inch count of 576ppi. That extra sharpness, combined with the bigger size, is really noticeable side by side. But on their own, both phones are very impressive.

iPhone 6 at a glance

Resolution of 1,334x750 pixels equates to a pixels per inch count of 326ppi. The more pixels make up an image, the sharper it looks on-screen.
In real-world use that means the iPhone 6 offers natural-looking colours and exactingly defined images.
2K (also known as QHD or quad-high definition) is quickly becoming the standard. It’s a shame Apple hasn’t kept step with the rest of the smartphone world.

Samsung Galaxy S6 at a glance

Better contrast (the difference between light and dark colours, as it turns off pixels for 'truer' blacks) makes the S6 better for watching films.
Higher pixel count means sharper images than the iPhone 6.
5.1-inch screen is 0.4 inches larger than the iPhone 6.

Camera

The iPhone has long had one of the best cameras to be found in a mobile. And the iPhone 6 is no different. It’s quick to start up, simple to use and has a ton of features, such as auto HDR which enhances the difference between light and dark colours to give a more balanced image.

The Galaxy S6’s snapper has twice the resolution of the iPhone 6’s. But, as we’ll explain, that doesn’t tell the whole story. What it does have over the iPhone 6 is the inclusion of optical image stabilisation, though.

iPhone 6 at a glance

There's a lightning-quick burst mode and slo-mo and time-lapse video options for when you want to get creative.
Optical image stabilisation, which keeps the camera steady while you’re moving, is missing. For that, you’ll have to pay extra for the iPhone 6 Plus.

Samsung Galaxy S6 at a glance

The main camera performs slightly better in low light conditions. The results were less grainy than those from the iPhone.
The front-facer is also higher resolution, making for clearer selfies and video calls.
It's not quite as intuitive as the iPhone 6's camera.

Performance and battery life

On paper the Galaxy S6 has the edge over the iPhone 6 in this category.

Its battery is larger than the iPhone 6 and it’s home to a brawnier processor. But does that necessarily mean it performs better when it comes to real-world usage?

iPhone 6 at a glance

It zips through menus and we had no trouble whatsoever playing processor-intensive games, watching HD videos, emailing or browsing the web.
Games look fantastic too thanks to iOS Metal, a graphics application program interface that lets developers create stunning games.
Despite the bigger screen, battery life was very impressive. Even with really heavy use, it kept going until lunchtime on the second day before giving up.

Samsung Galaxy S6 at a glance

Less impressive than the iPhone 6 in the battery stakes, due to S6's power-sapping bigger, brighter screen. It was barely dinner time before it ran out.
However, Samsung’s ultra power save mode is genius. It turns the screen grayscale and prohibits app use, giving another 15 hours of use from just 9% battery.
The S6’s octa-core chip and 3GB of RAM give it plenty of power, so it flies through menus and handles games and movies super smoothly.
Value for money

Not many people are going to buy these handsets outright due to their premium price tags. Monthly deals are a better bet, as they spread the cost over two years.

But the good news is that both hold their resale value, so you'll get some cash back when you upgrade. You can currently pick up a second-hand iPhone 6 for around £400, and a Galaxy S6 for £420.

Verdict

The S6 offers more freedom to customise your phone.
Samsung's TouchWiz user interface is inconsistent and nowhere near as clean as Apple's iOS.

The iPhone 6 is easier to get to grips with and more of a pleasure to use.
For the first time, Samsung's phone has a slightly better camera than the iPhone, helped by the inclusion of optical image stabilisation.

Though the iPhone 6's screen is perfectly capable, the S6's screen is bigger and better.
If you want the extras, and will be watching a lot of films on your phone, go for the S6.
If you like simplicity and ease of use, the iPhone 6 is the better handset.

For years, Samsung has been playing catch-up. With this latest effort it has finally matched, and in many aspects, trumped Apple.

It's a points decision rather than a knockout blow. But we're awarding this one to Samsung.

27 Highly Desirable Gifts for Apple-Loving Fanatics

Chances are, you know an Apple fanatic -- someone whose iPhone, Mac or iPad is a prized possession. If you don't know a true fanatic, you probably know a fan -- or barring that, someone who might appreciate an Apple-made gift this holiday season.

To help you cut through the chaff, from one Apple fanatic to... someone else entirely, I've put together a list of the best Apple gifts this holiday season, covering multiple price points.

Of course, we should get this out of the way right now: Most of Apple's price points are pretty high. While an Apple Watch, for example, might fit into a stocking, it's not exactly a gift that comes in at a stocking stuffer price.

In addition, you should know that Apple basically has turned its whole website into a storefront, so going to Apple to browse a traditional online store is just gone. You now browse product pages, and when you think you want to buy, you've got to find the "Buy" button. For a person considering a particular purchase, it's fine, but for a gift giver? Annoying. So here you go.

  

Under $25

1. Gift Cards -- Seriously, Apple doesn't make hardly anything under US$25. The big gotcha with Apple's gift cards, though, is you have to pick the right one: An Apple Store Gift Card can be redeemed at a brick-and-mortar Apple Store or on the official Apple website, but not at the iTunes Store. You need to give an iTunes Gift Card if you want the recipient to be able to purchase items at the iTunes Store.

