Look closely at a typical Apple user and there's a good chance they are rocking a triumvirate of devices – an iPhone, AirPods and an Apple Watch.
The last one sparked another pivotal moment in technology and watch history. This innovation is characteristic of Apple's disruptive nature, reminiscent of how its iPod, iPhone and iPad disrupted MP3 players, smartphones and tablets, respectively.
Two things may be overlooked or missed when it comes to the Apple Watch. One is that Apple's digital timepiece is the first hardware it developed without the stewardship of Steve Jobs, the legendary Apple co-founder and former chief executive who died in 2011.
So, the next time you glance at your Apple Watch, remember you're not just checking the time – you're also carrying a piece of tech history on your wrist.
The device is also a "tremendous" yet "often forgotten success", a vital cog in Apple's key services unit, said Thomas Husson, vice president and principal analyst at US research company Forrester.
"For many years, pundits have been criticising Apple because it was not able to launch a new product category and a new business model that would replace the iPhone’s cash cow," he told The National. "Putting the fast-growing success of its service business aside, the reality is that Apple has been successful at creating a new product category with the Apple Watch."
Apple, known for refining available tech before releasing it amid much hype, unveiled the very first Apple Watch on September 9, 2014. It was arguably one of the most anticipated editions of the company's signature "one more thing" segments.
You can't blame it for stealing the spotlight from the iPhone 6. Chief executive Tim Cook proudly wore it on stage, fist raised, seemingly saying it's time – pun intended – to upend another product category.
The original Apple Watch was released on April 24, 2015. But its announcement 10 years ago set off another classic Apple disruption, revolutionising communication while also allowing users to track health metrics at any time in more innovative, engaging ways.
Great timing
The Apple Watch is far from the first of its kind. But things were much different before.
The first timepiece to be considered "smart" was the Pulsar, launched by Hamilton Watch Company in 1972. The gold-wrapped prototype donned an LED display and retailed for a whopping $2,100 – nearly $16,000 in today's money.
Japan's Seiko entered the fray in 1983, launching a handful of watches deemed smart. Most notable were the T001, a TV watch that was featured in the James Bond film Octopussy, and the Data 2000, which uses an external keyboard. The RC-1000 arrived in 1984 and was the first watch to connect to a computer, including the Apple II.
The 1990s brought further innovation, starting with the Timex Datalink, co-developed with Microsoft and used in Nasa space missions. It was the first watch that could download data from a computer wirelessly.
In 1999, Samsung Electronics released the SPH-WP10, the first watch capable of making calls. The South Korean company soon ceased production of smartwatches, only to jump back into the sector in the 2010s to become not just the world's biggest mobile phone manufacturer, but also Apple's greatest rival.
The new millennium provided the base for the smartwatches we know today, with the likes of IBM, Microsoft, Fossil and Fitbit in the 2000s, followed by Pebble, Garmin, Sony, everything Android and the return of Samsung.
Sprinkled in between were fitness trackers and screenless bands such as Jawbone, which provided lighter and more affordable options. The trouble is you had to check your smartphone to see your stats.
The 2014 launch of the original Apple Watch seemed to merged all these aspects. Again, Apple brought its "cool" factor, towing the entire industry farther into the mainstream despite joining the game late on.
Apple's rock-solid ecosystem was also cemented by the integration of key Apple technology, such as the Digital Crown and access to Siri, in addition to being able to perform tasks including reading and replying to emails and messages.
"If you take a step back, it took [Apple] only a couple of years to become the leader of a market they did not even compete in," Mr Husson said. "Indeed, as always, Apple did not pioneer the smartwatch market but, like for the iPhone, they boosted the entire category."
When the Apple Watch was launched, it was viewed as something of a luxury accessory – think the really expensive Hermes editions – before becoming more of a fitness and sport accessory. It has now transformed into a health device.
"The core strategy over the past few years has been to work with an ecosystem of brands to install regular usage of the Watch in daily consumer lifestyle. By adding more and more sensors over the years, the Watch is Apple’s Trojan horse in the health industry," Mr Husson said.
