“The Apple event only featured watches for right-handed users and we may not know definitively if there will be a left-handed watch until it becomes available early next year,” Nicole Perlroth reports for The New York Times. “Apple co-founder Steven P. Jobs was ambidextrous so one would hope Apple would cater to lefties as well, but an Apple employee tells us there is currently no left-handed version.”
“The Apple Watch pairs with the newer iPhones — including the iPhone 5, 5S, 5C and iPhone 6 — and pass information back and forth,” Perlroth reports. “If you don’t have your iPhone with you, basic watch functions like time and health and fitness tracking will work, but users will have limited functionality without their iPhones as far as messaging, music and other features.”
MacDailyNews Note: Apple Watch uses the GPS and Wi‑Fi in your iPhone to track how far you’ve moved. So, if you want that very important bit of information, you will need to take your iPhone along on your run.
“The displays for the most basic Apple Watch and Watch Edition models will be protected by polished sapphire crystal. Apple chose the material because, next to diamond, it is the hardest transparent material on earth,” Perlroth reports. “The Apple Watch Sport, however, will be protected by Ion-X glass, which is lighter and makes more sense for running and other exercise.”
Much more in the full article here.
MacDailyNews Note: Apple Watch will not have GPS, but it has an on-board accelerometer, so it’ll be able track your steps, distance, and pace. Therefore, even without iPhone, you’ll know how far you’ve gone, you just won’t know where you’ve gone. If you want a map of your route, you’ll need to strap the iPhone to your arm or carry it in your hand as usual. For avid runners who also lust after the mammoth iPhone 6 Plus (6.22 inches (158.1 mm) x 3.06 inches (77.8 mm) x 0.28 inch (7.1 mm) at 6.07 ounces (172 grams), this will create quite the conundrum.
For reference, an iPhone 5s is 4.87 inches (123.8 mm) x 2.31 inches (58.6 mm) x 0.30 inch (7.6 mm) at 3.95 ounces (112 grams).