Some further details on Apple's
new Watch device have come out that were not mentioned during the public presentation on Monday, one of which is a detail that further points out how unlike most technology devices the Apple Watch really is: the device actually has very little room for standalone storage. As we reported prior to the event, the Apple Watch (all versions) has just 8GB of independent storage, with only 2GB available for music and just 75MB allocated for photos. The rest, presumably, is for the operating system and apps.
This is not expected to be a notable issue, however. The Apple Watch will, generally, rely on the iPhone to supply music -- the 2GB is available just to store some extra tunes for when the iPhone is not available (such as on a run). As was widely disseminated during the introduction of Apple's first wearable, the iPod shuffle, 2GB is enough to hold between 400-500 songs, which at an average four minute playing time would yield between 27 and 33.5 hours' worth of non-repeating compressed music (such as MP3 or AAC).
Watch can store some music, photos directly
The 75MB for photos seems more stingy, but Apple has likely built in an optimizer to the photo importer for the Watch, resulting in very small file sizes for stored pictures (again, the Apple Watch will primarily use the tethered iPhone for photos, but this is for independent storage). We took a 5MB JPEG photo and scaled it for 312x390 (the size of the display on the 42mm Apple Watch) at 75 percent quality, resulting in a file that was just 45K. This works out to about 1,500 such pictures capable of being stored in the 75MB space. In short, this is probably not a big deal for most buyers, and despite the sound of the specs, is actually very generous in terms of space compared to most smartwatches produced so far.
Apple will offer battery replacement for Apple Watch
One of the criticisms that has come up about the Apple Watch is about its price. People coming from both the tech community and the classic watch community have expressed concern that the device may need to be replaced every few years, whereas most watches -- particularly those bought on the upper pricing scale -- are intended to last decades. Apple has said little about this aspect, but now it has been revealed that the battery, at least, is
officially replaceable when it ages or goes bad, reports
TechCrunch. Pricing on the replacement is currently unknown, as is whether the Apple Watch will be eligible for some form of AppleCare.
This has lead some to speculate that the controller module itself, the S1, may also be replaceable -- opening up the possibility that some or all models of Apple Watch could simply "upgrade" to any replacement or improved processors as time goes on, making the watch case itself perhaps the only permanent part of the device. While in consumer-grade electronics such a concept is practically anathema, Apple's environmental focus and its ability to charge for such a replacement might well make the concept worth considering, assuming the module (or display, for that matter) can be substituted.
Former Apple CEO John Sculley calls Apple Watch 'impressive'
Former Apple CEO John Sculley, who was part of the board that ousted co-founder Steve Jobs and introduced innovations like the Newton and the Apple QuickTake, was quick to praise Tim Cook and the Apple Watch during a brief interview on CNBC on Tuesday. Calling the device "extraordinarily impressive technically and design-wise," he went on to say that "there really has been nothing in consumer electronics that has been this sophisticated a product."
"It's all part of a long game that Tim Cook is playing, very smartly," Sculley said. "Think of this in terms of an ecosystem expansion." He went on to compare it to when Walt Disney created Disneyland -- and the concept of a theme park -- he created an attraction that people could visit and see in a day or two. With the full plan for Walt Disney World near Orlando, Florida, Disney created a vacation destination that could keep families visiting for a week or longer.
"I think that is what Tim Cook is doing: he's taking the Apple Watch and [integrating it] back into the iPhone 6 ... and he's building out new ways to separate Apple away from Samsung and Google ... as that industry commoditizes."
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