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I gave up on the Apple Watch

D

digitalhen

macrumors regular
Original poster
Jan 10, 2006
221
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So, I returned my second watch (a SS milanese, upgraded from a black Sport) and won't be getting another for now. Two reasons:

- I consistently had over 40% battery life at the end of the day (indicative of barely using it during the day). Obviously, this is just me, and I know others have different use cases. I have a very active, but ultimately office-based job.
- The number of interactions to accomplish basic things was pretty frustrating (click click click to get to Passbook). I often found reaching for my iPhone was much easier.

That said, I absolutely loveeeeed the watch overall, and my Timex just doesn't feel as good on my arm. Navigation was great, and I really like using it to board aircraft etc.

Semi-regretting it now of course. :) Perhaps 2nd gen?

PS. My son (5yo) took completely naturally to speak to his family through my wrist. Kids these days have no idea how futuristic things are!
 
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I use mine primarily for notifications, after a couple of weeks it's become a normal part of my routine and I wear it from the time I get up to the time I go to bed. Battery life for me is always above 60% at bedtime. Sounds like it's just not your thing but at least you gave it a shot.
 
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zmunkz said:
I "lol'ed" when I read that part of his comment too. I guess he is using that as a metric for the watch not getting used, rather than a metric for the watch performing well.

To each their own, perhaps we shall see you back for gen 2.
Click to expand...

I don't think Gen 2 will be of much help

1. Battery life (even though mine lasts 1.5 days) is not significantly better from a gen 1 to gen 2
2. WatchOS is established. I'm not sure Apple will make such drastic changes as to fix this click,click,click navigation problem (althought its wrist up > tap crown > tap app from home page).
 
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digitalhen said:
So, I returned my second watch (a SS milanese, upgraded from a black Sport) and won't be getting another for now. Two reasons:

- I consistently had over 40% battery life at the end of the day (indicative of barely using it during the day). Obviously, this is just me, and I know others have different use cases. I have a very active, but ultimately office-based job.
- The number of interactions to accomplish basic things was pretty frustrating (click click click to get to Passbook). I often found reaching for my iPhone was much easier.

That said, I absolutely loveeeeed the watch overall, and my Timex just doesn't feel as good on my arm. Navigation was great, and I really like using it to board aircraft etc.

Semi-regretting it now of course. :) Perhaps 2nd gen?

PS. My son (5yo) took completely naturally to speak to his family through my wrist. Kids these days have no idea how futuristic things are!
Click to expand...


I'm sorry to hear about your experience.

- good battery life. You're not cool with that? It shouldn't measure the quality of use. Afterall it was designed for brief interactions.
- brief interactions. Have you tried Siri? She's awesome. She does not like to be called Jarvis though. "Hey Siri, open passbook please pretty pleeeeeeaaaase....." And she'll do it, for you.
- for you? Maybe not. Maybe the  watch Wasn't for you. Primarily, it's a watch. The rest are bonuses.. Or boni.. I don't know.
 
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So as a watch you 'absolutely loveeeeed' it compared to your Timex and the fact that you consistently get at least 40% left means that battery life won't be a concern for you...which is a good thing right...?

Ah well guess it's just not for you. :(
 
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Its a watch and does similar, if not better, than the fitness tracker that was on that wrist. So Im happy and it stays.

On top of that, I get text messages, calendar alerts and other notifications without having to touch anything - added bonus! Apple pay without having to pull out my phone - bonus! (As yet untested) airline boarding on my wrist - bonus!

Im also looking forward to gen 2, but Im expecting better battery life so you may be even more disappointed with it. :)
 
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Really appreciate the replies.

Indeed this isn't about the battery life - which I've actually been impressed with - it's more about me using it less and less. A (bad) attempt at humour ;)

I do miss it on my arm, but at the same time it's nice to not worry about it getting bumped etc when with my son.

Also - I actually had no idea about the hey Siri to open an app. Annoyed that I missed that!

I'll probably be tempted again in a few weeks...
 
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dannyyankou said:
Have you used the Activity and Workout apps? That's my favorite part. I can't end the day without finishing my goals!
Click to expand...

I seem to hit the stand and exercise goals ok, but the move (calories) goal I dont. If it wasnt 100F outside at 6pm I would probably walk around the block each time I got home without completing it. I have yet to take it to the gym - with the workout app I would blow away the red circle with cardio I imagine.
 
bangers said:
I seem to hit the stand and exercise goals ok, but the move (calories) goal I dont. If it wasnt 100F outside at 6pm I would probably walk around the block each time I got home without completing it. I have yet to take it to the gym - with the workout app I would blow away the red circle with cardio I imagine.
Click to expand...
I fill the move goals by working out indoors. Half hour on the treadmill everyday, and an hour with my personal trainer twice a week. Move goal is 1,050, and I hit it everyday.

For the record, I was very lazy before I got my watch. I had the personal trainer beforehand, but I needed a physical person to motivate me. Now with the move goals and exercise goals, I'm motivated everyday to exercise. I love it.

Speak of the devil-

3f521cb42911865ab25b87454337e5d0.jpg
 
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bangers said:
I seem to hit the stand and exercise goals ok, but the move (calories) goal I dont. If it wasnt 100F outside at 6pm I would probably walk around the block each time I got home without completing it. I have yet to take it to the gym - with the workout app I would blow away the red circle with cardio I imagine.
Click to expand...


You can do it!

I'm not fit but I run like an hour to meet my goal which is 800+ calories. I would say 4 miles with 7-8 pace. Gets me 600 cal
 
zmunkz said:
I "lol'ed" when I read that part of his comment too. I guess he is using that as a metric for the watch not getting used, rather than a metric for the watch performing well.