Astoundingly stupid, I know, and embarrassing when an Apple fan has to explain why their favorite $233 billion company can't figure this out. I mean really, who expects Grandma to know this?

2. Extra Cables -- Apple does offer a handful of products under $25, but they are basically minor accessories. You can snag the always-needed extra Lightning to USB Cable for $19 (but the long 2 meter one that's great for long reaches is $29).

3. Remote Loop -- OK, Apple sort of has a real accessory under $25 -- the Remote Loop safety lanyard. You use it so you don't accidentally throw your Apple TV Siri Remote while working out or playing a game in front of your Apple TV.

Because this is one of the most infuriating kinds of purchases an Apple-loving fan has to make, it's not a terrible gift. It's actually sort of humorous and ironic because the extra price for this Remote Loop is just mind boggling: $12.99.

Under $50 - and Up

4. Apple Watch Bands -- For $49, you can pick up a differently colored band for Apple Watch Sport users -- or ramp up to the Leather Loop ($149) or Link Bracelet ($449). Lots of sweet options here, actually.

Apple watch bands
5. Apple World Travel Adapter Kit -- Got a world traveler, or someone heading out for an international vacation? Get this kit for $29.

6. Apple Watch Magnetic Charging Dock -- This $79 Apple Watch dock is a simple but nifty dock that lets you charge your Apple Watch flat or sideways, which lets you use it as a nightstand alarm clock.

7. Apple EarPods with Remote and Mic -- Apple's included EarPods are pretty good, never fantastic, but solid enough. Despite getting a new pair with every iPhone purchase, these EarPods get abused and eventually manage to get lost. I never mind having an extra pair to leave in the pickup or by the bed ($29).

Under $100

8. Magic Mouse 2 -- I'm a fan of the Magic Mouse 2, but I'm also old-school that way. The touch surface is handy for navigating my Mac and the precision on a variety of surfaces is fantastic ($79).

9. iPad Smart Covers -- Apple makes some great magnetic iPad covers that are simple yet functional. There are a lot of great third-party covers, but you can't go wrong with Apple's. They are not exactly flashy or inspiring, but they do the job well. Price varies.

Under $300

10. Apple TV -- If your Apple fanatic doesn't already have an Apple TV, this makes an excellent gift -- but make sure you're getting the new Apple TV, the fat little 4th generation model.

It comes in two versions: a 32-GB version good for everyone who watches mostly movies and TV and wants to use some cool apps; and a 64-GB version that's better for gamers who want to play graphic-heavy games on their Apple TV ($149-$199).

11. Magic Trackpad 2 -- The Magic Trackpad 2 is a little spendy at $129, but its pressure-sensitive surface lets you bring the power of Apple's Force Touch to older Macs that don't have it built-in.

12. iPad mini 2 -- Coming in at $269, the lowest-cost iPad is the iPad mini 2. It's a great little tablet, but it's also aging -- get it only if the iPad mini 4, or better yet, iPad Air 2, is just out of your budget range.

13. Beats Powerbeats2 Wireless In-Ear Headphones -- These are a bit spendy at $199, but hey, half the point of buying them is for the style and construction. They're great for active, sports and fitness enthusiasts with their over-the-ear hook to help keep them in place. Inspired by Lebron James, these bad boys are also sweat and water resistant.

14. Beats Solo2 Wireless On-Ear Headphones -- Maybe not the very best sound quality, but the build and overall style is pretty great. Get Beats for Apple fans who just crave all things Apple ($299).

15. Apple AirPort Extreme -- It took me a while to figure this out, but Apple's devices just seem to work a little better when they are connecting to an Apple-made WiFi base station. The price seems high, but when all of your devices get better signals and faster connection speeds, you'll appreciate it.

Of course, it helps to know that the AirPort Extreme base station uses a powerful beamforming antenna array to deliver better performance, which is your excuse for buying it, along with the chance to use the phrase, beamforming antenna array ($299).

Under $500

16. Apple Watch Sport -- It's pretty hard to go wrong with an Apple Watch. This little wrist throwback device probably won't effect a massive change on your Apple fan's life, but there's so many little features packed into it that it's likely they will find a few ways to appreciate it.

The Sport starts at $349 and is the best buy. Should you step up to the stainless steel Apple Watch model for $200 more? I remain unconvinced it's worth it -- snag some extra bands instead.

17. Beats Studio Wireless Over-Ear Headphones -- A little bigger, a little more expensive, these Beats headphones offer a step up -- with noise cancellation, no less ($379).

18. Mac mini -- The least expensive Mac is also hard to recommend. While you can get into one for $499, it's a bit neglected in terms of overall performance; however, if you have an external monitor, keyboard, and mouse already -- and are willing to cobble together your system with disparate parts -- it's a good way to get into Mac OS X.

Under $1,000

19. iPhone 6s or iPhone 6s Plus -- Starting at $649 and $749, the iPhone is arguably the most important device and experience for Apple fans. Hard to go wrong here.

