Apps Apple Watch for NON-fitness folk

[markcres]

I have today semi retired my original Watch 'zero' 38mm from when it launched (still works fine but I fancied a Watch 4 GPS 44mm as I also just upgraded my ancient iPhone).

I have never used my Watch for fitness or 'mindfulness', to tell me when to breathe or any such nonsense. I use it to help me with my work:

1) Secretly checking emails in meetings when looking at my phone might be impolite
2) Having the calendar app notify me of my next meeting (room/time/attendees etc) automatically
3) Bringing up a map when travelling on a bus or train without getting the phone out
4) Weather updates
5) Starting recording a video when the phone is on a tripod
6) Playing the odd game
7) Reading and responding to texts etc..

In my view, one of the reasons the Apple Watch has not enjoyed the vast and diverse range of apps in the Watch appstore that the iPhone has is that it is marketed primarily for health and fitness - two things I never use my watch for. I have also noticed the watch appstore doesn't list many apps that will work just fine with the Apple Watch despite being primarily iPhone apps. The focus is always on health/fitness. Is Apple missing a trick?

 

[xraydoc]

I have today semi retired my original Watch 'zero' 38mm from when it launched (still works fine but I fancied a Watch 4 GPS 44mm as I also just upgraded my ancient iPhone).

I have never used my Watch for fitness or 'mindfulness', to tell me when to breathe or any such nonsense. I use it to help me with my work:

1) Secretly checking emails in meetings when looking at my phone might be impolite
2) Having the calendar app notify me of my next meeting (room/time/attendees etc) automatically
3) Bringing up a map when travelling on a bus or train without getting the phone out
4) Weather updates
5) Starting recording a video when the phone is on a tripod
6) Playing the odd game
7) Reading and responding to texts etc..

In my view, one of the reasons the Apple Watch has not enjoyed the vast and diverse range of apps in the Watch appstore that the iPhone has is that it is marketed primarily for health and fitness - two things I never use my watch for. I have also noticed the watch appstore doesn't list many apps that will work just fine with the Apple Watch despite being primarily iPhone apps. The focus is always on health/fitness. Is Apple missing a trick?

This is what I mostly did when I got my first original “series 0” Apple Watch.
Eventually discovered the fitness aspects, and with it I’m down 50 lbs from my weight when I first got the watch 4+ years ago.

 

[iDento]

For me, the Apple Watch is like 90% for health and fitness and 10% for convenience and the things you mentioned. Apple Watch has a great potential for being a great health device.

 

[ecstaticax]

Check weather, check messages, email notifications, listen to podcasts leaving phone at home (LTE watch), using for fidelity cards in shops (Stocard app), checking data on 1Password, monitoring sleep and waking app (autosleep and autowake).
AW has a big impact on my life since AW0.
Regards

 

[perezr10]

Excellent post by the OP. I also wish Apple would some day focus more on music playing capabilities. Now that our phones are so big, there is a need for another “iPod Nano” device.

 

[JT2002TJ]

I don't really use the watch for fitness, but I do use it to track my movement/standing/heart rate/sleep tracking... I guess they technically fall under "fitness", but I think of fitness as more exercise type activity tracking.

I mostly use it for all the same stuff as the OP, I think most people in the business world use it for these same things more than exercise (since most people work more than they exercise).

I'm not sure what else Apple or other developers will do to make the AW more usable in a non-fitness/health tracking way. As @perezr10 stated music is an option, but honestly, I'm not even sure what else they can do with this that doesn't already work. Increased storage space? Better Streaming music apps (better interfaces)?

I use my watch for my calendar, emails and messages the most. Everything else is just running collecting data in the background that I occasionally monitor (sleep, heart,...). I can open/close my garage door, arm/disarm my alarm, see my 1Password passwords, see weather, alarm clock, not much else I really can think of.

But that is the beauty of technology, finding new uses you didn't even know you needed and all of a sudden can't live without.

 

[ukbootlegs]

For me, the Apple Watch is like 90% for health and fitness and 10% for convenience and the things you mentioned. Apple Watch has a great potential for being a great health device.

Agreed

 

[madeirabhoy]

I have today semi retired my original Watch 'zero' 38mm from when it launched (still works fine but I fancied a Watch 4 GPS 44mm as I also just upgraded my ancient iPhone).

I have never used my Watch for fitness or 'mindfulness', to tell me when to breathe or any such nonsense. I use it to help me with my work:

1) Secretly checking emails in meetings when looking at my phone might be impolite
2) Having the calendar app notify me of my next meeting (room/time/attendees etc) automatically
3) Bringing up a map when travelling on a bus or train without getting the phone out
4) Weather updates
5) Starting recording a video when the phone is on a tripod
6) Playing the odd game
7) Reading and responding to texts etc..

In my view, one of the reasons the Apple Watch has not enjoyed the vast and diverse range of apps in the Watch appstore that the iPhone has is that it is marketed primarily for health and fitness - two things I never use my watch for. I have also noticed the watch appstore doesn't list many apps that will work just fine with the Apple Watch despite being primarily iPhone apps. The focus is always on health/fitness. Is Apple missing a trick?

agree totally. I have just started getting fit and its good for that, albeit annoying in the gym.


for me:
1. golf. hole19 although I wavered about tag Heuer golf being better but dearer. having a distance finder and score recorder on my watch is improving my game immensely and its so much quicker and easier to stick the score in than write on a scorecard and then keep a copy. I can see at a glance on my watch how my score is improving week by week, and if theres 4 of us playing I can keep the score without all the arguments.

2. seeing emails instantly.

3. Bring! for shopping lists.

4. XE currency when on holiday for quickly working out euro prices.

plus all the things you said.

 

[Lee_Bo]

1) Secretly checking emails in meetings when looking at my phone might be impolite
2) Having the calendar app notify me of my next meeting (room/time/attendees etc) automatically
3) Bringing up a map when travelling on a bus or train without getting the phone out
4) Weather updates
5) Starting recording a video when the phone is on a tripod
6) Playing the odd game
7) Reading and responding to texts etc..

1) Ha! I thought I was the only one that did that.
2) Love that feature.
3) I don’t use those modes of transportation but I do like it for navigation in the car.
4) Carrot weather!
5) As a photographer, using my watch as a remote shutter is awesome.
6) Not a gamer but do love having my pulse and sleep monitored.
7) Yes, especially with voice.

I also got the LTE series 3 and it’s just nice to be able to run errands on the weekends, leave my phone at home, and still get text messages and phone calls on my watch.

 

[TopherMan12]

I use mine to tell the time. Wait......it does more than that?!?!

 

[millerj123]

I use mine to tell the time. Wait......it does more than that?!?!

Time, notifications, fitness. I love not having to pull out my phone to set a 30 minute timer.

 

[TopherMan12]

Time, notifications, fitness. I love not having to pull out my phone to set a 30 minute timer.

Really is an extremely versatile device. Just started exercising seriously and the ability to have my music on my watch solved the problem of where to put my iPhone 11 Pro Max!

 

[tarsins]

I've had several Apple Watches since they came out. Never used them for fitness.

 

[Duncan-UK]

I’ve zero interest in fitness apps but I loved the original music app. Sadly they completely destroyed the functionality of the music app when they introduced OS 4. They could at least restore it.

Pre OS 4 i could access my phone Playlists scroll though the contents of them and select individual tracks. It was the perfect companion to my iPhone. Now I can’t scroll through and the app stupidly starts playing the first track with no flexibility. I just can’t see the logic to this and it’s why I haven’t upgraded from my series 0 watch. Until they fix this I won’t be buying another.