<p> <i> 20.09 pm </i> Time for Apple Watch to show us

what it can do

It won't paint your house, butter your toast or fold your laundry. But besides telling time, the Apple Watch may do enough other interesting things to convince iPhone owners to buy it. At least, that's what Apple's hoping.

The Cupertino, Calif., electronics giant will reveal more details about its first smartwatch -- including when you can buy one and how much they'll cost -- on Monday in San Francisco. What we know, after Apple CEO Tim Cook debuted the device during a star-studded event in September, is that the Apple Watch will be priced starting at $349, come in two sizes and that there will be three models available with a variety of band options.

Also, we know it only works with iPhone 5, 5S, 5C, 6 and 6 Plus smartphones running the latest version of Apple's mobile operating system software, iOS 8.

What we don't know is if the device will be fashionable enough to compete with the luxury watches it's being compared to and if Apple has cracked the code on turning a wearable computer into a must-have device. Time has shown that simply having a smart device strapped to the wrist isn't something consumers want, with makers from Pebble to Samsung struggling to find mass market acceptance for their early efforts.

"The watch itself is exciting and interesting, but what they fundamentally showed us was glass on the wrist, a computer," said Tim Bajarin, a longtime Apple analyst at Creative Strategies. "Now they need to give us a reason to buy it."

To address that question, Apple has worked on creating unique experiences for the smartwatch, including a mobile payments service called Apple Pay that lets you tap the watch at checkout stands to pay for everything from a Big Mac at McDonald's to shampoo at Walgreens.

But the real trick is convincing app developers to invest in programs for the Apple Watch that will show off what you can actually do with it. Apple's iPhone and iPad tablet became popular with the help of third-party software developers, who collectively have created TK million apps for those Apple's mobile devices. And while app developers have already announced they're working on hundreds of Apple Watch apps (link to Jason's list), the "killer app" has yet to emerge.

Apple declined to comment.

What Apple Watch does

At the Apple Watch unveiling, Cook touted Apple Watch as the ideal health and fitness device, timekeeper and notification system, as well as a way to stay closely connected to friends and family. You'll also be able to use your watch to purchase items through Apple Pay, and you'll be able to talk to the Siri digital voice assistant to send messages.

Along with the Apple developed apps, there will be third-party software that does everything from letting you unlock your hotel room door with your watch to receiving coupons when you're walking past your favorite store in the mall.

Making things glanceable is a key goal for Apple Watch apps. You'll only spend seconds at a time looking at the device, and you won't be able to quickly navigate through menus to find the task you want.

"Because it's a small screen, you have to be so much more efficient," said Mikael Berner, the CEO of notification app EasilyDo.

Still, not everyone will be making an Apple Watch app. IBM, which formed a partnership with Apple last year to create mobile apps for the iPhone and iPad designed for businesses, is holding off on creating Apple Watch versions.

"I could imagine it [someday], but not yet," said Katharyn White, IBM's global lead for the IBM-Apple partnership.

Perhaps the biggest challenge for Apple will be getting us to put down our phones. It was Apple's iPhone that convinced many people to stop using a watch in the first place. Now it's time for Apple to show us why we really do need a watch.</p>