I outlined in my first diary piece why I decided to put an Apple Watch to the test, despite being skeptical about the value of smartwatches. The short version is that there’s only one way to judge a new product category, and that’s by living with it for a while.
I set an arbitrary test period of one week because I think that’s long enough to determine if and how I use it, and what difference it makes to my everyday life. I do recognize that a week isn’t long enough for the ultimate test: will it have been consigned to a drawer two or three months down the line? But I figured you wouldn’t want to wait quite that long for my verdict.
Let’s start with what have now been very firmly identified as non-issues …
Look & feel is a non-issue because I’m totally used to both now. I’m no longer conscious of having something on my wrist, and it now looks perfectly normal to me. Nothing to see here, move along.
Battery-life is the same. The watch has comfortably made it through a full day every single day (though bear in mind I’m using the 42mm model, with its presumably larger battery). So let’s move swiftly along to the user-interface.
I said last time that the UI is very well thought-through, and quickly became second-nature. That remains my view. That’s not to say it’s perfect: I have discovered a few glitches along the way. Let me give a few examples.
When you get a notification, Apple says you see a ‘short glance’ when you first raise your wrist, and then – if you continue to hold your wrist up – it automatically switches to the ‘long glance,’ with more detail. In reality, the short glance is so brief that I can’t even tell you what most of them look like: by the time I’ve raised my wrist and looked at it, it is already scrolling off into the long glance. The short glance is pointless as it stands. In fact, from the glimpses I’ve seen, they are pointless period.
Second, the stand reminders, where the watch prompts us to stand up for at least one minute per hour, lack intelligence. The watch can’t tell when I’m standing, only when I’m moving, so it’s a bit irritating to be reminded to stand when I already am. Also, when it gives my ‘standing times’ tally for the day, it only seems to count the times I responded to the alert, not all the other times I was standing in between alerts.
Third, the watch sends notifications for messages even when I’ve already replied to them on my phone, iPad or Mac. The watch notification shows the reply I sent, so it really should be able to work out that the watch alert is superfluous.
This leads into a broader complaint I have about the Apple ecosystem. I get notifications for many things on all of my Apple devices. A calendar alert, for example, appears on my Mac, iPad, iPhone and Watch – and I have to individually dismiss them from all four devices. At the very least, dismissing it on one should dismiss it on all. Better yet would be to figure out from activity which one I’m actively using, send it to that one first and only send it elsewhere – say 30 seconds later – if I fail to respond. Perhaps for watch owners, send it first to the watch – if you are wearing it – then on to other devices.
Fourth, the watch needs a little more intelligence in regard to actively-running apps. By default, when you raise your wrist spontaneously (that is, not in response to a notification), it displays the watch face. That’s what I want most of the time, but there are times when I want to see the currently-running app instead. For example, if I set a countdown timer for 10 minutes while cooking, it’s a pretty sure-fire bet that’s what I want to see when I raise my wrist five minutes later; instead, I get the watch face.
Sure, there are a couple of workarounds for this. I could change the default behaviour to display the last-run app. Or I could add the timer to my watch face as a complication. But I don’t want to do either of these things just as a one-off, only to have to switch them back again afterwards. I’d like the watch to be able to figure out for itself very obvious things like a timer set for a short time.
Update: Double-clicking the digital crown opens the last-run app. I’d still prefer it to open automatically, though. And it appears the remote app does open automatically when using it to control Apple TV, so clearly Apple is thinking along these lines for some apps.
I could go on, but the bottom-line is that these are all very minor complaints, and I could come up with equivalent ones for iOS or OS X. In general, the UI works well and the watch mostly behaves as you’d expect it to.
One issue I raised before, not as a complaint about the watch but as a question mark about its usefulness for at-a-glance alerts, is that some of the time the watch is tucked away beneath a sleeve. With slimfit shirts, the ‘flick your wrist to uncover the watch’ trick doesn’t work, and uncovering the watch when wearing a cycling jacket is not something I can do one-handed, so it’s actually easier for me to reach into my pocket for my phone.
As an experiment, I tried wearing it outside my jacket sleeve. I wasn’t 100% sure this would work, as Apple talked about skin contact being needed to keep it unlocked, but it seems this is just for Apple Pay. For most usage, the watch works with or without skin contact: unlock it once, and it remains unlocked.
There were just enough holes in the watch strap to wrap around my cycling jacket sleeve. What I noticed, however, is that while I could still use the watch, most notifications stopped. Not all, but most. However, going into the companion app, into General and then sliding Wrist Detection off solved this: I once again got notifications on the watch.
Of course, losing skin contact means you lose heart-rate data, and that also means you lose other data, like calories. But, as I say, I’m not really into fitness stats, so that’s not a big deal for me.
One reader, Maxeichbaum, made an excellent suggestion in the comments to my previous diary entry. If I wanted to complete my test of how useful it is, I should leave it off for a day and see whether I missed it.
Given the short nature of my test, just one week, I opted to leave it off for an evening out. The result? Yes, I missed it.
Not in the way I would my iPhone or iPad. I wasn’t getting the shakes, or glancing nervously toward the exit wondering how soon I could leave to get back my beloved gadget. But when the phone bleeped from my pocket, I looked at my empty wrist and it felt like just a tiny bit of a hassle to have to reach for my phone instead.
So, the look & feel works, the UI works, I found a workaround for my cycling issue – and I did miss it a bit when I went out without it. So what’s my verdict, and am I keeping it?
I completely go along with the consensus view on this: nobody needs an Apple Watch. It doesn’t do anything you can’t do without your iPhone aside from heart-rate monitoring, and there are much cheaper ways to get that.
Is it useful anyway? Honestly? Mildly. There are times when it’s undeniably a bit more convenient to see notifications on my wrist rather than my phone. If I missed a bit of a podcast, backing up on the watch is marginally more convenient than taking the phone out of my pocket. You can say that Passbook is more convenient on your wrist, no longer having to juggle passport, phone and bag at the airport departure gate. It will be nice not to have to get my phone out of my pocket to pay for something once Apple finally brings Apple Pay to the UK. And so on.
But really, there’s no killer app – at least, not yet. And nothing which honestly justifies five hundred bucks. I ought to stick it on eBay, pocket the profit and buy something more useful.
I could underline that ‘not yet’ part of the killer app, and point to the fact that the more apps there are out there, the more useful the watch becomes, and any one of those future apps could turn out to be my own personal killer app.
I could also, as several of you pointed out, argue that keeping it makes sense because it’s my job to write about Apple stuff. Maybe there would be interest in one last diary piece, some way down the road, looking at my long-term experience. Maybe I’ll want to review Apple Watch apps, or stands.
