Apple Executives Explain Challenges of Adding Larger Display to Apple Watch Series 7

[UsernameAlreadyInUse]

The biggest challenge of adding a larger display on Apple Watch 7 was doing it at the very last minute.

 

[CC77]

What challenges? The screen was just stretched out? Was it that complicated?

There is a high chance we may never see a boxier design of the Apple Watch. Wonder if Apple Watch 8 will look the same as series 7.

I'm very happy we didn't see a boxier redesign of the Apple Watch. Obviously we've only gone off renders and knockoffs spouted here, so it's all speculation, but the squared edges (coupled with the rounded rectangle shape, which I doubt will ever change) felt very inelegant for a timepiece, at least at the thickness that's rumored/currently possible.

 

[Naraxus]

I just don't see what's remarkable about the story. You think nobody at Apple ever considered or conceived of adding a QWERTY keyboard to the watch before this one guy tried it? Apple surely had this (very obvious) idea before the Series 0 even launched and have just been waiting for the right opportunity to add it.

You're right (and I apologize for the snark in the previous post) - Apple was most likely working on a Qwerty keyboard for Watch. My problem is that they rejected his app which had been around since 2018, strung this guy along for a year, resulting in lost revenue, and then Apple debuts their own Qwerty keyboard which looks and functions suspiciously like his.

 

[zapmymac]

The g/f has used the smaller 2 & 4, and now the larger 7. She’s quite happy. She doesn’t use the keyboard. The smaller watch bands all fit the larger watch just fine. In the short time it’s been out it has been less glitchy she says as well. So that’s one data point 😂

 

[arvinsim]

What are the chances of having a total redesign for the AW 8? Want to buy an AW but don't want to overspend if the next one is a total redesign.

 

[Slix]

Everyone here that keeps talking about the "last minute design changes" really have no idea how making a product works. You don't just whip up a new design and software like this in a month and also make it ship on time.

 

[TracesOfArsenic]

Underwhelming design. Time for a refresh. Let's make the watch appeal to proper watch people.

 

[DeepIn2U]

I don’t buy the narrative that they worked hard making the screen larger, either the physical or software aspects of it. Adding thickness to the glass and saying that was to make it stronger - tell me who was complaining that the glass was too thin and prone to cracking on any of the previous Watches?

Going further with the glass, this idea that the curved edge is “cool” in how you can sort of see on-screen elements wrapping around the edge - that’s bs marketing for something that provides ZERO consumer benefit, which is exactly why Apple didn’t offer a waterfall edge screen on the iPhone.

The fishbowl reflections caused by the curved top of the screen could have been eliminated by going to a flat glass lens that sits inside the frame of the watch case, which would have provided additional scratch protection. It would also allow for a more seamless view of the screen, like what Apple has been doing with the iPhone and iPad over the past few years.

Is it obvious I am not happy with the series 7 Watch “update”?

I don't buy the rumours of a box design. It's not comfortable, it's terrible in looks and when/if you wear it.

This design that launched seems to be a stepping stone to a larger watch entirely and I'm hoping for a larger Bezel.

Issues I still have on WatchOS:
iMessage/SMS does NOT sync like the item in Watch App states it should do "mirror iPhone" (it's not bi-directional).
Yes I've provided feedback at Apple's feedback site.

Replying to iMessage/SMS seems to have a strange bug. It automatically launches voice to speech and switch to drawing to text fails on S6 and it's extremely annoying. Haven't tried the full qwerty keyboard - not sure I want that.

Adding apps to the dock seems to be broken or the method changed! Arrrgh.

 

[collin_]

Soooooooo they‘re just going to pretend that it wasn’t initially supposed to have a completely different design that was scrapped due to production issues so they scrambled to throw together the 7 at the last minute? Okay lol

 

[bparzonz]

Soooooooo they‘re just going to pretend that it wasn’t initially supposed to have a completely different design that was scrapped due to production issues so they scrambled to throw together the 7 at the last minute? Okay lol

Theres literally not evidence of this except people being hell bent on the fact that rumor leaks are always accurate.

Oh, so the rumors weren't true, so apple must have been scrambling? So strange.

 

[bparzonz]

I don’t buy the narrative that they worked hard making the screen larger, either the physical or software aspects of it. Adding thickness to the glass and saying that was to make it stronger - tell me who was complaining that the glass was too thin and prone to cracking on any of the previous Watches?

Going further with the glass, this idea that the curved edge is “cool” in how you can sort of see on-screen elements wrapping around the edge - that’s bs marketing for something that provides ZERO consumer benefit, which is exactly why Apple didn’t offer a waterfall edge screen on the iPhone.

The fishbowl reflections caused by the curved top of the screen could have been eliminated by going to a flat glass lens that sits inside the frame of the watch case, which would have provided additional scratch protection. It would also allow for a more seamless view of the screen, like what Apple has been doing with the iPhone and iPad over the past few years.

Is it obvious I am not happy with the series 7 Watch “update”?

My Apple Watch 4 screen cracked twice - once from simply falling off the charging stand onto its corner... only a couple feet. I fixed it, and it cracked again in a couple months similarly.