More than just bling on your wrist
As always, what happens behind Apple's high-tech doors is tightly guarded. But Wired reported in 2022 that former Adobe executive Kevin Lynch had been hired in 2013 to steer the development of the delayed gadget, under orders from Apple design guru Jony Ive.
The move appeared to have the result Apple wanted. Mr Ive wrote in 2014 that the Apple Watch "blurs the boundary between physical object and user interface".
Apple added more upgrades to its Watch in the following decade, from a heart rate sensor, to an ECG, as well as atrial fibrillation and blood oxygen sensors. The company also added fall detection and exercise coaching. The rugged, meant-for-the-outdoors Ultra versions were also launched later.
But Apple has a disclaimer that states the Watch is not a medical device and that any health metrics it measures should only be used for reference.
"As the market is moving towards premiumisation, Apple Watches are gaining more popularity among consumers due to their focus on safety and health," Anshika Jain, a senior analyst at Counterpoint Research, told The National.
One intriguing aspect of the Apple Watch is its exclusive compatibility with iPhones. You can't get the Watch up and running without one. On the other hand, AirPods can be connected to non-Apple gadgets, but you'll miss out on cool features such as spatial audio.
By keeping the Watch tethered to Apple's ecosystem, the company aims to protect your health data and keep it in-house. And yet it's too simplistic to say the Apple Watch was made just for the iPhone.
The Apple Watch is a sleek gadget that might catch the eye of even non-iPhone users, but that's just Apple's marketing at work – if you want one, you'll end up buying more of their products.
"Over the years, Apple has been able to envision and create a tightly knit ecosystem of products and services like no other brand has been able to. Owning the entire stack from chips to retail, Apple has been able to strongly control the consumer experience," Ms Jain said.
That is one strategy that has pushed Apple ahead in the smartwatch sector. It does not provide sales figures for its Watch, but industry estimates show it's comfortably ahead of its rivals.
As of the first quarter of 2024, the Apple Watch commands a 21.3 per cent market share globally, more than double that of second-placed Indian brand Fire-Boltt's 10.1 per cent, data from ABI Research shows. China's Huawei, India's Noise and Samsung round out the top five.
The Apple Watch's market share is believed to have peaked in 2020, as it accounted for more than half – 51.4 per cent – of the sector, according to industry estimates. And while it has since declined, the device maintains a sizeable lead over the rest of the field.
A resurgence is expected, with a growing iPhone user base, better data-driven health insights, the expected integration of Apple Intelligence and more flexible financing options, Ms Jain said. These factors make it "appropriate for every age group", she added.
And if that's not enough, consider that in the early 2020s, Apple started to sell more watches in volume than the entire Swiss industry. That made the tech giant a "clear leader" in the premium smartwatch market, generating massive revenue, Mr Husson said.
"It is fair to estimate that the Apple Watch probably generated about $15 billion in 2023 alone," he added. "Fast-forward 10 years later, this is not bad for a new business, isn’t it?"
One more thing. Today, Apple will unveil its new iPhones – is it a coincidence that the company picked September 9 for its special event this year, after all the speculation? If Apple releases what we hope will be called the Apple Watch X, then it is – again – perfect timing.