But all that would be post-hoc rationalization. The truth is, I’m keeping it, as you all correctly predicted, for the reason you all correctly predicted: because I’m a gadget guy, and it’s a cool gadget. I don’t need it. It’s not justified. But, despite my initial skepticism, I like it – so I’m keeping it. Sorry to all those who wanted to buy it …
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Ben – Good for you! I hope that you continue your series and keep us up to date with your discoveries – both good and bad – as the time (no pun intended) marches forward.
I just wish I’d bet money on your decision! :)
Hehe – looking around at earlier comments, I think you’d have struggled to find someone to take the other end of that bet …
Ben – Have you seen any “hard facts” on the size / capacity of the battery in the 42 mm versus the 38 mm?
I hope that they put that 4mm to some use, but?
Thanks for the great series!
No, Apple is being very reticent about this sort of detail. I’m guessing they’ve taken advantage of the extra space, but haven’t seen any hard info.
A 38mm user here. While I cannot compare side by side, the first day (using the charge the watch came with, about 75%) where I was showing it around the office and to friends from 11pm all the way to 7pm, I did run out of battery by 10:30 pm (used it for a brisk walk exercise for 15 minutes). After that, I’ve used it for anywhere from 1 hour to 1.5 hours of exercise monitoring, plus regular use (seeing notifications, apple tv remote, weather, messaging) and by the end of the day I have above 20% battery left.
Ben, great article, thanks!
One thing I wanted to ask you to see if your experience was the same – I have noticed that I actually respond to texts LESS now with the Watch than before without it. This would seem counter-intuitive and not what I expected, but after a few days I’ve noticed this change in my natural behavior, and it’s a good one! The only way I can explain it is that now that it’s so easy to see a text message or email notification, with just a flick of the wrist, I can more easily ignore the ones that don’t matter so much, that don’t require an immediate response. I’ve found myself being much more “meh, I can deal with that later” now with the Watch than I was before. Before, I would get an audible notification from my phone, I would HAVE to pick it up or pull it out of my pocket just to see what it is. At that point, I’d sort of be invested where I might as well respond even if it isn’t important and I really don’t have to. I’ve already got my phone in my hand, so with just a swipe I can text a response from the lock screen.
But with the Watch, I can only respond with either a very short canned response like “ok” or “talk later” or use voice which can take a bit longer. It isn’t quite as easy as with the phone since I can’t bang out a normal message on a keyboard. So I have started to just check and ignore a lot of messages with which I can deal with later (how texting was originally intended!), or at most tap reply and then tap ok which does end up being usually being quicker than on the phone. But because I don’t have to touch my phone to just identify the text message as being important or not, it’s easier to delay response and do less texting.
It might just be me, but that’s one fantastic benefit of a smartwatch I’ve found that has me feeling there’s a lot more usefulness and value here than my $400 Hamilton dumbwatch daily driver. I’m watch guy to begin with, so in my case the evaluation isn’t between Watch or no watch, but between Watch and my other dumb watches.
Apple have said 42mm has better battery life. As it has a larger screen they MUST have employed a larger battery.
I knew it :)
Nice article. But the next question is, would you have kept it if it was a stainless steel model that cost 200-600 dollars more?
I was originally looking at the stainless steel with link bracelet which would have doubled the cost. I think at that price level, almost certainly not.
I personally have not yet bought one but I still hesitate between the Sport and the SS. Do you think it is worth the SS is worth the money comparing to the Sport version ? Considering it is a 1st Gen
Not to me, but it’s a very personal decision based on your own tastes and perceived value of the watch.
I got sport – my brain told me to. Based on the pics, this made sense as, to me, the SS looked a bit too bling / too shiny. In store I almost regretted it (my heart stepped in) – the SS feels like a good upgrade when you have both in hand. As it’s gen 1, I’m still OK with my decision.
Ok so I’m probaby going to buy the Sport, but first was afraid of the cost of the replacement if I broke the ionx glass. But I think I wil take the SS for the third gen or something like that. And I’ll be carefull with this one
Ben, don’t forget some of the obvious value actually is the darned beauty of the Watch. I got the stainless 38 white band, and if you want attention these days, you’ll get it! (I think it’s a beautiful item to sport on your wrist) At least until more people end up having one, which as an Apple Watch owner for 2 days now, I confidently predict they will be more ubiquitous by next year. Everyone is curious about it, asking me what it does, etc.
It is also a timepiece, that is pretty fresh looking. That is reason enough for someone to plunk down the $500 or so, when compared to the typical Tag Heuer or whatnot that is not so fresh looking. Oh, and you can wear it in the shower! I don’t want to answer phone calls in the shower… But how cool!
It’s certainly true you don’t want to own an Apple Watch right now if you’re shy – a lot of people ask about it.
I had to tell the nice cashier girl at Whole Foods yesterday all about the Watch after she saw me use it to pay for my groceries. I didn’t mind explaining it to her and she thought it was crazy cool, especially that I just paid in 3 seconds with a double tap of the side button and a flick of the wrist by the scanner with phone safe in pocket. But it’s hard to explain the Watch in such a short interaction with someone, so I’m mentally working out a very brief summary that really drives some points home in order to be able to have short conversations about it and not be rude.
Paying with it was definitely awesome though… ;)
I prefer the sport. Lighter. Better screen quality. And cheaper.
I mainly bought the sport regarding price issues. But after having both on the arm (left and right) during my try-on session I had another reason: weight!
I’m not a watch wearer for over 25 years and the sport feels like it isn’t there. The Steel isn’t heavy but in comparison there is a significant difference. But beside daily use I think the lighter version feels better during workouts too.
But as many said before: All comes down to your personal preferences.
You can only assess true value if you evaluate the amortized cost over time. Apple is acutely aware of this with their pricing. For example, why sweat $3000 for a MacBook Pro if it’s going to make you $50K, or $100K, or $200K or more every year? It’s a trivial concern at that point. That $3K amounts to $8 dollars a day for the first year. That’s all. 8 bucks.
Same with the watch. The $42mm Sport, with taxes, amounts to $1 and a couple dimes per day. Even if it didn’t do anything other than tell time (like, you know…watches) it would STILL be worth a buck and change. Beyond that, dropping $1K only amounts to $2.70 per day.
Even if you buy a new one every year, it would be very hard to believe that it’s value isn’t worth one dollar for that day. After 2 years…50 cents per day. You have that sitting next to a french fry in your car, between the seat and the console.
