42mm Apple Watch 2 May Have 35% Larger Battery

[gri]

In other news - the MacBook is still as powerless as a 2d generation iPad... I know this is on watches but I am getting sick of the core competency of the company to be dwindling away. Who cares about that ludicrous watch? iPad and iPhones - ok ( but not if the novelty is "its now a bit smaller").
Rant over...

 

[ksnell]

Highly doubt Apple will increase the battery life and shift consumer expectations there in a 2nd Gen model.

More likely just compensating for extra power used by new tech (GPS) and eventually cellular and other sensors.

It is not Apple's style to increase battery life beyond their target in a mobile device. They would rather make it thinner or jam more power hungry tech in it.

 

[iSee]

Can someone explain or list real, everyday use cases for cellular on a smartwatch?

I really don't see them. You already have audio/phone capabilities in known Wifi zones at home etc. with the current Apple Watch version.

On the other hand, there are many drawbacks with cellular support on a smartwatch:

- Another data plan in most countries ( expensive, would kill mass-market appeal)

- Little to no screen space on Watch (that's why most native AW apps failed in the first place, there's not so much use for streaming/accessong lots of data)

- Poor battery life, bulky design

Obviously, the killer use case is that it would let you ditch the phone altogether. That takes care of your first objection since there wouldn't be an extra data plan.

Your second issue will remain, but there's a huge tradeoff: no extra thing to carry around in your pocket and pull out to fiddle with all the time. To compensate, we'll want to see voice control getting better and more comprehensive. You'll end up using larger-screened devices (that you don't carry around all the time) for things that need a larger UI.

Also, your third objection isn't a drawback but a technical hurdle to be overcome. It's the main reason we don't already have this. Let's assume that gradual technical improvements will alleviate this issue, sooner or later.

Personally, I think the mass switchover from phone to watch will be very quick once they have the cellular communication capabilities and a robust/reliable voice interface.

 

[satchmo]

can I say "me too"

Or pick up the current one on sale at Bestbuy for $199.
But I'm thinking this the price will drop even further once the new one is officially launched.

 

[IJ Reilly]

If Apple can get wireless charging right for the iPhone then maybe they might develop the same for the watch so that it charges on your wrist whilst you are sleeping or in the same room

I guess it didn't come across in my post so allow me to clarify: it seems tremendously funny to me that some folks can get totally naked but still want to wear their watch.

 

[manu chao]

Yes all in theory. And yes my friends 10 of 12 say they all say pigs can fly. No proof in my and no proof in yours. He and she say. All theory

There is a small problem with this comparison. Some call it common sense. Some call it basic logical analysis:

• If you knew of no personal testimony in regard to Apple watch wearing during sleep (but of course had all other available information on the watch in regard to battery life, charging time, its features etc.), logic and knowledge about human behaviour (which isn't fully logical) would lead every reasonable person to predict that the vast majority of people would not wear their during sleep.
• If you knew of no personal testimony in regard to flying pigs (but of course had all information about animals and flying techniques of animals), any reasonable person would predict that that there are no flying pigs.

Couple dozens of datapoints of anecdotal data (with nothing indicating bias) with what logic and common sense would predict and you get a conclusion that will have a pretty high likelihood of being true. In the reverse, combine a dozen of datapoints (that appear made up) with what logic and common sense would predict and get and you get near certainty of untrueness.

If you live your life with making decisions and expressing opinions that only take absolute certainties into account, you will be severely handicapped and isolated. But to each his or her own.

 

[DryHeave]

Can't believe I'm saying this, but I actually wish thinness was improved over battery in the watch.

Me too. Apple Watch is fugly compared to the nice round designs of several competitors. I am a die-hard Apple fanboi, but I do not like the visual look of the Apple Watch: thick and rectangular. Do not want. And what I *especially* do not like is that the top surface is curved rather than beveled, which to me makes it look cheap like a toy. Apple Watch looks like something a teen guy would wear, not something a man would wear.

Hoping for a round, thin Apple Watch with beveled glass in the future. Will wait to buy until this happens. If it doesn't happen by 2018, I'll buy a competitor's product.

 

[ValO]

Can someone explain or list real, everyday use cases for cellular on a smartwatch?

I really don't see them. You already have audio/phone capabilities in known Wifi zones at home etc. with the current Apple Watch version.

On the other hand, there are many drawbacks with cellular support on a smartwatch:

- Another data plan in most countries ( expensive, would kill mass-market appeal)

- Little to no screen space on Watch (that's why most native AW apps failed in the first place, there's not so much use for streaming/accessong lots of data)

- Poor battery life, bulky design

If I am out running and there is no wifi range, I would like to be able to answer phone calls , without having to carry my iPhone.

 

[mrfoof82]

If you workout for any length of time, the watch battery life sucks. First thing in the morning I do is hit the gym. Usually at about 60% battery before 7AM. Granted I let it charge while I get ready for work when possible.

Improved battery life will be welcomed though.