UAE currency: the story behind the money in your pockets
The biog
Favourite food: Tabbouleh, greek salad and sushi
Favourite TV show: That 70s Show
Favourite animal: Ferrets, they are smart, sensitive, playful and loving
Favourite holiday destination: Seychelles, my resolution for 2020 is to visit as many spiritual retreats and animal shelters across the world as I can
Name of first pet: Eddy, a Persian cat that showed up at our home
Favourite dog breed: I love them all - if I had to pick Yorkshire terrier for small dogs and St Bernard's for big
CHATGPT%20ENTERPRISE%20FEATURES
%3Cp%3E%E2%80%A2%20Enterprise-grade%20security%20and%20privacy%3C%2Fp%3E%0A%3Cp%3E%E2%80%A2%20Unlimited%20higher-speed%20GPT-4%20access%20with%20no%20caps%3C%2Fp%3E%0A%3Cp%3E%E2%80%A2%20Longer%20context%20windows%20for%20processing%20longer%20inputs%3C%2Fp%3E%0A%3Cp%3E%E2%80%A2%20Advanced%20data%20analysis%20capabilities%3C%2Fp%3E%0A%3Cp%3E%E2%80%A2%20Customisation%20options%3C%2Fp%3E%0A%3Cp%3E%E2%80%A2%20Shareable%20chat%20templates%20that%20companies%20can%20use%20to%20collaborate%20and%20build%20common%20workflows%3C%2Fp%3E%0A%3Cp%3E%E2%80%A2%20Analytics%20dashboard%20for%20usage%20insights%3C%2Fp%3E%0A%3Cp%3E%E2%80%A2%20Free%20credits%20to%20use%20OpenAI%20APIs%20to%20extend%20OpenAI%20into%20a%20fully-custom%20solution%20for%20enterprises%3C%2Fp%3E%0A
Ain Dubai in numbers
126: The length in metres of the legs supporting the structure
1 football pitch: The length of each permanent spoke is longer than a professional soccer pitch
16 A380 Airbuses: The equivalent weight of the wheel rim.
9,000 tonnes: The amount of steel used to construct the project.
5 tonnes: The weight of each permanent spoke that is holding the wheel rim in place
192: The amount of cable wires used to create the wheel. They measure a distance of 2,4000km in total, the equivalent of the distance between Dubai and Cairo.
Quick%20facts
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UEFA CHAMPIONS LEAGUE FIXTURES
All kick-off times 10.45pm UAE ( 4 GMT) unless stated
Tuesday
Sevilla v Maribor
Spartak Moscow v Liverpool
Manchester City v Shakhtar Donetsk
Napoli v Feyenoord
Besiktas v RB Leipzig
Monaco v Porto
Apoel Nicosia v Tottenham Hotspur
Borussia Dortmund v Real Madrid
Wednesday
Basel v Benfica
CSKA Moscow Manchester United
Paris Saint-Germain v Bayern Munich
Anderlecht v Celtic
Qarabag v Roma (8pm)
Atletico Madrid v Chelsea
Juventus v Olympiakos
Sporting Lisbon v Barcelona
Our family matters legal consultant
Name: Dr Hassan Mohsen Elhais
Position: legal consultant with Al Rowaad Advocates and Legal Consultants.
EXPATS
%3Cp%3E%3Cstrong%3EDirector%3A%3C%2Fstrong%3E%20Lulu%20Wang%26nbsp%3B%3C%2Fp%3E%0A%3Cp%3E%3Cstrong%3EStars%3A%3C%2Fstrong%3E%20Nicole%20Kidman%2C%20Sarayu%20Blue%2C%20Ji-young%20Yoo%2C%20Brian%20Tee%2C%20Jack%20Huston%3C%2Fp%3E%0A%3Cp%3E%3Cstrong%3ERating%3A%3C%2Fstrong%3E%204%2F5%3C%2Fp%3E%0A
If you go
The flights
Etihad (etihad.com) flies from Abu Dhabi to Luang Prabang via Bangkok, with a return flight from Chiang Rai via Bangkok for about Dh3,000, including taxes. Emirates and Thai Airways cover the same route, also via Bangkok in both directions, from about Dh2,700.
The cruise
The Gypsy by Mekong Kingdoms has two cruising options: a three-night, four-day trip upstream cruise or a two-night, three-day downstream journey, from US$5,940 (Dh21,814), including meals, selected drinks, excursions and transfers.
The hotels
Accommodation is available in Luang Prabang at the Avani, from $290 (Dh1,065) per night, and at Anantara Golden Triangle Elephant Camp and Resort from $1,080 (Dh3,967) per night, including meals, an activity and transfers.
