Apple began selling the long-awaited Apple Watch in May 2015. As with other Apple products, the watch is very accessible for VoiceOver users and has some good options for users with low vision. You will need to be familiar with VoiceOver commands to use the Watch. The Watch app on the iPhone is used to perform many tasks including removing third-party apps and adjusting settings on Apple pre-installed apps.

The Apple Watch is not an iPhone on your wrist. You can use the Watch to make and answer phone calls, but your iPhone must be in Bluetooth range to do so. This goes for many other features including texting and e-mail. The watch does not have a headphone jack. Therefore, unless you're using a Bluetooth earpiece, everyone around you can hear your phone calls and VoiceOver.

Many of the standard iOS apps come preloaded onto the watch including Mail, Phone, Messages, Calendar, and Maps, all of which are not removable. Of course, there are accessible third-party apps. For example, I have TimeBuzz, Retail Me Not, Just Press Record, and Steps.

Choosing a Watch

When selecting an Apple Watch, you will want to consider the following:

  • size: 38mm or 42mm length; all watches have same thickness
  • case material: aluminum, stainless steel, or rose or yellow gold
  • Ion-X glass in the Sport model or sapphire crystal for the others
  • watchband: numerous options

All Apple Watches have the same rectangular shape.

The Apple Watch Sport is the least expensive and retails for $349. It has an aluminum case and strengthened Ion-X glass protects the display. The band is made of a high-performance fluoroelastomer. This is the only Apple Watch that ships with two different length bands.

The other watches are significantly more expensive. The watches that are not gold have a stainless steel cases with displays covered by super-tough sapphire crystal. You can choose a band of either leather or stainless steel, or get the sport band. Check out the different bands at an Apple Store or retailer who sells Apple watches, or listen to David Woodbridge's watchband descriptions. Apple also sells watchbands separately in case you want more than one.

Getting Oriented to the Apple Watch

Both a magnetic charging cable and an Apple 5W USB power adapter (USB/AC cube) are included with your watch. The charging cable feels very different from the Lightning cable that iPhones use. On one end of the charging cable is an approximately 1-inch round disk. The underside of the watch has a slightly raised and dome-shaped center that is very slightly smaller in diameter than the charger, This is where the disk end of the charger attaches magnetically. The other end of the cable is a USB connector that plugs into the power adapter or a computer.

All non-sport bands can fit any wrist. With the Apple Watch Sport, two bands of different lengths are included. One is for a small/medium wrist and the other is for a medium/large wrist. The part of the band without the holes does not need to be changed. Instructions for switching bands are at the end of this section.

With the watch on your left wrist, there will be two controls on the right edge of the watch. The top control is round and feels similar to a watch stem and is called the Digital Crown. The lower, oval button is called the Friends button. On the left side of the watch, located across from the Digital Crown and Friends button respectively, are the speaker and microphone.

Sensors are located in the dome on the backside of the watch. Near each side of the watchband, on the underside, are small buttons. You may need to use a fingernail to find them. Press these buttons to release the watchband. To install a new band, hold the buttons in and slide the new band into the now-open slot. Release the buttons once you hear or feel the band click in.

Setting up the Apple Watch

Turn the watch on by holding down the Friends button for 2 seconds and then waiting about 90 seconds. The first time you turn the watch on, press the Digital Crown three times so VoiceOver will talk you through the set-up process. After set up you can set up VoiceOver, in Settings, to use the triple-click command to turn VoiceOver on and off. When you turn the watch on, after the initial set up, touch the Digital Crown, and VoiceOver will start talking. Turn the watch off with the Friends button as well. Hold the button in for a couple of seconds. The same shutdown dialogue that you see on the iPhone will come up.

Many of the gestures on the watch are the same as on other iOS devices. Assuming the watch is on your left wrist, flicking right is flicking toward your hand and flicking left is toward your elbow. Flicking up is toward your pinky and flicking down is toward your thumb. There is one gesture that may not be familiar to some VoiceOver users, the force touch. Press down with one finger and wait until you hear a sound. Next, make your selection.

