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Poll: 8 months in, are you still wearing your Apple Watch every day?

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The Apple Watch was released 8 months ago and it has been met with a wide array of responses from users. The device presented a new dilemma for Apple. Instead of something like an iPhone, which while meant to be used daily, is not meant to necessarily be constantly sending you notifications, Apple Watch’s purpose is to keep you alert 24/7. As I’ve learned over the last 8 months, that has its own benefits and drawbacks.

Personally, I was never entirely sold on Apple Watch when it was announced. I wasn’t convinced that I wanted to be constantly notified of everything going on online. I was perfectly content with the idea of pulling out my iPhone when I wanted to be updated and leaving it in my pocket while trying to disconnect and enjoy those around me. Nevertheless, I ended up buying an Apple Watch on launch day and now that the aura of it being a shiny new product has worn off, I’ve come to realize that it hasn’t affected my life as significantly as Apple had hoped it would.

My original instinct of not wanting to be connected 24/7 was entirely true. I really am not a fan of receiving every notification as soon as it comes in. I use technology so often in my life that when I’m not working, I really like to disconnect and avoid Twitter and basically digital communication as a whole. This has led to me only wearing my Apple Watch a few days a week and for a device that is meant to be always attached to your wrist, I don’t think that’s what Apple intended for the use patterns of its customers to be.

I understand that I may be in the minority here. A lot of people probably love the idea of being always connected to the web and to never miss a notification, but I don’t. I’ve found that when I get too attached to technology, I get burnt out even more quickly than I do normally with technology.

While the issue goes deeper than the Apple Watch itself for me, there are things Apple could do to improve it and maybe convince me to wear it on a more regular basis. Primarily, it needs to be faster. It seems like every time I turn to my Watch to do something like check the weather or view reminders, I’m hit with the spinning loading wheel for far too long before the actual content itself appears.

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One of the features Apple touted most for the Watch was Health. The idea of using the device to better yourself health-wise is a huge appeal for many users, myself included. I love using the device to track my steps and physical activity for the day, but there’s one issue. My physical activity of choice is playing basketball and the Apple Watch is not comfortable enough at all to wear while playing basketball in my experience. It’s simply too big. In Apple’s defense, there aren’t many wearables that are small enough to wear while playing basketball. But, then again, maybe I’m in the minority in thinking the Apple Watch isn’t meant for basketball.

This is a similar experience as to what Sarah experienced when she sent her Apple Watch off to get replaced. Sarah explained that while she likes her Apple Watch, it hasn’t significantly changed or altered her life. On the other hand, Ben started out as a smartwatch skeptic but has now been totally assimilated.

We reported earlier this month that Apple was planning a March event to unveil the Apple Watch 2. As we reported in June, Apple has been working on new camera, wireless, sleep tracking, and health sensor technologies for the device, but it’s unclear what exactly will make it into the second generation wearable.

The idea of already upgrading my $700 Apple Watch to a new model seems absurd to me at this point. I never thought the Watch would be something that needed to be refreshed every year. As of right now, I’m leaning towards either not upgrading or opting for the lower-end Sport variants over the stainless steel model I chose this year.

But, as always, your mileage may vary. Are you still wearing your Apple Watch everyday? If so, tell us why in the comments below. If not, what would make you change your opinion and become a more regular user?

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Comments

  1. philheazy - 8 years ago

    There have only been a few occasions that I forgot to put my watch on, but those few times I felt so naked without it.

    • verizon2828 - 8 years ago

      Me too…sometimes I would be a little wrecked from the night before and would forget to put it on first thing in the morning. HA!

      I would treat the watch like a baby for about the first month…then I said f**k it and wore it all the time. I built my deck with it on, cut wood, got sawdust all over it, painted with it, mowed the lawn and, yes, worked out with it on in all ways. I’m down 22 pounds since I’ve been wearing the watch. I stand every hour, make sure I hit my move goal every day, and track my workouts. Friggin love this thing. I’ll see what the next version brings since my sister is itching to buy this one off of me.

