Apple Watch Bearing: what’s the point?

[Wackery]

What‘s the point of setting a bearing in the compass app of the apple watch?
I can only find how to set it up, not why someone would ever set a bearing.

 

[Night Spring]

Found this explanation of how to use a compass to navigate.

How to Use a Compass: Compass/Map Navigation | REI Co-op

It's one of the Ten Essentials, but do you know how to use your compass? Learn the basics of declination, bearings and how to use them.

www.rei.com

Basically, a bearing shows the direction you should be traveling to reach your destination. It seems useful if you can get from your starting point to your destination in a straight line.

 

[Wackery]

Found this explanation of how to use a compass to navigate.

How to Use a Compass: Compass/Map Navigation | REI Co-op

It's one of the Ten Essentials, but do you know how to use your compass? Learn the basics of declination, bearings and how to use them.

www.rei.com

Basically, a bearing shows the direction you should be traveling to reach your destination. It seems useful if you can get from your starting point to your destination in a straight line.

Can you describe me a specific example? I still don’t get it, or what a ‘bearing’ even is really

 

[Night Spring]

Can you describe me a specific example? I still don’t get it, or what a ‘bearing’ even is really

Read that webpage, it gives a very specific example, with pictures.

But let's say you are in New York, and you ask what direction is Washington DC from New York. You'd say it's South West. If you had a compass, you could see exactly how many degrees South West it is. That's the bearing.

 

[Wackery]

Read that webpage, it gives a very specific example, with pictures.

But let's say you are in New York, and you ask what direction is Washington DC from New York. You'd say it's South West. If you had a compass, you could see exactly how many degrees South West it is. That's the bearing.

Tl;dr is that it’s basically instead of walking nw x degrees, you have a ‘bearing’ as a direction.

seems like that’s unnecessarily complicated

 

[Night Spring]

Tl;dr is that it’s basically instead of walking nw x degrees, you have a ‘bearing’ as a direction.

seems like that’s unnecessarily complicated

No no, that "walk nw x degrees" is the bearing.

 

[Wackery]

No no, that "walk nw x degrees" is the bearing.

So what does ’setting’ the bearing in the apple watch compass app actually do?

 

[wilberforce]

The point of setting the bearing (i.e., direction) in the watch is that you do not need to continually remember what bearing (i.e., direction) you are trying to head. It shows you whether you are pointing left or right of that bearing that you set.
Imagine trying to remember - was it 123 degrees or 132 degrees? When you are tired it is very easy to get confused, and saves having to squint to read the compass degree numbers.

 

[Rainshadow]

So what does ’setting’ the bearing in the apple watch compass app actually do?

Go walk around in the woods for a while. If you aren’t used to it, and there’s enough cover, you will be walking in circles within 30 minutes. Especially if it’s cloudy. The bearing makes sure you don’t walk in circles

 

[gottafly]

Go walk around in the woods for a while. If you aren’t used to it, and there’s enough cover, you will be walking in circles within 30 minutes. Especially if it’s cloudy. The bearing makes sure you don’t walk in circles

Yes, this. On the other extreme, it can be used in an unfamiliar city to get back to where you started (hotel, parking spot, subway, etc.)