Apple Seeds Second WatchOS 2.2 Beta to Developers

Apple today seeded the second beta of an upcoming watchOS 2.2 update to developers, two weeks after seeding the first watchOS 2.2 beta and more than a month after releasing watchOS 2.1, the first major update to the watchOS 2 operating system that runs on the Apple Watch.

The second watchOS 2.2 beta can be downloaded through the dedicated Apple Watch app on an iPhone running the iOS 9.3 beta by going to General –> Software update. To install the update, the Apple Watch must have 50 percent battery, it must be placed on the Apple Watch charger, and it must be in range of the iPhone.

watchOS 2.2, along with iOS 9.3, introduces support for pairing multiple Apple Watches with a single iPhone. Both updates are required, with each watch running watchOS 2.2 and each iPhone running iOS 9.3.

There are were no other obvious outward-facing changes introduced in the first watchOS 2.2 beta aside from an update to the Maps app, but the update undoubtedly includes under-the-hood performance updates and bug fixes to address issues that have been discovered since the release of watchOS 2.1.

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Review: Pad & Quill’s Lowry Cuff Is a Well-Made Apple Watch Band for Large Wrists

With its lineup of Apple Watch accessories launching since the device’s debut last year, Pad & Quill has been steadily expanding its roster of made-for-Apple products with new bands and docks. I’ve previously gotten my hands on the company’s Classic Watch Band and Timber Catchall and Timber Nightstand Apple Watch docks, and while some of them appealed to me more than others — the Timber Catchall was simply too large for me at the end of the day — the company’s quality was evident in everything I saw.

As a more masculine alternative to the Classic Watch Band, Pad & Quill has also started offering the $129.95 Lowry Leather Cuff for the Apple Watch, exclusively for the larger 42mm models. The design of the band extends slightly beyond the case of the Apple Watch itself, adding a stocky look to Apple’s already thick wearable device. The Lowry Cuff has a few minor quibbles that resurface on a daily basis (mainly centering around the accessory’s overall size), but they never overshadow Pad & Quill’s quality aesthetic, especially for anyone looking for a larger band like this.

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Apple’s Kevin Lynch Explains Method Behind Apple Watch’s Precise Timekeeping

One of the Apple Watch features Apple often highlights is the device’s precise timekeeping, which Apple says is within 50 milliseconds of the global time standard. Apple’s VP of Technology, Kevin Lynch, today spoke with Mashable and The Telegraph to share some details on how Apple achieves that level of accuracy.

Lynch told Mashable that the Apple Watch is so accurate that the hands of two Apple Watches placed next to one another will move in perfect unison. This is achieved primarily through 15 Network Time Protocol (NTP) servers that Apple has around the world, kept inside of buildings with GPS antennas that connect to GPS satellites broadcasting time data from the U.S. Naval Observatory in Washington, D.C. The Observatory houses an ultra accurate atomic clock, which uses electronic transition frequency to measure time.

Apple’s time servers communicate the time to iPhones across the world, and the iPhone in turn syncs with the Apple Watch via Bluetooth to provide the exact time. Communicating a GPS signal from a server to an iPhone to an Apple Watch over Bluetooth has its own delays, which Apple corrects for via software. Apple’s NTP servers make sure iPhones and Apple Watches keep time at “Stratum One” accuracy, within milliseconds of “Stratum Zero” devices.

Speaking to The Telegraph, Lynch also described the hardware inside of the Apple Watch that makes sure the time remains accurate. Each Apple Watch has a temperature-controlled crystal oscillator inside to combat time drift that clocks and watches see. The oscillator also makes sure the Apple Watch remains warm enough to keep accurate time in very cold climates. Thanks to this hardware, the Apple Watch is even more accurate than the iPhone.

“The second hand on every Apple Watch is perfectly in sync, and each device is accurate to 50 milliseconds of Co-ordinated Universal Time (UTC), the world’s time standard, which is below human perception, so when you look at it you can’t tell the difference,” he explains.

With New Year’s Eve approaching, Lynch says Apple Watch owners will have the most accurate watches in the room. “If you’re in a room on New Year’s Eve wearing one, you will be the best reference for when the New Year actually begins,” he said.

