( CNN ) -- The long-anticipated Apple smartwatch became a reality this week when the tech giant unveiled its entry into the growing wearable-tech field . The Apple Watch , which comes in three styles and two sizes with multiple options for colors and wristbands , was expected to energize a market that 's been slow to catch on as smartwatches from competitors such as Samsung , Sony , LG and Pebble rolled out over the past two years . More than just a tiny smartphone , the Apple Watch , which hits the market early next year , packs a ton of watch-specific features . It has a `` crown '' knob to control scrolling and zoom without having to touch the screen , silent pulse notifications , a slate of health and fitness apps and compatibility with Apple 's new Apple Pay app , which lets users scan and pay card-free at participating stores . But there are also questions . The company is still mum on many of the device 's specifications , including memory , screen resolution and -- most crucially -- battery life . The exact differences between the low- , middle- and high-end watches are also still blurry . The watch must be tethered to an iPhone -- some observers had hoped for a standalone device -- and its $ 350 price tag is more than many were expecting . So did the company do enough to make Apple Watch a breakthrough device that will shake up the gadget market the way its iPod , iPhone and iPad did ? Many analysts said they think so . `` The Apple Watch defines the category in ways that other competitors will now have to work furiously to catch up to , '' said James McQuivey , a tech analyst at Forrester Research . `` In classic Apple style , the company has introduced a new interface -- the digital crown along with a tap and touch capable surface -- that will make Apple 's watch experience significantly easier to use than anybody else 's . '' While many competitors have released a single smartwatch , sometimes in designs that have been panned for being bulky and unfashionable , Apple 's trademark attention to design could make a difference , said Carolina Milanesi , chief researcher at Kantar Worldpanel ComTech . That 's true , she said , even if the features Apple showcased wo n't come close to making a smartphone unnecessary . `` I do think smartwatches are still a nice-to-have versus a must-have -- more a convenience than a necessity , which is why appealing more from a style perspective might win more users in the short term , '' she said . Whether that pushes competitors in the same direction remains to be seen . `` Longer term I think we need to wait and see , '' Milanesi said . `` I am not sure we are totally clear as to what the true role of these wearable devices really is , especially as the Internet of Things materializes . '' Forrester Research 's J.P. Gownder said he 's convinced that Apple Watch will push smartwatches into the mainstream in a way that devices running Google 's Android Wear have n't managed . `` Apple will legitimize and create the mass-market wearables category , '' he said . McQuivey said he does n't expect the Apple Watch to catch on with consumers as quickly as the iPad , which first introduced most people to the concept of a tablet computer . He noted how Apple CEO Tim Cook repeatedly referred to the device as a `` personal '' device and said that could be the key to wide appeal . From design to health monitoring to the Apple Pay feature , the watch could become a seamless piece of people 's day-to-day lives , not a mere novelty , he said . `` As a longtime Pebble watch wearer , I can attest to the number of ways a watch , because of its glanceability and its one-touch efficiency , helps you get things done more quickly than before , causing you to do them even more , '' he said . But what about the people who just do n't wear watches , or those who have found , in a smartphone , a suitable replacement ? Milanesi said there 's a chance that even those consumers will come on board . After all , who thought they wanted a tablet computer before Apple showcased the iPad ? `` There are users that never wore a watch who happily spent money on a fitness band , so I do not see why not , '' Milanesi said . `` Is it for everyone ? No , of course not . But there is a market out there , especially of Apple users who see the benefits of having multiple Apple devices working together . '' Apple Watch : Start of a wearable revolution ?
Apple unveils entry into wearable tech with long - range smartwatch . Some say it will catch on in a way other smartwatches have n't . Apple focused on simplicity , with multiple sizes , styles and colors . Smartwatches remain ` ` nice to have , '' not ` ` need to have '' -- for now , one reviewer said .