Apple Inc. (NASDAQ:AAPL) released developer guidelines for the Apple Watch on Tuesday, and the new information is very revealing. The new Software Developer Kit was designed for coders but it also offers hints about what this new watch will offer consumers. One thing that was confirmed in the SDK is that the smartwatch isn’t a standalone device, it is meant to work the iPhone. It was summed up to be an extension of the iPhone.
A look at display resolutions
The SDK also revealed the display resolutions. The 38mm watch will feature a resolution of 272×340 pixels. The 42mm watch will feature a resolution of 312×390 pixels. The tech giant claims the resolution are good enough to be considered Retina display. Unfortunately, it is still unknown just how sharp the displays will be. There has been a few estimates which compare the watch screen to the iPhone 5 which has a resolution better than iPad or MacBook Pro.
Apple may also offer the watch in larger or smaller sizes sometime in the near future. Earlier this year, the Cupertino-based tech giant published a patent which described different ways to build flexible screens and sidewall displays. Although this particular patent primarily concerns the iPhone, that isn’t to say it couldn’t be applied to a watch.
Apple Watch to feature new font
Another thing the SDK revealed was a new font called San Francisco, and it was designed for better legibility for the watch. It is a sans serif-style font that takes less horizontal space. Last, but certainly not least, there are two types of notifications. The Short Look notification offers a brief and discreet amount of information whenever the wearer raises their wrist. The Long Look notification offers more information if the wearer taps Short Look or hold their wrist up.
The Apple Watch is reported to arrive sometime in early 2015.