20. iPad Pro -- Let's get this straight: Not a very large percentage of people truly need the huge new 12-inch iPad Pro, but this iPad is a lust-worthy object. It boasts a sharp and glorious screen, and it weighs just 1.57 pounds. Inside, it uses Apple's crazy-powerful and efficient A9X 64-bit processor, which is 2.5 times as powerful as the A7 version from the iPad Air.

Plus, the iPad Pro works with the new Apple Pencil, which is great for artists, as well as the Apple Smart Keyboard, which is great for letting Apple fans get some real work done. The 32-GB entry-level model costs $799, while the 128-GB version goes for $949.

21. MacBook Air -- There are two decent MacBook Air models available for under $1,000: the 11-incher and the 13-incher. The 11-incher goes for $899, and it's a super mobile unit. Pretty solid, really. The 13-incher is nearly as portable, offers more working space, and includes an SDXC card slot that's handy for photographers.

The downside? No super-sharp Retina display. The upside? Generally better performance than the new 12-inch Retina MacBook, at a lower cost and with a better keyboard. Oh, and one more thing: No new Force Touch trackpad, either. Still the Air is a popular, higher-value Mac option, even today.

Under $1,500

22. MacBook -- At $1,299, the new MacBook with Retina display is a seriously ultralight wonder. What it lacks in overall performance, it makes up with lightness and screen-size balance. Pros and cons: The screen is gorgeous and the size is astoundingly packable, but the new keyboard is slightly annoying. It is best for frequent travelers or Apple fans who are often on the go.

23. 13-inch MacBook Pro with Retina display -- The 13-inch MacBook Pro with Retina display offers the best overall bang for your Apple computing dollar. It sports a dual-core Intel Core i5 processor that will give you plenty of oomph for a few years. The 13-inch Retina screen looks fantastic and offers a good blend of portability with workspace. Bottom line? This Mac is a great option for the majority of Apple fans.


24. 21.5-inch iMac with Retina 4K display -- This new Retina iMac is pretty sweet. Coming in at just $1,499, it's priced right and includes a quad-core Intel Core i5 processor.

This would be a knock-out hit if it weren't for one disappointing component -- at $1,499 it comes with an old-school super-slow 5400-rpm hard drive. If it were easily user-upgradable, we could forgive this travesty, but since it's not, this iMac is best for school work or light business use.

Under $2,000

25. iMac 27-inch with Retina 5K display -- Starting at $1,799, this huge and glorious iMac is just amazing.


The only downside is the 7200-rpm hard drive, which means that if you can possibly afford it, you might consider stepping up to the next option at $1,999, which includes a faster Fusion Drive.

Over $2,000

26. 15-inch MacBook Pro with Retina Display -- If price is no object, just go straight to Apple and customize a 15-inch MacBook Pro with Retina display.

Load that puppy up with the 2.8 GHz quad-core Intel i7 processor, along with 1 TB of fast Flash Storage... and happily plunk down $3,199. Your enthusiast or professional Apple lover will drool, hug it, and maybe even sleep with it tucked safely under one arm.

27. 27-inch iMac with Retina 5K display -- Remember what you just read above this? Do the same thing here: Load up the big iMac with a screaming 4.0 GHz quad-core Intel Core i7 processor, then bump your memory up to 32 GB, get 1 TB of Flash Storage, and snag the AMD Radeon R9 M395X with 4 GB of video memory. Your final price? A cool $4,099. Pure awesomeness, though. Awesomeness.

28. Apple Watch Edition -- For $12,000, if not more, you can buy a gold Apple Watch.

Don't be stupid. Seriously. If you buy this watch, you're probably bad for the world. Get a stainless steel option instead and spend your money on something better, ideally something that will leave the world a better place than how you found it.

Of course, all this is relative. Apple fans know this. You could argue that you ought to shell out for a cheaper Dell PC instead of a MacBook and spend the extra savings on doing good for the world... .

Yet there is a slight difference here. At under $2,000, most Apple products simply produce a higher overall level of lifespan and value -- maybe not for everybody, but this definitely is a fundamental premise acceptable to most Apple fans. Plus, it often plays out in resale value.

But the Apple Watch Edition? Just look away, shake your head softly, and try not to think about it (or the people who buy it).

More: http://www.technewsworld.com/story/82852.html

Best smartwatches 2015

What's the best smartwatch? 

The 10 best smartwatches you can buy today - best smartwatch reviews, best wearable tech reviews

Best smartwatch 2015: Why do I need a smartwatch?

There's an interesting theory that smartwatches are to the smartphone what wristwatches were to the pocket watch. Picture the way the average gentlemen used to have to rummage through his pocket for his watch prior to the 20th century - now skip forward 100+ years and the average smartphone user still has to dive into his/her pocket to check their phone. Read: The best smartphones: The best phone you can buy in 2016.

