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Always on display distracting?

Does the AOD distract you?

  • Yes

    Votes: 13 16.5%

  • No

    Votes: 67 84.8%
  • Total voters
    79
Zaft

Zaft

macrumors 601
Original poster
Jun 16, 2009
4,574
4,054
Brooklyn, NY
Hello all, so I currently have a Series 4 SS that still works great. I ordered a refurb Series 7 from amazon to try out a newer one,

I like the larger display but I found the AOD to be distracting for me. Anytime my wrist would be in viewing distance my eyes would just keep looking at the screen. It's odd because I was actually looking forward to AOD, because it would look and act more like a traditional watch.

Im just curious who else finds the AOD a bit distracting?
 
you just need a little time to re-train your brain that watch screen on doesn't mean you need to look at it like before.

it also helps to have a "less busy" watch face, something like a more traditional watch as opposed to siri or one of the modular faces. You can also hide complications when the watch is down which will give your eyes less reason to look at it.
 
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You can also make AOD turn off during certain times of the day. Sleeping, for example. I have mine shut off at 11pm or something, and then turn back on in the morning. I think you can use the sleep focus to do that too, but I’m not 100%. There is a sleep simplification option.
 
Howard2k said:
You can also make AOD turn off during certain times of the day. Sleeping, for example. I have mine shut off at 11pm or something, and then turn back on in the morning. I think you can use the sleep focus to do that too, but I’m not 100%. There is a sleep simplification option.
Click to expand...
Yes sleep focus my watch face is off
 
The Cockney Rebel said:
I don’t see a point in having a wristwatch, that doesn’t permanently show the time (and other info, when speaking of the Apple Watch.)
Click to expand...

Exactly this. The AW is completely pointless without it (IMO, YMMV, etc.) and was one of the things I really didn't like about my S3. Moving up to a S6 a couple years ago with AOD was revelatory.

To the OP: It's distracting because it's new. You used to have this routine to check the time: Raise your wrist or tap the screen. Now that information is constantly available and you'e lost that performative action. Give it a couple weeks. You'll wonder how you lived without it.

...or not, and you can just turn it off. Everyone wins! :p
 
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cateye said:
Exactly this. The AW is completely pointless without it (IMO, YMMV, etc.) and was one of the things I really didn't like about my S3. Moving up to a S6 a couple years ago with AOD was revelatory.

To the OP: It's distracting because it's new. You used to have this routine to check the time: Raise your wrist or tap the screen. Now that information is constantly available and you'e lost that performative action. Give it a couple weeks. You'll wonder how you lived without it.

...or not, and you can just turn it off. Everyone wins! :p
Click to expand...

It amazes me that AOD can be so divisive. But I guess if that's such a dividing factor then it's a successful product overall. It's trivial to turn to on or off. Very little impact on battery, but at the same time a wrist-twist is hardly a burden. As you said - everyone wins.
 
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The Cockney Rebel said:
I don’t see a point in having a wristwatch, that doesn’t permanently show the time (and other info, when speaking of the Apple Watch.)

I never even considered buying an Apple Watch, until AOD was a “feature.”
Click to expand...
I guess for me the point is that since I'm not looking at my watch 99% of the time there's no benefit in having the display on, but there is a detrimental effect on battery life. When I look at my watch, I'm automatically orienting it toward me at which point the screen illuminates anyway. I wouldn't be distracted by the screen being on, but my battery anxiety would be high.

I'm glad it's a feature that makes people happy, but I'll never use it.
 
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I keep the AOD off on my series 8.

I loved AOD on the series 5, but battery health deteriorated much faster than prior series 3 (with no AOD). I'm not a fan of $100 AW battery every 2 years.

Oh, and I don't find AOD distracting. :)
 
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I keep AOD on, it’s nice that even at an angle I can still read the display. Battery life is sufficient for about three days of use for me.
 
Ledsteplin said:
I don't use it on my watch. If I want to see it, I just raise it up and look.
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I assume you don't attend many long meetings at work? I fear that raising my watch up to look at the time would be perceived by my colleagues as a passive-aggressive of saying I'd like the meeting to be over already. As opposed to AOD, where I can surreptitiously catch a glimpse of the time without making it obvious to the other attendees.
 
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Bichon said:
I assume you don't attend many long meetings at work? I fear that raising my watch up to look at the time would be perceived by my colleagues as a passive-aggressive of saying I'd like the meeting to be over already. As opposed to AOD, where I can surreptitiously catch a glimpse of the time without making it obvious to the other attendees.
Click to expand...

I've honestly never heard that level of absurdity apart from here. It might be a cultural thing where you are but I've worked in several countries and checking the time has never been an issue. It's always been a crucial part of running an efficient meeting.

Has anyone ever said anything to you about checking the time?
 
Howard2k said:
I've honestly never heard that level of absurdity apart from here. It might be a cultural thing where you are but I've worked in several countries and checking the time has never been an issue. It's always been a crucial part of running an efficient meeting.

Has anyone ever said anything to you about checking the time?
Click to expand...

I'm US based, and while I'm all for efficient meetings, it's up to the organizer to keep things moving.

If a meeting attendee is constantly glancing at his or her watch in a way others notice it, it would come off as rude.

If you want to hear "that level of absurdity" from somewhere other than here, try here: https://cliseetiquette.com/check-time-appearing-rude/
 
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Bichon said:
I'm US based, and while I'm all for efficient meetings, it's up to the organizer to keep things moving.

If a meeting attendee is constantly glancing at his or her watch in a way others notice it, it would come off as rude.

If you want to hear "that level of absurdity" from somewhere other than here, try here: https://cliseetiquette.com/check-time-appearing-rude/
Click to expand...

Nothing there says you cannot check the time. It is common sense and good manners to silence audible notifications on the watch, totally, and the article does mention that, but nothing about checking the time being rude.

For sure, don’t glance at your watch, roll your eyes, and let out a sigh though. 😀. And yes, constantly checking too, I agree.
 
I don’t like AOD personally, but I’m glad it’s there for those who do. But if I’m in a meeting, I want to check the time, you can just put your arms under the table and put two fingers on the display and it will tell you the time. if it’s on vibrate. It will vibrate it out. So no one sees you glancing at your watch whether you have AOD on or not. I feel like that’s a much more subtle way to check time.
 
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