Apple Likely Building Apple Watch Demo Area at Yerba Buena Center

[robbyx]

Since we're sort of on the topic. Why should people skip out on the first generation products, such as the Apple Watch? The vocal majority seem to say that getting the second iteration of an Apple product is better, like getting Apple Watch 2 or iPhone6S+ etc.

Wouldn't it be better to get first iteration, skip the minor upgraded update to the product, and then if one feels to upgrade, get the first iteration of the newest product, i.e. iPhone 7,7+ etc. ? That way, one gets to experience the newest tech without having to worry about waiting for the inevitable update to the product.

This is such a logic fail. Seriously, think about it. EVERY version is an improvement over the previous. If the Apple Watch g1 appeals to you, buy it. Yes, the tech in g2 will be more advanced. You can wait for g2. But then the tech in g3 will be more advanced. So maybe you should wait. But then g4 will be more advanced..........

I think the "never buy version 1" advice is really stupid. I say "never buy something that doesn't suit your needs". If version 1 suits your needs and you benefit from using it, buy it. Upgrade when you feel compelled to do so. I bought the first iPhone and didn't upgrade until the iPhone 4. I went from the 4 to a 5s. I probably won't upgrade until the 7 or 7s. I'd love Apple Pay, but I don't feel compelled to upgrade a perfectly good phone for that one feature.

 

[Tech198]

haha @ Apple Security Shirts...

That's like saying i'll be arrested on the spot if i leave my house with a t-shirt, saying "Security" on the back of it..

(....) umm..

 

[IJ Reilly]

haha @ Apple Security Shirts...

That's like saying i'll be arrested on the spot if i leave my house with a t-shirt, saying "Security" on the back of it..

(....)

Not sure what you mean by that, but I can tell you Apple Security means business. Wander into their protected perimeter and a red dot will appear on your forehead. Seriously, I've tested it. A flying tackle is not out of the question if they think you are snooping.

 

[robbyx]

I'm finding all this weird myself. Whats the problem that this device will solve. What are the amazing features it will have that we cant do without. For fitness/health there are solutions I find far more elegant, like the Withings watches etc. No other features on the watch seem (to me) compelling.

What I find weird is that people are arguing over 1st gen vs 2nd gen. Why arent people asking - "will this device improve my life in any substantial way?", or more to the point - "do I personaly even need this device in my life?" . If you answered yes to those questions, I am genuinely curious as to how and why.

There are a lot of very excited Apple fanboys and fangirls who just want SOMETHING new with an Apple logo. Not an updated iPhone or iPad, but a brand new something, a whole new product category to get excited about. These people will undoubtedly answer yes. Good for them that they're so excited. But you can't really expect a serious answer to your questions. The product hasn't been released. No one can truly KNOW if they need this device or if it will improve their lives. One can only guess. And lots of excited people are guessing yes.

That said, I feel much like you do about the watch itself. At first I really didn't get it. And I still don't really get the wearables market in general. But I think you and I and others like us are wrong to look for a "killer app". The wearable itself is the killer app, but so far no one has come close to delivering one that truly lives up. The Apple Watch promises to elevate the overall expectation of what a wearable should do and be. If they can get it to do enough things well, all of those little conveniences add up to the watch itself being the killer app.

I think the first few versions will probably fall short, but that's not to say they won't provide enough value to be useful to many people. Personally, I haven't worn a watch in nearly two decades. From all I've read and seen so far, I don't see the Apple Watch changing that.

 

[robbyx]

Now riddle me this. Who actually leaves home without their phone these days?

I do. I've started leaving my phone in the car when I go out for dinner or to meet friends. Sometimes I leave my phone at home when I go for a hike. I actually find that my workouts are better when I'm not tempted to check the phone all the time, see what new email just arrived, or who texted, or whatever. I don't really need to record my workout in real time either. I can remember my weights and sets and sit down after my workout and record the data. I don't need to stop what I'm doing every few minutes to use a device. It can become an endless distraction.

Most of what we do on our phones is not critical. We all got along just fine without instant access to information and communication every second of the day. Personally I think smartphones have made us much ruder. We ignore the people around us in favor of slavishly checking our phones. It's nice to feel free, to lose yourself in the moment, to enjoy a day in nature without notification dings all day long.

I think the points about battery life and needing GPS are valid if Apple is determined to capture the extreme fitness market. Same with waterproofing. But I don't think Apple cares about the person who wants to leave their iPhone at home and log a full day of hiking with the Apple Watch. Frankly neither the iPhone nor the Apple Watch are ideal for such a task. I can't get a full day of GPS logging out of my iPhone before the battery runs out.

 

[dec.]

I'm finding all this weird myself. Whats the problem that this device will solve. What are the amazing features it will have that we cant do without. For fitness/health there are solutions I find far more elegant, like the Withings watches etc. No other features on the watch seem (to me) compelling.