  2. crispappleblog - 8 years ago

    It’s on me everyday! Only time I take it off is when I’m in my own place. Still love it

  3. Hanley Leung - 8 years ago

    yes. i find that when i take it off i immediately become more sedimentary and go three hours without getting up from my desk or start skipping my evening walks, etc.

    • dcj001 - 8 years ago

      “sedimentary?”

      • Cognomen - 8 years ago

        Exactly – the more you stay still the more you are likely to turn into a rock ……… obvious really :-)

      • Hanley Leung - 8 years ago

        i mean like sitting at my desk like a rock and not moving.

      • matttherose - 8 years ago

        I believe he meant “sedentary”.

      • eduardo1271 - 8 years ago

        Man, these replies man my wife and I bust out laughing. You all are way too funny!

  4. I’ve got aluminum sport model. I love the workout app and use it just about everyday. I use the timer and stopwatch often, and use iTunes app to control my car stereo. I’ll get a gold plated sport model when AWII comes out

  5. kpom1 - 8 years ago

    I never wear the stainless steel classic band model I bought last April…because I replaced it with the Hermès. I’ll hold off on the Watch 2 until the Hermès model is available. At that point, I’ll probably sell the Watch 1 with the Hermès band from the Watch 2.

  6. rogifan - 8 years ago

    Yep wear it everyday. Take it off to top it off before I go to bed and put it back on the charger when I’m showering in the morning.

  7. michaelcpearson7 - 8 years ago

    I have mine on everyday. I’m not into all the notifications but these I keep on: Dark Sky, SMS, Parcel (for packages being delivered), the credit card/bank card apps to know when my cards have been used. I also use the timer feature very often. The single most useful feature for me, and I know this is a bit strange, is the call notifier… when the watch vibrates when I get a call. For years I have hated the vibe on the iPhone. I think it’s too light and I often times miss calls and sms’s that are important. So, the vibe on the watch is important for me. Oh… and the fact that it vibrates when using Maps to let you know a turn is coming up. I can’t tell you how many times I’ve put the phone down and didn’t notice I should have turned a block back! Now the watch gives me that little notification. Helps a lot.

    • cafesitter (@cafesitter) - 8 years ago

      Yes very similar here – I like that my phone no longer rings, I get smss and VIP emails. Also Calendar DarkSky and Activity complications are very useful on the face. Your post inspired me to check out my banking app, thank you!;-)

  8. Frank (@frank51) - 8 years ago

    Yes, daily. It’s constantly useful for one thing or another and I would not want to be without it.

  9. Yes I do wear it everyday but as far as it goes I haven’t had much use for it, I do appreciate the work and effort going into it and getting notifications is amazing. But opening apps seems tedious and feels very long and inconsistent. I have just about every Apple Product around but in all honesty the watch is my least used as of now and am semi disappointed or more let down by it. I hope the next OS is smoother a bit better allows for more customization and apps can feel snappier, also I hope Apple doesn’t forget 1st Gen owners when they release the second Watch next year.

  10. Robert Fischer - 8 years ago

    Occasionally I’ll forget to take it off the charger when I go out and I really miss it when I do! I like having absolutely accurate time without having to pull out my phone. The warnings to stand really help my back. I don’t want a bunch of notifications either, but I just allow certain ones – no Twitter or Facebook stuff. Only some emails and, of course, phone call notices. I also use the watch alarm (on silent) for certain repetitive things I need to be warned about. Finally, it is hardly when driving, tapping me about when to turn. I’ll get the next one (sport again) if it offers something really better – like sensors for blood pressure or glucose. If it is just a little faster or a little better on battery life, I’ll probably wait.