The kicker now is that your smartphone holds far more information than a pocket watch ever did, yet all of which is still locked into your pocket. The theory behind smartwatches is not for you to make calls with and speak into, like Inspector Gadget, but instead they provide a quick and easy way to check what notifications are on your smartphone, so you can decide whether it's worth delving into your pocket or searching around your bag to fetch your smartphone or not.

Best smartwatch 2015: What makes a good smartwatch?

So when testing for what is the best smartwatch, the important factors to consider are how much of your smartphone's functionalities can it perform, and how well does it handle each task, the final attribute is obviously style - it's still bling after all.

You'll also want to make sure it's compatible with your smartphone - some are only for iPhone or Android while others support most phones. Note that Android Wear now has iOS support but the experience is cut down in comparison. Some smartwatches use different software such as the Gear S2 which runs Tizen, Samsung's own OS - it's a legitimate alternative to Android Wear
.
As is stands, you'll need to pick a watch with more limited functionality if you want long battery life while ones which can do all sorts will typically last a couple of days. Fitness fans will want to look for a device with a heart rate monitor and built-in GPS, although the heart rate monitors are often poor.

We consider the important factors of a smartwatch to be level of notification detail, battery life, style, water resistance, compatibility with a range of devices/smartphones, plus additional features such as microphones Wi-Fi support so you don't have to connect to a phone for full functionality.

With very similar, if not identical, hardware on offer with many of the Android Wear smartwatches, a large part of the decision will come down to design and price.

Best smartwatches 2015

10. Samsung Gear 2

The Samsung Gear 2 is a stylish smartwatch packed with features but has limited appeal due to small list of compatible devices. It's still too bulky and many of those features don't work well or are unnecessary. Then there's the high price tag which means unless what the Gear 2 has to offer is genuinely what you want a smartwatch for, you'll be better off elsewhere.

Read our Samsung Gear 2 review.

9. Sony SmartWatch 2

Sony SmartWatch 2 is a good value for money smart watch. It improves on the original version in key areas such as design, battery life and showing the time. With plenty of apps to download and use, there's lots of functionality too.

Read our Sony SmartWatch 2 review.

8. LG G Watch

The LG G Watch is the best smartwatch we've reviewed so far, partly due to the affordable price tag and the excellent, albeit not flawless, Android Wear system. You will need a device with Android 4.3 or later, though. The design of the G Watch doesn't wow so check out the Gear Live and the upcoming Moto 360.

Read our LG G Watch review.

7. Apple Watch

We can't help but think that Apple has tried to do too much with this first generation Apple Watch. There are so many ways of interacting with it and so many different features and elements to get used to that the learning curve is surprisingly steep. It takes a lot of getting used to, and at times it feels counter-intuitive, something we're not use to with Apple devices.

That's why we'd struggle to recommend spending the £299 or more it'll cost you to buy this smartwatch. As is often the case, waiting for the second generation of the Apple Watch is likely to be a wise move, because Apple is going to learn a lot from this first generation smartwatch and from the customers and fans that are using it.

Read our Apple Watch review.

6. Microsoft Band 2

It is very difficult to score the Band 2, because it is such a specific product with a unique feature set. But let's unpack it: it is definitely good value, as the combination of sensors and features is much greater than any comparable product at this price. And it is well made if not the last word in elegance, nor with perfect battery life. If you are looking for a GPS runner's or cyclist's watch it is a good one at a good price, and it also offers the productivity and sleep tracking. And if you want a smartwatch you will like what the Band 2 does, but you may hanker after the ability to compose and send messages. Simply, I don't. I like to wear my dumb watch, and I like for my phone to stay in my pocket rather than on my wrist. So for me the Band 2 is a winner. 

Read our Microsoft Band 2 review.

5. Sony SmartWatch 3

The SmartWatch 3's biggest strength is its built-in GPS, but you'll still need a smartphone for driving directions. It's also great to see a standard USB charging port. The transflective screen is a good idea, but in practice battery life is no better than other smartwatches with better-looking screens. Ultimately, unless you're on a fixed budget, the G Watch R is the better choice. If you can't afford that, wait a few months: the price is bound to drop.

Read our Sony SmartWatch 3 review.

4. Samsung Gear S2

Based on our time with the Samsung Gear S2, we think it's a sleek smartwatch with an attractive design. It offers fairly standard smartwatch features like fitness tracking, but also includes some rather interesting features including a rotating bezel used for navigating the UI and enhanced app capabilities. At £249, it sits itself alongside the likes of the Moto 360 2, and we think the Gear S2 is a great, if not better option for Android users – especially with a custom, intuitive UI.

Read our Samsung Gear S2 review.

3. Motorola Moto 360 2

The new 2nd-generation Moto 360 is a decent smartwatch offering excellent build quality and hardware. The value is good if you avoid the extras on the Moto Maker but they are hard to resist. Battery life is fairly good and performance too apart from the odd moment. All of this is leading to a whole hearted recommendation, if only Motorola had made the one change we wanted – removing that flat tyre from the display. As much as we like the Moto 360, it's hard to look past this, as small as it may seem.

Read our Motorola Moto 360 2 review.

