Apple Watch 2 Said to Include Thinner 'One Glass Solution' Display

[Chupa Chupa]

My rebuttal is much more than it being ugly or pretty, how can I even read my mail on that tiny screen? How can I dictate? How can I use it for payments? How can I use it to make calls? How can I change the bracelets?

Your rebuttal has zero intellectual weight b/c it uses an discontinued "old school" Garmin model as a reference. Try referencing the current line if you are going to make a 1:1 comparison.

I own and use both an AW and Garmin 630 -- and before that the 620. The 630 has notifications, apps, also GPS, which is why I use it for running. The 630 and 620 screens are actually larger than AW, not smaller so no harder to read off off than AW. The only reason it's not easier than AW is because AW has a higher resolution screen.

Dictate -- honestly I feel like a fool when I've tried talking to my AW plus it always missing some word. To me this is a spec sheet feature -- one of those items that seems cool on paper, but never works out in real life.

Payment -- AW wins there for sure. Could be the best feature of AW hands down. But how hard would it be for Garmin to put an NFC chip in if there was demand? It wouldn't be.

Make calls? Who makes calls on their phone? I've answered a few on my AW then xfered to my phone but take it or leave it feature. The 630 does tell you you have a call and from who, if caller ID is working, same as AW. That is a much more valuable feature. I just want to know if I need to take a call. I'm not going to carry a conversation on my watch. It's uncomfortable, you can't hear it hardly, and it just feels dumb.

Change bracelets - I wear my AW, Garmin watch for utility not fashion. If an occasion calls for fashion I wear a classy fine jewelry dress watch designed is Switzerland, not a clump of plastic or aluminum designed by geeks in Silicon Valley. The whole band changing thing seems like something designed for 7th grade girls in middle school -- and most look like it too.

Finally, I agree AW's inductive charger is world's better than Garmin's clip. The clip is clunky and poorly designed, especially because the watch can't sit flush on the table when charging. But ultimately, it's just irksome, not a game breaker. The game breaker would be no GPS, which AW doesn't have, and if it's not in AW2 I'll stick w/ my AW1. OTOH I don't care what kind of charger it comes with.

 

[AdonisSMU]

I am already on apple.com to place a new order for two iPhone 7s as well as a new Apple Watch. Where do I pay for these items now?

Apple should take pre orders from people who know they want to purchase particularly if there are no planned price changes.

 

[Chupa Chupa]

Apple should take pre orders from people who know they want to purchase particularly if there are no planned price changes.

Except that Apple doesn't release details about a product, including price, until the product is officially announced. So what you are proposing is Catch-22. At any rate, barring a production flub similar to what occurred with AW1 obtaining an AW2 on Day One shouldn't take anymore effort than getting an iPhone or iPad or ATV on Day One.

Also announcing a pre-order this far out is dangerous precisely because of the unknown production issues that can occur and lead to a miss in promised ship date. It's hard to give a promised ship date this far out -- just take a look at most Kickstarter project. It's routine for them to miss ship dates by months. That is why Apple typically does not start preorders until production starts and they have a beat on output levels.

 

[robeddie]

Hmm. I haven't found a teardown of a cellular iPad Pro - any idea how much real estate the e-SIM is going to take?

(remember, this is a tiny system board in the watch - adding anything would be a challenge).

Apple designs the watch. They can make it whatever size is needed to add the features they want to include (within reason of course).
It's like when people say the rMB doesnt have longer battery life because thats the best that could fit in the case, as if Apple was 'forced' to make the case exactly that size, and wasnt allowed to make it, say, 1mm thicker.

 

[Karma*Police]

If the battery life now isn't too great, they're not adding GPS. Maybe a better battery or something creative on the software side would work.

Bluetooth 5 - not sure what 5 has over 4? Assume less power and longer range? Obviously they would need to release a Bluetooth 5 phone before they could entertain it in a watch though.

GPS chips today are not what they were 2 years ago... It's much smaller and more power efficient. Combine that with power efficiencies across the board, and adding GPS should be feasible while maintaining all day battery life.

Bluetooth 5 is 2x faster and provides 4x the range. It should appear in devices starting this fall so I'm hoping Apple will include BT5 on all their devices. BT5 headphones paired with a BT5 iPhone or AW could make audio quality issues a thing of the past for all but the most discerning ears.

 

[fischersd]

Apple designs the watch. They can make it whatever size is needed to add the features they want to include (within reason of course).
It's like when people say the rMB doesnt have longer battery life because thats the best that could fit in the case, as if Apple was 'forced' to make the case exactly that size, and wasnt allowed to make it, say, 1mm thicker.