Indeed. I walk about 7 miles a day for my workout (and typically 9-10 total). Usually when I'm within an hour of bedtime, I get the 10% warning. The 42mm watch gets me through the day, but only just.

 

[ValO]

meh I don't want a $30 a month plan for my watch unless the watch was good enough that I could ditch my phone all together

You wouldn' t need that. It could be a shared data plan with your iPhone .

 

[manu chao]

I take this exact position on Bluetooth wireless headphones -- it's painless to charge my headphones once a day for the benefit of listening to music without wires, rather than plugging and unplugging, wrapping and untangling wires a dozen times a day. But there are some who reject this on the face of it.

And the vast majority of people who reject this have never tried Bluetooth headphones. There is a fine difference between saying that the daily charging of Bluetooth headphones is an additional chore and saying that it would be a burdensome chore. The former is a simple truth and second is a speculation on subjective perception (does it feel like a chore).
[doublepost=1472487004][/doublepost]

You wouldn' t need that. It could be a shared data plan with your iPhone .

That is an aspect that varies wildly from country to country and from carrier to carrier. And one that can change significantly over a fairly short amount of time as well. We all evaluate this factor on what it would cost on our current plan (or on the plans available from our current carrier). I'd say it is a safe assumption that for most people it would be an additional expense, eg, a flat fee to add another device to an existing plan. Though for some, they might have a couple of devices included in their plan and adding one more is free (except for any additional data consumed and then only if that breach a limit on a total amount). And for some it might mean an extra contract.

 

[mattopotamus]

The only way this is important is if it make the battery last 2 full days. A battery that last 1.5 days or a little more doesn't do it. People will still be forced to charge every single night.
[doublepost=1472487205][/doublepost]

It's the only Apple product that I feel this way about. I get home after wearing it for 12 hours with casual use and notifications all day as well as 45 minute workouts and I still have between 45% and 50%. Some days I have as much as 65% left.

However, I anticipate Watch OS 3 with its new always active 10 apps to negatively impact battery life.

Oddly enough, I am getting the best battery life on OS3 that I have ever had. Currently sitting at 87% off the charger at 5am est. Granted, I only use the watch for notifications and no apps.

 

[NufSaid]

The feature set will need to be great on the watch 2 (running watch OS 3 - ugh)
Otherwise I will just get Watch 1 running watch OS 3 on the cheap.

For me the killer app related to charging is the sleep tracking abilities. Can't track sleep while it is on the charger.

 

[mattopotamus]

The feature set will need to be great on the watch 2 (running watch OS 3 - ugh)
Otherwise I will just get Watch 1 running watch OS 3 on the cheap.

For me the killer app related to charging is the sleep tracking abilities. Can't track sleep while it is on the charger.

Agreed. I don't see too many people upgrading from a first generation watch, definitely not people with SS models. The main reason I say that is b.c the design, if the rumors are true, will be the exact same.

 

[Mac 128]

Maybe the watch should do iris tracking?

Well, I know you're being sarcastic, but that's where a FaceTime camera would be really useful in keeping the backlight on, rather than timing out before a person is finished.

I can imagine a solution for turning it on as well ... the sensitivity is increased so that the watch will turn on with less motion. So to circumvent that, the FaceTime camera comes on briefly to determine whether eyes are actually looking at it or not. If not, it shuts down again. Surely that would be good use of that 30-40% of battery life most of the people here claim they have at the end of the day?

 

[JJayguy23]

I may have to wait a decade or so, but I will NOT buy an Apple Watch of any kind unless it's thinner, can be completely independent (meaning GPS+Cell+WiFi+Bluetooth+NFC), and have week-long battery life.

Until then, it's simply not a practical enough item for me to buy.

In the meantime, us early adopters will enjoy a cool device!

 

[Mac 128]

Obviously, the killer use case is that it would let you ditch the phone altogether. That takes care of your first objection since there wouldn't be an extra data plan.

Your second issue will remain, but there's a huge tradeoff: no extra thing to carry around in your pocket and pull out to fiddle with all the time. To compensate, we'll want to see voice control getting better and more comprehensive. You'll end up using larger-screened devices (that you don't carry around all the time) for things that need a larger UI.

Also, your third objection isn't a drawback but a technical hurdle to be overcome. It's the main reason we don't already have this. Let's assume that gradual technical improvements will alleviate this issue, sooner or later.

Personally, I think the mass switchover from phone to watch will be very quick once they have the cellular communication capabilities and a robust/reliable voice interface.

While you make several good points, the reality is all the Watch needs to do is save someone's life once, to justify the inclusion of a cellular chip. I have raised the point before that the introduction of SOS is going to need a little more than fine print to clarify that it will not work without wifi or a cellphone nearby. Yet, this watch is marketed as something a person can take a jog with and leave the iPhone behind -- and it's that exact activity that's likely to result in someone breaking an ankle, or getting hit by a car where SOS would be indispensable. There are even some plausible scenarios where having the cell radio in the watch would make a difference in an office building where there's otherwise wifi.

