Am I the only one who doesn’t want both phone&watch?

[StrollerEd]

Is it just me or this post feels like it belongs in 2015.

It’s not for everyone and it’s called an Apple Watch because Apple doesn’t see it or want it to be a tech device but rather a fashion or athletic accessory.

I'm unclear what Apple's plans are, but wearables are not quite here yet imho.

Twenty years ago, I thought they might be, as illustrated in the attached slide taken from a talk delivered in May 2023 which used refrains from Sgt Pepper's LHCB to review the previous 20 years and speculate about the next.

 

[coffeemilktea]

The watch makes it easy to check both the time + notifications without having to take the phone out of your pocket.

(Of course, Apple also likes to market the watch as a fitness device, but as a dedicated desk jockey, I don't really care about any of that )

 

[Lounge vibes 05]

I got a ultra…

if I was worried about my health I could just get a cheap Fitbit or one of those rings, So I don’t get the watch + phone…

i’m just curious, why on earth did you get the ultra if you don’t care about the health stuff?
You could’ve literally gotten an SE and saved $600.

 

[aevan]

Figured the Apple watch (why isn’t it a iwatch BTW?)

Apple dropped the “i” from new names. It’s a brand thing - it’s not iPencil but Apple Pencil. It’s not iBooks but Apple Books. iPhone, iPad and iMac will of course stay like that, but I like this new approach - seems more in line with the times. I think “i” used to stand for “Internet”, which is now so much a part of our lives, it’s like adding “e” (as in “electrical”) to devices - it feels outdated.

 

[Warped9]

For me I think it’s as simple as not feeling compelled to get notifications for every little thing. Emails and texts often don’t have to be answered right away. When I get home I barely look at my phone afterward.

I resist the notion of everything having to be addressed right away. I use my iPad enough, but even then I often don’t respond to emails and messages promptly.

The advent of these devices has greatly changed people’s behaviours and tied them to these devices. They’re supposed to be just tools, but they have come to dominate people’s lives.

 

[Howard2k]

For me I think it’s as simple as not feeling compelled to get notifications for every little thing. Emails and texts often don’t have to be answered right away. When I get home I barely look at my phone afterward.

I resist the notion of everything having to be addressed right away. I use my iPad enough, but even then I often don’t respond to emails and messages promptly.

The advent of these devices has greatly changed people’s behaviours and tied them to these devices. They’re supposed to be just tools, but they have come to dominate people’s lives.

You can configure all of that. I have most notifications turned off on both Watch and phone.

 

[Nhwhazup]

You can configure all of that. I have most notifications turned off on both Watch and phone.

I like to have notifications come through but silently. I have them set up that way on both my phone and watch.

 

[hanser]

You are not alone. I don't like smartphones, but appreciate what my watch LTE offers. My iPhone SE 1st gen, downhanded from my son AND my daughter, is in a corner at home, rarely used except for watch maintenance. At home I prefer using the iPad. Very happy.

 

[jclardy]

What are you missing on the watch? For me I do occasionally do this with the ultra, having no phone in my pocket. For sure on morning dog walks - AirPods, pocket casts, music, gps, messages, calls, HomeKit. All that stuff works fine. Even mail works.

The main thing I miss when I do it is a camera for those random times you want to take a photo of something interesting.

That said, I'm still waiting for more watch independence. I just recently moved to a 13 mini from my other phone and the transfer process generally sucks, but the watch makes it even worse as the pairing sometimes fails, then you have to reboot/restore and run the process for another hour. I'd love to have the ultra with no direct phone tethering at all.

 

[Warped9]

You can configure all of that. I have most notifications turned off on both Watch and phone.

Sure you can, but I don’t bother. I’ll know there is something there when I get around to looking at the phone. A text notification will vibrate because it might be work related. Otherwise I’ll get around to it eventually.

 

[symphony1010]

I bought an Apple Watch for my wife and for sure she does use it most days. She tracks sleep and fitness mostly but when I ask her if she would buy another the answer is a clear no! She prefers the appearance of a regular watch and the daily charging is a pain. I set up a sim account but she rarely takes calls on it either!

All in all we both prefer not to have yet another device that wants to nag with notifications so when this one bites the dust it won't be replaced. I do have misgivings about many designer watches so I'm not going down that route either. Why do so many people buy divers watches for instance? I really dislike constantly seeing those bezels when the user never goes near any water! Can't watch companies come up with other ideas?

 

[Night Spring]

I hear ya.
But you know what is even easier to type and read on, with an even bigger screen? A laptop or desktop….

In all seriousness, I don’t judge anyone who enjoys using their Apple watch or their iPad. I just personally have never found a use for either of those devices. Sometimes I get close, but they just always kind of felt like second class devices to me (by which I mean intentionally crippled by Apple).

