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Apple Watch limitations we did not know off.
- Thread starter vintagekeys
- Start date
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Of course, extended version followed by the "making of"
Well, to be fair, Whatsapp is bigger than huge. It's big mostly outside of the US, with more than 1.3 billion users, and is used in more than 109 countries (55.6% of the world). Over half the population of the country uses it in Germany, Malaysia, Saudi Arabia, Mexico and Brazil. Believe it or not, many of these stats are from 2 years ago.
Traveling around the world, I've seen ultra cheap plans that give you nothing but Whatsapp usage. I even have this sim sticker thing I picked up for travel that has no monthly fees, but allows you to use Whatsapp on 3G networks pretty much anywhere in the world.
It actually is a big deal if there isn't a Watch app, because it is the biggest, most used messaging app in the world. I think it sucks, but to keep in touch with friends around the world, I do need to keep it installed.
Traveling around the world, I've seen ultra cheap plans that give you nothing but Whatsapp usage. I even have this sim sticker thing I picked up for travel that has no monthly fees, but allows you to use Whatsapp on 3G networks pretty much anywhere in the world.
It actually is a big deal if there isn't a Watch app, because it is the biggest, most used messaging app in the world. I think it sucks, but to keep in touch with friends around the world, I do need to keep it installed.
Perhaps because where WhatsApp is biggest not many people have Apple Watches?
You can't deny that Whatsapp is a big deal, and I think it's unfortunate that there's no watch app for it. But calling that a "limitation" of the watch itself is going a step too far I think. There are other messaging services that do have watch apps. Probably the most relevant to this conversation is Facebook Messenger. So Facebook owns two messaging services, one with a watch app and one without. That right there tells you that there are other factors at work here, and classifying it as a limitation of the watch itself is unfair.
You wouldn't want to listen to music from the AW speaker, it would be terrible. The speaker is so tiny that all bass and most mid-range will be inaudible. So be thankful you're not able to pester your surroundings with a truly horrible music experience.
Also, there's A LOT of apps and services that don't have a dedicated AW app. Most of them actually, and most notably in my particular case; Spotify, but there's basically any number of others so making a list of all of them would be kind of silly honestly.
But I still think it’s unfair to expect Apple to call this out on their website.
Perhaps there’s a reason WhatsApp haven’t developed a watch app or perhaps because people are moaning at Apple rather than telling WhatsApp they don’t understand how key it is to their user base
Agreed. Unless there is some policy or API reason that prevents an app from being written, that’s not really on Apple.
I agree, not a limitation of the watch.
Things I don't like about the watch:
No always on display (this is huge for a watch, means it's not a very good watch, especially since the flick doesn't always work, and is slow even when it does)
Redundant functionality
Those redundant functions are more annoying/pointless to carry out on the watch (imo)
NFC payments are slightly less reliable than the phone
No access to in-watch sensor data (barometer etc) would be fun to have sensor based access to altitude, pressure, temperature etc.
Depreciates in value and usefulness quickly
Aluminum is too soft a metal, stainless has poor build quality (worse than the aluminum)
Steel's sapphire crystal is basically fake
Button and crown lack quality tactile feel
Cellular is useless for travel
Delayed/missed notifications when connected to car Bluetooth (multiple watches, multiple phones on 2 BMWs)
Personally I'm debating the new one. I have bought these watches as beaters for swimming or when I want to be low key with watches, but they don't do much for me. The leaked pic of the rose gold looks good, but $900 cad isn't really a beater price, 3x what I paid for the S3. Battery life on S3 was good though.
Things I don't like about the watch:
No always on display (this is huge for a watch, means it's not a very good watch, especially since the flick doesn't always work, and is slow even when it does)
Redundant functionality
Those redundant functions are more annoying/pointless to carry out on the watch (imo)
NFC payments are slightly less reliable than the phone
No access to in-watch sensor data (barometer etc) would be fun to have sensor based access to altitude, pressure, temperature etc.
Depreciates in value and usefulness quickly
Aluminum is too soft a metal, stainless has poor build quality (worse than the aluminum)
Steel's sapphire crystal is basically fake
Button and crown lack quality tactile feel
Cellular is useless for travel
Delayed/missed notifications when connected to car Bluetooth (multiple watches, multiple phones on 2 BMWs)
Personally I'm debating the new one. I have bought these watches as beaters for swimming or when I want to be low key with watches, but they don't do much for me. The leaked pic of the rose gold looks good, but $900 cad isn't really a beater price, 3x what I paid for the S3. Battery life on S3 was good though.
..and Line. The most popular messaging app in Japan, South Korea, and South East Asia. It has a full feature Watch app.
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You should try new Star Wars. I heard all those dark scenes looks supreme on watch OLED.
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I think what he meant is the lack of roaming when you go to another country. This might, or might not be solved by S4. Keep an eye on it.