  11. Gene Lowinger - 8 years ago

    Wear it every day. Don’t use it for health or fitness. I’m a swimmer, so it’s useless for that. I get only the notifications I want on a regular basis. Use the timer a lot. Apple Pay saves me the trouble of digging out my wallet under all my winter clothes. Tap on the wrist when I have to turn while driving is great. Weather apps are great, a former FAST, unlike your experience. Don’t know about upgrading, have to wait and see what’s new. I love the watch and its integration with the phone. My experience is just the opposite of yours. Nah nah!

    • applewatch20152015 - 8 years ago

      Aside from the fitness benefits I’m getting from the watch, I would agree with you in the other great points. Notifications are great, weather updates, lots of info my Modular watch face, delivery updates, responding to texts, etc. A great time saver!

  12. sputuk - 8 years ago

    If your concern is getting too many notifications then you are using it wrong. You can choose which notifications to get on the watch, and for example, I only get important text messages and emails from people on my VIP list (plus the usual alarms/reminders that I want). Sure, I use Twitter and just about every other social media app and service, but someone with anything like an active social profile would have to be crazy to want notifications for everything on their phone, let alone on their watch.

    I’m always amazed when people have their phone notifying them of every email, tweet, FaceBook message etc, let alone if they just had those mirrored to their wrist too.

    Yes, the speed of most apps updating is disappointing, but those apps which offer effective complications and glances are fine, and well done apps will use the iPhone to hold current info to display on the watch without having to wait for Internet services to update and display, and more apps are getting better at doing this.

    However, I mostly keep my watch busy using Siri to control all the home automation I have as having Siri with me on my wrist instead of having to reach for my phone each time is much more natural and convenient.

    • bb1111116 - 8 years ago

      Exactly. Don’t like a certain type of notificaiton? Change the notifications settings! This is another article by a 9to5mac writer who doesn’t understand the basic features of personal tech. Frustrating.

  13. bellevueboy - 8 years ago

    I am finding more and more places to use this for payments, my primary purpose of buying the watch. Used it at cinemark theaters and Supercuts. Now give me my garage door opener and thermostat apps and I am set.

    • applewatch20152015 - 8 years ago

      True dat. I have the MyQ app for my garage opener and it works like a charm. It even has integration with my Nest thermostat and Nest cams. Not sure why they haven’t made a watch companion yet! BRING IT!

    • areobe - 8 years ago

      I used mine at BestBuy to buy another apple watch as a gift for someone. Thought that was very cool.

  14. shareef777 - 8 years ago

    It’s habit for me to put it on when I wake up and take it off to charge when I go to bed. Every single day since I got it. Kinda assumed a majority did this as well. Not like it’s that difficult to do and you hardly notice it when it’s on.

  15. BD1 (@bdtrader) - 8 years ago

    I wear everyday including when I play basketball. I have the sport model.

  16. scampypants - 8 years ago

    I wear mine every day, sometimes I forget to put it on in the morning. I hadn’t worn a watch for 20 years before I bought my Apple Watch but now I am used to wearing a watch again.
    At the moment it’s useful for me because I live in a very cold country, I don’t have to take my gloves/mittens off to pull out my phone to check a message while on the move. It’s a really important thing as I could get very cold hands.
    Also pickpockets are rampant here so I can control my music and send basic messages on the bus/metro without showing people where my phone is.

  17. joannbendzsas - 8 years ago

    If I leave the house I turn around. I feel if I would have a plastic junk on my wrist the same weight it would do. I feel weird without it. It is a pet of me. Even if I mainly use it to check time and only do few other things, it is a wonderful time piece that can also quickly tell me the weather. I would spend that much on a basic watch so why not where a fancy watch that can do more?

  18. vsajewel - 8 years ago

    I waited until the new OS and when the sport model got nicer bezels. I love using it for the timer and GPS directions…vibrating right before a turn is really helpful. I also love making phone calls with it. The one thing I’d like to see added is Safari.

