Apple Watch expected to set tone for wearable tech

SAN FRANCISCO – Apple aims Monday at its first new product category since 2010, with its smartwatch that could catalyze the market for wearable technology with a strong emphasis on health and fitness.

Apple Watch is expected to be the star at a media event being held at the same San Francisco theater where the California tech giant introduced the iPad.

Apple’s chief executive Tim Cook has revealed little about the sophisticated wrist wear, but has said that he ”can’t live without it.”

The company announced its plans for Apple Watch last year to much fanfare and has said it would begin shipping in April. It will mark Apple’s first new product type since the iPad in 2010.

Apple enters a market that already has a number of players, ranging from South Korean giants Samsung and LG, to Japan’s Sony and startups such as Pebble.

Motorola, acquired by Chinese giant Lenovo last year, also produces a smartwatch, and China’s Huawei introduced its version at the Mobile World Congress in Barcelona this month.

Apple has indicated that the entry price would be $349 in the United States, and that two different sizes would be available in three collections, including the ”Apple Watch Edition,” featuring 18-karat gold cases in yellow or rose, sapphire crystal and finely crafted bands and closures.

The watch is also expected to include map software that guides people to destinations with gentle ”taps” on the wrist.

Fitness apps on the Apple Watch and its rivals could spell trouble for makers of fitness bands from companies like Jawbone, Fitbit and Nike. (AFP)