The first option in the set-up process is to choose a language. You will next need to pair the watch with your iPhone. Open the watch app on your iPhone and activate the Start Pairing button. There will be two options: to use the camera or to pair manually. When paring with the camera, it is necessary to hold the watch in the viewfinder of the iPhone. When paring manually, it is necessary to enter a code from the Apple Watch into your iPhone.

Once the watch is paired, the remainder of the setup process is done via the Watch app on the iPhone. This is straightforward. You will be asked a series of questions including wrist preference and whether you agree with Apple's Terms and Conditions. There is an edit field on the watch to enter a four-digit PIN. Double-tap on each number to enter it. Although a PIN is not mandatory, using one is a good security measure. There is also an option to unlock your watch with your iPhone. You can use your PIN with this option as well.

The next part of the setup process is to transfer the apps on your iPhone to your Apple Watch, though not all phone apps are compatible with the watch. Only compatible apps will transfer. To transfer, activate the Select All button. It is easy to later remove any apps you don't want if you choose to have all the apps transferred now. Another option is "Choose Later" which is easily used to move apps onto the watch one at a time. Once the setup process is complete, you can wake up your watch by either tapping on the screen or by pressing the Digital Crown. Put the watch to sleep by covering the home screen with your hand for a couple of seconds. Pressing the Digital Crown will move you between the clock face and apps.

The Watch App on the iPhone

The Watch app has four tabs at the bottom of the page: My Watch, Explore, Featured, and Search. The My Watch tab brings up many of the options used to control features on the watch including notifications, settings, sounds, and which third-party apps are on the watch. The Explore tab offers information and videos about various Apple Watches. The Featured tab displays apps for the watch and the Search tab is used for searching for Watch apps.

In the My Watch tab, flick down to General/Accessibility. This is where VoiceOver and low vision settings are managed.

VoiceOver

As of the time of this review, VoiceOver's speaking rate can be adjusted only from the iPhone. Volume can be adjusted on the phone in VoiceOver settings or on the watch with a two-finger double tap and hold. When you hear a sound, slide your fingers up to raise the volume and down to lower it. There is a unique VoiceOver setting on the watch, Speak on Wrist Raise. When you raise your hand, VoiceOver will automatically speak the current time. I tried this feature but do not use it because it made my watch talk too much.

Zoom

The Zoom feature lets the user magnify text up to 15 times its original size. Use the Digital Crown to navigate the screen or use two fingers to read the screen. There is a grayscale setting that displays text in different shades of gray. The bold text option can also make text easier to read. There is an option to reduce background transparency. This increases contrast, thus making some features such as alerts and Siri easier to read.

The Accessibility Shortcut

The final option in the Vision settings is the Accessibility Shortcut. There are two options, VoiceOver and Zoom. Once a selection is made, triple-clicking the Digital Crown will turn either VoiceOver or Zoom on and off.

Choosing a Watch Face

There are many options for the watch face including Mickey Mouse and a face with extra large numbers. Depending on which face you choose, you can add other information such as date, calendar, temperature, and moon phase. Apple calls these add-ons "complications."

Choose a watch face by first pressing the Digital Crown until the watch says "Clock face." Next, do a one-finger press-and-hold on the watch face (force touch gesture). Once you hear a sound, flick left and right to hear the different types of faces. VoiceOver will read a brief description of each face. The X-Large face has extra-large numbers. When you find the face you want, select it with a one-finger double-tap. I like the Modular face because it has room for five complications. Faces can be changed easily and anytime.

Adding Complications

In order to add complications, perform a force touch gesture and, once you hear the sound, flick up or down until you hear VoiceOver say, "Customize." Flick around the watch face until you hear VoiceOver say "Editing" and which complication is editing. Use the Digital Crown to explore which complications are available for the particular spot on the watch face. For example, the Modular face has room for four complications plus one large complication. Use the Digital Crown to scroll through the list of available Complications. When you find the complication you want to add, press the Digital Crown. Flick on the clock face to find where complications can be placed. There are some third-party apps such as TimeBuzz and Just Press Record that can be put on the watch face as complications. If you install such an app, it will appear in the Complications section of the My Watch tab in the iPhone Watch app.