  19. Caiden Spencer - 8 years ago

    Of course, I love my Apple Watch, I have the Stainless Steel Watch Edition, 42mm Black with Link Bracelet.. of course I’m going to wear it.. it cost me like $1,700 haha

  20. dcj001 - 8 years ago

    “sedimentary?”

  21. plooms - 8 years ago

    I wear the watch nearly 24/7. I charge it for less than an hour every morning after I wake up, while I’m laying in bed “reading the morning paper”. Then I put it on again when I roll out of bed, right before I get in the shower. Yes I’ve showered with my watch almost every day. In fact I love showering with it; getting notifications and texting.

    I’m also confused when the author says his watch is too big to play basketball with.

  22. Moisés Pinto Muyal - 8 years ago

    To be connected I have my iMac (27″, end of 2013) NVIDIA GeForce GTX 780M 4096 MB, CPU 3,5 GHz Intel Core i7, 500 GB SS Drive, and 32 GB 1600 MHz DDR3, all connected to FTTH at 300 mbps. To be in contact I have my iPhone 6 Plus, 4G carrier, and now waiting for coming of iPhone 7 Plus (if worth while NOT unconditionally) phones are sensible to privacy and OS. To be monitored, I have Up3, to me one of the best band. As almost of things I have are made in China or far East, no matter the brand as long they are state of the art in technology.

  23. Tony - 8 years ago

    Wear it every day and love it. Very happy with the purchase. I am a senior citizen (75 yrs old) and into health and fitness. The watch is a wonderful assistant. I feel like is have a cyber buddy reminding me about how much I have to move and recording my bike rides and walks with the dog. I enjoy the reminders about making sure I stand every hour and avoid prolonged sitting. Just learned about how damaging prolonged sitting is. That alone is worth the price of the watch.
    PS I really like the fact that I can answer my phone on it. When I am riding and get a call, I used to have to stop and fish out my phone from my pocket and get the case open, now, I just look at the watch face and see who is calling. If I want to talk to them, I touch to button on the watch face and carry on. I don’t even have to stop.

  24. akarim76 - 8 years ago

    I have been using the Apple Watch daily! For me the opposite is true…the fact that I get notifications on my wrist and I can get updated with a glance has actually reduced the times I am using my iPhone. This may sound unusual but perhaps I am get too many notifications that really don’t need attention. A quick glance is all they need so while working or on the go the iPhone stays in my pocket. This for me has been the biggest plus of the Apple Watch :)

  25. danribar - 8 years ago

    I am perfectly aligned with you. My wife and I had ours for a little over a month and sold them. Too much tech is a bad thing I think and I am also connected all day at work.

    The other thing that didn’t work for us is that we live in Florida and need a waterproof watch. We are constantly jumping in the pool, Gulf of Mexico or wake boarding and all of our other watches go along.

    Nice job on the article.

  26. Howie Isaacks - 8 years ago

    It has been on my wrist every day for 8 months. Unless it’s a day when I’m getting a lot of email and texts, I barely notice it on my arm. The sport band is very comfortable.

  27. Robert Fischer - 8 years ago

    A couple things I noticed. One was an assumption about how much Apple hoped it would affect users’ lives. But I’m not aware of anything specific they “expected”. It’s like someone making projections of Apple sales of anything and then complaining that “Apple didn’t sell as many as we projected”. But those might not be Apple’s projections.

    Next was the complaint about not wanting a to be notified of things all the time. Well, he doesn’t have to be. You simply choose what you want and leave out the rest. I, for example, never have anything to do with Facebook or Twitter on my watch. I don’t even get all my mail notifications. Only certain ones. So this is a non-problem.

    As for basketball, since he has a stainless steel version, I wonder if it is the increased weight that bothers him – and a sport version would be fine? I have the sport and am very happy I opted for it. Besides the weight advantage, I understand it lets more light through on the display and, while sapphire is tougher, I’ve never had a problem with my watch face getting scratched. I’ll buy the sport again, even if the stainless steel / sapphire one was the same price.

