For years now, tech enthusiasts have been clamoring for a smartwatch from Apple. Apple, being smart, has sat this out, looking at the emerging market. Pebble and Android Wear have shown that there’s certainly a demand for it, and Apple has now tried to top them, but it’s unsure how well they accomplished that.
Don’t get my wrong; I’m techcited about the Apple Watch, but only conceptually. The design is neat, and I particularly like how Apple has made three model types instead of just one. Normally. I covet any new Apple product for at least the first hour after it’s announced. With the Apple Watch, I was over it after 20 minutes of discussion, yet the announcement was still ongoing. Why?
First, there’s the price. At $349 to start, the Apple Watch is a luxury item for certain. This feeling is doubled by the fact that it’s not a stand-alone device. The Apple Watch requires the iPhone 5 or up. While many users update their iPhones regularly, for some, that means to buy the new watch you need a new phone. And why is that, exactly?
Just like with Android Wear, there’s no compelling feature of the Apple Watch that I can see. Yes, the new interface is snazzy (you get around by manipulating a dial on the side and there’s a stunning new UI), but aside from the fitness trackers, there doesn’t seem to be a single thing the Apple Watch can do that your phone can’t do. Google and Apple both see a pressing need for people not to take their phones out. I don’t get that. Assuming you’re one of these people, why would you choose Apple Watch over Android Wear? The features are essentially identical. If the fitness app is your killer app, buy a Fitbit and be done with it.
Finally, my major concern is with battery life. One of the principal complaints about Android Wear has been a quickly diminishing battery life. Even the snazzy Moto 360 doesn’t last a full day of use. I was just talking with someone earlier today about how $250 is too much for a companion device that doesn’t last the day. Apple avoided mentioning battery life at all during the event. Considering how strongly that feature gets touted for every other device Apple makes, that suspect move is a bit of a concern.
As the Apple Watch won’t ship until 2015, there’s lots of time (pun intended) for them to change people’s minds. The fitness features are a draw, and the idea of a watch that talks to a computer in my belt was totally something I wanted when I was a kid. But there’s that huge gulf between wanted as a kid and what I actually need as an adult.
Well, someone had to start the dissing. Apparently that’s you. We must have witnessed two completely unrelated events. I’m totally psyched about the watch, it’s a home run! Has every feature I could imagine and then some. The health features rock. The usability is just right, and makes great use of both screen and dial (tap, touch, dial). And the app ecosystem that is going to form around the incredible feature set inside, the well thought design aspects, the interchangeable bands. SUPER! Yes, I’m wondering about battery life and water resistance, but stay tuned, I’m guessing Apple didn’t neglect the basics while shooting for the moon.
If you believe this article is dissing, then so be it. I have great respect for Apple and use Macs and iPhones daily. My saying I don’t see a personal use for this does not mean I think it will fail. Products like that get dubbed “solutions in need of a problem”. This is not that.
But thank you for reading the site and commenting.
I just want Dick Tracy’s videophone watch.
Personally, I only get excited about products that enhance the quality of my life, or inspire me to new heights in my work, or benefit relationships I care about. This watch does all that.
Price: Have you ever bought a watch? If that price disturbs you, you must not be familiar with what people spend on wrist wear, or else you would see clearly that the price point as astonishingly reasonable. No, it isn’t cheap wear (Apple doesn’t make cheap junk…they leave that to the copycats),
This is a quality set of instruments available on your wrist for the price of a average quality watch that only tells time. Will that sell? HOLY SMOKES YES!
NEED FOR IPHONE: Nope. The watch holds music, you don’t need an iPod or iPhone. You don’t need a phone for the most of HealthKit features either. It’s a remote for my AppleTV, don’t need a phone for that. But it does more things with an iPhone, like it’s a remote for the camera. It has a built in Walkie talkie. Digital touch feature rocks (when I’m away from home, or speaking in front of an audience, I love that my wife can send me a touch from home!) It’s a way of seeing what’s coming in on my phone without having to pull out the phone, which is a super useful feature for me. So many apps and more to come, this is just starting. Swappable bands, I’m sure I’ll want at least two of them.
Yeah, I’m excited. As a stock holder I see this as a home run that’s great for my pending retirement. Will people find fault with it? Of course. Every great Apple product got the kinds of negative reactions I’ve seen in this thread, par for the course, I’ve been witnessing that since the first Mac that I bought in 1985 (It’s a toy. You can’t do real work on it. There’s no software for it. Where’s the floppy drive? Where’s the CD drive?
Will it be waterproof? I SURE HOPE SO. Will the battery last all day? I bet it will. We have a few months to watch and wait now. But you can’t please all the people all the time, and its a fool’s errand to try. And Apple products aren’t for everyone, due to different relationships people have with money and technology, imagination and intelligence. As an extremely satisfied Apple customer for many years now, I can’t wait to wear one of these!
In honor of Apple’s big announcement yesterday, I will check my phone for the time using that amazing app called ‘clock’ and eliminate the use of all credit cards with something called ‘cash’.