Apple Watch and the future of the iPhone

[usarioclave]

After wearing the Apple watch for the last two weeks, I've noticed that my use of the iPhone is dropping. I still use it for web, apps, etc, but for mail and messages I usually use my watch or Mac. If I'm going to do a quick text or call I'll use my watch instead of pulling out my iPhone.

Right now, I'd be happy with an iPhone the size of an iPod nano instead of my iPhone 6. I just don't need the screen size anymore, unless I'm bored and want to play a game. But even then, an iPhone 4 sized screen was fine for games.

Would it work for everyone? Probably not right now. But in a couple of years, who knows? I've used a lot of voice interfaces over the years, and none of them are as good as Siri on the watch. It really makes the watch work.

 

[supertomtom]

I'm loving the watch for the same reasons as you, noticing that I take my iPhone out less and less. Having said that, my view on the size of the iPhone is the opposite as you.

I chose the iPhone 6 plus last year knowing that the watch wasn't far away. Having the watch makes the annoyance of pulling out a large phone (which isn't really a bit deal to begin with) even more of a non-issue for the most basic tasks.

Because of this, I actually prefer to have the larger phone, because when I do pull out my iPhone, I know it's for something where I know I'd appreciate the larger screen estate.

 

[wanderfowl]

I can see a different possibility. Now that the Watch covers some of the necessary duties of the phone, the phone can now be kept near, but not on you.

If my phone doesn't need to be in my front pocket for instant use (because the watch can handle OMG-immediate tasks), I can see being able to carry a larger phone, on the order of a 6+ or larger. If my phone is now able to live happily outside my front pocket, then I could easily see going larger still, something like the Note, or an LTE iPad Mini. This could fill the niche that the iPad does for a lot of people, and the phone/watch pair can cover the niches that a small phone and iPad in the pack currently do.

So, you're right that the phone could get smaller with the watch. But I could see an alternate world where the watch cuts into the iPads, instead. I'm kind of hoping that world comes soon.

 

[bjdraw]

I use my iPhone less, but still use it. Just like I still use my MBP and iPad. Each is optimized for different things.

The best part about having an Apple Watch is getting more notifications. Over the years I'd disabled most notifications because most weren't worthy of my time to remove the phone from my pocket to respond to.

 

[Tammster]

I'm loving the watch for the same reasons as you, noticing that I take my iPhone out less and less. Having said that, my view on the size of the iPhone is the opposite as you.

I chose the iPhone 6 plus last year knowing that the watch wasn't far away. Having the watch makes the annoyance of pulling out a large phone (which isn't really a bit deal to begin with) even more of a non-issue for the most basic tasks.

Because of this, I actually prefer to have the larger phone, because when I do pull out my iPhone, I know it's for something where I know I'd appreciate the larger screen estate.

This is exactly what I've been thinking. I have the 6 but think that maybe next year I'll get the bigger one since I won't be holding it so much. Now it can stay in my purse since I'm not afraid of missing an important call or text since I get the buzz on my wrist. I can pull my phone out just when I want to use it and not just to hold wherever I go, just in case.