If you evaluate cost to value over time, it really is a trivial expense relative to the value it provides.
Even the $10,000 Watch amounts to about $28/day for the first year. Over two years, about $14/day. They sold through them because the math isn’t that bad if you have a decent job. Now…are there other things to spend ten grand on? Sure…a great vacation comes to mind. But even then, you can equally say that money was pissed into the wind.
It really is difficult to think that this thing isn’t providing value enough over the course of 1 year to justify about a dollar per day. Nearly impossible, in fact.
Well, I guess you could look at it this way, but this smacks of elaborate justification to me.
It also suggests you are living in a very elitist, rarefied atmosphere if you think that any average person even makes 50K a year, let alone 200. A working class person (that majority after all) makes far less than that.
So yeah, if you’re a stock broker, or some kind of executive or a young privileged white dude sucking on silicon valley’s teat, then all these prices are indeed “small change.” To even the average, “first world” human however, the price of the Sport Watch is really the price the Apple Watch should have been, and the Edition Watch is simply out of reach and always will be.
Gazoo – I see your point. However, the other side of the argument is…if $399 creates a financial problem, then an Apple Watch should be the very last thing anyone in that situation should be considering. Same goes for a $3K Mac Book Pro. If someone wants to be irresponsible about their financial situation, and buy things they can’t afford…then there really isn’t much room to gripe about costs. Have the money? Cool…it’s a dollar and change a day. If a dollar a day creates a problem…don’t buy it. Whatever is creating the financial problem is definitely not because of Apple…nor is it their issue to address.
Your arguments sound a lot like “Let them eat cake”
You can say all you want but I assure you most people prefer spending that money on food, not on something cool that adds almost nothing to them. Getting Facebook notifications on your wrist is not worth $8 a day.
Plus, if you think that way, really almost anything is “just a dollar a day” but if you get 20 of those things because they’re “just a dollar a day” you get 2008 all over again.
Gazoo, firstly 50k a year isn’t your net income but before tax … as far as I’ve understood it from facts about the US, the average household income is above 50k a year (household … meaning anything from 1 person to whole families, less people to care for means more money to spend). So saying most households net over 50k a year and thus are able to afford this watch is kinda logical and mostly true, it just doesn’t mean they actually have that 50k to spend.
The difference between being able to afford something and actually buying something is personal and not up for public debate as there are many factors in ones life that could dictate your choices …
Mine for instance are to not buy luxury items until I’ve paid off debts I’ve built up over a period of time where I didn’t have a job (and currently I’m earning enough to be able to afford luxuries … were it not for those pesky debts that I personally choose to pay asap, I could buy the watch and not be in trouble … but personally I feel I would suck as a person to buy the watch now).
So who cares if one household that earns 50k a year buys it and the other doesn’t … its all about priorities in life … and thats what “Therackett” was stating:
If you feel the watch is just what you need …go buy it, if it isn’t or you haven’t too much money (or too much debt), then don’t, there is always tomorrow and it is said that good things come to those who wait (in this case a newer edition for instance … or not having to “beta test” a new product thats still in its infancy).
Oh and by the way … you might want to reconsider saying all privileged kids are white … thats A. racist B. simply not true ;) (example: your president would fit the description of privileged).
I’m sure when I dismiss a notification on one of my devices, it also dismisses it on the rest of them…
Yes and also when I’m texting on my mac, my iPhone does’nt notify me if there’s a new message coming up. They do look at what device you are using
The behaviour seems inconsistent. If I’m actively iMessaging, then yes, that doesn’t (usually) send alerts elsewhere. But if I receive a message and dismiss the alert, it’s still there on other devices. And calendar alerts, for example, always appear on all devices and have to be individually dismissed.
Ben: where do you do your calendaring?
I think one of the reasons why calendar messages are a bit more disjointed than iMessage is because Apple doesn’t control the entire ecosystem.
After all of these years I still do all of my calendaring with Google… because that’s where all of my friends / coworkers are. On each device I set up that device to connect to my GMail account… so each device is doing it slightly differently.
Basically: Calendar alerts are generated by each _device_ individually… not sent by Apple via their notification system. Therefore, each of the notifications is distinct and separate and need to be dismissed separately.
There are a couple of ways to fix this:
1. Alerts for iCloud calendar could be dealt with properly by Apple. But that would mean giving up G-Cal
2. Apple could allow you to connect your iCloud account to your GMail account more directly… so that the alerts would come from Apple as real notifications instead of being generated by each device.
Either way… there is no simple fix today…
These days, everything is in iCloud. I used to use G-Cal years ago but a few years back decided it was too messy and decided to put everything in iCal. It does seem silly to me to have all my devices sync but have the alerts generated locally.
I think what Ben is saying though is that the notifications don’t “go away” all by themselves, even after you’ve dealt with or read the thing in question on one or the other of your devices. At least, this is what happens to me and it’s maddening.
Example: I get an email while sitting at my desk, I answer it and go back to what I’m doing. Ten minutes or more later, I get up to go outside and grab my phone and tablet. On each of those devices, is the notification for the email that I read ten minutes ago. To get rid of it you have to open Mail on each device in succession, pull down to refresh, wait a minute, and then if you’re lucky it goes away. Sometimes you have to actually highlight the message (the one you’ve already answered) and “read” it on each device, just to get it to mark itself as “read.”
It forces you to micromanage three different devices. It’s almost the same as if the cloud didn’t exist at all most of the time.
This is pretty silly behaviour and I’ve tried many settings without ever getting it to change. Once I’ve read the email on one device, it should actually be marked as read in the cloud, as well as on each device, and the notification should disappear completely. It doesn’t though. It’s marginally better than when iOS first launched but this behaviour is arguably “broken” and still needs to be fixed. That is, if a fix is even possible.
Also, if I’m using my iPhone, my Watch won’t give me ANY notifications from any app. Except a call, which still rings on phone, mac, watch.
Correct, that is how it’s all supposed to work via iCloud. This is how it works for me as well. But he’s right in that it can be inconsistent.
Thanks for your diary posts. I’ve had my watch for a week now and agree with you on most points. I’m an Apple guy. (I had a Newton and an Apple digital camera!) I am reminded of the responses to my new iPhone eight years ago. I didn’t care what others thought. I thought it was cool and I wanted to see where it would take me. I feel the same sense of adventure with the Apple Watch.
Ben, how big is your wrist in mm? Curious to know because the 42mm seems to fit your wrist well.
175mm
Fantastic observation about the timer. It should display the timer unless you manually crown your way back to the watch face… until of course, the timer goes off.