What I find weird is that people are arguing over 1st gen vs 2nd gen. Why arent people asking - "will this device improve my life in any substantial way?", or more to the point - "do I personaly even need this device in my life?" . If you answered yes to those questions, I am genuinely curious as to how and why.

Other people don't like the Withings watches. Plenty of buyers will find a use for it. A few million smart watches that have been sold without the wide public attention hint towards a certain demand and I'm quite sure that Apple will raise even more attention towards those wearables, no matter if you, I or buyers who just "want it to have it" buy it nor not.

 

[Night Spring]

Whenever I got for a walk I take my phone and everyone I see also has theirs. Plenty of runners seem to be into those arm band straps, but I suspect its more for their playlists but might also be if they pull a hammy mid run they can call in for backup.

Anyway, point I wanted to make is I don't think it's a deal breaker.

What was I saying, ah oh yeah, the Samsung watch has a GPS and 3G but I feel the form factor has suffered greatly for it.

Having to carry the iPhone when we go for a run or walk is doable, but it's not really ideal. And maybe you are right about GPS and 3G having a detrimental effect on the Samsung form factor, and maybe that's why Apple left them out this time. But once Apple or Samsung or somebody else figures out how to incorporate 3G and GPS into a wearable device with great form factor, I bet those armbands on runners will quickly disappear.

 

[Flow39]

I have been wearing a Pebble for about 6 months now, and honestly I can't leave the house without it now. The Pebble has some cool features, but it is really the most basic form of a smartwatch. Now look at the Apple Watch. It has literally hundreds of more features than the Pebble. If the Pebble is already pretty cool and I like it, imagine how much better the Apple Watch will be. Personally, I can't wait for the Apple Watch! Bring it on!

 

[dec.]

I have been wearing a Pebble for about 6 months now, and honestly I can't leave the house without it now. The Pebble has some cool features, but it is really the most basic form of a smartwatch. Now look at the Apple Watch. It has literally hundreds of more features than the Pebble. If the Pebble is already pretty cool and I like it, imagine how much better the Apple Watch will be. Personally, I can't wait for the Apple Watch! Bring it on!

The Pebble has a ****** display but 7 days of standby. But I do think that people will adjust to whatever charging cycles are necessary. And really after everyone laughing at the Apple Watch design, the new Pebble announcement was pretty hilarious, from a plain "it looks soooo cheap!11!!!" perspective.... (not that I agree or disagree with anyone, like so many others on here I'll stay on the safe side )

 

[japanime]

Fa – HA – lse!

With that one exclamation, you just proved my second point — about the vibrant community on Macrumors.

 

[macs4nw]

Can I ask, which site is best for breaking Apple news. MacRumors or 9to5mac?

Do I detect a hint of sarcasm in there? Careful about offending some people's sensibilities... I suspect some on here are almost as loyal to MR as they are to Apple.

Other than in-depth product analyses or test bench results, personally I get the bulk of my routine and daily tech news updates on here, but that's only for convenience sake, and mostly for lack of time to peruse the whole gamut of sites dedicated to tech news on a regular basis.

 

[bushido]

uhm haven't we learnt anything from the last keynote? that's obviously the new U2 venue

 

[Abazigal]

Since we're sort of on the topic. Why should people skip out on the first generation products, such as the Apple Watch? The vocal majority seem to say that getting the second iteration of an Apple product is better, like getting Apple Watch 2 or iPhone6S+ etc.

Wouldn't it be better to get first iteration, skip the minor upgraded update to the product, and then if one feels to upgrade, get the first iteration of the newest product, i.e. iPhone 7,7+ etc. ? That way, one gets to experience the newest tech without having to worry about waiting for the inevitable update to the product.

Well, from past product releases, people typically get the 1st gen offering for the experience, but it tends to get outdated horrifically quick. Conversely, the even-numbered iteration of any Apple product tends to be more future-proof, as Apple seems especially fond of the tick-tock upgrade cycle.

For example, the 1st generation iPad lacked cameras and was supported only up to iOS 5.1. Conversely, the ipad2 still gets iOS 8. iPad 3's A5X processor was insufficient to power the retina display; the iPad 4's A6X processor fixed this. The iPad air had insufficient ram; the iPad air 2 remedied this with 2 gb of ram inside.

For the iPhone, the 1st gen of any new release will always have some hardware-related problem (iPhone 4's antennaegate, phone 5's scuff gate, iPhone 6's bendgate). Again, these issues were ironed out the following year in the "S" update. The new resolution also means developers have to update their apps, and many were slow to do so this year.

The 1st gen RMBP ran ivy-bridge. The 2nd gen RMBP got Haswell, nabbing both dramatically improved battery life and graphics capabilities, while also managing to be thinner as well.