    I don’t think the watch is a purchase to be made every year. Maybe not even every two years. At least not unless there are some really big improvements.

  28. galley99 - 8 years ago

    Gotta keep that 193-day Move streak going!

  29. Joe Barnickel - 8 years ago

    I too have forgotten to wear my Apple Watch on a few occasions and few lost without. I had to resort to my iPhone, MY IPHONE to pay at tap terminal instead of my watch. The Horror!!! LOL! Seriously, I do feel lost without it if I’m not wearing it.

  30. k0jeg - 8 years ago

    I’ve only had the watch for a few months now but have been wearing it every day. But I do find a watch convenient, and only in the last year or so quit wearing one (a Casio ProTrek solar/atomic). I am on a somewhat aggressive diet/exercise program and it is great for measuring calorie burn, even if it’s not as accurate as some dedicated fitness trackers. I’ve turned off most notifications except for one email account that is whitelisted. Favorite unexpected use is the iTunes/podcasting/music player remote control.

    Apple Watch 1.0 is a solution looking for a problem. The OS seems half baked and unpolished, lacking in some of the little details that we expect in Apple software. Apple Pay pretty much useless until more merchants accept it. But I don’t see much activity on the Android Wear side either, so maybe it will take time for developers to figure out what to do with the things.

  31. George Hall - 8 years ago

    The author states he doesn’t want to be constantly notified of all kinds of things. Yet I fail to see why that is relevant since you are not required to be. I too do not want to be constantly notified either on my watch or my phone for that matter. So I turn many notifications OFF. What I do want is weather display based upon current location. Easy to see and read time date etc as I have customized on a face. I want to check heart rate. Most I want to see a text to decide whether it requires a quick answer or whether it provides needed information. I want to know that my phone is being called if it is stuffed in my pocket and not readily accessible and whom is calling. Again to decide the importance of call and caller and have ability to answer or reject by watch or phone. I enjoy the ability to change my watch type face upon occasion, generally for me from digital easy to read time to standard still easy to read sweep and hand watch face. When I awaken during the night or I am in a dark location I enjoy the ability to easily read lit up face.

    I wear it everyday. Recently I left it home while on a cruise ship simply because I felt I did not wish to add it to my rechargeable devices while traveling. I missed it terribly and will not leave it behind again.

    I look forward to future medical information such as blood oxygen level being readily available to me as someone with COPD. They make those little finger meters that use light in CVS so not unimaginable that the metering could be incorporated down the road to act on watch alone as heart rate monitor does. There are so many conveniences and necessary uses both current and imagined as future that not having my Apple Watch is no longer viable for me.

    I do foresee possibility of having to update the watch itself in possibly near future as physical components may be necessary for some functionality. This is why I purchased the least expensive Sport I could. But now I look forward to buying a far more expensive one in the future to also fit my fashionable needs. This because I am now comfortable that he Apple Watch for me will be a standard must have device just as the phone is for most now.

    George in NY

    • George Hall - 8 years ago

      Oops. I forgot, having a 5S the watch allowed me to start using Apple Pay which I do more often all the time as local terminals get updated at local stores. A million years ago I thought that people living on cell phones virtually attached to their bodies and doing everything on them was ridiculous. I submit that those that think wearables be it Apple Watch or other devices will never be the majority norm, are just as wrong as I once was.

      George in NY

  32. Hanley Leung - 8 years ago

    oh the most useful feature that most people don’t know about is the “ping my phone” feature. perfect for finding your phone in the morning after you fell asleep with it in bed and it’s hidden amongst your covers haha

  33. varera (@real_varera) - 8 years ago

    Using daily, with great pleasure.

    Notifications can be easily tweaked, so unwanted would not bother you.