2. Huawei Watch

At a lower price, the Huawei Watch would be the best Android Wear smartwatch on the market but it's a little too much for our liking. Although it's absolutely stunning and the build quality is exquisite, the watch lacks GPS, the heart rate monitor doesn't work very well and the charger is fiddly.

Read our Huawei Watch review.

1. LG Watch R

Quite rightly, LG has decided to launch a round screen version of its first Android Wear device in the form of the G Watch R. It adds much needed style and class to the smartwatch and has an excellent round screen which doesn't have a section missing. It's a shame that it's more expensive than the Moto 360 but if you're going to spend £200, £25 isn't much extra. As long as you like the design of it over the Moto 360 which is down to personal taste.

Read our LG Watch R review.

Apple Watch reviews

Apple's smartwatch, called the Apple Watch rather than the expected iWatch, is available to buy now. Here, we bring you an Apple Watch review based on out experience with the hot new device so far.

APPLE WATCH DESIGN: WHAT DOES THE APPLE WATCH LOOK LIKE?

Apple has always paid particular attention to the design of its products, and has built a reputation as a fashionable and stylish brand. When it comes to smartwatches, design more important than ever. It's wearable technology, after all.

As can be expected, the Apple Watch is a pleasure to look at, and with 38 different styles to choose from there's bound to be something that suits you. There are three different Apple Watch models.

As the name suggests, the Apple Watch Sport is designed with exercise in mind, made with strengthened Ion-X glass for maximum durability and anodised aluminium to reduce the weight. It's available in Space Grey or Silver. You'll get the choice of a White Sport Band, Blue Sport Band, Green Sport Band, Pink Sport Band or Black Sport Band.


It's worth noting that we're concerned about the Sport Bands of the Apple Watch – we think they'll get grubby quickly as they're made with a rubbery plastic. It only took one weekend for our blue Sport Band to go brown around the edges. Yuck. It is very comfortable, though, and we've heard that some of the metal bands are significantly less so, even if they do look a lot nicer.

The Apple Watch has a Sapphire glass display rather than the Ion-X used in the Sport, and a Stainless Steel case rather than aluminium, and comes in silver or Space Black. Strap options for the Apple Watch include the White Sport Band, Black Sport Band, Black Classic Buckle, Milanese Loop, Black Leather Loop, Bright, Stone Leather Loop, Light Brown Leather Loop, Blue Leather Loop, Black Modern Buckle, Midnight Blue Modern Buckle, Soft Pink Modern Buckle, Brown Modern Buck, and Stainless Steel Link Bracelet and Space Black Link Bracelet.

And if you're wondering why the Apple Watch Edition is so expensive, that'll be because of its 18-carat gold case available in yellow or rose gold. You'll even get a fancy leather box that doubles as a charging cradle. Bands for the Watch Edition include the White Sport Band, Black Sport Band, Black Classic Buckle, Midnight Blue Classic Buckle, Rose Grey Modern Buckle, Bright Red Modern Buckle.

Phew. That's a lot of options. And even more confusing is that some straps can't be purchased with certain sizes of Apple Watch. For example, the Modern Buckle isn't available for the larger model, and the Leather Loop isn't available for the smaller model.

You can swap straps at a later date, though. Apple sells the Watch straps separately in the Apple Store and third-party accessory makers will be selling their own too. 

It's worth noting that several owners of the Apple Watch Sport and even some owners of the Stainless Steel Apple Watch have complained of scratches and some have even smashed the screens within days of getting them. It sounds like it's not the most durable of devices, though we've yet to have any issues with our Apple Watch Sport review unit.

All three models come in two different size options. The first is designed for more dainty wrists, at 38mm high. The larger option has a 42mm high screen. You'll notice quite a significant difference between these two sizes, so we'd strongly recommend popping into an Apple Store before you buy to try on both sizes and see which suits you best.

We were surprised by how small the 38mm model looks, and many people have commented that it's smaller than they had imagined. Some people will consider that a good thing, but it does make it somewhat tricky to use, as the text, icons and apps are very small. It does mean that it's really light on the wrist, though, so you'll hardly notice it's there until you want to.

The Apple Watch is water resistant to the IPX7 standard, which technically means that the device shouldn't be damaged if it sat in up to one metre of water for up to 30 minutes, but Apple doesn't recommend trying it. Instead, Apple describes the Watch as "splash- and water-resistant but not waterproof" and suggests that you could wear it in the shower but don't take it swimming. We'll have to wait and see how well the Apple Watch holds out against water over time.

We think that the Apple Watch is a stunning device, but we are slightly disappointed that it isn't round. We love round smartwatches from the likes of LG, Motorola and most recently Huawei, because they blend in as an ordinary watch better. The Apple Watch is quite obviously a piece of tech stuck on your wrist, and that won't appeal to everyone (yet, but this is Apple we're talking about so we'll probably all be wearing them in a couple of years and won't think anything of it).

We do like the fact that there are so many different options, even if it does get a bit confusing. Knowing that there are 38 different options makes the choice you make even more personal.

APPLE WATCH REVIEW: SPECS

The Apple Watch's display has a resolution of 272x340 or 312x390 depending on whether you choose the 38mm or 42mm size option. We thought the screen quality was excellent during our testing.