Notification Center

View notifications on the Apple Watch by doing a two-finger flick down when on the clock face. The Notifications section on the iPhone Watch app looks like the Notifications section on an iPhone. You will need to control watch notifications through the Watch app on your iPhone. Use standard VoiceOver gestures to read and handle notifications.

For the standard notifications such as phone and reminders, the top button within each setting says, "Mirror my iPhone." If this button is activated, the notification will be handled the same way as if you received it on your iPhone. Customize the notification on your watch by activating the Custom button instead of "Mirror my iPhone."

The next section of the Notification settings for the watch is "Mirror iPhone." Underneath this title is the list of third party apps that are compatible with the Apple Watch. You have the option of also having these apps available in the notification center. They will be handled the exact same way they are handled on the iPhone.

Glances

Glances are apps that can be accessed from the watch face. Flick up with two fingers to access them. Glances can be controlled through the Glances section in the iPhone Watch app. Apps in this section are draggable and VoiceOver gives excellent feedback.

There are several ways to move between Glances. Swipe up and down with one finger. There are three options: Previous Glance, Next Glance, and Activate Item. Another way to move is by using the page picker at the bottom of the screen. Each page is a Glance. Therefore, if you have five Glances you will have five pages. The third way is to scroll left and right with two fingers.

Siri

Siri is very useful on the Apple Watch. She can open apps, open Glances, add an event to your calendar, answer questions and do all the other tasks available on an iPhone. Activate Siri by pressing and holding the Digital Crown. The watch will vibrate when Siri is ready. Another option is to raise your wrist and say, "Hey Siri," and the watch will vibrate when ready. On the Apple Watch, Siri's voice is spoken by VoiceOver instead of Siri voices as on the iPhone.

Using the Friends Button

Activating the Friends button will bring up a list of everyone listed in Favorites on your iPhone's Phone app, or you can add people through the Friends option on the iPhone's Watch app. Press the Friends button and VoiceOver will say "Friends." Once a friend is selected there will be options to call or text. If the friend has an Apple Watch, there will also be an option to send a Digital Touch. Activating this option will give three choices: sketch, heartbeat, and taps. Press the "Info" button for more details. Be aware that as of this writing there is a VoiceOver bug that will sometimes name the wrong person when you choose a name. This does not happen with all the friends.

Managing Apps

It is easy to add or remove a third-party app on the Apple Watch. Open the Watch app on the iPhone. After the list of native Apple Watch apps will be a list of third-party apps. Double tap on the app you want to add or remove. There will be two buttons. The top button places the app on the watch and the second places the app in Glances. Both buttons are on/off toggles. An app must be on the watch in order for it to show in Glances.

Near the top of the My Watch screen is an "App Layout" button. Here is where you can move apps around on your watch. Double tap and hold and then drag the app. VoiceOver will announce the app's new position.

Messaging

Since the Apple Watch does not have a keyboard, when messaging you must either tell Siri to whom to send the message or use the Friends button if the person is in your Friends category.

When you receive a text message, swiping up and down with one finger will give the standard options: reply or dismiss. When you reply to a text message, there will be a list of standard replies. Selecting one of these responses will add it to the message and automatically send it. If you want to say something other than the standard replies, activate the "Dictate" button in the lower right corner of the screen. When done, double tap in the same place. The "Dictate" button will not speak. Read the message and then choose either the "Cancel" button in the top left of the screen or the "Send" button in the top right.

You can add your own standard reply by going into the Default Replies in the Messages section of the Watch iPhone app. Double tap on any of the standard replies, remove the text and type in what you want to replace it. If you delete the new text, then the standard reply that was previously there will reappear.

E-Mail

As of this writing, it is not possible to compose e-mails on the Apple Watch, but you can reply to e-mails you have received. Flick up or down on an e-mail to get various options including "Activate," "Trash," and "More." The "More" option reveals three choices: mark as unread, flag, and cancel. Open the e-mail and flick right to read its contents. At the end of the e-mail will be a "Reply" button. There will be standard replies, as in text messages. You can edit these replies as well. There is also the "Dictate" button on the bottom right of the screen. Once your reply is finished, the "Send" button will be on the bottom right of the screen and the "Cancel" button will be on the top left.

