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Apple Watch - page 54

Next Apple Watch might be plus-size

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2018 Apple Watch
Raise to wake might finally be coming to an end.
Photo: Ste Smith/Cult of Mac

Apple Watch isn’t just growing in sales — it’s about to grow in size, too. At least, that’s the prediction of an analyst with long track record for accuracy.

A larger display would make room for a bigger battery. Apple likely will build new health features into its updated wearable as well.

Spotify could finally come to Apple Watch at WWDC

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Snowy-Spotify-Apple-Watch
Spotify hired Andrew Chang, creator of a third-party Spotify app for watchOS, last April.
Photo: Snowy

Spotify will finally deliver its first Apple Watch app this year, according to a new report.

It could get an official reveal at the Worldwide Developers Conference in June alongside “StreamKit,” a new framework for watchOS 5 that will boost the cellular Apple Watch’s standalone capabilities.

Apple Watch can detect serious heart problem

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Apple Watch alerts user of irregular heart rhythms in sleep
Apple Watch alerts user of irregular heart rhythms in sleep
Photo: Apple

Apple Watch can accurately detect atrial fibrillation, a serious heart condition that is a leading cause of stroke, and could also help identify if you’re at risk of a apple watch heart attack.

This advanced feature remains in testing. However, a new medical study offers proof that wearables can do far more than simply track fitness. In fact, they could actually keep the wearer alive.

Apple developing its own ‘MicroLED’ displays for future devices

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iphone
MicroLED could eventually replace OLED displays on Apple devices.
Photo: Apple

Apple reportedly operates a secret manufacturing plant in California where it produces MicroLED displays, a new type of screen that could make future gadgets “slimmer, brighter and less power-hungry.”

Right now, the company is said to still be in the testing phase, manufacturing small quantities of the displays. The tech likely won’t arrive for years. But by developing its own custom displays, Apple could further differentiate its devices from rival products.

Fitbit CFO: I don’t know anyone who’s passionate about Apple Watch

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apple watch
Just not a product that inspires passion, apparently.
Photo: Ste Smith/Cult of Mac

Apple constantly wins plaudits for being a brand consumers feel passionate about, but Fitbit Chief Financial Officer Bill Zerella doesn’t think that applies to the Apple Watch.

Speaking at the recent Roth Investment Conference in Laguna Beach, California, Zerella said that, “I have yet to meet anyone who owns an Apple Watch who’s passionate about the product.”

The iconic Speidel Twist-O-Flex bracelet for Apple Watch [Review]

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speidel
Speidel's classic Twist-O-Flex bracelet is now available in Satin Black for Apple Watch.
Photo: Speidel

Best List: Speidel Twist-O-Flex stainless steel Apple Watch band

My grandfather, who fought in World War II, wore a beautiful mechanical watch. It had an eye-catching expansion band — a stainless steel link bracelet that stretched like elastic. He always took it off to play cricket, and I remember it dangled loosely around my skinny kid’s wrist when I tried it on. He loved that watch, and so did I.

Now I’m wearing a similar expansion bracelet on my Apple Watch courtesy of Speidel, the storied watch-band maker from Providence, Rhode Island. Introduced in the late 1950s, Speidel’s Twist-O-Flex Stainless bracelets are some of the most iconic bands in all of watchmaking. Now they’re available in three finishes for the Apple Watch.

New Fitbit Versa takes aim at Apple Watch

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Fitbit Versa
Fitbit Versa is likely to become a top competitor for Apple Watch.
Photo: Fitbit

Fitbit is stepping up to compete better with the Apple Watch with the Versa smartwatch. The new wearable looks similar to Apple’s watch, and offers music playback and other capabilities. Plus, it arrives at a lower price point — just under $200.

The Versa’s unveiling comes just after Apple surpassed Fitbit in the wearables market. Apparently, people want much more from their devices than just counting steps.

