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The Apple Watch will not be able to browse the web

James Cook   

The Apple Watch will not be able to browse the web
Tech2 min read

Apple CEO Tim Cook in front of an Apple Watch

Getty Images News

Apple CEO Tim Cook

The Apple Watch has a bunch of fancy apps: CityMapper to help you navigate, Uber to help you get a ride home. But there's one big thing missing.

Paul Canetti has published a Medium post that points out the biggest iPhone apps that are missing from the Apple Watch. It turns out that most people haven't noticed that the Apple Watch doesn't come with a web browser.

If you want to search for something on your watch, then you have to say it to Siri and hope that it can find the information you want.

Samsung's Gear smart watches, which run Google's Android Wear system, have full-fledged (albeit tiny) web browsers in them.

There's no keyboard on the Apple Watch, either. Some people will like that - they don't have to awkwardly tap on a tiny screen. But if you want to enter any text on the watch, be it the name of a person you want to email or your address for an Uber ride, then you have to say it out loud to your watch. Apple is forcing people to use their iPhone for some tasks (like reading articles and writing emails), and using their Apple Watch for simple things (like quick email replies and checking the calendar).

apple watch notifications

Apple

Notifications on the Apple Watch

You don't need to visit the CNN website on your watch. The CNN app will notify you of important stories, and you can use it to browse through content on the purpose-built app. Sites will have to build their own Apple Watch apps to get around the lack of a web browser.

Safari isn't the only iPhone app that won't make an appearance on the Apple Watch. Voice memos, notes, game center and many others won't have their own wearable versions.

Canetti has a useful chart showing which apps are available and which are not on the watch.

NOW WATCH: How to pick the right Apple Watch size for you

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