Apple revitalises the Watch with watchOS 2, an Hermes collection and new colour options

The fall announcement has brought some well deserved (if not quick) updates to the watches software capabilities and its aesthetic personalisation. With the Apple Watch app store now supporting 10,000 apps that make use of more 3^rd party complications, accessing the watch’s hardware – ranging from the mic to its other health related in-built sensors. Apple has even stepped up the personalisation of their two (out of three) watch models.

App developers are now tooled to improve their apps thanks to watchOS 2, letting them play around with the watch’s hardware, opening doors to apps like iTranslate; for giving you voice translations on the fly, or the GoPro app, that lets you use your watch display as a viewfinder.

Innovating in other fields like those involved in medicine, AirStip has already existed on other iDevices (iPhone and iPad) but with an upgrade to watchOS 2, the app now gives medical practitioners and the hospital team easier accessibility to patient records and their health readings.

Daily rounds are displayed on the app, connecting the team within a network that lets them communication and share patient data on a more productive level. Time travel is now enabled and turning the digital crown lets you go through your daily rounds schedule to see upcoming patient visits and other appointments. Developers are also bringing another health monitoring app to the table, with Sense 4 Baby opening the same doors but for mothers and doctors that want to monitor a baby’s health while still in a womb. Sensors placed on the mother’s belly allows this and doctors can get an NST reading straight after the mother does a test at home – making the whole affair a more practical one.

To the aesthetic side of things, Apple now adds to its collaboration list with Hermes joining forces to provide luxury watch bands and its own distinctive watch face with Hermes iconography. Hand-stitched leather in 3 options the Double Tour ($1,250/RM5,465), Single Tour ($1,100/RM4,852), and Cuff ($1,500/RM6,557) seems to be Apple’s venture into the more fashionable side of smart wearables.

The French artisans made the first option to wrap twice around your wrist, coupling feminine elegance with security of mind. Available for the 38mm stainless steel case, this leather band will come in 4 colours – Fauve, Etain, Capucine and Bleu Jean.

Wrapping only once around your wrist, the Single Tour attempts to appeal to both men and women and are available in the 38mm and 42mm stainless steel case. However, the single only comes in the Fauve and Noir, with an additional Capucine band for the 38mm.

Hermes caps it off with the Cuff leather option, said to be created to stay in contact with the wrist better for a more accurate heart rate monitoring. It is only available in the 42mm stainless steel case in a Fauve colourway.

Subsequently, Apple has also been busy updating their own designs, as two new finishes are now added to the line-up – Gold and Rose gold (38mm and 42mm) are now available in iodised aluminium. Two great colours that maintain the pricing of the original sports line up ($ 349/RM1,526 for 38mm, $ 399/RM1,736 for 42mm). There’s also a product RED version of the stainless steel case, which will have part its proceeds directed towards fighting AIDS.

Although most of the updates are already available, the Hermes collection and watchOS 2 are slated to be out in October and September the 16^th, respectively. Unfortunately, Malaysia is once again left out of the list, so we’ll wait and see if Apple decides otherwise in the future.

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