Winners
Ballon d’Or (Men’s)
Ousmane Dembélé (Paris Saint-Germain / France)
Ballon d’Or Féminin (Women’s)
Aitana Bonmatí (Barcelona / Spain)
Kopa Trophy (Best player under 21 – Men’s)
Lamine Yamal (Barcelona / Spain)
Best Young Women’s Player
Vicky López (Barcelona / Spain)
Yashin Trophy (Best Goalkeeper – Men’s)
Gianluigi Donnarumma (Paris Saint-Germain and Manchester City / Italy)
Best Women’s Goalkeeper
Hannah Hampton (England / Aston Villa and Chelsea)
Men’s Coach of the Year
Luis Enrique (Paris Saint-Germain)
Women’s Coach of the Year
Sarina Wiegman (England)
RESULT
Argentina 0 Croatia 3
Croatia: Rebic (53'), Modric (80'), Rakitic (90' 1)
The years Ramadan fell in May
Third Test
Day 3, stumps
India 443-7 (d) & 54-5 (27 ov)
Australia 151
India lead by 346 runs with 5 wickets remaining
Mohammed bin Zayed Majlis
Three ways to boost your credit score
Marwan Lutfi says the core fundamentals that drive better payment behaviour and can improve your credit score are:
1. Make sure you make your payments on time;
2. Limit the number of products you borrow on: the more loans and credit cards you have, the more it will affect your credit score;
3. Don't max out all your debts: how much you maximise those credit facilities will have an impact. If you have five credit cards and utilise 90 per cent of that credit, it will negatively affect your score.
RedCrow Intelligence Company Profile
Started: 2016
Founders: Hussein Nasser Eddin, Laila Akel, Tayeb Akel
Based: Ramallah, Palestine
Sector: Technology, Security
# of staff: 13
Investment: $745,000
Investors: Palestine’s Ibtikar Fund, Abu Dhabi’s Gothams and angel investors
Asia Cup Qualifier
Venue: Kuala Lumpur
Result: Winners play at Asia Cup in Dubai and Abu Dhabi in September
Fixtures:
Wed Aug 29: Malaysia v Hong Kong, Nepal v Oman, UAE v Singapore
Thu Aug 30: UAE v Nepal, Hong Kong v Singapore, Malaysia v Oman
Sat Sep 1: UAE v Hong Kong, Oman v Singapore, Malaysia v Nepal
Sun Sep 2: Hong Kong v Oman, Malaysia v UAE, Nepal v Singapore
Tue Sep 4: Malaysia v Singapore, UAE v Oman, Nepal v Hong Kong
Thu Sep 6: Final
Asia Cup
Venue: Dubai and Abu Dhabi
Schedule: Sep 15-28
Teams: Afghanistan, Bangladesh, India, Pakistan, Sri Lanka, plus the winner of the Qualifier
What is type-1 diabetes
Type 1 diabetes is a genetic and unavoidable condition, rather than the lifestyle-related type 2 diabetes.
It occurs mostly in people under 40 and a result of the pancreas failing to produce enough insulin to regulate blood sugars.
Too much or too little blood sugar can result in an attack where sufferers lose consciousness in serious cases.
Being overweight or obese increases the chances of developing the more common type 2 diabetes.
Match info
Manchester United 4
(Pogba 5', 33', Rashford 45', Lukaku 72')
Bournemouth 1
(Ake 45 2')
Red card: Eric Bailly (Manchester United)
'Will%20of%20the%20People'
%3Cp%3E%3Cstrong%3EArtist%3A%20%3C%2Fstrong%3EMuse%3Cbr%3E%3Cstrong%3ELabel%3A%20%3C%2Fstrong%3EWarner%3Cbr%3E%3Cstrong%3ERating%3A%3C%2Fstrong%3E%202.5%2F5%3C%2Fp%3E%0A
Our family matters legal consultant
Name: Dr Hassan Mohsen Elhais
Position: legal consultant with Al Rowaad Advocates and Legal Consultants.
