$349 Apple Watch Coming in 2015

Apple had "one more thing" during its big event today and, as expected, it was a sleek smartwatch, dubbed Apple Watch.

The device will start at $349, but it won't arrive until early 2015. You can choose from three versions, which have different bands: Apple Watch, Apple Watch Sport, and Apple Watch Edition.

The watches will come with 38mm or 42mm watch faces. The Apple Watch sports polished stainless steel and space black stainless steel cases, as well as a sapphire crystal display. For the band, buyers can select a leather one, a link bracelet, a chain metal-like Milanese loop, and a sporty band.

Those who buy the Apple Sport Watch will have their choice of colorful sport band (white, blue, green, pink, or black). To keep it lightweight, Apple said it used an alumina-silicate glass that's "especially resistant to scratches and impact."

The more luxurious Apple Watch Edition has a watch case made from 18-karat gold, a sapphire crystal display, and a selection of boldly colored bands.

The watch requires that you be connected to an iPhone. Apple Watch will work with the new iPhone 6 and iPhone 6 Plus, but also the iPhone 5, 5c, and 5s. To charge it, a circular, magnetic charger snaps into the back of the watch face.

There's a touch screen like most smartwatches, but Apple added a dial - known as the crown - that can be used to zoom in and out.

Press the digital crown to tap into Siri and ask questions. During an on-stage demo, Apple exec Kevin Lynch asked about movies nearby, and list appeared with film art.

The watch activates the display when you raise your wrist, and apps appear in a sort-of cloud bubble.

Apple Watch includes haptic feedback so you'll feel a slight pulse when you get a notification; like someone tapping you on the wrist, Apple said. But lest you fear that your Apple Watch will be shocking you, Apple said it's subtle enough that the person sitting next to you won't notice it.

You can see photos - in a huge patchwork of photos or one at a time. Apple Maps is also on the Apple Watch (for better or worse); pan around and press the bottom left to return to your current location. For turn-by-turn directions, meanwhile, your watch will use the haptic feedback to tell you which way to go - different sensations for left and right, for example.

If you and a friend both have an Apple Watch, meanwhile, you can communicate with each other using the haptic feedback. Lynch tapped three times, for example, to ask a co-worker if he was ready for lunch.

With the Pinterest app, meanwhile, Apple Watch will notify you if you're near a location that you've pinned. And a BMW app can let you see your car's charge level or where you parked.

Tim Cook took the stage to talk up the health aspects of Apple Watch, which he said will give you a "comprehensive view of your daily activity."

The watch will include separate "rings" - the Exercise Ring and Stand Ring, for example. The Stand Ring will remind you to stand throughout the day; the better you do, the more complete the ring will become.

You can also monitor actual workouts: select an activity (running, walking, etc.), set a goal, pick how many calories you want to burn, and the distance you want to go. During the workout, you can see how far you've gone, and how long you've been at it. At the end, a summary will fill you in on your stats.

The iPhone's fitness app will store all this data, which you can share with the Health app (and third parties). Over time, Cook said, the Apple Watch "gets to know you like a good personal trainer would." It will remind you to work out and suggest goals, which Cook said "gives you a far better chance of succeeding."

"We think it's going to help a lot of people live a better day and healthier life," he said.

For more, follow PCMag's live blog of Apple's event, and check out the video below.

Editor's Note: This story was updated at 3:50 p.m. ET.