Apple Makes Case for Smartwatch at Event

Apple made its case for consumers to buy its forthcoming smartwatch, positioning the device as a way to handle the brief interactions that fill our days, from meeting reminders to short messages to calling for a car. Other technology companies have introduced smartwatches in recent years, but they’ve failed to gain widespread adoption because consumers struggled to find a compelling use for the devices. Apple hopes to change all that with a tool that presents users with bite-size chunks of information and saves people from the hassle of reaching into a bag or pocket for a phone, while offering new ways to communicate through taps and vibrations.

“Apple Watch can be an incredibly rich and an integral part of your life,” Chief Executive Tim Cook told a media briefing in San Francisco. “Apple Watch is the most personal device we have ever created.” Apple said “thousands” of apps had been developed for the watch, and showed off apps from WeChat, Major League Baseball, American Airlines, Instagram and Uber.

The watch will be available in a wide range of designs and prices, from $349 to $17,000 for gold-cased versions of the most expensive model, Apple Watch Edition. Apple said the variety aims to reflect the personal nature of the device.