5 Surprising Benefits of the New Apple Watches

Apple’s new Apple Watches just became available through pre-ordering last month.  Over 957,000 people bought an Apple watch, with the average order totaling $503.83*.  According to e-receipt data, 62% bought the cheaper Sport model and of all Apple Watch buyers, 72% had purchased an Apple product in the last 24 months.

With pre-order sales strong, you can expect sales to continue to soar as more inventory becomes available.  Now Apple, along with Samsung and other smartwatch makers, are officially in the game to convince consumers to wear a watch once again.  According to a survey conducted by YouGov.com,  only 32% of the population wears a watch.  This represents a large opportunity to outfit peoples’ wrists with flashy technology.

Apple Watches

Apple is offering three different types of Apple watches:

1.  Watch Sport – made with aluminum casing $349 – $399

2.  Watch– made with stainless steel casing $549-$1,099

3.  Watch Edition – made with either yellow or rose gold $10,000-$17,000

So for the fashion-conscious who have money to splurge, they can dazzle their wrists with an Apple watch with gold pizzazz for a more unique look.  Swiss watchmakers have proven that consumers are willing to spend this much for a watch.

Apple has come out of the gate with over 3,000 apps already available to upload to their Apple watches.  Together with the apps that come with the watch pre-installed, the Apple Watch will definitely make your life more convenient by helping you to…

1.  Easily know what time it is

2.  Accept phone calls and speak straight from your watch

3.  Benotified of incoming calls, texts, and emails

4.  Keep track and be reminded of appointments

5.  Remotely take pictures on your phone with your watch

6.  Keep track of every step with its built-in pedometer

7.  Listen to music

8.  Track your run

The list goes on.  With smartwatches being around now for a couple of years, thanks to Samsung’s Galaxy Gear, all these features are things you expect from a smartwatch.  But with over 3,000 available apps and the fact that Apple is known for their innovation, there are a number of features the new Apple watches have that go beyond the typical smartwatch, like…

1.  Connect More Intimately With Others

Sure, the Apple Watch can notify you when you receive email’s and texts, but it can go much more personal than that.  With its Digital Touch feature, you now have a fun way to spontaneously connect with other Apple Watch wears.  After setting up your special friends or loved ones, you can let them know you’re thinking of them by sending a silent gentle pattern that they will feel on their wrists.  Send different taps to different people if you’d like.  Or, with your finger you can draw a quick design and send it over.  Your friend/loved one will see the animation and can send one back.

Want more?  You can even send your heartbeat over, showing a heart animation with your exact heart rate beating, as taken by the built-in heart rate sensor.  Or send an animated emoji.  Customize your emoji’s face with your finger to change it’s mood.  Emoji’s or virbational taps are a great way to let your husband know you’re thinking of him and take just seconds to send.

2.  Pay For Things Faster 

Forget reaching for your wallet, as Apple Pay grows, you can simply tap your wrist on the credit card terminal in-store to pay for purchases using your credit or debit card.  Purchase clothes, coffee, groceries, and more securely from your wrist.  Credit card numbers are stored securely in a dedicated chip in the Apple Watch…not on Apple servers.  No longer will your credit card number be available to see in public view, since transactions will occur digitally.

Worried about losing your watch and someone making purchases with it?  No worries.  The Apple Watch comes with a passcode.  Every time you take your watch off and put it back on, you need to enter the passcode to gain access to it.  You can also go to iCloud.com at any time to stop the ability to make payments from your Watch.

3.  No Longer Lose Your Way!

Ever walked the streets of New York and not have a clue how to get to a restaurant?  Or driven in downtown Los Angeles and been to frazzled and distracted to reach for your phone to help you get to where you’re going?  You can use the Apple Watch to get you where you’re going by showing you the best route.  It’s turn-by-turn navigation uses a tap on your wrist to let you know when to turn right or left.  See where to go right on your wrist to help keep your eyes on the road better during a stressful time.

I’ve been lost in San Francisco before trying to walk to my hotel from the BART and ended up in the bad area of town.  Lugging my large suitcase behind me, my other hand was on my phone trying to find my way.  It was obvious I was lost.  Having an Apple Watch giving me directions would have been more discrete and more effective.

The Citymapper app can be downloaded too to help you find your way using public transit.  Find the fastest route to where you want to go and the app provides step-by-step instructions to help you catch the nearest train or bus…complete with the arrival times of the next three trains/busses.

Apple watches will also help you find what you’re looking for, just ask Siri on your watch for a nearby restaurant, gas station, or Starbucks!

4. Flight Ticket?  Hotel Room Key?  Check!

Source: Apple.com

With the new SPG Watch app, you will no longer need a hotel room key to get into your Starwood Hotel & Resorts room.  Simply unlock the door with your watch.  The app also helps you get to your hotel, see reservation details, and check on your Starpoints balance.

Using Apple’s Passbook app, you can keep all of your boarding passes, Ticketmaster tickets, Fandango movie tickets, and a number of loyalty cards close at hand.  Have a lot of loyalty cards but forget to use them?  No problem, Passbook will alert you to remind you to use them.  Loyalty cards and ticket companies include are Kroger, Pinkberry, Starbucks, Walgreens, Fandango, Eventbrite, Ticketmaster, AAA, Gyft, Living Social, Target, Home Depot, and many of the most popular airlines.

With the American Airlines Watch app, you can even view the flight map of your trip while in the air, showing the remaining time till travel as well as connection and baggage claim details.

5.  Remote Control Bliss

Apple TV lover?  Do you sometimes misplace the little Apple remote that comes with it?  With the Apple Watch, you can scroll through the main menu and easily choose whatever you care to watch.  In the mood for music?  You can also control your iTunes Libary and iTunes Radio straight from your iPhone or computer!

The Apple Watch can also act as a viewfinder for your iPhone.  Place your iPhone somewhere and you can see what your iPhone sees straight from your watch.  Take a selfie, group photo, or even a time lapse of your party or sleeping baby.

And the ability to remote control things doesn’t stop here.  Apple is already working with their HomeKit to offer control for lighting, music, even the opening and closing of your garage door.  In fact, BMW has already created an app for their BMI i app which allows electric BMW drivers to receive notifications when their car is fully charged.  Using the Apple Watch, they will even be able to adjust the cabin temperature so it’s just right before hopping into the car.

Look forward to more remote control opportunities as the Apple Watch platform takes off.

As you can see, Apple has upped their game with their entry into the smartwatch arena by providing unique valuable services all available from the convenience of your wrist.  Forget about digging in your purse for your smartphone, you can do it all from your Apple Watch.  Expect to see more and more people move to smartwatches as the market begins to soar with Apple’s introduction.

Worried about the initial $349 price tag?  You can be sure that there will be an Apple Watch 2.  When  this happens next year, you’ll be able to snag an original Apple Watch  for a more palatable price.  What Apple Watch features are you most interested in?

* Slice Intelligence