I have to strenuously object to this “killer app” business. To me it’s kind of like saying spectacles require a killer app, instead of simply letting you see all things equally. Do you NEED spectacles? Of course not, you could reach into your pocket for a monocle. It’s mildly less convenient, but you already own a monocle. Why buy extra specs?
Similarly to spectacles (though not as dramatically as them), the Watch makes seeing your electronic life more convenient. That’s the killer app. The killer app is that your phone is charging at your desk when you’re in the kitchen cooking and you don’t have to wonder if that distant sound means you’re ignoring something important.
It seems odd to me that this isn’t enough. Even smartphones don’t let you do anything you couldn’t do without a smartphone. Before internet in your pocket, people carried a dumb phone and a laptop. The smartphone was simply more convenient.
How much more killer do you need?
It’s a reasonable argument, Milorad. I would say here the additional convenience is very much smaller than laptop > phone.
Of course it is… we’re at that stage technologically, where the really obvious stuff has been handled. We’re no longer lugging around bricks, but yet technology hasn’t progressed to the miniature heads-up augmented reality display stage quite yet (despite google’s meagre effort)
What I mean is, we’re solving smaller problems now. Perhaps the cost/benefit analysis isn’t there for you, but that’s a very minor point. At $350 it’s a dollar a day worth of convenience, if you replace it every year. I’d find that a fairly easy argument to make. A lot easier if you replace it in two years.
Anyhow, thanks for providing the skeptic’s view.
…and is this _marginal_ convenience worth $400 (not $350 as 38mm is not an option for men)? And really, is the _marginal_ convenience worth $700 (as the plastic band is tacky and not an option either)?
Ben, you are an Apple guy, and a gadget guy. Even with that, you admit it’s only a little better than a 50-50 question whether you keep it. I’m not quite an Apple guy (I got my first iPhone this past Sept, switched to Mac in Nov for iOS development, but still annoyed by most of the Apple differences and limitations). So I don’t see in your review where there is anywhere close to a value advantage for getting the watch. To me, from what you have said, the watch would have to be no more than $200 (with metal band, not plastic) to be of value. So I’m going to start looking at Pebble.
The elastomer band certainly isn’t tacky. But yep, this will come down to a call for each person as to the value of the convenience + gadget factor against the cost, and that equation will of course vary by budget.
@markbharr Your decision to look at the Pebble Time Steel is reasonable, but as a former Pebble Steel owner, a warning that the integration with iOS is no where near as good my Apple Watch. Battery life and bright sun readability beat the AW hands down, but that ‘s where it ends. Even with their new operating system, the advantages of voice memos and responses, as well as calendar, Mail, and text integration, is best (or exclusively) with Google services on your iPhone, a real handicap if you are an Exchange or other service user.
The AW base unit (my space gray sport 42mm) is $100 more than the stainless steel PTS. For me, that is an incredible bargain for improved integration, screen and build quality, and knowing I have millions of other users out there that will encourage quality app development and OS improvements. It is most definitely like the difference between Timex and Seiko/Citizen. YMMV.
Markbharr, I have a 38mm… am I less of a man? Of course not. I have 175mm wrists and it fits me better after trying both. So your comment is very ignorant.
Same goes for the Sports band, it’s much much nicer than any I’ve felt before this, though I will be getting a Milanese Loop… but I guess I can justify that because I love the watch and I completely understand how a smartwatch suits my lifestyle (I’m a photographer so keeping in contact with models and clients is crucial)
Oh and Pebbles, I had a Pebble until my Apple Watch arrived, wouldn’t switch back, not even if someone gave me my £300 back.
@markbaharr: so if a man wears a 38mm watch with a pink rubber band, I’m guessing in your eyes he is not a “real man” eh?
@dksmidtx: I’m looking at prices and seeing PTS is $199 and AW is $399; that is where I don’t see justification of $200 difference. But thanks for info about mail/celendar being GMail only, I am Office365/Exchange user, so that will probably mean Pebble will be almost useless.
@LukeHayfield, @GazzoBee: Yes.
I had to sign up to say this post is spot on!
People are always looking for more than is given, in truth most are never satisfied, in part that’s what drives companies to do better. Here, the watch itself is the killer app, and the laptop > phone analogy is never really going to be comparable until we go from wearable/physical tech > to embedded tech which I believer is quite a way off.
Like the Apple Watch or not, what really counts is companies like Apple are pushing the boundaries with what they can give us now, to get us to where we want to go in the future.
Thanks for taking the trouble to sign up!
Exactly my thought.
I bought it and use it mainly for (chat)notification alerts – thats my killer app, and it works : )
– and telling the time , of course : D
For me it makes the iPhone experience better. It’s a companion product.
I don’t need a killer app – notifications and fitness are good enough, I also love the look of it.
Things like walking kids to school in rain and getting notifications without pulling me away from the ‘moment’ is great.
No surprise! Great review of how this new device fit into your normal routine. I think as more apps are developed, and you integrate it more into your life, it will become more “necessary” than you think it now. I look at my usage of my iPad. I got my first one in October 2010. I used it maybe once a day. I now use my iPad more than my Macs, and just as much as my iPhone. It has become my #1 consumption/browsing device, even though my iPhone is more portable, and my iMac and MBA show content better. I think over time that the Apple Watch will begin to niche away at things you do one your phone, tablet and computer, AND do things that none of them are doing now. It will eventually become integrated into your life. It would be good if you did a 3 month review to see how far you’ve come!
Yep, that’s very possible. If enough changes, I’ll certainly do a further diary piece about extended use.
It is not for everyone, but it is something i already miss on my wrist when it is not there… I am off snowboarding this weekend, so will get to see how it fairs under a glove and jacket, but i know the usefulness becomes less, but the added ability of using siri through the watch will make things easier when choosing music etc with bt headphones… ;)
I’d be interested to hear how well that works, Kevin
Ok, so having been away snowboarding for the weekend, i had on normal thermal, and a hoody with cuffs, i kept the cuff above the watch, so the watch was not covered by the hoody, it was not uncomfortable at all, then the glove over the watch and jacket over the glove.
This made for an awful lot for the watch to work through, the gloves are pretty heavyweight in terms of the design for snowboarding and the cold, and the jacket is the same.
So i got ready, no issues, was comfortable with the watch how it was, put my phone in my right hand pocket, watch on my left wrist, headphones where the ODT Chips in my helmet, so bluetooth connection to the phone…!
Switch on the headphones, ensure they are connected and away we go, so now to choose some music, i have my playlist set up so i have a folder with individual albums saved, so i can pick by album name or artist and still get the entire album.