There's already lots of people complaining that the watch is too big (me, I think it's fine), but a lot of people would be turned off if they made it any thicker, regardless of feature set.
(and most people think the FaceTime camera is a REALLY bad idea - not unless you like watching your battery life run down before your eyes)

 

[robeddie]

There's already lots of people complaining that the watch is too big (me, I think it's fine), but a lot of people would be turned off if they made it any thicker, regardless of feature set.
(and most people think the FaceTime camera is a REALLY bad idea - not unless you like watching your battery life run down before your eyes)

and of course, the inevitable view the other person would get looking up your nose.

but the fact they refused to make the rMB just a tad thicker in order to give a truly kickass battery life (or hello ... a second port!) just shows how obsessed they are with thiness at the expense of everything else that makes these devices useful.

 

[johnnyturbouk]

Gonna be an expensive September. All I want from AW2 is speed, more independence and better battery life.

 

[fischersd]

but the fact they refused to make the rMB just a tad thicker in order to give a truly kickass battery life (or hello ... a second port!) just shows how obsessed they are with thiness at the expense of everything else that makes these devices useful.

We're on the same page here - I'm also not impressed with their obsession of thinness over function. I think we've swung too far with the iPhones myself - make it 2mm thicker and give me another day of battery life. But, my opinion may be the minority.

 

[pat500000]

Away to be over dramatic in a typical MacRumors member style!

i was kidding man.

 

[MacAddict1978]

I dunno. I own three apple watches and it's just failed to provide the sort of utility you'd hope for.

So why would you buy 2 more of something that failed to meet your expectations?

 

[12vElectronics]

Finally I'll be buying an Apple Watch. Looking forward to 2 months from now!

 

[smacrumon]

Another slick reveal video on order and coming right up!

 

[Eggtastic]

Another slick reveal video on order and coming right up!

I don't know if the apple watch is for me. It seems like too much tech just to sit on my wrist. I do however like the fitbit alta which is small, has a white LED notification screen, simple, and cheap. My Jawbone Up crapped out and since the company is ceasing operations I will be making the switch.

 

[rdlink]

I dunno. I own three apple watches and it's just failed to provide the sort of utility you'd hope for.

But you only have two wrists...

 

[mdelvecchio]

I am suspecting Apple will only renew its Watch lineup every 2-3 Years.

I don't think Apple wants to out date Watches as fast as iPhones because people have spent a fortune on the watches especially the Watch Edition and even the Apple Watch Stainless Steel models etc. I know Apple is all about making money but they don't seem to want to piss off their dedicated fans. Personally speaking, I cannot afford to update my watch as often as my iPhone and I upgrade my iPhone every year....

the stainless steel watch ($6-700+) is less expensive than an iPhone ($650-750+).

tho I don't think they're going to release new watches every year either. but not because it's more expensive than the iPhone, since it isn't.

 

[azentropy]

I know a lot of people really like their Apple Watches, but it hasn't been enough for me to wear a watch again regularly. The things that I thought would bother me about it really do. Too bulky, not waterproof, no GPS, and lousy battery life. Guess we will see if the Apple Watch 2 address any of those issues, but I won't be buying one until it addresses all 4.

 

[Denmac1]

I was an early adopter of the AW and I have been completely satisfied with my purchase. Although, I think there was somewhat of a rush to market so that people thought Apple was staying in the game, the upcoming software update will put the AW where it needs to be at this time. I know that many want more out of the AW, I think there will still be limitations, which eventually may be overcome.
Personally for me:
Don't care about GPS. Could be huge battery drain.
Freedom from iPhone. I always have my phone with me. The ability to not have to get my phone out of my pocket every time there is a notification or email is a plus for me.
Battery Life. Has been fine for me. Put it on about 8 in the morning and take it off about 9 in the evening. Still with at least 60% left.Yes, I do get a fair amount of notifications and use for other reasons.
Sensors. Only so much Apple can do without getting involved with more FDA approval. The heart rate monitor for me fits my needs.
Watch Size. Watch fits just fine on my wrist. I have no problem with the size. Ive's obsession with thin is getting old

Just my personal 2 cents.......

 

[Mac 128]

I really want to buy an Apple watch but after buying the first iPad and then having to rebuy when the iPad 2 was so much better I am can wait as long as I need to for the second one Mr. Cook. I see no reason why they should be able to make the CPU twice as fast, add GPS, and thin it down some.

That's funny. That's exactly the analogy I have been thinking about. I actually felt like a sucker buying the iPad, after the iPad 2 came out -- it was so much better in every way. And I always thought I would be rewarded as an early adopter by some third party coming out with an add-on 30-pin dock camera for the iPad, but it never happened (I can only assume Apple didn't permit a camera accessory, wanting to sell iPad 2s, or third parties assumed there wasn't a big enough market with the iPad 2 coming out).

On the other hand, I'm glad I bought the original iPhone and didn't hold out for the 3G. Despite 3G, I didn't like it as much, and I didn't feel like there was much of a leap between the two. The 3GS, yes, but I didn't care for the look. Held out until the 4, which was worth the wait.

So I guess it all boils down to what the Watch 2 offers. I have to think based on the rumors, we're going to get more of an iPhone 3G than an iPad 2. And I wonder if the Watch had sold better if we would have gotten a more radical redesign, one that maybe changed the band connectors, which wouldn't be as big a concern for an incredibly popular product.