Take your running to new heights with the altimeter in Apple Watch Series 3

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Use segments to log your rest intervals doing HIIT workouts
Use segments to log your rest intervals doing HIIT workouts
Photo: Graham Bower/Cult of Mac

Are you taking full advantage of all the neat new features in your shiny Series 3 Apple Watch? Cellular connectivity grabbed the headlines, but that isn’t the only hardware addition Cupertino managed to cram into a wearable that was already bristling with sensors.

Apple Watch Series 3 models also boast a barometric altimeter. If you think you don’t need one of those, think again. The altimeter makes Series 3 watches the ideal companion for hill workouts. That’s a type of training you really should be doing but probably aren’t.

Apple Watch band detects dangerous potassium levels without drawing blood

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KardiaBand Apple Watch
KardiaBand can diagnose hyperkalemia with 94 percent accuracy.
Photo: AliveCore

A new Apple Watch band can detect dangerous levels of potassium in your blood without the use of needles.

KardiaBand takes an electrocardiogram, then uses a specially designed algorithm to identify abnormal patterns. AliveCor says its Apple Watch band can detect hyperkalemia with 94 percent accuracy. Such a diagnosis usually would require invasive blood tests

Hands on with Ottm’s wonderful wooden Apple Watch bands [Video]

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ottm
The Ottm wooden Apple Watch band in Gabonese Zebrawood.
Photo: Ottm

In the world of watch straps, we think Ottm, a manufacturer of wooden Apple Watch bands, offers one of the best unboxing experiences.

The box itself is plain and simple, but the package is thoughtfully designed, containing extra links and a pin removal tool that makes it very easy to adjust your new band.

The bands are awesome, too. Made from zebrawood and/or sandalwood, each hand-finished strap is eye-catching, comfortable and unique.

We made a video to show you what to expect. And, check out Ottm’s wooden Apple Watch bands in the Watch Store.

Week’s best Apple deals: Get all-time low prices on iPads and iMacs!

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9.7-inch iPad
Get the best prices we've ever seen on these iPads and iMacs.
Photo: Apple

There are great deals, and then there are great deals. These are the latter kind: Right now, you can get the best prices we’ve ever seen on certain iPads and iMacs. Or you can score a $60 cash card when you purchase an Apple Watch from a certain retailer. You’ll find those great buys and more in this week’s roundup of the best Apple deals.

A stunning 2/3 of Apple devices ever sold remain in use

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Apple Customer Satisfaction
Customers keep using Mac, iPad, iPhone, and Apple Watch
Photo: Cult of Mac

Apple’s devices don’t end up in the rubbish bin very often. In fact, an analyst determined that about 64 percent of iPhones, iPads, Macs and Apple Watches ever sold remain in active use.

This might be the most accurate way of measuring just how satisfied people are with Apple’s products. Far better than customer surveys!

10 Apple Watch Series 3 bands our Watch Store customers love

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best apple watch straps
These are some of the best-selling straps for Apple Watch — bands we personally love and recommend for their quality, craftsmanship, value and style.
Photo: Ste Smith/Cult of Mac

Whether you got the Apple Watch Series 3 or just want to up the game of an older model, we’ve got you covered with our Watch Store customers’ favorite bands. These are some of the best-selling straps for Apple Watch — bands we personally love and recommend for their quality, craftsmanship, value and style.

All of the newest bands and many more from each brand are available in our Watch Store. Read on to check out 10 customer favorites.

Fitbit’s next Apple Watch competitor doesn’t look too ugly

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Fitbit Blaze 2
This could be the upcoming Blaze 2.
Photo: Wareable

The Apple Watch might finally be getting some worthy competition from Fitbit.

Images of Fitbit’s new wearable leaked online this week and even though it doesn’t pack all the features of Apple Watch Series 3, it actually looks pretty decent.

Take a look at the lineup:

Apple Watch can now track snowboarding and skiing activities

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Skier
The Apple Watch is an incredibly versatile fitness tracker.
Photo: Apple

The Apple Watch continues its mission to become the most versatile fitness trackers around, with Apple today introducing the ability for Apple Watch Series 3 wearers to track detailed information about both snowboarding and skiing runs.