To each their own, perhaps we shall see you back for gen 2.
Click to expand...

No, we won't. It usually will be loading apps far too fast compared to the last, indicating that it isn't being used enough. And far too thin, indicating that there isn't enough stored on it. Because that is; after all, how it works. Right?
 
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digitalhen said:
Really appreciate the replies.

Indeed this isn't about the battery life - which I've actually been impressed with - it's more about me using it less and less. A (bad) attempt at humour ;)

I do miss it on my arm, but at the same time it's nice to not worry about it getting bumped etc when with my son.

Also - I actually had no idea about the hey Siri to open an app. Annoyed that I missed that!

I'll probably be tempted again in a few weeks...
Click to expand...


I think that's kind of the point. To use it less (yes, even if you're working out ).

Did you want a YouTube app, browse the web or read a book on it or something?
 
digitalhen said:
Really appreciate the replies.

Indeed this isn't about the battery life - which I've actually been impressed with - it's more about me using it less and less. A (bad) attempt at humour ;)

I do miss it on my arm, but at the same time it's nice to not worry about it getting bumped etc when with my son.

Also - I actually had no idea about the hey Siri to open an app. Annoyed that I missed that!

I'll probably be tempted again in a few weeks...
Click to expand...

I get some of your "frustration." I wrote a way-too-long thing after a couple of days with mine, a 42mm SS with a WSB. Mine got close to running out of juice on the first day because it came with 67 percent, I was probably fiddling with it more and it was the first battery cycle. Since then, battery life has been such a non-issue. But I get the justification for use. I got my watch as sort of a reward for surviving a tough semester at school and then surviving a way-understaffed department for a couple of months at work. I worked a good number of overtime days, thus I bought myself a toy. I understand that it's a first-gen product, and there's no way it can live up to the usefulness of today's iPhones.

Yes, the navigation has a learning curve. But as someone mentioned the "Hey Siri" feature will help a lot -- especially as it is improved and doesn't take saying it twice -- and just using it helps as well. I couldn't figure out how to use Apple Pay on my first full day with it at Firehouse Subs. I then learned that unlike the iPhone, I have to open Passbook before using Apple Pay. You don't have the fingerprint verification, so there has to be some manual input to keep from accidentally paying for stuff a lot.

I also quickly learned how to use the Starbucks app on the watch to pay. As little effort as sticking my phone out is, sticking my wrist out is less.

The health monitoring apps are what I consider key features. My resting heart rate was hitting near 100 a lot over the weekend. I couldn't tell whether it was the measurements were off or that was really happening. I had just started taking some pills that can mess with your heart rate and BP. I stopped taking them since and my resting HR hasn't hit 100 aside from maybe once since. It could be the increased exercise on the bike, it could be the pills. But that was freaking me out because I know it shouldn't be 100 when I'm sitting in a chair.

In short, I think it's not ready for a lot of people. It's a very new device and still needs some work before it's way more mainstream. The original iPhone was no different, but it was replacing mostly junk cellphones and was probably the first phone to do email and Internet anywhere close to a computer -- save the BlackBerry phones. It's gotten so good now that it's hard to make major improvements.

So don't give up on it for good! I didn't own an iPhone until about 10 months after it was released, and I didn't buy an iPad until version 2. For many people it's better to wait on those. We early adopters are guinea pigs and will figure out the worst glitches that get addressed in the second and third versions.
 
If nothing else is doing it for you then look at it as a fashion item first and foremost. It's cheaper than any other high-end watch and it looks pretty damn good. Everything else is just a bonus.
 
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amirite said:
If nothing else is doing it for you then look at it as a fashion item first and foremost. It's cheaper than any other high-end watch and it looks pretty damn good. Everything else is just a bonus.
Click to expand...

You're right! It's the most expensive thing I'd ever worn (even more so than my straightforward wedding ring) and it did look great. Attracted sooooo many comments.
 
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digitalhen said:
You're right! It's the most expensive thing I'd ever worn (even more so than my straightforward wedding ring) and it did look great. Attracted sooooo many comments.
Click to expand...

Buy the edition. Then it's okay to use it less
 
I bet if you wait for gen 10, it will connect directly to your brain wirelessly, project into your brain, and control with your mind, not even have to look at watch any more.
 
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It's a watch, you're not supposed to be using it non stop like you may a phone


Complaining about good battery was kind of funny though
 
digitalhen said:
So, I returned my second watch (a SS milanese, upgraded from a black Sport) and won't be getting another for now. Two reasons:

- I consistently had over 40% battery life at the end of the day (indicative of barely using it during the day). Obviously, this is just me, and I know others have different use cases. I have a very active, but ultimately office-based job.
- The number of interactions to accomplish basic things was pretty frustrating (click click click to get to Passbook). I often found reaching for my iPhone was much easier.

That said, I absolutely loveeeeed the watch overall, and my Timex just doesn't feel as good on my arm. Navigation was great, and I really like using it to board aircraft etc.

Semi-regretting it now of course. :) Perhaps 2nd gen?

PS. My son (5yo) took completely naturally to speak to his family through my wrist. Kids these days have no idea how futuristic things are!
Click to expand...

One thing I have come to realize is that this is just a watch with a few extra features. It isn't as awesome as I was expecting it to be. At the end of the day a Watch is just a Watch.I like mine (42mm SPS) and won't be returning it. I love the exercise features and have always been a watch wh**e. I have the notifications limited to just emails from the wife and texts.
 
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