The Apple Watch is powered by an Apple S1 processor, and we have found that it can be a little slow on occasions, particularly while using third-party apps.


As can be expected from wearable tech, there are several sensors in the Apple Watch that enable the fitness tracking features. There's a gyroscope, an accelerometer and a heart rate monitor. There's no GPS, though: the Apple Watch relies on the iPhone for that part. That means you'll need your iPhone with you if you plan on tracking a run, which is a bit of a shame.

Prior to its launch, the battery life of the Apple Watch was a bit of a concern, and unfortunately those concerns haven't been completely put to rest now that the Apple Watch is here. Apple claims it'll last for 18 hours of normal use, which it says is 'all-day battery life'.


But our first day with the Apple Watch was disappointing. By 6.15pm, our iPhone had run out of battery (we later found it was the Apple Watch app that was guzzling up its fuel) and just half an hour later the Apple Watch gave up the ghost. Admittedly, we think we were using it a little more than we would normally as we were getting to know all of its features, but it's disappointing nonetheless. We'll update this review with more information about the battery life once we've spent some more time with the Watch to find out whether things improve once we get more used to using the device.

For now though, we've put together a list of tips that should help you make the Apple Watch battery last longer.

Charging takes around two and a half hours, and works with an inductive magnetic charger that snaps onto the back of the Watch itself.


There's no camera in the Apple Watch, but it can be used as a remote for the camera on your iPhone.

APPLE WATCH FEATURES: WHAT CAN THE APPLE WATCH DO?

We've determined that the Apple Watch is a good-looking piece of kit, but what can it actually do?

Well first things first you're going to need an iPhone 5 or later in order to use the Apple Watch, and you're going to need to download the dedicated Apple Watch app (if you've updated to the latest version of iOS 8 you'll find that you've already got it).
INTERACTING WITH THE APPLE WATCH


The Apple Watch runs Apple's own software, with some familiar elements taken from iOS in addition to many new ones. Interacting with the Apple Watch is an all-new experience, with new Force Touch technology that helps it determine when you're tapping and pressing, a physical button called the Digital Crown that can be pressed and scrolled, a second button that takes you to the Friends screen and also voice control using Siri.

Siri can be used to search, set reminders, dictate messages, get directions and more. It's as easy as raising your wrist and saying "Hey, Siri" followed by your command.

There's also Taptic Feedback, which uses vibrations that'll tap you on the wrist for alerts, directions and more. You can even send others your heartbeat and they'll feel it tapping on their wrist (sickeningly romantic, isn't it?).

With all of those ways of interacting with the Apple Watch, it's certainly going to take a bit of getting used to. You'll need to spend some time getting to know your Apple Watch to figure out whether you need to tap, scroll, swipe, push or speak to get the job done. You'll find lots of Apple Watch tutorials in our sister site Macworld's Apple Watch section.

APPLE WATCH REVIEW: NOTIFICATIONS

While wearing the Apple Watch, you'll get notifications for emails from VIPs, text messages, social media alerts and more. Apple has designed the Apple Watch interface with little snippets of information that the company calls 'Glances'. They're mini versions of apps that aim to let you get the information you need within seconds – Apple says you shouldn't need to spend more than 10 – 15 seconds looking at your watch at a time.

If you are the kind of person who likes to constantly check their iPhone for notifications, then the Apple Watch could be a time saver, as you'll simply need to glance at your wrist. But equally, if you'd prefer an occasional bit of peace and quiet away from the digital world filled with Facebook and Twitter and email, getting tapped on the wrist every time a notification arrives is probably not a good idea, so we'd suggest that the Apple Watch (or any smartwatch, for that matter), isn't going to be for you.

APPLE WATCH REVIEW: APPS

Apple's Apple Watch apps include Messages, Mail, Weather, Maps, Calendar, Passbook, Music, Photos and more. Apple doesn't intend for you to use the Apple Watch for web browsing, though, so Safari is notably absent.

Maps is among the most useful of Apple's apps, bringing turn-by-turn directions to your wrist. It's much more convenient than getting out your iPhone and by using the Taptic feedback to tell you whether to turn left or right, you won't need to look at a screen anywhere near as much, and can concentrate more on what's going on around you. 

You can use the Apple Watch to answer and make phone calls thanks to the built-in microphone and speaker, but we doubt you'll want to, particularly if you're outside or in a public place where everyone will be able to hear both sides of the conversation. If you're somewhere quiet you might find that it works well, but the quality isn't great at all.

There's also the ability to reply to text messages using smart responses or dictation, which we found worked well but again, only if you're in a quiet place and only if you speak very clearly.

Third party developers have been busy creating apps for the Apple Watch, incorporating Glances and the 10 – 15 second idea into the design. Apps range from hotel apps that let you use your Apple Watch as a key to apps that help you find your car in the car park.

There are even games designed for the Apple Watch, though we don't image we'll spend much time using our Apple Watch for gaming.  Facebook, Twitter, Shazam, CityMapper, TripAdvisor and more have confirmed that they're creating Glances for the Apple Watch.