Skiers and snowboarders running watchOS 4.2 can now use their Apple wearable to measure these activities, via new updates to apps available in the App Store. Users can record runs, see vertical descent and other stats, and contribute active calorie measurements directly to the Apple Watch Activity app.

Cult of Mac Magazine: 5 ways Apple will rule Mobile World Congress and more!

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cover
Everyone who is anyone in mobile (except Apple) will be at the Mobile World Congress in Barcelona.
Photo: Ste Smith/Cult of Mac

When the entire mobile phone industry heads to Barcelona next week for Mobile World Congress 2018, there will be one notable absence: Apple.

Cupertino doesn’t do trade shows. Not even really big ones like Mobile World Congress. Yet, despite its absence from the massive Spanish trade show, Apple’s influence will loom large over Barcelona’s beautiful horizons. Cult of Mac shows you five things Apple fans should look out for at MWC next week.

In this week’s issue, you’ll find that story and more. Enter to win a HomePod through Cult of Mac Deals. Learn how to drag and drop text between apps on iPad. Shop Casetify’s Stainless Steel Mesh Bands in two new finishes — Gold and Irisdescent — in our Watch Store. Get your free subscription to Cult of Mac Magazine from iTunes. Or read on for this week’s top stories.

Apple repair centers are accidentally calling 911 dozens of times a day

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Apple Watch Emergency SOS
Emergency SOS isn’t always useful.
Photo: Ste Smith/Cult of Mac

Emergency responders in Elk Grove and Sacramento Country have received over 1,600 accidental 911 calls from Apple repair facilities in the past four months.

The calls waste valuable time and resources and potentially slow down the response to genuine emergencies. The problem seems to have been introduced by iOS 11, which added an Emergency SOS shortcut to iPhone and Apple Watch.

watchOS 4.3 beta 3 arrives with public beta for iOS 11.3 beta 3

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apple watch
Apple Watch is dominating the market.
Photo: Ste Smith/Cult of Mac

Members of Apple’s public beta testing program can already get in on the latest iOS 11.3 beta build that was seeded to developers yesterday.

Apple released iOS 11.3 public beta 3 today that brings a number of new features to the iPhone and iPad as well as a bunch of bug fixes. There’s also a public beta available for macOS 10.13.4 beta 3 available this morning along with the third beta of watchOS 4.3 for developers.

Apple named world’s most innovative company for 2018

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AirPower
Will we finally get a release date for AirPower?
Photo: Apple

Who said innovation was dead at Apple? Certainly not Fast Company, which just named the iPhone-maker the world’s most innovative company for 2018.

Apple secured the top spot “for delivering the future today.” AirPods, Apple Watch Series 3, ARKit, and iPhone X were recognized as its best products from the past year.

Rivals like Google and Samsung didn’t make the list.

Nike+ Run Club adds Challenges to keep you motivated

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Apple Watch Nike+
Beat Nike+ Run Club's new Challenges to earn achievements.
Photo: Apple

Nike+ Run Club has picked up a new Challenges feature that aims to keep you motivated.

Much like the Activity app on Apple Watch, Challenges gives you weekly and monthly goals and rewards you with achievements when you reach them. You can also see how you stack up against the global community of Run Club users.

Strapa’s mock-croc Apple Watch band on sale for President’s Day [Review]

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Strapple Crocodilus Apple Watch strap
The Crocodilus is a stunner.
Photo: Lyle Kahney/Cult of Mac

Best List: Crocodilus Apple Watch band by Strapa

This crocodile Apple Watch strap is a total crock. But in a good way! Made of Italian calfskin leather but stamped to look like crocodile skin, this beefy Apple Watch band looks exotic but costs a fraction of what a real reptile hide would set you back.

Plus, this President’s Day Weekend only, save 20 percent on the Crocodilus in our Watch Store.