  34. Obe Tolulope - 8 years ago

    before i got my apple watch, i was only had a $20 Casio watch that i really loved but dumped after i got my apple watch and since then its been my main and only watch . so yes i still wear my watch everyday and though i live in Nigeria where theres no Apple pay, is till love having my watch on alongside my fitbit flex- best of fitness tracking eco space

  35. matttherose - 8 years ago

    I would suggest that the writer reevaluate their expectations of technology. You expected the Apple Watch to “completely alter” your life experience? How many things have you bought in the past 10 years that completely altered your life? Your iPhone? That’s probably about it. When was the last time buying a regular watch, let alone a pair of pants or shoes “completely altered” your life?

    Perhaps you might have opted for the more reasonable priced sport model before diving in at the $700 level. People spend $300 on watches ALL THE TIME and don’t enjoy nearly the same benefits.

  36. njmackem - 8 years ago

    I’m a little late to the Apple Watch phenomenon having only just got one for Christmas. So far I am impressed with it, the one issue I have regarding the health app is that according to the watches sensor I recently did 19 minutes activity when in reality I had completed 2 hours of spinning. Not that the Apple Watch is alone in the poor tracking of such instances, the fitbit was just as bad.
    All in all though I am very impressed with every aspect of the watch (especially the changable watch faces).

  37. JBDragon - 8 years ago

    Well if you paid $700 for your Apple Watch, it means you have the Stainless Steel version. That’s quite a bit heavier then the Sport, Aluminum version which may be better to use playing Basketball.

    As for Notifications. Twitter and Facebook are the last thing I’d ever put on my Apple Watch. I also limit what App’s I allow on my watch because I don’t want to have 100+ Apps on my Watch like the 300 Apps I have on my iPhone. I also limit what things can actually Notify me on my Watch. I don’t want it dinging all the time and looking all the time at it. So limit to just a few things. From iMessages/SMS text messages and a few other App’s, everything else, is iPhone only. If it’s really important, my Apple Watch will do it’s thing. Everything else can wait on the iPhone like always until I bother to look.

    I normally wear my normal rubber Space Grey band at work, and when I go out, dressed up better, I’ll throw on one of my Metal bands to dress the Apple Watch up. That really changes the look.

    The Temp is always on my display, for a quick glace, just like my next calendar event besides the date and time. When you start needing more then the most basic Data on your watch, maybe it’s at the point to go pull out your iPhone.

  38. I wear it everyday. The watch is a lot more practical that I thought it would be. I’ve learned to stay more active because of the watch (I have a desk job). I love the haptic feedback when receiving messages, email, alerts for appointments, Instagram and Twitter posts, etc.. It’s more practical in this sense than my iPhone or computer. Glances is a pretty cool feature for checking activity, weather, calendar, news, maps, and fantastic apps like Just Record and MIcrosoft’s Translator app. The Apple Watch works surprisingly well with Siri, and the remote apps are pretty impressive. For example, it is quite easy to control Keynote presentations and Apple Music, and a wide variety of third party applications like Vjay, Djay2, iCatcher Podcasts, and Top Camera, to name a few. I keep discovering new things like the Maps app which sends haptic feedback when the next turn is near. While some have gradually put their watches away, I keep finding more and more uses for it.

  39. I wear my WATCH everywhere every day. It took a while to get things sorted at first. I needed to select the right watch face to give me the information I want/need and the watch forced me to spend time paring down my notifications so only the most important information makes it to my wrist. The watch has also made me a better and more frequent Siri user, learning what I could ask and how best to ask it. I use Pay on the watch almost every day and best of all, my iPhone 6 Plus battery now lasts twice as long since using the WATCH greatly reduces the need for me to take the phone out of my pocket. After 7 months with my WATCH, I don’t ever want to be without it.

  40. I don’t know why people get into the mentality that, because a new device is coming out, the people should feel the need to upgrade? Not everyone bought the apple watch, but those who are interested (like me) but haven’t gotten one may wait for the apple watch 2. It also serves as your replacement device after warranty. Instead of spending loads on the stainless get the sport (like you said) and you’re already saving yourself 450 dollars (which might buy your next 2 sport watches if you’re into upgrading). The core hardware is the same between the model, so the cost is all style.