Phone Calls

Siri can make phone calls on the Apple Watch or you can use the Friends button, select a friend, and flick right to the "Call" button. The Apple Watch does not play any custom ringtones. A call can be answered and disconnected with a two-finger double tap. A call can also be answered by touching the screen, which will bring up the "Answer" button. Flicking left and right on the screen will bring up other options including "Decline" and "Message." To end a call, flick right to the "End" button.

A call can be transferred from the watch to the iPhone. In the lower left corner of the locked screen is the word "Phone." Select this option (one finger double tap) and the call will transfer to your iPhone.

Battery Level

There is a Battery option in the Glances list. Depending on the watch face you choose, there will be an option to add Battery as a Complication on the clock face. On the iPhone, activate the Control Center. Under the Batteries heading, the battery level percentages of both the iPhone and the Watch will be displayed.

The Apple Watch as a Fitness Tracker

The watch has two pre-installed apps, Activity and Workout. There is also a Heartbeat Glance that will measure your heart rate. Third-party exercise apps are also available.

Activity

The Activity app tracks your movement by telling you how many steps you've taken, how many minutes you've exercised, and how many active calories you've burned. Set up the app by first going to the My Watch app and open the Health section. There will be several questions including weight and birthday. Once you've entered your information, a daily target for movement, exercise, and active calories will be created for you. Go into the Activity app on the iPhone to customize the app. The Activity app can be shown in Glances, or depending on your watch face, it can also be shown as a Complication.

Once the Activity app is opened on your watch, either flick right to read your numbers or use the page selector at the page bottom to read the numbers. Change your movement goal with a force touch gesture. Choose the number of active calories and select the "Update" button.

Workout

The Workout app tracks your physical exercises. There are options for walking, running, cycling and rowing. There is also an option labeled "Other." Select this option if your exercise isn't listed in the app.

Once you select an exercise, choose the workout length and then activate the "Start" button. When your workout is done, select the "End" button, wait about 10 seconds, and flick to the "Save" button. As with most of the other pre-installed apps, Workout can be customized in the Watch app on the iPhone.

Heartbeat

Open the Heartbeat Glance. Flick up or down with one finger until you hear "Activate Item." Select this option to measure your heart rate.

Music

You can use your Apple Watch to control music on your iPhone or on your Bluetooth device, but music cannot be played directly through the watch. In the Music section of the Watch app, there are options to sync playlists to the watch. These can be played through a Bluetooth device without the use of your iPhone.

When the Music app is opened, there are options to choose a source, iPhone or Watch. A list of music options is presented including My Music and Playlists. If you subscribe to Apple Music, the playlists that you added to your library will be included. If you choose to play music from your watch to a Bluetooth device, only the playlists you previously synced will be accessible.

Choose music content. Next, use a force touch gesture to be presented with several options, will including source and shuffle. Once the music starts playing, controls are on the lower half of the watch face. Controls include Previous Track, Play/Pause, Next Track and Volume. The two-finger double tap to start and stop play does not work on the watch. Apple Music subscribers will have the option to play Beats 1 and any music synced to your library. However, the other Apple Music options such as For You, New, Radio, and Connect are not available.

TimeBuzz

TimeBuzz is a third-party app that allows your watch to vibrate the time rather than speak it. I delayed getting an Apple Watch because I did not want the time to be spoken aloud. This app solves that problem. At the developer's website you will find information about the app and an excellent, detailed podcast by David Woodbridge.

Conclusion

The Apple Watch is convenient and relatively easy to learn. I especially like it for texting, notifications and quick e-mails. Be sure you are comfortable using iOS VoiceOver gestures as you will need them on the Apple Watch and when using the Watch app on your iPhone. Take time to explore all the options in the My Watch tab of the Watch app. Remember that Siri can perform many functions including sending texts, opening apps, making phone calls, and of course answering questions.

Product Information

Product: Apple Watch
Manufacturer: Apple

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Author
Janet Ingber
Article Topic
Product Evaluations and Guides