Can't take the desktop to bed or the living room sofa, and the iPad is way more comfortable than a laptop in those settings. Ever since I got my first laptop, I always wished I could ditch the keyboard, so the iPad was, to me, a dream come true.

I do get what you mean by feeling like these devices are intentionally crippled. iPad should be able to do everything a desktop/laptop computer can do, and the watch should be independent of the iPhone. So close, yet so far! Apple always seems to be inching toward that direction, but they never actually get there. *sigh*

 

[Digger148]

Using the Apple Watch for Apple Pay, messaging, calls, directions and listening to Apple Music/Books with AirPods have allowed me to leave the iPhone "on the shelf" most of the time. I have several Focus modes set for the watch that can minimize distractions. It's nice to not have a chunk of an iPhone in my pocket everyday.

 

[SpotOnT]

I do get what you mean by feeling like these devices are intentionally crippled. iPad should be able to do everything a desktop/laptop computer can do, and the watch should be independent of the iPhone. So close, yet so far! Apple always seems to be inching toward that direction, but they never actually get there. *sigh*

Or even just everything an iPhone can do.

 

[sunapple]

They could make a half-size Apple Watch, a tiny notification screen with sensors and nothing more. I don't really need most of what the Watch can do and I am fine relying mostly on my iPhone.

 

[Stevenyo]

The watch can zoom. Just double tap the screen map and use the crown. Unless I’m missing something in your description. I think the things you described though are things that you would know beforehand you’d have to use the phone for in general. So you’d carry the phone knowing it’s for those particular cases. The watch can be used for all the other everyday things, except for “special” use cases (hotel etc). But I get it. I’m not picking up a Thomas Guide anytime soon.

I would have never figured out that zoom! So useful! Totally agree, you can plan to use the phone on important days, but it would be nice to not rely on it all, to require watch apps to function as more than just a “second screen” for the phone app as many do.

 

[Stevenyo]

They could make a half-size Apple Watch, a tiny notification screen with sensors and nothing more. I don't really need most of what the Watch can do and I am fine relying mostly on my iPhone.

While I personally prefer the idea of watch only living, I know many people who can’t/won’t wear a watch but would still love some of the health/fitness data. It does seem really silly that there isn’t a small “sensors only” pebble that can be worn more flexibly (bracelet, chest strap, ankle/sock, etc) for the many jobs and hobbies where a watch isn’t acceptable to wear.

 

[sunapple]

While I personally prefer the idea of watch only living, I know many people who can’t/won’t wear a watch but would still love some of the health/fitness data. It does seem really silly that there isn’t a small “sensors only” pebble that can be worn more flexibly (bracelet, chest strap, ankle/sock, etc) for the many jobs and hobbies where a watch isn’t acceptable to wear.

It could even be screen less. Like the 3rd gen iPod shuffle of for example. I liked that thing, ultimate simplicity.

 

[snak-atak]

So seems I’m swimming upstream

I got a ultra, the whole point was to be able to leave my iphone in the car or at home, but still have the necessities

Go to any cafe, restaurant or bar and you see tons of peeps heads down in their phones, as if they are playing battle ship with each other lol

I’m guilty of this too, plus on any given day I have my wallet, iPhone, keys on me, just lots of junk to carry around, like a pack mule

Figured the Apple watch (why isn’t it a iwatch BTW?) would allow me to not haul around my iPhone all the time, figured it can nav, text, email, call and a few other needed things on its own, solo

We’ll it does, but some stuff it needs it mommy, which I don’t get, I mean my iPhone can do pretty much everything the watch can do and much better, if I was worried about my health I could just get a cheap Fitbit or one of those rings, So I don’t get the watch + phone, if I’m going to wear a watch and have my phone, my omega and other mechanicals are far more sexy, guess they didn’t think folks would buy a cellular watch because they don’t want to have to have their ever growing in size smart phone on them?


I’m I the only one who doesn’t get the point of having an Apple Watch and carrying iPhone at the same time?

Besides using it to tell time, I use my Apple Watch to approve my Imprivata and AnyConnect authentications throughout the day. I constantly have to do this throughout the day so it’s easier than picking up my phone to approve every prompt.

With that said, my iPhone 3 does the job and I have no plans to upgrade even though it’s >5 years old.

 

[Jako_BoZ]

I don't need an Apple Watch, my Seiko Solar is fine: always works without charging! 😇
The Seiko gives me Time, Day and Date (but if a Month is less than 31 days I have to change it manually

 

[Night Spring]

I don't need an Apple Watch, my Seiko Solar is fine: always works without charging! 😇
The Seiko gives me Time, Day and Date (but if a Month is less than 31 days I have to change it manually

So if you forget to change it, it tells you it's February 31st?

 

[Xand&Roby]

The problem is that apple wants to sell that phone junk to bind you to the rest: without iPhone the watch does not work, CarPlay does not work, both functions that you could have evolving the iPad since 2010 with iOS but with the same functions as iPhone, and no less.
Will Apple ever do that? No, if not, who buys him that phone?