    I’ll be waiting for the Watch 2 because I’m late to the game and want to see what the newest one entails. That being said, I still have an iphone 6 (128GB ) and will use that until it’s unusable any longer. Whether that’s during the time of the 6s, or 7… or even 8. Unless there’s a good deal for more data on my plan or some other incentive, simple features won’t be enough to make me upgrade.

    That being said, I don’t fault the company for improving it’s products. They don’t say that you have to upgrade your device. People just get that kind of expectation. The whole “I shouldn’t have to shell out money just a year later to replace my $700 device” point isn’t valid… at all… because you don’t “have” to do anything. You can continue to use your existing watch until it breaks or the battery uses all of it’s cycles and reaches end-of-life.

    Plus… it’s a watch. A companion. A sign of higher class. A watch will not change your life because it’s a watch, not a defibrillator. There are life changing aspects to it because of what it’s allowed people not be notified of (such as seeing that your wife is in labor while in a meeting, something you will have missed if you couldn’t whip your phone out) but the Apple Watch still didn’t change your life… Your wife/significant other did.

  41. stulevine - 8 years ago

    Yes, I wear mine every day. I’m an iOS Developer and an early adopter. I use the  Watch as an extension of my iPhone 6s Plus. I use it to read emails, iMessages and reply to the latter. I also use it to check the weather and subway status in NYC. And, along side this, I use it for tracking my activity, it’s really good at this. Also have an app called Gulps that reminds me to drink water during the day. All in all, I’m extremely please with my purchase. My only comment would be that, I wish I had just gone with the sport edition instead of the sapphire crystal and stainless steel model. I don’t think it’s worth the extra $$ spent and it’s 10g heavier, which is noticeable. It is for this reason, when my wife wanted to get one, I pushed her toward the sport.

  42. You’re always connected as much as you want to be.Plus It’s far more socially acceptable to quickly glance at my watch (as I am being tapped on my wrist) verses reaching for my phone, pulling it out of my pocket and taking a look and interrupting a person who is addressing me.

  43. jamesjonesdet - 8 years ago

    Nope. Most days I still wear it but I forget it time to time and in most cases it’s not that big of a deal because other than step and fitness tracking I don’t use it anyway.

  44. BFSEsq - 8 years ago

    So, the thing is: I love the Watch, I’m really happy with it, and I wear it every day. It is really convenient and I personally am a big fan. I’m a tech nerd, though. Would I recommend that just anybody gets one? Probably not. At least, not yet.

    It’s slow. That’s my #1 pet peeve, like the author said. Theoretically it would be so fantastic except that honestly, when I need to do something quickly, it’s often faster to pull out my phone. 3rd party apps still have a ways to go. Once the devs all get the hang of it, it’ll be better. But a lot of 3rd party apps hang forever or just don’t quite work right. Syncing between the watch and phone, in my experience, isn’t great.

    Sure, stock Apple apps work pretty well but honestly, doesn’t everyone have their own favorites? It feels like more of a tradeoff with the Watch. An app like Fantastical or Wonderlist that’s really great on the phone is… kinda terrible on the Watch. But I end up attempting to use them anyway.

    I think it’s great for a good section of Apple fans but I don’t know what it will take for it to go mainstream. A bit more development, I guess. Watch 2 will be interesting, though with as expensive as they are I doubt I’ll be upgrading.

  45. Tarek Hamadi - 8 years ago

    Personally i’ve never bought this device since it lacks to many features, Apple will make the development of this device smae as it did with the iPad’s development, the original iPad has few features then it developed em on the second one, like added the camera better screen, proces..etc same will happen to Apple Watch, it’ll be in it’s perfect shape when the 6th generation appeared. I prefer to wait more years in order to get such a wearable device ✌🏻️😀

  46. Yes, I’m still wearing my Apple Watch everyday. I bought my Watch in the first week of August 2015 in France (Lille), since at that time it was not yet available in Belgium. The Apple Store in Brussels only opened mid-September and I was kind of impatient.