So i get on the lift, and press the crown with my gloved right hand through the glove and jacket on the wrist with the apple watch, and feel the haptic sensor so i know i can now talk, a simple “playlist ed shear” and the music starts playing, so i try something else, “playlist bob marley”, and again it works…! A bit later in the day and i call my g/f using this, and it calls as well as you would expect… Although i will point out that the audio was still through the connected bt headphones.
My primary concerns where that wind noise would be an issue, and it might not hear me correctly though the gloves and jacket, but this proved to be no issue at all…!
I found it very simple and easy to use in this manner, and only 2 hiccups in 2 days away, where i had the watch lock which i out down to me being extremely warm and sweating, but both of these where on the 2nd day and happened before lunch, a quick wipe of the back of the watch at lunchtime and i didn’t have the issue again…
Great feedback, Kevin!
This might sound gruesome to some, but it’s also good to keep it on you in case you have an accident and get incapacitated. Being able to shout into your wrist for help or send a text, might be a lifesaver.
I’ve returned my Apple Watch today.
The fitness aspects were the main reason I bought it. While that works generally well (concept, visualization, heart rate sensor) it was not enough. What i didn’t like:
– A fourth device to charge.
– The very long, proprietary cable (why not have the inductive charging puck connect ot a lightning cable?).
– Severely impacted battery life of connected iPhone.
– Workout run distance not correct (10% off compared to iPhone GPS Nike Running app).
– The digital crown seemed to have a hardware issue just after two days. Felt like a dirty scroll ball of an old Apple mouse.
I’ll make do with a low maintenance Garmin fitness device that doubles as a watch, the Vivofit. Battery life is supposed to be a year (I’ve had it six months). It is a sleep monitoring device and shows the time constantly. Apple Watch will need at least two more iterations before it’s mature and might fit in better into my life.
Surely the cable isn’t a reason to return it?!
My iPhone is slightly effected I think – very minimal.
Re Workout, if you’re referring to an outdoor run, it’s bang on as it’s using the same gps data as your Nike app.
It was the combination of all the things that annoyed me a bit more or less. I am traveling a lot and the long cable really felt like a burden in addition to one lightning cable and two chargers (iPhone and iPad) I always need to have on me anyway. (If the Watch battery lasted at least for three days it would be a non-issue, but not with daily charging.)
Re workout, no, it wasn’t bang on. That’s the point. As it is supposed to use the iPhone GPS I was expecting it to be the same. But it wasn’t. Maybe the iPhone wasn’t able to correctly write the data to the Nike app AND share the same data to the Watch for the whole run. Or the Watch needs longer to receive data in the beginning and only that part was missing. In the end the workout app showed almost 10% less distance than Nike. And the run I did was my typical and regular course, so I am absolutely confident the Nike data is correct.
Really enjoyed this series – I was pretty sure you would reach the conclusion you came to, but the weekly series was both original and thought provoking. I think what set it apart from so many typical articles, done in a similar vein, is that this wasn’t a week long advertising campaign. It was a thought provoking, real-life debate, using YOUR personal bias and rationale.
I do not yet have an Apple watch – but I’m seriously thinking of getting one this summer; and it will likely be the Sport.
Thank you for sharing.
Thanks, Hodar, I appreciate it.
Looks so much like my 1977-78 Casio. I will pass on Gen 1 and willing to bet that Gen 3 will actually look like a real watch. :) I do like some of the Android round watch offerings and the updated OS appears to also be very impressive. This said, I avoided the lure of the iPhone 6 for the same reason. iPhone 7 will be a far superior offering.
What does a “real watch” look like? There are plenty of mechanical watches that aren’t round.
I’m sure you can hold out for iPhone 8, that’ll be even better.
I don’t know which one you have, but there are 1978 Casio’s that look less like a “real watch”than the Apple Watch.
http://uhrforum.de/attachments/732017d1385401087-zeigt-eure-vintage-lcd-uhren-004.jpg
Ben, great series. Maybe future updates? I’m glad you’re keeping it. Like the iPad for early adopters, the apps will find us. Quick hint on keeping the timer running. I’ve had luck with doing “Hey Siri… set a timer for one minute”. The timer stays visible each time I raise my wrist to look for that minute. I haven’t tried it for longer than a minute…
Thanks, Fangirl. I usually use Siri to set timers, and it doesn’t seem to make any difference for times longer than a minute.
I hate your articles because you’ve got me considering an Apple Watch now.
Sorry about that. Please don’t invoice me.
Another minor interface issue: when receiving emails that have alternate colored yet (especially blue) are nearly impossible to read against the gray background.
I don’t empathize with justification issues. I really do understand that some people have never spent $500 or $1000+ on a watch that was just as watch…but for many people, the WATCH is cheap compared to what it offers.
Looking at it from the perspective of a “wireless iPhone accessory”…well a set of Beats will set you back $200-400, and they are just headphones.
I dunno. Justification has never been a problem in my mind. The product is dirt cheap for what it does.
Yep, I think watch guys have a very different perspective on cost to those of us who haven’t worn a watch for a decade or more.
Your point about the subjectivity of the price is well taken. I’m not expecting anything more than a cool watch myself, and I’m dropping about $2,000 on it.
I’m hoping the fitness stuff works for me as well, but I’m not counting on it as it seems a bit like you’ll have to be a “fitness nut” to appreciate it or have it work for you. Thos of us that get exercise just through our daily routines might be less well served by this software.
Thanks for an excellent series Ben :)
Your list of minor niggles isn’t something I have seen elsewhere and I found it very helpful. I am awaiting delivery of a 42mm space grey (like a lot of people) so am having to experience it vicariously at the moment. I have used a Nike Fuelband for 18 months and enjoyed it. I bought that particular fitness band as it was pretty much the only one that told the time (I am a longtime watch wearer). I am hoping that the Watch will act as a better watch, as an at least equally good motivating fitness band, and help me look at my phone less just to see whether I need to respond to an alert.
Out of interest, how did you find the responsiveness? Lots of reviewers mention delays while it pulls data from the phone. Was this noticeable or irksome? I am looking forward to later in the year when native apps are available.
Thanks also for your regular UK flavoured contributions – it is nice to have our lack of Apple Pay, iTunes Radio, minimal Apple TV channels etc etc mentioned when relevant :)
Keep up the great work, and please do continue the series when you have had it a few months, when native apps come etc.
Thanks, Stuart. Yes, there can be a bit of lag – usually in the order of a second or two, but sometimes longer.