I'd like to expand on your last point, which is once people get used to the convenience of not having to carry their phone everywhere, they may actually change their habits and not require the use of a giant phablet screen so much. People stopped wearing watches because they always had their phones on them, despite being less convenient to quickly check the time. The Watch pushes convenience over ability, so it's entirely possible the pendulum will swing back the other way.

Me too. Apple Watch is fugly compared to the nice round designs of several competitors. I am a die-hard Apple fanboi, but I do not like the visual look of the Apple Watch: thick and rectangular. Do not want. And what I *especially* do not like is that the top surface is curved rather than beveled, which to me makes it look cheap like a toy. Apple Watch looks like something a teen guy would wear, not something a man would wear.

Hoping for a round, thin Apple Watch with beveled glass in the future. Will wait to buy until this happens. If it doesn't happen by 2018, I'll buy a competitor's product.

You've hit the nail on the head -- the design aesthetic makes the watch appear thicker than it really is ... like an over-sized Chiclet. It's nice looking, but also an acquired taste. In other words, this is what Apple offers, so if I want an Watch there's no choice -- so it's not that bad, considering. I'm also looking for Apple to put its money where its mouth is and offer more style in its watches which demonstrate its commitment to fashion (I couldn't care less, but they pushed that agenda). A round watch would certainly help with adoption as a fashion product, and it would certainly offer a much more dynamic style choice than merely swapping out the watch bands. Otherwise, it will end up being another conformist commodity product.

 

[44267547]

Agreed. I don't see too many people upgrading from a first generation watch, definitely not people with SS models. The main reason I say that is b.c the design, if the rumors are true, will be the exact same.

Same here. With 'Hey Siri' and the heart rate sensor turned off, the battery life is superb. It all depends on how you use it.

 

[Stiggy]

Provided that I can recharge it over night, then I've not had any issues with the battery life of my watch.

However if I'm going camping then I take a regular watch.

 

[manu chao]

Well, I know you're being sarcastic, but that's where a FaceTime camera would be really useful in keeping the backlight on, rather than timing out before a person is finished.

I fully understand that my post can be understand as being sarcastic (I might have seen it as sarcastic myself if somebody else had wrote it). But I actually wasn't sarcastic, only half-joking. I first thought about putting motion detection sensor on one's head (eg, in earphones or even glasses) but then realised that these aren't always there and that sometimes one might glance at a watch without moving one's head. And as you said, to prevent untimely timing out, you need more than motion detectors but state detectors (the directional state of your glance).
[doublepost=1472493968][/doublepost]

Obviously, the killer use case is that it would let you ditch the phone altogether. That takes care of your first objection since there wouldn't be an extra data plan.

While I don't doubt that there will be many situations where one might be fine with a watch only, I don't think that a lot of people would ditch the phone altogether (as in not owning one). You still cannot fully replace screen size. Few people have ditched computers and tablets altogether for a phone only (once you exclude the part of the population that didn't have a computer or a tablet in the first hand). And most of those who have, will still have a TV.

 

[Vanilla35]

Me too. Apple Watch is fugly compared to the nice round designs of several competitors. I am a die-hard Apple fanboi, but I do not like the visual look of the Apple Watch: thick and rectangular. Do not want. And what I *especially* do not like is that the top surface is curved rather than beveled, which to me makes it look cheap like a toy. Apple Watch looks like something a teen guy would wear, not something a man would wear.

Hoping for a round, thin Apple Watch with beveled glass in the future. Will wait to buy until this happens. If it doesn't happen by 2018, I'll buy a competitor's product.

Well put.

I, of course, am still buying one (with GPS) - because I'm one of those tech guys; but I'm trying to alleviate the design choice as much as possible by buying the Space Black Stainless finish.

 

[Plutonius]

But it matters enough for you to complain about it. As if it's that much of a huge inconvenience for you to have the Watch tethered to the iPhone.

Since I don't have an iPhone, I think it's an issue with me getting the watch .

 

[44267547]

Since I don't have an iPhone, I think it's an issue with me getting the watch .

In that case. Disregard my comment.

 

[iSee]

I bet it still won't work in the shower. Get it wet and that's the end of the watch...

Pure FUD.

 

[koigirl]

I was really hoping the 2nd generation would have a cellular option. The watch holds little appeal for me as long as it must be tethered to my phone and/or wifi. The convenience factor of being able to receive calls and messages out in public without dragging along my phablet would be worth $5-10 additional per month on my cellular bill and would compel me to buy one tomorrow. Those who don't need that capability could pay less for a non-cellular model. I don't need a camera or browser capability, just the ability to independently receive messages and calls. I can't justify the watch until/unless this capability is included. Samsung S2 already offers a cellular option but I am already ensconced in the Apple ecosystem. I'm surprised they can't come up with a cellular model a full 18 months after Apple Watch's debut, but then again, look at the state of current iPhone and Mac offerings. There was a time when Apple was cutting edge but that time has passed.