ZIMBABWE V UAE, ODI SERIES
All matches at the Harare Sports Club:
1st ODI, Wednesday - Zimbabwe won by 7 wickets
2nd ODI, Friday, April 12
3rd ODI, Sunday, April 14
4th ODI, Tuesday, April 16
UAE squad: Mohammed Naveed (captain), Rohan Mustafa, Ashfaq Ahmed, Shaiman Anwar, Mohammed Usman, CP Rizwan, Chirag Suri, Mohammed Boota, Ghulam Shabber, Sultan Ahmed, Imran Haider, Amir Hayat, Zahoor Khan, Qadeer Ahmed
Seemar’s top six for the Dubai World Cup Carnival:
1. Reynaldothewizard
2. North America
3. Raven’s Corner
4. Hawkesbury
5. New Maharajah
6. Secret Ambition
One in nine do not have enough to eat
Created in 1961, the World Food Programme is pledged to fight hunger worldwide as well as providing emergency food assistance in a crisis.
One of the organisation’s goals is the Zero Hunger Pledge, adopted by the international community in 2015 as one of the 17 Sustainable Goals for Sustainable Development, to end world hunger by 2030.
The WFP, a branch of the United Nations, is funded by voluntary donations from governments, businesses and private donations.
Almost two thirds of its operations currently take place in conflict zones, where it is calculated that people are more than three times likely to suffer from malnutrition than in peaceful countries.
It is currently estimated that one in nine people globally do not have enough to eat.
On any one day, the WFP estimates that it has 5,000 lorries, 20 ships and 70 aircraft on the move.
Outside emergencies, the WFP provides school meals to up to 25 million children in 63 countries, while working with communities to improve nutrition. Where possible, it buys supplies from developing countries to cut down transport cost and boost local economies.
AndhaDhun
Director: Sriram Raghavan
Producer: Matchbox Pictures, Viacom18
Cast: Ayushmann Khurrana, Tabu, Radhika Apte, Anil Dhawan
Rating: 3.5/5
Gender equality in the workplace still 200 years away
It will take centuries to achieve gender parity in workplaces around the globe, according to a December report from the World Economic Forum.
The WEF study said there had been some improvements in wage equality in 2018 compared to 2017, when the global gender gap widened for the first time in a decade.
But it warned that these were offset by declining representation of women in politics, coupled with greater inequality in their access to health and education.
At current rates, the global gender gap across a range of areas will not close for another 108 years, while it is expected to take 202 years to close the workplace gap, WEF found.
The Geneva-based organisation's annual report tracked disparities between the sexes in 149 countries across four areas: education, health, economic opportunity and political empowerment.
After years of advances in education, health and political representation, women registered setbacks in all three areas this year, WEF said.
Only in the area of economic opportunity did the gender gap narrow somewhat, although there is not much to celebrate, with the global wage gap narrowing to nearly 51 per cent.
And the number of women in leadership roles has risen to 34 per cent globally, WEF said.
At the same time, the report showed there are now proportionately fewer women than men participating in the workforce, suggesting that automation is having a disproportionate impact on jobs traditionally performed by women.
And women are significantly under-represented in growing areas of employment that require science, technology, engineering and mathematics skills, WEF said.
