Apple Announces Apple Watch, Available in Early 2015 From $349

[APlotdevice]

Apple Announces Apple Watch, Available in Early 2015 From $349

Its not for me I'm afraid Apple. I have literally 0 use for such a device. I would have much preferred an iPod Classic refresh.

The iPod Classic is dead. Apple killed it quite unceremoniously today by removing it from the website at the same time that the new products were added. I kind of figured they would as soon as the iPhone's capacity finally got close enough.

 

[abshole765]

tree fiddy?

yikes.

 

[macenied]

I don't like to be pragmatic but in this case I am.

Go for the Apple Watch and look what it does for you. Regardless of any other iPhones, iPads or iMac's. If it fits the bill it's ok, if not look for alternatives.

I'm quite interestet with what you will come up.

 

[roadbloc]

The iPod Classic is dead. Apple killed it quite unceremoniously today by removing it from the website at the same time that the new products were added. I kind of figured they would as soon as the iPhone's capacity finally got close enough.

I guess that is it then.
Apple no longer have any products I like. I kinda figured this day would come eventually but is still gutting. What the bloody hell am I meant to buy now when my iPod Classic dies?

 

[HiRez]

I am using the old ipod mini with one of those watch bands that convert it into a watch. Its design is actually better looking then what they have come up with. That is the most boring design ever. Man after seeing so many sweet concept designs was that a huge let down. my old ipod mini watch cant do everything the iwatch can but its not 350 dollars either and good enough for me. I see nothing special about the iwatch. I will pass.

I completely agree with you on this. I thought the old iPod Nano "watch" actually looked pretty good on a strap. Granted, it couldn't do nearly as much as this and would have to be larger, but I liked the simplicity and elegant utility of it.

I really wanted to love this thing but I think I will also pass. And the more I think about it, the less I think I need it. My 15 year old Timex that I got for $25 looks better than this, honestly. The battery lasts years (even with Indiglo), it's small and light, looks sharp, and if I lose it I'm only out $25.

That said, iPhone 6+ is getting preordered, that's something I feel is well worth the money.

 

[maflynn]

The iPod Classic is dead. Apple killed it quite unceremoniously today by removing it from the website at the same time that the new products were added. I kind of figured they would as soon as the iPhone's capacity finally got close enough.

I loved the design of the iPod classic, but I'd say it was long over due.

 

[kmil]

Awe man, no independent GPS?

To start I didn't read all 800+ comments so if this is a duplicate...oops.

The only issue I have with the watch (other than I think it should be under $300), is the fact that I can't go running without my phone to "map my run". This seems like such a must have feature. Yes, it is rare in smartwatches so far, but this is Apple.

In the end....I will still probably get the sport version. But add the fact that I need the phone, and add the fact that the iPhone 6/+ are bigger, this just adds to the frustration I have about strapping a damn phone to my arm to track my workouts.

Am I alone in this?

 

[APlotdevice]

Apple Announces Apple Watch, Available in Early 2015 From $349

The point is that the smartphone gives you the time and therefore the watch - which only gives youh the time was abandoned by many as unnecessary ( me included) going back to carrying 2 devices is going to be a harder exercise to get people to do than had rhe use of a watch not gone out of fashion over the last 10 years

Well I too abandoned the watch when I got a phone. It just wasn't worth it just for telling time. However earlier this year I started wearing a Pebble. I have found that having notifications on my wrist is extremely convenient and time saving.

Interestingly enough, I've been seen more and more people with Pebble watches lately. Young people. And only the Pebble… I've yet to see Samsung's or any other smart watches in actual use. (Not counting the last gen iPod Nano in a watchband I saw once)

 

[HiRez]

My guess is when you put the watch on you do a quick touch ID on your iPhone and then its set up to use as NFC payments. It will look for a pulse and as soon as you take the watch off the pulse goes and NFC payments stop

I don't know if that's practical (there are reasons you might need to briefly take off your watch during the day), but interesting idea, I hadn't thought of that.

 

[paulsdenton]

That "taptic engine" looks like a real power hog. I bet the watch will need daily recharging.

I guess it's a small price to pay.

Although I bet those gold models will be over $1.000!!

 

[SHNXX]

There seems to be two sets of expectations here. People who were hoping for or expecting something that was just like a traditional analog watch think it looks bad. Others, who didn't have that expectation seem to be happy with the design. Surely there are a few exceptions on either side.

There's a third category of people who just like to complain no matter what--their opinion is completely irrelevant.

I think the designers did well with this one. Trying to mimic traditional watches or even conventional form factors doesn't make sense here. There's a certain space age quality to the product, and rightfully so. It's not a traditional watch, it's the watch that somebody in the future would wear--assuming your vision of the future comes from 30 or 40 years ago when you were a kid. That's not a bad thing.

The design team did a really excellent job of marrying the technological vision -----and the aesthetic that goes along with that--to the fashion conscious, everybody has their own tastes reality of a wearable product.

You can't please everybody, that's a reality of all wearable products. This isn't going to appeal to someone who collects $5k+ watches or maybe even people who only like round designs. That's ok, it doesn't have to. Just because some people hate the color blue doesn't mean that clothing companies will stop making blue shirts.

This is not a one-off product for Apple, and it makes a lot of their long-term decisions make a ton of sense. Why are so many Apple stores so big? Well, it takes a lot of floor space to showcase wearable products with multiple styles. There will be more styles of the Watch, that's inevitable. There will surely be other wearable concepts in the future.

