O'Grady's PowerPage

Category: Wearables

  • Apple Store down in advance of “Spring Forward” event, predictions made

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    As expected, the Apple Store has gone down in advance of the Apple Watch announcement.

    Not that this hasn’t happened before, but this tends to be a very strong indicator that something new will be available to buy after the event. It’s also expected that you’ll be able to order a next-gen MacBook after the event is over, as the 13-inch MacBook refresh reported is the most likely reason as to why the Apple Online Store is now saying ‘We’ll be back soon’. These products seem to be the most likely to be ready to ship immediately after announcement. There is also a good chance that this product refresh may not even feature during the presentation, but appear online afterwards as as silent update.

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  • Rumor: Apple Watch to include “Power Reserve” mode to help extend battery life

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    It’s speculation until the media event in a week, but this could prove useful.

    Apple might offer a low power mode on Apple Watch to help boost it through longer days, according to a new report that also takes a stab at dispelling rumors that the company may have elected to all some long-rumored sensors last minute.

    With the exception of Pebble products, most current and upcoming smartwatches – including the Apple Watch – will last no more than a day on a single charge. To help mitigate this issue, Apple has reportedly developed a still unannounced software feature of the Apple Watch called Power Reserve. This mode is said to cut power to all non-essential functions and display only the time, helping to extend the watch’s life in cases where a recharge may not be possible. The function is similar in concept to the Battery Saver mode in Android 5.0, which can push smartphone battery life from minutes to hours by reducing processor use.

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  • Apple Watch could remotely start your car one day, says Tim Cook

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    Your Apple Watch could one day start your car.

    Which is pretty nifty.

    Apple CEO Tim Cook told The Telegraph that when it ships, Apple Watch will let you filter messages, give you credits for meeting exercise goals, and accompany you in the shower. Cook also said the battery life will last all day and will take less time to charge than the iPhone using the new MagSafe-style wireless inductive charger. It’s unclear exactly how long the battery will last—recent reports indicate Apple is aiming for 19 hours of combined active and passive usage—or how long it will take to charge, though details are expected to be released soon.
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  • Rumor: iOS 8.2 could arrive next week with iOS 8.3 close behind

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    iOS could be out the door as early as next week with iOS 8.3 not far behind it.

    The rumor mill has it that iOS 8.2 could become available as soon as Monday. However, the report did qualify that “last minute problems” could delay the release until the following week.

    A total of five betas of iOS 8.2 have been provided to developers, though the most recent one was a month ago.

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  • Apple announces March 9th “Spring Forward” special event

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    This could provide all the Apple Watch details you’ve been hankering for.

    Apple said it will hold a “special event” for March 9 that is likely to be a coming-out party for Apple Watch. Apple has said the watch will go on sale in April.

    The event will start at 10 a.m. at the Yerba Buena Center for the Arts Theater in San Francisco.

    Apple unveiled the Apple Watch in September when it also showed off its new iPhones and Apple Pay, its mobile-payment service. On March 9, Apple is expected to delve deeper into the various features of the watch. The presentation aims to answer the defining purpose of the company’s first all-new product since it introduced the iPad in 2010.

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