* Agence France Presse
UK%20-%20UAE%20Trade
%3Cp%3ETotal%20trade%20in%20goods%20and%20services%20(exports%20plus%20imports)%20between%20the%20UK%20and%20the%20UAE%20in%202022%20was%20%C2%A321.6%20billion%20(Dh98%20billion).%C2%A0%3C%2Fp%3E%0A%3Cp%3E%3C%2Fp%3E%0A%3Cp%3EThis%20is%20an%20increase%20of%2063.0%20per%20cent%20or%20%C2%A38.3%20billion%20in%20current%20prices%20from%20the%20four%20quarters%20to%20the%20end%20of%202021.%3C%2Fp%3E%0A%3Cp%3E%C2%A0%3C%2Fp%3E%0A%3Cp%3EThe%20UAE%20was%20the%20UK%E2%80%99s%2019th%20largest%20trading%20partner%20in%20the%20four%20quarters%20to%20the%20end%20of%20Q4%202022%20accounting%20for%201.3%20per%20cent%20of%20total%20UK%20trade.%3C%2Fp%3E%0A
COMPANY PROFILE
Name: Kumulus Water
Started: 2021
Founders: Iheb Triki and Mohamed Ali Abid
Based: Tunisia
Sector: Water technology
Number of staff: 22
Investment raised: $4 million
RACE CARD
5pm: Maiden (PA) Dh80,000 1,400m
5.30pm: Maiden (PA) Dh80,000 1,200m
6pm: Arabian Triple Crown Round-1 (PA) Listed Dh230,000 1,600m
6.30pm: HH The President’s Cup (PA) Group 1 Dh2.5million 2,200m
7pm: HH The President’s Cup (TB) Listed Dh380,000 1,400m
7.30pm: Wathba Stallions Cup (PA) Handicap Dh70,000 1,200m.
MATCH INFO
Real Madrid 2
Vinicius Junior (71') Mariano (90 2')
Barcelona 0
Brief scores:
Kashima Antlers 0
River Plate 4
Zuculini 24', Martinez 73', 90 2', Borre 89' (pen)
GAC GS8 Specs
Engine: 2.0-litre 4cyl turbo
Power: 248hp at 5,200rpm
Torque: 400Nm at 1,750-4,000rpm
Transmission: 8-speed auto
Fuel consumption: 9.1L/100km
On sale: Now
Price: From Dh149,900
SPEC SHEET
Display: 6.8" edge quad-HD dynamic Amoled 2X, Infinity-O, 3088 x 1440, 500ppi, HDR10 , 120Hz
Processor: 4nm Snapdragon 8 Gen 1/Exynos 2200, 8-core
Memory: 8/12GB RAM
Storage: 128/256/512GB/1TB
Platform: Android 12
Main camera: quad 12MP ultra-wide f/2.2, 108MP wide f/1.8, 10MP telephoto f/4.9, 10MP telephoto 2.4; Space Zoom up to 100x, auto HDR, expert RAW
Video: 8K@24fps, 4K@60fps, full-HD@60fps, HD@30fps, super slo-mo@960fps
Front camera: 40MP f/2.2
Battery: 5000mAh, fast wireless charging 2.0 Wireless PowerShare
Connectivity: 5G, Wi-Fi, Bluetooth 5.2, NFC
I/O: USB-C
SIM: single nano, or nano and SIM, nano and nano, eSIM/nano and nano
Colours: burgundy, green, phantom black, phantom white, graphite, sky blue, red
Price: Dh4,699 for 128GB, Dh5,099 for 256GB, Dh5,499 for 512GB; 1TB unavailable in the UAE
Who has lived at The Bishops Avenue?
- George Sainsbury of the supermarket dynasty, sugar magnate William Park Lyle and actress Dame Gracie Fields were residents in the 1930s when the street was only known as ‘Millionaires’ Row’.
- Then came the international super rich, including the last king of Greece, Constantine II, the Sultan of Brunei and Indian steel magnate Lakshmi Mittal who was at one point ranked the third richest person in the world.
- Turkish tycoon Halis Torprak sold his mansion for £50m in 2008 after spending just two days there. The House of Saud sold 10 properties on the road in 2013 for almost £80m.
- Other residents have included Iraqi businessman Nemir Kirdar, singer Ariana Grande, holiday camp impresario Sir Billy Butlin, businessman Asil Nadir, Paul McCartney’s former wife Heather Mills.
Hunting park to luxury living
- Land was originally the Bishop of London's hunting park, hence the name
- The road was laid out in the mid 19th Century, meandering through woodland and farmland
- Its earliest houses at the turn of the 20th Century were substantial detached properties with extensive grounds