It's such third-party apps that'll make the difference between whether it's worth buying or not, and it'll differ between each and every individual. Before you decide to invest your £299 or more in the Apple Watch, it's important to think about what you plan on using it for. Do you want to use it to remotely control various internet-connected devices around your home, for example? If yes, you'll need to check whether there's an app available to let you do that to find out whether the Apple Watch is worth buying for you.

But as mentioned in the specs section, we found most third-party apps to be annoyingly slow and often buggy. We're sure they'll improve over time, but for the moment it can be particularly frustrating. So much for that 10-15 seconds at a time thing, Apple.
Right now, we don't think there's a killer app on the Apple Watch that would make us feel like it's worth the £299 or more it costs. We think that app will arrive eventually, but right now we're still waiting.

Apps are all downloaded by first installing them on your iPhone and syncing with your Apple Watch. Apps can be reorganised on your Apple Watch home screen using the Apple Watch app on your iPhone, too.

APPLE WATCH REVIEW: FITNESS TRACKING

Apple has also come up with new Apple Watch specific apps for fitness tracking, something we've come to expect from smartwatches what with the rise in fitness and activity tracking wrist-bands from the likes of Fitbit and Jawbone.

The fitness tracking features are made possible thanks to the heart-rate sensor and accelerometer. As mentioned previously, GPS is also utilised but the Apple Watch uses the iPhone to gather that information – there's no GPS built-in.

The first of Apple's apps is Activity, which features three rings that represent Move, Stand and Exercise. Move shows you how many calories you've burned. Stand measures how often you get up off your bottom, and will prompt you to do so should you remain sitting for an hour without getting up. And Exercise measures activities that it considers to be as strenuous or more strenuous than a brisk walk. When the rings are full in the Activity app, you've met your target (which you can set with factors including calories, time or distance. Apple will use your sex, age, weight, height and general activity level to make target recommendations, but you can adjust them as you please) and you'll earn an achievement.

The Workout app takes things a bit further, tracking your workouts whether you're running, walking, cycling and more. It'll measure how far you travelled, how fast you moved and how long you were working out for. And for iPhone 6 or iPhone 6 Plus owners, it'll also measure elevation thanks to the built-in barometer in Apple's latest smartphone. It'll keep all of this information in the companion app on your iPhone so you can track your progress over weeks and months.

The Apple Watch will monitor your heartrate throughout the day, even if you've not asked it to, which it does to help estimate how many calories you've burned and when you've been doing what it considers to be "excursive" but we're not convinced that it's completely accurate. We'll be carrying out further tests on the heartrate monitor soon and will update this review once we've determined just how accurate (or inaccurate as the case may be) the Apple Watch is. 

APPLE WATCH FEATURES: APPLE PAY

Additionally, the Apple Watch features an NFC chip that will allow you to use it with Apple Pay, Apple's secure mobile payment system. Unfortunately, though, Apple Pay still hasn't made its way to the UK so we might have to wait a while until we can use that functionality here.

When it does arrive, though, we imagine it'll be brilliantly handy not to have to dig around in a bag or pocket to get out our purse or wallet at the checkout in a shop. You'll be able to touch your wrist to an Apple Pay supported reader to pay in seconds.

APPLE WATCH FEATURES: TIME

Of course, the Apple Watch can also tell you the time. There are lots of different (software-based) watch faces to choose from, some of which you can see below, and you can quickly and easily change it whenever you fancy.

More: http://www.pcadvisor.co.uk/review/smart-watches/apple-watch-review-iwatch-design-features-apps-3607916/

Apple in 2016: Is the mighty iPhone in decline?

Apple's investors are spooked.

Despite a rip-roaring 2015, something peculiar happened this month: Apple's stock value dropped to below $100 for the first time since October 2014.

That was down from a high of just over $132 last May.

As I write this, it's rallying on account of some decent rumours - but it's on Tuesday we'll truly know if 2016 is going to be a tough one for the tech giant.
On the one hand, we're expecting an amazing Christmas with record-breaking revenues, yet again.

But it's Apple's guidance for what to expect in the months to come that investors will be eagerly awaiting. It's here where the company outlines its worries, the issues that keeps it awake at night (or at least, stressed out in the boardroom).

New business

According to the latest figures Apple has shared - from October - sales of the smartphone make up 63% of the company's entire revenue. That's before you factor in all the people who then go on to buy apps, subscribe to Apple Music, and do any number of other things with their phone from which Apple takes a cut.

Its other major products don't even come close. The Mac range has bucked a huge industry-wide decline but still only accounts for 13%. The iPad, meanwhile, represents 8% - though this may get a boost thanks to the recently launched iPad Pro, the bigger version sold alongside a keyboard and little stylus.

Apple's major new product of recent times has been the Apple Watch. Yet we're still none-the-wiser about how successful that has been, as its performance is lumped into the "other" category, which includes sales of the iPod, Beats headphones and various other things.