Great review Ben. Decidedly more refreshing than most of the other cut-n-paste echo chamber reviews I’ve read. You basically confirmed my initial impressions of the watch as nice but not necessary. I saw your complaints as valid. The multi-notification clean up would drive me bananas. I’m of the mind that if I have to learn to live with it, I’m better off living without it. I’m sure the issues can/will be addressed as Apple receives more feedback from customers. Most likely they will make version 2 a more compelling product. That’s the one I will be interested in.
Unrelated: Had they made a masculine looking round watch, similar to the Watch Urbane, I would have been an early adopter. The unisex look is not it’s most endearing quality… for me that is. An updated v2 with improvements may help me get over the unisex look. I totally understand why they did what they did. In their shoes, I would have done the same thing.
Thanks, Dee
I am looking forward to finally getting my Apple Watch (still in the Progress stage). My hearing-aids can now be controlled from the Apple Watch so no grabbing the iPhone for a simple task as switching to Restaurant (loud settings) mode from Normal setting. I can use (hopefully) the Apple Watch microphone when I am on a phone call. Now it connects the sound directly to the hearing-aids but there is no microphone adapter so I have to get the phone out and use the microphone. I am hoping to instead use the Apple Watch. I am hoping the calendar reminder and tasks works because I have several appointments and tasks in a single day. These are just a few of the features I am looking very forward to when Apple gets around to me despite ordering exactly 3 AM EST (12 PST) on the pre-order start day.
The hearing aid control sounds like an excellent reason to own one.
Very cool about the hearing aid control. I am using mine for my Glucose Monitor. At a quick glance I can have my blood sugar on the screen. This really is an wonderful device and I can see future versions really growing.
The things that might make me make the jump is Shazam (I’m really not fond of lobbing my iPhone 6 in my pocket while dancing), health monitoring/reminders and all phone/messaging-related notifications.
But spending €700 for the Watch that caught my eye… (or 500~ish for the next choice) I can’t justify that to myself. By far not. So, it’ll have to be something else. Until then, my (20 year) old trusty Seiko stays firmly on my wrist.
Speaking of which…
Has anybody tried dancing (I do loads of salsa and the like) with this thing on? Does it go crazy all over the place or does it make sense of things and keeps its… screen… shut?
It does come on inadvertently some of the time, but it seems to do pretty well at detecting the specific movement of lifting and turning your wrist toward you. Mostly it seems to be the twisting movement.
Good review. The only thing that doesn’t line up with my experience is the stand feature – works really well for me, only bothering me when I’m sat at my desk working. If i’m making the tea (not super active) it knows I’m up and about and won’t bother me.
For me the most useful thing is Activity, with Stand, Exercise and Move. Trying to fill in those rings gets addictive, quickly!
Yes, they are surprisingly compelling!
Great review! I was almost at the cancel order stage.
I will wait out my May 13 to May 27th ship date after reading this!
Good on you, Ben! I’m glad you like it, as we all said you would. 😀 Are you planning on buying any additional bands?
I have the black elastomer band on order (still Processing as yet). I’ll probably go try some more bands now I’ve decided to keep it, but I can’t see me wanting to invest too much more cash in it.
Really good article. I am one of the people waiting for June to arrive for me to receive mine. I find this debate about the watch interesting. Everyone tried to justify the cost as part of the value of the watch. That is a purely individual assessment.
There are people wearing $100, $500, $1,000, and $10,000+ dollar watches that solely tell the time. I wear some in that mix and I’m excited for this watch because it can do things my other watches can’t. I have accepted the fact that it may only be “a watch” to me. Even without other “killer apps”.
This is all fun debate as we talk about the future of wearables, but we can recognize that individually the value assessment matters; but not as a fashion item like a watch. My concern is how long this will last, be supported by the Apple environment and iPhones. My other watches don’t have a window of time where it is supported by various iPhones and iOS updates. That value will last for decades if I care for my watch.
Anyway, I’m excited for June and excited to read more user reviews!
Thanks, Lee – and yes, the perceived cost is very different to watch guys!
You are often mixing a Watch with a Gadget. This is a Watch first. Gadget after. In this sense, why would you want to see the Timer first? The whole purpose of setting a timer is to remind you exactly when you need to be reminded. If you need to see the Timer while is running, you set the wrong time.
Not necessarily, if you’re cooking something involving several stages, or even deciding whether you’ve got time to go get something from the car (like one of the ingredients you left in it, to pick a purely random example …), you may want to know the remaining time.
I think you are a great journalist, clever and sincere.
Thank you for your pieces!
Thanks, Leonardo, that’s very kind.
On mine, the stand feature works great. its adding them to the chart even when Im not responding to the notification.
Cool, sounds like some variability there, then.
Thank you for a thoughtful and balanced review. Your observations helped me to more clearly define my own requirements and expectations. I’ve placed my order (AW Sport) and look forward to exploring possibilities with my nifty new gadget! :-)
Enjoy!
Hello,
I am in a keeping/waiting matter here. I ordered the Apple watch Stainless Steel 42mm with classic buckle on the 16th, and then decided to order the same but 38mm on the 28th. With the 38mm already on its way and arriving today I am considering wether just canceling my order for the 42 rather than waiting a month, or just returning the 38 and wait for the 42. any advice? anyone who might be on the same boat?
I ordered the Stainless Steel 42 with black sport band and the extra Milanese loop. I’m wishing now I had kept the extra SS 38 black band watch I had ordered also.
It looks like with a ship date of May 12 to 27th….I am waiting till then :(
Thanks, I guess I’ll make my decision later today when the 38mm arrives. hopefully I end up deciding to stay with that one so like that I could avoid the extra month wait. :)
Hi,
Well just to let you know, as much as I hate to admit it Im gonna be returning the 38mm tomorrow morning. the watch was great and would have loved to keep it as it was the same style/ color I wanted, is just that the extra 4mm would make a big difference. its not like the 38mm looks weird or extra small, its just that the 42 its the perfect size. so tomorrow Im gonna have to let go of the watch and continue waiting for my june arrival 42mm.
PS: Hopefully thee ship it before sooner than what it said in the order, just as they did with the 38. :/
Mine just went to preparing for shipment! Good Luck ! Maybe yours will also ship early!
I haven’t received my AppleWatch yet, but I have found the Pebble to be much more valuable than I originally envisioned for the simple reason that it allows me to keep my phone on silent all the time. No more embarrassing outbursts of The Clash ringtone “Should I Stay or should I Go” in business meetings, plus I found that pre-Pebble I often missed a phone call when I was walking outside because I didn’t hear the phone ring I my pocket. With Pebble’s vibration on my wrist, I never miss a call. Very excited for my AppleWatch to arrive – especially when a larger variety is straps follow.
