Apple Watch isn't rooted in the walled garden

[slope]

I have watched with Great interest the Apple Watch. But with version 2 I am officially confused.

With all of the work with continuity, and the ability to see all of our movies, docs, music and data across all devices, and even the ability to take a phone call on any device or transfer one activity from one device to another seamlessly across all iOS and Mac devices.... why is the Watch only capable of communication with just the iPhone?

Why can't the Watch share data with the other devices. It is not like it has to be tied to an iPhone when you are out being active now with it's built in GPS and WIFI. Here we are with a device, that stands to improve our lives in potentially any interesting ways, but it misses the goal because it does not follow in the footsteps (no pun intended) of the devices that are already part of the walled garden.

Here is the product that could literally innovate my ass, but when it comes to my MacBook it is a one trick pony and unlocks it from 8 feet away, and that is where that magic ends. It can't talk to it at all, or even share it's data directly with it or my iPad. It is a $400 dollar MacBook key?

Why is my heath data only available on an iPhone or iPod touch, but not on an iPad or MacBook. It is not available on larger devices for us to slice, dice and plan our health goals.

Why does the Apple Watch have to be tied to an iPhone? Why isn't it, and it's data, well integrated into the Apple walled garden?

I would be impressed to see this missed opportunity come to fruition on Thursday. But feel it just won't happen. The Watch is just not a particularly well rooted part of the garden.

And please before anyone yells troll. My quadra's and PPC's, would spontaneously erupt in flames in their dust laden boxes at the thought. I am just a verified gear slut, who has opted to stand on a soap box to say that I am struggling seeing more innovation around the bands than there is in getting this most recent Apple insanely great device..... to be just that.

Why does the most mobile device in the fold, have to be just an extension of the mobile device that came before it? It is that that has me so confused. It seems such a bozo move. More pigeon holing, than innovating anyone's ass.

I am going to step down from my soap box now. I am interested to hear what you have to say.

 

[tromboneaholic]

My watch appears on my iMac dock using handoff to pickup from mail, messages, and maps. It also unlocks my iMac.

My watch controls Apple Music on my Apple TV in the living room.

Maybe if you had a Watch you wouldn't be so confused.

 

[Manrico1]

I cannot understand the reason why my health and activity data are "locked" only into my Watch and my iphone and I cannot see/edit via iPad and Mac

 

[Julien]

I cannot understand the reason why my health and activity data are "locked" only into my Watch and my iphone and I cannot see/edit via iPad and Mac

Read this to understand the importance of locking down sensitive health data and HIPPA implications. Apple must be VERY carful and NEVER have a Health data breach or risk potential billions of dollars in the medical market field.

http://privacy.about.com/od/Data-Aggregation/fl/The-Apple-Watch-and-Privacy-in-Health-Data.htm

 

[Manrico1]

Read this to understand the importance of locking down sensitive health data and HIPPA implications. Apple must be VERY carful and NEVER have a Health data breach or risk potential billions of dollars in the medical market field.

http://privacy.about.com/od/Data-Aggregation/fl/The-Apple-Watch-and-Privacy-in-Health-Data.htm

Thank you, Julien, appreciated your answer and link
This covers mostly my question about Health
From Activity point of view, my question remains: why I cannot see it on my Mac/Ipad? I don't believe these are "so sentive" data as Health

 

[Julien]

Thank you, Julien, appreciated your answer and link
This covers mostly my question about Health
From Activity point of view, my question remains: why I cannot see it on my Mac/Ipad? I don't believe these are "so sentive" data as Health

I of course can't answer for Apple but a couple of plausible theories:

• Where to draw the line between Health and fitness data (one persons fitness may be another's Health data: example HR)
• A breach of fitness data may be interpreted as a breach of Health data in the press & public
• Apple makes more money off iOS and relegates macOS/internet development to 2ed
• Apple is moving into the medical field and this is much more locked down without public internet type access

 

[exxxviii]

I cannot understand the reason why my health and activity data are "locked" only into my Watch and my iphone and I cannot see/edit via iPad and Mac

Let's hope that Apple has realized its massive architecture and user experience mistake and does a ground-up rewrite of Activity and Health. Back when Apple half-baked Health, I do not think that they had a clear vision for where they were going. Now that they have the watch and its Activity app on the phone, and Activity is tightly-coupled to Health, but the data are device-locked, the whole platform is behind the industry in its features and capabilities for activity tracking and fitness tracking.

Let's dream that Apple fires its Palm Pilot developers from the 90s that wrote Health, and hires modern web developers that can build the apps we want while ensuring the security that the rest of the health industry understands.

Why is my heath data only available on an iPhone or iPod touch, but not on an iPad or MacBook. It is not available on larger devices for us to slice, dice and plan our health goals.

Why does the Apple Watch have to be tied to an iPhone? Why isn't it, and it's data, well integrated into the Apple walled garden?

I think the fundamental problem here is that Apple simply does not understand the Internet, or it wants to wish it away. Apple's iCloud is the worst cloud service I have ever seen. Anything worse than iCloud is probably either out of business or on its way out. Google, Yahoo, Microsoft, Dropbox, Box, Amazon, Synology, my cheap email host, whatever... they are all vastly superior to iCloud. Apple seems to lack understanding of how people want data portability and sharing across platforms and devices. This works invisibly with the other leaders, but it is extremely difficult with Apple. Our health, activity, and fitness data limitations are just a small symptom of the bigger problem.