Ive wanted an independent Apple Watch, the CDA and investors didn't. Ive was infamous and hunted, but he was right (Try to explain it to those who still buy a “Pro” tablet today that weighs more than a portable Mac and costs twice as much to do 30% of what a Mac does).
I bought the first Apple Watch just so I didn't have an iPhone with me, in part I succeeded.
I bought an iPad mini and almost completely cancelled the use of iPhone.
I don't need an iPhone, I just need an Apple Watch and an iPad mini, or a portable Mac if Apple made the Watch independent, in the end I only need iPhone for CarPlay, always because Apple wants to sell me an iPhone.
I don't need iPhone, it serves Apple, because without I don't buy Apple Watch, without Apple Watch I don't buy AirPods, and without iPhone I don't buy services that are not compatible with iPad, Mac or other Apple devices (HomePod and others).
Apple sells iPhones because it's the only thing it has left. He sells Macs simply because until a few years ago MacOS was the spearhead of OSes despite derivatives, from iOS to tvOS, from audioOS to iPadOS were full of bugs. Today MacOS has also inherited derivatives bugs, and Apple is less and less interested in selling Macs (think of replacing them with iPad).
iPhone serves Apple, not customers, perhaps those invaded with photos and videos, who would actually need a good camera.
iPhone could serve until 2010, when it finally put on sale the firstborn, which was an iPad, and not an iPhone, but Apple deliberately made it useless.
Try to explain it to people that he actually doesn't need an iPhone in 2023, but he needs a series of real and independent wearables and at worst a portable device, squared, whether it's an iPad mini or a portable Mac (even there, in 2023 still crushing the keyboard of a typewriter), and see how he will treat you like crazy.
Zero vision of the present, zero ability to project themselves into the future, live in an eternal 1999, like the first Matrix, and are teased by Teslas or other similar nonsense.

 

[Howard2k]

The problem is that apple wants to sell that phone junk to bind you to the rest: without iPhone the watch does not work, CarPlay does not work, both functions that you could have evolving the iPad since 2010 with iOS but with the same functions as iPhone, and no less.
Will Apple ever do that? No, if not, who buys him that phone?

Ive wanted an independent Apple Watch, the CDA and investors didn't. Ive was infamous and hunted, but he was right (Try to explain it to those who still buy a “Pro” tablet today that weighs more than a portable Mac and costs twice as much to do 30% of what a Mac does).
I bought the first Apple Watch just so I didn't have an iPhone with me, in part I succeeded.
I bought an iPad mini and almost completely cancelled the use of iPhone.
I don't need an iPhone, I just need an Apple Watch and an iPad mini, or a portable Mac if Apple made the Watch independent, in the end I only need iPhone for CarPlay, always because Apple wants to sell me an iPhone.
I don't need iPhone, it serves Apple, because without I don't buy Apple Watch, without Apple Watch I don't buy AirPods, and without iPhone I don't buy services that are not compatible with iPad, Mac or other Apple devices (HomePod and others).
Apple sells iPhones because it's the only thing it has left. He sells Macs simply because until a few years ago MacOS was the spearhead of OSes despite derivatives, from iOS to tvOS, from audioOS to iPadOS were full of bugs. Today MacOS has also inherited derivatives bugs, and Apple is less and less interested in selling Macs (think of replacing them with iPad).
iPhone serves Apple, not customers, perhaps those invaded with photos and videos, who would actually need a good camera.
iPhone could serve until 2010, when it finally put on sale the firstborn, which was an iPad, and not an iPhone, but Apple deliberately made it useless.
Try to explain it to people that he actually doesn't need an iPhone in 2023, but he needs a series of real and independent wearables and at worst a portable device, squared, whether it's an iPad mini or a portable Mac (even there, in 2023 still crushing the keyboard of a typewriter), and see how he will treat you like crazy.
Zero vision of the present, zero ability to project themselves into the future, live in an eternal 1999, like the first Matrix, and are teased by Teslas or other similar nonsense.

Sounds like you should be making your pitch directly to Tim!

 

[theotherphil]

I wish Apple would realize the dedicated plan for the Apple Watch is likely unpopular. It likely was only created to make carriers happy. It should have been setup to share the same plan that’s already on your iPhone. 9/10 every Apple Watch user has an iPhone.

That's how it works in Australia....it shares the plan with your phone for $5 AU per month.

 

[theotherphil]

Just curious why couldn’t you take your phone out to check a notification?

Many people work in industries where pulling their phone out isn't an option. I work in healthcare with direct patient contact. My role requires me to take calls, referrals, answer SMS or emails. Touching my phone whilst wearing gloves isn't an option.

Glancing at my watch or using Siri is.