Hello Guys, Gals…
Thank you Ben, yes I agre with authorgmckenzie, I was given the kickstarter pebble model, and I have had it for now 2 years i have ordered an apple watch SS 38, and my comment is before I had a pebble I was constantly pulling my phone out of my packet I suppose that maybe why one of my workmate gave me the pebble… Anyway in regard t o the first run I do not worry because Pebble is 2 years old and many software updates hve been made so I think that it will be the same for the apple watch tha why I ordered a SS and not a sport one also I love the SS look.
Cheers.
Yay! I was hoping you would.
Just out of curiosity when the phone rings and it shows up on the watch I’ve obviously seen the “star-trek” style call answer example. But if you don’t want to do this I assume you can answer it on the phone as that will show it’s normal screen. But is it possible to answer on the watch, say “hang on”, and then transfer the call back to the phone ? I’ve not seen an example of this yet ?
When the watch rings, you can swipe/scroll up to hit ‘Answer oh phone,’ but I’m not sure about transferring a call in progress – it’s not something I’ve tried.
Yes it’s possible.. You swipe (or crown-scroll) up while on a call, and there’s a ‘transfer’ button.
I should qualify this by saying it’s not something I can try myself, since Apple insists on shipping my watch to other people, until June… but word is, it’s the same as when answering. People have been saying how nice it is to be able to continue longer conversations on their phone.
Really wish I could edit comments. I realised later that I should have been explicit about it being 3rd party information in case I’ve misunderstood anything.
Isn’t the “killer app” supposed to be the Time functions? The watch itself, the stop-watch, the alarms, etc.? Either that or the health tracking certainly.
I’m thinking that neither of these core functions are anything you personally need and that’s why it’s a “meh” from you. Great personal, honest reviews in any case.
Hi Ben,
Have you tried the watch under wrist to overcome the short sleeve issue? Does the heart rate still work? I tried the apple watch on this way at the weekend and it seemed it would cope better with sleeved shirts, but the watch was running a demo at the apple store so I don’t know if the heart rate monitor would work, glances etc., and the apple guy didn’t know either.
So you would tie the watch on top of the wrist, and glance under the wrist to view the watch.
Thanks for the articles.
Heartrate still works, but the watch stays on
After reading your 7 days review i cancelled my order, which i placed at 3:10 am EST on that friday we all know about, that said my order still said “processing”. I am tired of waiting. Also your review showed me something i didn’t realized, I don’t need an apple watch at least for now. Figured Apple is making this a big thing. Like i was promised to have my watch on 24th and that didn’t happen, enough is enough, i love apple products but this whole watch thing won’t do for me. I am going to wait and see. Thanks
And moving someone else up the queue at the same time, making two people happy :-)
Nobody was promised a watch on the 24th. Every single preorder that went out was the 24th to the 8th, for the early birds. You were not early, 10 minutes after opening, millions were in front of you.
I enjoyed this article. I agree with others, please keep us posted.
Question for you, Ben: Have you noticed any issues with your digital crown? I have a 42mm SS model. I noticed a few days ago that if I don’t touch the digital crown for a few minutes, then go and try to scroll with it, it doesn’t want to move. I have to give it a decent amount of force to get it to move and scroll, clockwise or counterclockwise. Can’t figure out what’s up with this…
Thanks, James. No problem with the digital crown here.
You most likely have some debris under there… Apple recommends using water to rinse it out: https://support.apple.com/en-us/HT204639
I should mention: if you’re not comfortable with that… you should definitely take your watch to an Apple Store and have them check it out first. I know they are sending some back for service with sticky crowns…
Up to you!
The timer problem is actually easily fixed, Apple allows you to make multiple version of the same type of watch face, just make the modular watch face with the big box in the middle show the timer.
It will always be up front and easy to get to the app if needed, when done with the timer switch the watch face back to your regular one.
Ah, good tip! I hadn’t realised the ‘Add watch’ dialogue allows you to scroll up another copy of an existing face to modify differently – neat!
Has anyone answered a phone call from their Apple Watch while in the shower yet??
I told you so!
I told you so! Congratulations Ben, thanks for this excellent “serie review”. However, some people who wanted to buy your Apple Watch will be disappointed. 😁
You all know me too well …
So what if you are NOT a Gadget guy and are perfectly happy with iPhone. Are you recommending NOT to buy? It seems your assessment is it doesn’t add any real/meaningless benefit of you have iPhone?
Yes, if you’re not a gadget person, I think there’s pretty marginal benefit
These reviews were good to read. Will you be revisiting this in another week or after a full month?
Probably around a month in if I have anything new to say
What’s the setting(s)/mode or what ever to put the watch while watching a movie at the movie theater? I could put it in airplane mode but that wouldn’t stop the activity notifications. Like to stand up every hour. Right?
I could put it in power reserve but to take it out of power reserve it has to be charging, right?
I could just turn it off during the movie but I’d like to have the option to be able to check the time.
Any ideas or suggestions? Thanks.
No, it doesn’t need to be on charge to come out of power reserve, but Do Not Disturb mode should do it
Thanks!
Awesome, thank you, I’ll definitely look forward to reading your follow up!
Ben – Thank you for the objective review. It’s appreciated, and the quality of responses by the 9to5Mac readers is also appreciated. It’s refreshing to have thoughtful discussions over this medium :) Some of my feedback after a week of using the AW.
I’ve been a collector of watches for a few decades, and presently own about a dozen ranging from inexpensive to “wow, I bought that?”. I even tried into the Seiko Receptor a number of years back. Having owned Apple products since the mid 80’s, my desire for an AW was strong since wearing a watch is natural for me as a daily accessory.
I ended up buying the AW Sport in black. I don’t have large wrists like my father, who was a carpenter, but my wrists still measure 200mm. There are 2 holes remaining in the longer supplies band. I prefer the look of the 38mm size, as it looks ‘balanced’ on my wrist (not overly large), and doesn’t get in the way as much with long sleeve shirts. I realize that this is a matter of personal opinion, and there are definitely some huge analog watches on the market.
What has impressed me the most about the AW is that it functions well as an extension of the iPhone, and they complement each other. I don’t expect to use the watch like I would the phone, and it couldn’t replace the phone, but it does enhance it. No, the ecosystem is not yet perfected, but as a first generation product I’m impressed. I find that during the course of a day I physically access my phone much less, which has resulted in my 6plus battery having more charge remaining at the end of the day. I use bluetooth earbuds for many hours during the day, so my 6plus has dual BT connections going. The combination of BT, AW and 6Plus has been excellent. Also, responding to text messages using dictation has been great.