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Apple Watch Sport and Accessories Now Available at Walmart

Walmart has begun selling the Apple Watch Sport and accessories through its online store for U.S. customers. The discount retailer is currently only carrying 38mm and 42mm Sport models in Silver or Space Gray for $349 to $399 alongside the Apple Watch Sport Band and Apple Watch Magnetic Charging Cable.

Walmart joins a growing number of Apple Watch resellers carrying the wrist-worn device in the U.S. since its April launch, including Best Buy, B&H Photo, Maxfield, Sprint, Target, T-Mobile and dozens of other retailers nationwide. The device is not yet available in Walmart stores, but in-store pickup is available for online orders.

Unlike Best Buy, which is offering $100 off the Apple Watch Sport and Apple Watch, Walmart is not offering any discounts on the Apple Watch or accessories at this time. Best Buy, Colette and Target also offered Black Friday deals on the Apple Watch, leading to some discussion about how well the Apple Watch is selling.

Walmart offers free shipping on orders over $50 in the U.S., and in-store pickup is currently estimated to take about one week.

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Apple Planning March 2016 Event to Unveil Next-Generation Apple Watch, iPhone 6c Possible Too

Apple may be planning to host an event in March of 2016 to unveil the next-generation Apple Watch, reports 9to5Mac citing sources with knowledge of Apple’s plans. The updated device could then ship a month later in April, marking one full year between Apple Watch releases. Apple released the first-generation Apple Watch on April 24, 2015.

Rumors about the second-generation Apple Watch started leaking out well before the original Apple Watch launched, as there were health-related features Apple was forced to shelve because of inconsistent performance. Apple experimented with sensors for measuring things like skin conductivity, blood pressure, and blood oxygen, and some of these could make their way into the next-generation device following a year or work on improving the technology.

Apple CEO Tim Cook recently said the company’s efforts in the health arena would be conservative, because it does not want to deal with the FDA. “We don’t want to put the watch through the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) process,” he said.

Other features rumored for the next-generation Apple Watch include a front-facing FaceTime camera to allow Apple Watch users to make and receive FaceTime calls and a new Wi-Fi chip that may allow the Apple Watch to do more without a connection to an iPhone.

Today’s report on the Apple Watch also says the much-rumored iPhone 6c could also be unveiled at the event, in line with rumors that have pointed towards an early 2016 launch. The iPhone 6c is a next-generation lower-budget 4-inch phone designed to follow in the footsteps of the iPhone 5c. It’s rumored to include an aluminum shell, an upgraded A8 or A9 processor, Touch ID and Apple Pay support, and a curved edge cover glass like the iPhone 6.

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Apple Releases watchOS 2.1 With Improved Language Support, Bug Fixes

Apple today released a new software update for the Apple Watch, upgrading watchOS 2 from version 2.0.1 to version 2.1 The update comes six weeks after Apple first released watchOS 2.0.1 to the public and two and a half months since the public launch of watchOS 2, the first operating system upgrade for the Apple Watch.

The 2.1 update can be downloaded through the dedicated Apple Watch app on the iPhone by going to General –> Software Update. To install the update, the Apple Watch must have 50 percent battery, it must be placed on the Apple Watch charger, and it must be in range of the iPhone.

watchOS 2.1 includes a range of bug fixes to improve the performance of the device and it also includes support for several new languages. There’s now system language support for Arabic, Czech, Greek, Hebrew, Hungarian, Malay, Portuguese, and Vietnamese, along with expanded dictation and Siri support for several languages. Bug fixes address issues in Calendar, Power Reserve mode, third-party apps, and more.

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Apple Watch Sales Estimated at 3.9 Million in Third Quarter

The latest data from market research firm IDC estimates Apple Watch sales totaled 3.9 million worldwide in the third quarter of 2015, making it the second most popular wearable device behind Fitbit fitness trackers during the three-month period ending September 30.

Apple posted a slight increase from the previous quarter, mostly the result of additional markets and channels coming on line. End-user attention has been going toward its entry-level and least expensive Sport line, to which Apple responded by introducing gold and rose gold models. In addition, Apple released watchOS 2, bringing native third-party applications to the device.