The game here is really Apple Pay. More wearables = easier access. Even if Apple only takes a fraction of the total credit card transactions made in the US, at even .25%, the revenue generated will be staggering. Every tech company has wanted to spearhead mobile payments, but Apple is the only one that has a solid enough foundation to actually do it.

I am a huge apple fan and have positive feelings about most previous releases but this is a real exception for me.
It looks like a better version of previously released devices from Samsung.

 

[sshambles]

Love it, getting one. Fitness things alone make me want it.

Current watch is an iPod Nano, so this suits me fine.
Regular analog watches - not my thing.

 

[APlotdevice]

Love it, getting one. Fitness things alone make me want it.

Current watch is an iPod Nano, so this suits me fine.
Regular analog watches - not my thing.

Heh, analogs in general are kinda... Ick.. to me. Even my wall clock is digital.

 

[fermat-au]

having an apple watch isn't a status symbol. try AP, hublot, patek, rolex. apple watch is a toy and so is any smartwatch.

You raise an interesting point, The apple watching falls awkwardly between a tech gadget and a piece of fashion jewellery. User expect and understand that the new cool tech today will be outdated in a few years, we buy a phone knowing full well that we will 'need to replace' it in ~24 months. Jewellery and high end watches like a Rolex are expected to last year or decades, part of the high price is the quality that allows the watch to last that long.

 

[840quadra]

I believe these watch makers are more interested in locking someone in to their ecosystem then trying to make a stand-alone product.

Battery life will be an issue for awhile. Apple will come up with some great reasons why charging every night is no big deal - but it is - if this becomes your "only" watch that now requires you to travel with a charger and/or run out of battery because you're in a 24 hour black out.

Relying on bluetooth or wifi (adhoc or otherwise) is a battery drainer. I would have thought they might rely more heavily on NFC with the ability to just tap to download the data (IE - take the watch out for a run and it stores everything) and then tap to transfer. However - it doesn't look like the watch has a built in GPS to handle that (or did I miss it).

It's a big "ask" for a "slave" device.

I totally understand what you are saying and agree, I personally remember the days of syncing the palm Pilot, and even the Newton in order to use it for a day, without the need of being on the network. The ability to Sync and store data (reminders, calendar information, weather, mail, etc..) is old technology that could have easily be implemented into this, and similar devices.

But perhaps there is a great offline mode (with radios disabled), and I just missed it's details during the keynote, or on the limited press release for this device. Since the watch is still pre FCC approval, hopefully (like the pre-release iPhone) new features are added and announced before it goes on sale.

 

[ljonesj]

ive got one the solor powered casio watches love the thing apple could ahve figured a way out to use that type of tech for the watch so you dont have to charge unless you are not in the sun a lot

 

[sshambles]

Heh, analogs in general are kinda... Ick.. to me. Even my wall clock is digital.

Exactly. Digital rules the world now.

I hardly see how the watch could have been anything more than this. A band, wouldn't have worked. A round one like Motorola, wouldn't have worked - as they can't get it to anyways.

This makes sense, and I think it'll be a bit bigger than the forum comments of negativity have led me to believe.

 

[fermat-au]

It will go the way of Beats. When someone with class sees someone wearing crappy overpriced headphones, they pity them, not envy them.

I do wonder if the apple watch will being looked down at from both directions.

The tech geeks will look at it like Beats, overpriced tech, trying to be fashion.

People who know about fashion, the people who would buy a $500+ watch , will see it was tacky and lacking the sophistication of something like a Rolex.

 

[uknowimright]

so you've used one? if not, your opinion is pretty valueless.

think you need this

seem
/sēm/
verb

verb: seem; 3rd person present: seems; past tense: seemed; past participle: seemed; gerund or present participle: seeming

give the impression or sensation of being something or having a particular quality.

 

[deputy_doofy]

I think I'd like to try that method of icon placement and navigation shown on the watch and have it on the phone (minus the crown, of course). Icons wherever I place them and just swipe around the "universe" a bit to find them. It looks cool, but it could suck in practice.

 

[ProVideo]

Yea... a Rolex doesn't say that now.

which is one of the reasons why I don't wear a Rolex either. I would think these would be more noticeable than a Rolex though.

 

[SlCKB0Y]

Rumors were apple was setting expectations low as they wanted three to four days battery life and are only seeing two. Funny that is four to five times more than the moto 360 gets.

Tom cook mentioned daily charging. The bias is strong in this one...

 

[Acorn]

the fitness tracking is handy for a lot of people but not worth the 300 dollar price tag imho. Guess im feeling my age because the iwatch doesnt seem that cool to me. im sure it will take off like other apple products. its just not for me.

 

[SlCKB0Y]

Apple realized early on this is not just a tech item but a wearable accessory., so being able to create a large number of cosmetic looks was always important to the project. This is something one of the oems considered

Well then why did they make it look so fugly?

 

[chazbcn]

I see several problems with the Watch:

• Poor standalone features
• Too big, uncomfortably for sports
• Not waterproof
• Non appealing for younger people (who are culturally not used to wear watches)
• Not enough of the "cool" factor I thought it would have (a little bit of "Beats")
• Not enough value/features for it's price (other than wearing an Apple device)

I'm pretty certain it will sell in decent quantities, in spite of being called a flop by many on the media (the case for the iPhone 5c comes to mind).

Our expectations were too high with this device, and we're judging it without even seeing it in person. As with most of Apple devices, it's a totally different experience when we touch them and get to play with them.

Just like the original iPhone and the iPad 1 gen, this is a device with lots of room for improvement. And apple has a history of making devices thinner and lighter every new generation. This is only their first dipping toe in the water of wearables. It's not that bad, but then it's not (and it couldn't ever be) everything we wished for.