My point being that the original screens have areas more prone to failure. They were really good with 80% of the points of contact, but anything around the edges were definitely susceptible to cracking.

 

[smoking monkey]

I was very dismissive when the Apple Watch 7 was announced. But I've come around. I do think there has been plenty done to make this watch a very good buy if you don't own a 6. The larger screen is a big deal, the brighter always on screen is a big deal and with that comes the same battery life. That's pretty good. What's not as good is no new sensors. A new sensor would have really made this watch pop. As it stands I think the 4 and the 7 are the two best releases so far.

And with hindsight I think there was never going to be a squarish Apple Watch. That was just a prototype that got into the wild and Apple did nothing to stop it or even allowed it to happen.

I'll be stunned if we don't see the exact same watch again next year except with a new sensor or two plus better battery, beefed up chip and perhaps one more thing...

 

[Mimiron]

Only apple can brag about something so trivial. They increased display size by a whopping 1mm. So bold, much wow!

 

[himanshumodi]

What challenges? The screen was just stretched out? Was it that complicated?

There is a high chance we may never see a boxier design of the Apple Watch. Wonder if Apple Watch 8 will look the same as series 7.

I guess I am at the age where I really don't like changes just for the sake of them. I would be happy if they kept the apple watch design the same forever. Time pieces can be passed down as heirlooms. The electronics itself would not last long enough for that. But would be cool, and so random, if my ghost witnessed my grandkids handing their kids - the apple watch band that your great-granpa owned.

 

[Phone Junky]

The fishbowl reflections caused by the curved top of the screen could have been eliminated by going to a flat glass lens that sits inside the frame of the watch case, which would have provided additional scratch protection. It would also allow for a more seamless view of the screen, like what Apple has been doing with the iPhone and iPad over the past few years.

This will be coming next year.

 

[The-Pro]

aaaand still no notes app. Not like that would be convenient or anything like that....

 

[Phone Junky]

Time pieces can be passed down as heirlooms.

Time pieces ,yes. Electronic watches that have to be tethered to a phone to work, no.

 

[matrix07]

Cheer up. When the battery dies, you can stand it on its edge, facing south, and use it as a sundial. You’ll get the time within two hours or so, except at night.

Have you ever heard of charger?

 

[TH3D4RKKN1GH7]

Everyone here that keeps talking about the "last minute design changes" really have no idea how making a product works. You don't just whip up a new design and software like this in a month and also make it ship on time.

Thank you! What universe do these people live in?

 

[Lerenard3000]

Apple is very cringe trying to justify their boring Covid line up.

 

[svish]

Only a very small increase in dimension. Cannot imagine that it is such a huge task for Apple to reduce bezel.

 

[2540497]

Won’t be upgrading to 7, 8 or 9 unless they bring back aluminium silver. Spent so much on bands, don’t like fad colours.

Only thing keeping me tied into the Apple ecosystem is my watch, good luck to them if Google bring out a decent Pixel watch.

 

[5105973]

I guess only a handful of us are happy we can now type texts on our Apple Watch now? For me, it's made the update from the series 6 worthwhile and even a profound game changer. I no longer have to carry even a Mini iphone around all the time to stay connected to vital contacts. I've been able to adapt easily to the mini keyboard to compose texts. It's truly now like an iPhone mini on my wrist.

 

[jmgregory1]

I don't buy the rumours of a box design. It's not comfortable, it's terrible in looks and when/if you wear it.

This design that launched seems to be a stepping stone to a larger watch entirely and I'm hoping for a larger Bezel.

Issues I still have on WatchOS:
iMessage/SMS does NOT sync like the item in Watch App states it should do "mirror iPhone" (it's not bi-directional).
Yes I've provided feedback at Apple's feedback site.

Replying to iMessage/SMS seems to have a strange bug. It automatically launches voice to speech and switch to drawing to text fails on S6 and it's extremely annoying. Haven't tried the full qwerty keyboard - not sure I want that.

Adding apps to the dock seems to be broken or the method changed! Arrrgh.

Watches with flat edges are not uncommon and I‘d argue that they’re actually the norm, so I’m not sure why people think that an Apple Watch with a flat edged design would look bad or be uncomfortable. I’m not looking for a larger screen for the Watch, although I understand that the watch market in general is going bigger, so it‘s understandable why Apple is pushing up in size.

 

[jmgregory1]

My Apple Watch 4 screen cracked twice - once from simply falling off the charging stand onto its corner... only a couple feet. I fixed it, and it cracked again in a couple months similarly.

My point being that the original screens have areas more prone to failure. They were really good with 80% of the points of contact, but anything around the edges were definitely susceptible to cracking.

My biggest design pet peeve with the Watch is the rounded edge protruding screen. The design makes the screen edges (where the curve of the screen is) a natural point of contact, even for your shirt sleeve to constantly rub, let along getting knocked or nicked on harder surfaces. My Seiko Automatic‘s flat sapphire lens survived 15+ years of my wearing it daily, including doing auto re-builds, and working on heavy industrial equipment, and today it has zero scratches or marks on it and continues to look great and perform perfectly for my youngest son who now wears it.