Apple is set to finally unveil the Wristcam, a strap equipped with front- and rear-facing cameras to be used for Apple watches. The launch is coming after about four years when a crowdfunding campaign was initiated for its development.
The Wristcam comes with an 8-megapixel
camera that can shoot 1080p video and take still photos in 4K resolution and a
2-megapixel front camera for selfies. The device can also function as a video
walkie-talkie with real-time live-streaming capabilities. Of course, both
cameras are nowhere close to the powerful cameras in the iPhone. Some visuals
shot by the Wristcam, displayed by the company are quite decent.
The display of Wristcam is the Watch
screen although the camera has a separate battery, which can last up to 24
hours. You can take images and video by pressing its multifunctional button,
and this is synced to your iPhone automatically when you drop it on its
magnetically attached charging cable. The device comes with 8GB of memory and
connects with the Watch via Bluetooth Low Energy (BLE) and with the iPhone via
Bluetooth 4.2, 5.0, and Wi-Fi.
The band weighs about 23 grams and comes
in interchangeable colors, including noir, blanc, gray, rose, and sage. Both
cameras have LEDs that light up when a photo or video is being shot, so it’s
clear when the device is in photo-taking mode.
According to CEO Ari Roisman, the Wristcam
can take up to 20 seconds to share a photo directly from the Watch over
Bluetooth but will sync directly with a connected iPhone. The ability to share
photos directly from the Watch won’t be available when the device is officially
launched but would be incorporated in the future.
Roisman said the company is focused on
shipping units to customers who supported the original crowdfunding campaign,
which pre-sold 10,000 units. The lengthy delay stemmed from design challenges. Interested
customers can make reservations for the Wristcam from the company’s website for US$ 299. The first direct-to-customer units are expected by March 2021.