Analysts believe the Apple Watch is the bestselling smartwatch, but can only estimate its sales figures
Collectively, the "other" products were worth 6% in total.

The watch will have likely been a good performer at Christmas, so Apple may begin to shed some light on how well it is doing. But we'll have to wait and see.
The reliance on the iPhone is what worries investors most. Apple has plenty of repeat business - once hooked in, data shows people are far more likely to stick with Apple than change to another brand like Samsung - but it's now seeing a plateau when it comes to bringing in new customers.

'Bet the house'

Which is why China is so important.

Apple now makes more money in China than it does in the whole of Europe, and it's well on course to overtake the US.

"If China falls so does Apple," says Apple investor Daniel Ives, from FBR Capital Markets.

Apple opened its second store in the Chinese city of Nanjing in January

"They've really bet the house on the China growth opportunity."

Almost all of Apple's gains last year were thanks to Chinese expansion - new stores, and new customers who, until fairly recently, had to make do with awful knock-off imitations of the real deal.

But instability in the Chinese economy has rocked global markets. If China continues underperforming, it may be hard for Apple to continue that growth long-term.

But for the majority of investors and analysts, China doesn't represent a problem - yet.

It's still likely to be Apple's huge growth opportunity throughout 2016.
Case in point: there are currently only 30 Apple stores across the whole of China. California has 53.

Data suggests Apple's primary target in China, the middle classes, are still emptying their pockets with glee - particularly when it comes to buying Apple products.

Predicting the future

Trying to predict Apple's future is a dangerous habit.

It rarely ends well - just ask ex-Microsoft boss Steve "the-iPhone-is-not-a-good-email-machine" Ballmer. And everyone at Blackberry. And Nokia.


Sales of Windows-powered smartphones have lagged far behind those running Apple's iOS
But speculate we must, and here's a summary for what investors and analysts think could happen in 2016.

• The iPhone 7 will come out - possibly without a headphone jack - and give iPhone sales a massive kick. (And perhaps headphones sales too, come to think of it.)
• A new budget iPhone — called the "5SE" - will hit the developing world. This may be a prime product for markets like India where, we learned this week, the company has applied to open up its own-brand stores too.
• China will become even more important and show little sign of slowing down, at least where Apple is concerned.
• A big acquisition will provide an express route for Apple into a new area. Apple investor Daniel Ives told the BBC that buying Netflix, for one example, would "get Wall Street the most excited".

more: http://www.bbc.com/news/technology-35401668

Apple customers complain of apps crashing with latest iPhone, iPad software

In what appears to be a repeat of last year's problems, some customers say the update to Apple's mobile software, iOS 9, has hurt battery life and caused apps to shut down.

Apple's new iPhone and iPad software comes with better battery life and a new Siri interface. It might also come with bugs.

Apple customers are reporting on Twitter and other online forums that apps on their mobile devices are crashing when they update the operating system to iOS 9. iOS 9, the latest version of Apple's software for iPhones and iPads, rolled out to consumers on Wednesday.

"iOS 9 was cool, but now all my apps keep crashing so now I hate it," tweeted Isaac Miltimore.


The problems bring back memories of Apple's iOS 8 update last year, which caused certain devices to experience buggy Wi-Fi and decreased battery life. Subsequent updates to fix the software ended up creating their own problems. These problems aren't rare -- Apple pulled its WatchOS update for its Watch because a bug, and issues often arise with the introduction of new software.


"The big picture here though is that this is the standard environment for a new operating system launch," said Piper Jaffray analyst Gene Munster. "There are always going to be a spectrum of bugs but they should be solved within a few days."

Since Apple's official iOS 9 launch, the adoption rate of the new operating system is a little more than 20 percent, according to Mixpanel, a third-party mobile analytics firm. So far, the latest version is being adopted at a faster rate than previous operating systems.

Munster expects numbers to keep growing despite the reported bugs, which would allow the Cupertino, Calif., company to solve them more quickly. "Apple can't get an OS to be stable until they have the full force of their base using it," he said, noting that any glitches are likely the result of the combination of apps and hardware on users' phones. As users send diagnostic information back to Apple after downloading the iOS 9 upgrade, Apple will be better able to fix the bugs.

Yet customers didn't hesitate voicing their grievances. Here are a few more related tweets:

• "This iOS 9 update... App crashing and ugly fonts." --@stephayson
• "Y'all updated to iOS 9 for the extra hour of battery but you'll regret it when it starts getting laggy and crashing" --@Nycphoria_186
• "Outlook app is crashing after iOS 9 update. Had to uninstall and reinstall the app to get it to work again." --@bananza
• "Does anyone else have apps that keep crashing after you got IOS 9???" --@emm_zeddis

iOS 9 incorporates changes that make iPhones and iPads more able to predict an owner's needs and interests. For example, based on user habits, a device can load up music selections ahead of a regular morning runs, or automatically suggest apps. iOS 9 also improves battery life and gives the Siri voice assistant a new interface, allowing it to remind a user of appointments without being told to ahead of time.

See More: http://www.cnet.com/news/apple-customers-complain-of-apps-crashing-with-ios-9-update/