    What I like the most about my Apple Watch is that it gives me more control over calls and text messages I receive. Actually, I don’t like to be disturbed by the sound of a ringing phone. Be it while I’m in a meeting, concentrating on reading or writing texts, working on technical things, or just having a chat with colleagues, friends or family. So most of the time my iPhone was (and still is) on mute. Now, with my Apple Watch I can monitor and manage incoming calls and text messages more easily without causing major interruptions or even without people noticing it.

    I seldomly answer phone calls directly from my Apple Watch. I find it a little bit awkward and also cumbersome to have a conversation with the Watch, especially when you are in a noisy environment, like outside, with city traffic. And I don’t like it when people are staring at me like I’m some guy from a science fiction movie when I talk through the Watch.

    I like it that I can answer text messages with my own predefined responses, and I’ve created quite a few of them for my convenience.

    Now, let’s talk about apps. I have about 360 apps on my iPhone. Only a few of these also sit on my Apple Watch. I’m using the Modular watch face with the multicolor option. This face allows me to put a great many so-called complications on my home screen.

    I like the calendar on my home screen. Through Google Calendar, I’m combining professional, volunteer work and private appointments in it, and it is reassuring for me to have all these literally close-at-hand.

    I also like the app from my mobile operator Mobile Vikings. It allows me to check my balance, how many free calls and texts to other Vikings I still have, and how many data from my roaming pack (in case I’m using one, when I’m abroad) is still left.

    Then I’m using the Power app by Thientam Bach. It allows me to check the battery life of my iPhone when it’s in my pocket or the charging percentage when it’s charging in another room.

    O, and yes, I *do* use my Apple Watch to check what time it is. This I have not done for over 15 years… on a watch, I mean. So it’s kind of a new experience to me too.

  47. Muse Dot - 8 years ago

    Wow, I love the comments on this article; no flamewars; yay! I am a developer and was on the fence about focusing on the Apple Watch. It was off to a slow start and the developer kit is still a bit restrictive. But Ben Bajarin’s Glance conference turned me around. Thanks Chance for the article, these are great stories!

  48. I love the Apple Watch. My left wrist is better with it. I also use it even when I’m playing badminton.

  49. I wear mine almost everyday. I occasionally wear one of my old mechanical watches. Originally bought a sport model and sold it. I wasn’t very impressed. I then bought a stainless steel black version a few months later. I do think the materials are well worth the upgrade. It is far less prone to scratching and just feels like a solid timepiece (think Timex weekender vs Seiko dive watch). I couldn’t be happier with my decision. It doesn’t do much, I believe that is the beautiful thing about it. It is a filter. A passive device (at least the way I set mine up). It lets me know when something needs my attention, but otherwise lets me be more focused on what I am doing. I can almost leave my phone at home, or at least, not use half as much as I used to. I like tech, but I have strong feelings about having tech free time and Apple Watch actually helps me in that regard. A few times a week I will power everything down, so I am not always wearing it.

  50. ed1967 - 8 years ago

    When the watch first came out I didn’t think it would be useful for me and I was not going to buy one. Then in a whim I bought one. I was excited when it first came. Then a snag came in trying to use it. I consider myself moderately tech savvy, but I didn’t really know what to do with it. I read up on it and talked to friends and even took an Apple class and became a little more familiar with it. Pretty much now I consider it a wasted purchase. The apps react too slow in the gym. I’m back to using my polar heart rate monitor in the gym. Also the watch over all is slow to sync with my phone. I’m inhappy with the watch and will not be buying an updated version.

Author

Avatar for Chance Miller Chance Miller

Chance is an editor for the entire 9to5 network and covers the latest Apple news for 9to5Mac.

Tips, questions, typos to chance@9to5mac.com