Regarding battery life for the 38mm AW, I take my AW off the charger at 5:30am, and when I put it back on the charger at around 10:00pm, it has around 20% charge remaining. This varies, of course, but so far the remaining charge has not been below 15% for how I’ve used the watch.
This was a great series to read. And great discussions as well. I’m glad you are keeping the ᴡᴀᴛᴄʜ. I personally love mine, even though it has little use. Cosmetically, it’s shiny and amazing. I got the 42mm Steel w/Milanese Loop. My biggest shock was seeing it in person, let alone seeing the Loop in person. Holy crap! And a good holy crap I must say.
I do believe by WWDC, we will see an update to software, bug fixes most likely, and a ton more apps. The watch will get great attention at WWDC, including more broad dev support.
Congrats Ben on the investment, and thank you for sharing your experience. This was truly an amazing time as an Apple fan, and IT Manager to have an epic gadget with great hardware. Cheers to the future of ᴡᴀᴛᴄʜ :)
Thanks, Chris
Great “diary”piece!
You’ll have to get back to us in six months months whether it’s getting dusty in a drawer somewhere.
But something tells me the watch will be a great subject for multiple topics and that it will find a place on your wrist at least most of the time.
If I had the coin, I’d buy one. But, waiting for the second gen seems more my cup of tea. But even then it would have to offer quite a bit more than it currently does to justify the purchase. I’m equally a gadget guy, but my phone does such an excellent job it’s hard to add on for the sake of just adding on. So, not yet.
In the meantime, those that haven’t bought in get to live vicariously through your pieces.
Heh, thanks, CM. I think waiting for the 2nd gen is probably a sensible approach.
It seems to me that the stand time issue may be a semantic one. Instead measuring how long you are standing during the day, it appears to measure how long you stand up during periods when you are otherwise sitting: that is, as a counter to long periods of being sendentary. But if it misses times when you stand up after having been seated for a while other than when reminded to by the device, I admit that that is not useful.
Yes, I don’t know enough about the physiology/medical side of it to know whether the benefit is total time standing, or specifically standing up regularly.
Great read Ben. You’ve had me hooked with your series, and I was rooting you on to keep it. I’m one of the unfortunate ones who just received the “Your Apple watch will ship in approx 4-6 weeks”. I’m getting it because I’m also a gadget guy, and the cool factor. Yeah, I don’t need it.
Thanks, Shaffer. Good luck on getting yours.
Your question: Is apple watch useful? Just imagine being a professional woman in business dress and no pockets to keep your iPhone. Usefulness jumps way high for a person like that. Can’t be without my watch anymore.
OK, you’re a gadget guy – that doesn’t preclude you from selling it for a profit now and then buying another in a couple of months when supply is available for regular price. Thanks for the thoughtful writeup.
Thanks, Anthony. And that’s true – I guess I don’t have the scalper mentality. :-)
Ben,
Great writing! Both of your articles were some of the best writing I have seen on this subject.
Clear, objective, well thought out.
As others have pointed out it would be interesting to see similar reviews at 3 months, 6 months, etc.
I have had mine since 4/24, one of the lucky ones who were scheduled for a later date but showed up on launch day.
I like the Watch a lot but I do not love it.
I have played with it, set it up to my liking, thought about it and here’s my initial thoughts after almost a week.
The Apple Watch is only disappointing in one aspect; it doesn’t do enough.
Yes it does all the things you have written about but it falls short on the WOW factor. There is ni killer or gee wiz app. Yet!
When I got my first iPhone I spent weeks exploring, palying with it and just looking at it in wonder, same goes for my iPad.
The Apple Watch, yes I wear, it is there and I look at it when I get a notification , to see what time it is but there is something missing.
I wish I could that ; “ I wish it did…”
I don’t know what I am missing but it sure needs something to get me excited about it.
Maybe that is the point, the Apple Watch lacks the excitement of the iPhone and iPad because all it does is things we have seen before on those devices.
Your thoughts?
Thanks, Kevin – and yes, that’s it: it’s not actually doing anything new, just adding a little extra convenience. I’ll certainly do another diary piece down the line if I have anything notable to add; right now, I’m not sure whether I will, but that may depend on what apps get added.
Really great series, I did want to comment though because I noticed while using the Remote app to control my TV that it wasn’t defaulting back to the clock and it would stay on the Remote App until I manually closed it or went to another app. And yes, I have my setting switched to always go back to the clock and not the recently used App. So I think Apple already has in place the feature to go stay on some apps exclusively when you’re using them regardless of the setting you chose. Hopefully they will allow you to select which Apps have that control in the future.
Thanks, Brian – useful info.
Really enjoyed reading the series Ben and interested to see your points. Being a 42mm wearer I’ve certainly found the battery life more than adequate and my iPhone doesn’t seem to be too badly affected either. Like many I hope you continue your series post-decision :)
Thanks, PN
Surprised nobody has mentioned this. You mention in the article that you’d very occasionally like to easily get back to the last running app. There’s actually a shortcut for this – double-clicking the crown will swap between the watch face and the last opened app.
You’re right, thanks! I’ll update with that.
What is your take on text reply – without a keyboard it’s not very practical. I have to switch to my iPhone if I need privacy for the reply
Siri is fine for most replies. Obviously you need to switch to the phone if it’s anything sensitive.
Your article(s) were well appreciated, realistic and helped resolve my own purchase anxieties.
Thank you!
Glad they helped
Ben… Very useful and fun article, thanks. I bought the SS with Milano mesh band and like it a lot. The way I justified the purchase is that I bought a bunch of AAPL stock about 20 months ago and still own it, and both the gain and the quarterly dividend alone paid for the watch. It’s sort of like my having bought a thank you gift for Apple for having made me some good money! :-)
I’ve had the watch a few weeks. I normally wear a sport type of watch and sometimes a dress watch anyway so having one on isn’t a new thing for me. I don’t think much about wearing the watch until someone asks me, “Is that an Apple Watch?”. It is very reminiscent of when I bought the original iPhone and had people asking me everywhere from the grocery checkout line to parties “Is that the new iPhone?”. It’s fun to have that starting all over again!
Is it a luxury or a necessity to own one? Right now, a luxury, and a fun one at that. I already do miss it when I’ve not put it on and I go out with my iPhone but not the watch. I truly expect that I will engage with it more and more for both pleasure and business and that it will become part of my everyday experience with which I don’t want to be without.
Long Live Apple!!
.