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Apple is offering not just one but three different flavors of its new smartwatch. And just how did the company create all three versions?
The Apple Watch lineup includes the entry-level Sport edition, the mid-range Apple Watch model and the high-end Apple Watch Edition. All three are designed using different metals and materials for the bodies and carry a range of price tags.
CEO Tim Cook and other Apple execs took to the stage in San Francisco on Monday to offer more details about its smartwatch lineup. Apple geared the Apple Watch to compete against both rival smartwatches and standard watches. As such, one of the goals behind the watch was to focus on design as well as functionality.
To demonstrate how each model watch body was crafted, the company also has released three videos that take us on a short tour of the process. Even if you’re not interested in the Apple Watch, the videos are still intriguing as they show how the body of each watch has to be crafted from start to finish.
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For the case of its entry-level Sport edition (starting price: $349), Apple said that its engineers custom-designed an alloy based on aluminum that is 60 percent stronger but just as light. The company started with pure, raw aluminum that was heated to a molten state and then added magnesium and zinc to form a more protective and stronger compound.
For its midrange Apple Watch (starting price: $549), the company started with a steel alloy known for strength and resistance to corrosion. Apple then put the metal through a cold-forging process to make it as much as 80 percent harder and less vulnerable to nicks and scratches. For the black stainless steel edition, Apple added a carbon layer to create a more durable and brighter appearance.
And for the top-of-the-line Apple Watch Edition (starting price: $10,000), Apple started with 18-karat solid gold for the body and then used a custom alloy designed to be twice as hard as standard gold. After the body went through its manufacturing process, ultrasonic scanners were employed to detect flaws in the metal. In the end, each case was hand-polished by “jewelry artisans.”
The Apple Watch will be available for preorder starting April 10 and will then launch on April 24 across countries and territories including the US, the UK, Australia, China, Japan, Hong Kong, Germany and France.
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( Via iMore)