The 2008 MBA was slow, expensive and had few ports. Apple only nailed the form factor in 2010.

In the same vein, I expect the 2nd gen of the Apple Watch to support way more features and functionality (likely in the form of additional sensors, improved manufacturing process and perhaps longer battery life and maybe even additional ways of charging, like kinetic or solar energy).

 

[kdarling]

Since we're sort of on the topic. Why should people skip out on the first generation products, such as the Apple Watch? The vocal majority seem to say that getting the second iteration of an Apple product is better, like getting Apple Watch 2 or iPhone6S+ etc.

I thought it was because Apple products are like Star Trek movies:

The even numbered ones (#2,#4, etc.) are the best.



.

 

[GenesisST]

It doesn't make sense to skip the first generation. The argument holds if you already have a device but given this is the first iteration there is no reason why not to buy and enjoy it.

I can't wait!

D

Well, there are multiple reasons to buy or not buy one. I for one, haven't worn a watch in ages and I have no compelling reason to start now.

Also, unless this has changed recently, I would absolutely need waterproof, because I would submerge it within the first week or two... You know, giving a bath to a kid that doesn't want to...

I'm personally waiting for "Jane" (Ender's Game series)...

----------

I thought it was because Apple products are like Star Trek movies:

The even numbered ones (#2,#4, etc.) are the best.



.

Star Trek Nemesis... (#10)...

 

[Keirasplace]

Not sure what you mean by that, but I can tell you Apple Security means business. Wander into their protected perimeter and a red dot will appear on your forehead. Seriously, I've tested it. A flying tackle is not out of the question if they think you are snooping.

I thought Apple just nuked you from above (with drones...), just to be sure (Aliens reference here ;-)... Hey, if your in a coma, you can't squeal .

 

[IJ Reilly]

I thought Apple just nuked you from above (with drones...), just to be sure (Aliens reference here ;-)... Hey, if your in a coma, you can't squeal .

If you thought Klingons were fictional then you haven't tried to get too close to an Apple event before it opened. I am exaggerating of course, just not very much.

 

[KieranDotW]

Are demo areas usually public access? I would love to stop by...

 

[StyxMaker]

I bet there will be killer apps when this thing integrates with the new SIRI.



Open and start your car, control your TV, smart home control, payments.

There will be hundreds of thousands of Apps. (The App store and developer program may be one of Steve's best ideas ever.)



It will take a while but it will probably turn into a must have item later.

You're not aware that Steve was opposed to 3rd party apps and the idea of an App Store? He had to be convinced by some of his employees. Just like he was opposed to opening the iPod to Windows users. Steve wasn't the genius behind every good idea that Apple came up with.

 

[duervo]

"Spring Forward"

Clever, considering that the clocks move forward the day before, and it's about the Apple Watch.

I suspect that the Monday after clocks move forward every year will be a recurring date for Apple Watch related updates, at least for a while anyway.

 

[gamekyo]

More photos from Gamekyo.

http://www.gamekyo.com/blog_article357340.html

 

[Aniseedvan]

Now riddle me this. Who actually leaves home without their phone these days?

For short, staffed runs such as parkruns, I always leave my phone somewhere secure. I would hate to have to run with much more than a watch and my barcode.

For walks on my own I always take my phone incase I twist my ankle, etc, but for routes I know inside out, the phone stays in my coat or backpack.

I'm looking forward to the event, Apple events always are fun to see. Notifications on my wrist is something I've had for nearly a year and I like this. I bamboozled the husband the other week when we were mildly lost in Oxford by getting walking directions on my watch (i.e. setting up google in the notification centre!), so I'm one who's sold on the idea, I just need to be sold on the particular execution by Apple now.

 

[MrLoL]

I wonder if Apple started decorating the entry like every presentations at Yerba Buena Center?

 

[OriginalMacRat]

You're not aware that Steve was opposed to 3rd party apps and the idea of an App Store?

Not accurate.

The expectation was that developers would prefer to have HTML5 apps.

While many apps actually ARE apps, most iOS apps today are really just just hastily thrown together HTML5 content wrapped in a viewer application. And even worse, the app is just loading the mobile content of the company web site.

Mozilla is attempting to do the same thing with the Firefox phone. All apps are just HTML5 bookmarks.

 

[acslater017]

One big missing feature in the first gen apple watch is independent gps. If it had gps, runners, bikers and hikers will be able to go out with just the watch and track their routes, not just the distance covered.

GPS is a missing feature but not an obvious 2nd-gen hole to fill. I doubt the technology/battery will be up to the job in one year's time. I don't disagree that it'd be sweet though.

I think we're more likely to see a swim-ready case, improved battery, or maybe an embedded TouchID sensor before onboard GPS.