I suspect the CPU will be faster, and GPS likely, but with battery concerns being what they are, thinness may not be on the menu (beyond shaving a little off the crystal). The watch isn't actually that thick, it's just all the rounded edges that give it a bulbous appearance, making it appear thicker than it is. I have nice dive watches that are thicker than the Watch. If anything a slight restyling of the edges would be in order, but then anything they do to the edges might affect the band connectors.

 

[Mildredop]

I dunno. I own three apple watches and it's just failed to provide the sort of utility you'd hope for.

Then why on Earth did you buy three?

 

[madfelon]

Agree...the question is how much is Apple charging for this privilege

AW is already overprice - would you pay $ 130 for the cellular chip and at least $ 120/year to add it to your plan?

If you can't afford 10'dollars a month to use this as a stand alone with out your phone than you really don't need a smart watch.
I would love this feature since my goal would be to hit the gym or go for a run and not worry about my phone. I would be happy with just receiving texts so I can be reached at all times. Now let me have Spotify on that watch and I would be a happy man.

 

[Born Again]

The second-generation Apple Watch will feature "One Glass Solution" (OGS) display technology instead of Glass on Glass (G/G) technology, reports DigiTimes citing information obtained from Apple supplier TPK Holding.

One Glass Solution technology eliminates one of the layers of glass from a traditional G/G display that features two pieces of glass, replacing one layer with a thinner material. Making the switch from G/G, used in the current Apple Watch, to OGS could potentially allow Apple to save a small amount of internal space in the Apple Watch 2 and make slight reductions in the weight of the device.

According to TPK Holding, production of the OGS panels for the second-generation Apple Watch has seen some unexpected technical issues, resulting in low yield rates. It is not clear if this will affect overall production of the second-generation Apple Watch.The Apple Watch 2 is rumored to feature only minor design changes with primarily under-the-hood spec improvements. Cellular connectivity, a faster processor, and an improved battery are possibilities for the device.

As for a launch date, rumors suggest we can expect to see the Apple Watch 2 in the fall of 2016. A release alongside the new iPhone 7 and iPhone 7 Plus is a possibility, and if Apple plans to launch the Apple Watch 2 at that time, it could debut on September 16, 2016, with pre-orders to start on September 9.

Article Link: Apple Watch 2 Said to Include Thinner 'One Glass Solution' Display

 

[Someyoungguy]

Are you seriously comparing a watch like this:

That doesn't have an OLED screen (not even a color LCD), or a reasonable body to not look "off" in everyday attire (seriously, it looks like a potato!), doesn't have an optical HRM, doesn't have space for a speaker, or a NFC, a Digital Crown, a Taptic Engine, etc. With the Apple Watch?

I prefer an Apple Watch with less battery life than to have to charge it with that "clamp" thing that doesn't even look to be moisture proof!

People looking for a product like the Apple Watch won't even consider such a thing, doesn't matter if it has GPS and lasts 20 hours with everything turned off. It's like shopping for a sports car like a Porsche Caymann, and you coming up with a 1980s Jeep Wrangler, because it has 4 wheel drive a differential lock and a body made of steel that you can bend back!

Fair enough, but a Forerunner 235, while not having a beautiful OLED screen, does have HR, notifications, GPS, a round face, an always-on color display, and 11 hours of GPS time.

 

[Keirasplace]

I know a lot of people really like their Apple Watches, but it hasn't been enough for me to wear a watch again regularly. The things that I thought would bother me about it really do. Too bulky, not waterproof, no GPS, and lousy battery life. Guess we will see if the Apple Watch 2 address any of those issues, but I won't be buying one until it addresses all 4.

GPS has a a error rate of at least 10 meters in urban settings and takes a while to setup. Why do you need it exactly? Are you lost? You're not getting something more precise than the current watch with the accelerometer once it has been calibrated to you.

Also, what lousy battery life? Battery life has been reviewed well EVERYWHERE, especially considering its small size. Even the small one (and it is small) gets through the day with 30% left. Many get to the end of the second day on the big watch.

A lot of people swim with it, so its waterproof enough already even though its only certified to IPX7 (early Garmins where also IPX7 and many people also used them in water).

The average size of the large watch is the exact size of the average size of a male watch. It's smaller than any comparable option!
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If you can't afford 10'dollars a month to use this as a stand alone with out your phone than you really don't need a smart watch.

So, you're going with a that logical fallacy? Seriously?

 

[Sbishop84]

I've had my Apple Watch since day 1 and to be fair I've got nothing to moan about. Yes it would be nice if it had gps and better battery life but I can get a full days battery out of it since I've been running the watch os3 beta. And even when I'm out running/cycling I have my phone with me. The one thing I would like to see improved is how it handles apps. Sometimes they can be a bit sluggish to load but again that will hopefully come with os3 in September.

No doubt I'll buy a second gen when it comes out though.