Fitbit shipped an estimated 4.7 million fitness trackers for 22.2% market share in the third quarter, compared to Apple’s estimated 18.6% market share. Apple Watch shipments grew over IDC’s second quarter estimate of 3.6 million, but both Apple and Fitbit ceded some market share to Xiaomi and other vendors.

Chinese rival Xiaomi remained in third place with an estimated 3.7 million wearables shipped in the quarter, representing 17.4% market share. Garmin and BBK rounded off the top five with 900,000 (4.1%) and 700,000 (3.1%) wearables shipped respectively, while all other vendors accounted for a combined 7.3 million shipments and 34.6% market share.

IDC estimates that wearable shipments totaled 21 million worldwide in the second quarter, growth of 197.6% compared to the 7.1 million units shipped in the year-ago quarter. IDC said the average smartwatch price was around $400, while basic bands and trackers averaged $94. China continues to be the fastest-growing wearables market, especially for lower-priced fitness trackers.

Apple has not disclosed Apple Watch sales numbers since the device launched in April, instead grouping the wrist-worn accessory with iPod, Apple TV and Beats Electronics accessories under an “Other Products” category in quarterly earnings reports. But when asked, Apple CEO Tim Cook and other executives consistently remain upbeat about current sales.

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Remarkable Deal: Colette Offering 50% Off Many Apple Watch Models

French boutique retailer Colette has launched an online sale offering many stainless steel Apple Watch and 18-karat gold Apple Watch Edition models for around 50% off, by far the lowest prices available for those Apple Watch models this Black Friday and Cyber Monday. Due to the significant savings, stock will likely be depleted very quickly.

A total of thirteen Apple Watch and six Apple Watch Edition models have been listed for half price, although some models appear to have already sold out. Colette is also selling individual stainless steel Link Bracelets and Milanese Loops for half price during the limited time promotion.

The list below compares Apple’s regular price to Colette’s sale price for each Apple Watch model. All prices are listed in U.S. dollars.

Apple Watch

– 38mm Stainless Steel Case with White Sport Band – $549 → $286.78

– 42mm Stainless Steel Case with White Sport Band – $599 → $308.87

– 38mm Stainless Steel Case with (PRODUCT)RED Sport Band – $549 → $286.78

– 42mm Stainless Steel Case with (PRODUCT)RED Sport Band – $599 → $308.87

– 42mm Stainless Steel Case with Black Sport Band – $599 → $308.87

– 38mm Space Black Stainless Steel Case with Black Sport Band – $549 → $286.78

– 38mm Stainless Steel Case with Black Classic Buckle – $649 → $330.96

– 42mm Stainless Steel Case with Black Classic Buckle – $699 → $353.06

– 38mm Stainless Steel Case with Milanese Loop – $649 → $330.96

– 38mm Stainless Steel Case with Link Bracelet – $949 → $485.62

– 42mm Stainless Steel Case with Link Bracelet – $999 → $507.71

– 38mm Space Black w/ Space Black Stainless Steel Link Bracelet – $1,049 → $529.80

– 42mm Space Black w/ Space Black Stainless Steel Link Bracelet – $1,099 → $551.91

Apple Watch Edition

– 38mm 18-Carat Rose Gold Case with White Sport Band – $10,000 → $4,860.62

– 38mm 18-Carat Yellow Gold Case w/ Bright Red Modern Buckle – $17,000 → $7,953.75

– 42mm 18-Carat Yellow Gold Case with Black Classic Buckle – $15,000 → $7,070

– 38mm 18-Carat Yellow Gold Case with Black Sport Band – $10,000 → $4,860.62

– 42mm 18-Carat Yellow Gold Case with Black Sport Band – $12,000 → $5,744.38

– 42mm 18-Carat Rose Gold Case with White Sport Band – $12,000 → $5,744.38

Colette offers online checkout for in-stock Apple Watch models and accessories, with American Express, MasterCard, Visa and PayPal as accepted payment methods. Each Apple Watch listing has a maximum quantity allowed for purchase of one.

Best Buy and Target are also offering Apple Watch deals for select models on Black Friday, including the Apple Watch Sport, which is not on sale through Colette. Deals may vary depending on time, location and product availability.

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