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These are not true in my experience. My S0 SS build quality is great. For example crown is super smooth. Much smoother than all other aluminum I had. It gave good feeling when you turn. Almost relaxing like rubbing AirPods case. (Yeah I do that many times a day
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I'm curious why you complain about steel's build quality. I've only handled a S3 steel watch in a store (I don't own one), but it felt far, far superior in touch/feel compared to my OG Sport watch, and particularly because of the ceramic/sapphire backpiece. The plastic back looks alright when it is new, but at well over 3 years old now mine is slightly fuzzy and never had the smooth, hard, dense feel when tapped that the black zirconia back has to begin with. The steel body is also nicer overall compared to aluminium. IMO.
Alu does have lightness in its favor tho. The steel watch is a hefty lump in comparison, especially if equipped with a rubber band versus a sport loop on the alu watch. And hardness? Never managed to scratch my alu watch, visibly anyway. I've banged it into stuff plenty times, but no marks. (Maybe under a microscope, but /care. sheesh lol)
Pretty sure the complaints about the sapphire crystal have been debunked. From what I recall reading most of them were based on the erroneous idea that something can only be scratched by materials of equal or higher hardness, which is not true.
I'm referring to the inability to travel to other countries with it.
Keep in mind what I'm saying here is subjective. This is just my experience and point of view.
Yes, the crown is much better on SS than aluminum, but still not "hefty" enough for me. It'd be great if it had more tactility to it. It's the minor imperfections that bother me about the SS; described below a little bit.
I understand the appeal of the SS, which is why I've had 3 of them, but as a mechanical watch aficionado, the build quality and finishing don't hold up to many mechanical watches even half the price of the SS Apple watch. Not everyone cares, most won't notice, but if you're into nice watches, you might notice certain things. Like on every SS watch I had, there were small imperfections in the metal along the area that meets the glass that you could feel if you ran your finger along that seam. Couple of other small details like that. I prefer the weight of the steel, feels more like a "real" watch to me. SS is a better material to me of course, but I get the impression that Apple is better with aluminum, which I found (over 3 of those) that they didn't really have the same imperfections.
The sapphire is very inferior to again, Swiss watches at half the price. It will scratch when real/pure sapphire won't. This is not a big deal, but the main advantage with sapphire would have been scratch resistance (practically scratchproof on my nice watches).
Keep in mind what I'm saying here is subjective. This is just my experience and point of view.
Yes, the crown is much better on SS than aluminum, but still not "hefty" enough for me. It'd be great if it had more tactility to it. It's the minor imperfections that bother me about the SS; described below a little bit.
These are not true in my experience. My S0 SS build quality is great. For example crown is super smooth. Much smoother than all other aluminum I had. It gave good feeling when you turn. Almost relaxing like touching AirPods case. (Yeah I do that many times a day
I understand the appeal of the SS, which is why I've had 3 of them, but as a mechanical watch aficionado, the build quality and finishing don't hold up to many mechanical watches even half the price of the SS Apple watch. Not everyone cares, most won't notice, but if you're into nice watches, you might notice certain things. Like on every SS watch I had, there were small imperfections in the metal along the area that meets the glass that you could feel if you ran your finger along that seam. Couple of other small details like that. I prefer the weight of the steel, feels more like a "real" watch to me. SS is a better material to me of course, but I get the impression that Apple is better with aluminum, which I found (over 3 of those) that they didn't really have the same imperfections.
The sapphire is very inferior to again, Swiss watches at half the price. It will scratch when real/pure sapphire won't. This is not a big deal, but the main advantage with sapphire would have been scratch resistance (practically scratchproof on my nice watches).
I love that people really try to defend their opinions with nail and tooth here.
- Regarding the speakers, just leave this topic if you keep whining about it not being good audio, the fact remains it is not supported by apple to listen music from the speakers. I elborated already where i come from on this point.
- The fact people disregard whatsapp and other major chat apps, is just dumb, most of those complainers here have it themselves on their iphone. There is no excuse for not having a dedicated version of whatsapp for the AW.. they are for every other mobile apple platform, the AW sells well enough. This is not a apple problem, and people miss-read into my OP to interpertate their own trolling agenda here, that is NOT what i mean with not shown on the apple site..
For lots of people its a expectation that major apps are also available for the AW itself but its not.
This is a opinion on its own yes, but whatsapp/facebook is part of our society as we know it these days, its a very real part of our online communication lines.
Sorry for coming off harsh, but i try to keep the list factual, there are lots of strong opinions here, and the occasional "troll" therefore, i try to keep this topic on the right path as i intended it.
- Regarding the speakers, just leave this topic if you keep whining about it not being good audio, the fact remains it is not supported by apple to listen music from the speakers. I elborated already where i come from on this point.
- The fact people disregard whatsapp and other major chat apps, is just dumb, most of those complainers here have it themselves on their iphone. There is no excuse for not having a dedicated version of whatsapp for the AW.. they are for every other mobile apple platform, the AW sells well enough. This is not a apple problem, and people miss-read into my OP to interpertate their own trolling agenda here, that is NOT what i mean with not shown on the apple site..
For lots of people its a expectation that major apps are also available for the AW itself but its not.
This is a opinion on its own yes, but whatsapp/facebook is part of our society as we know it these days, its a very real part of our online communication lines.
Sorry for coming off harsh, but i try to keep the list factual, there are lots of strong opinions here, and the occasional "troll" therefore, i try to keep this topic on the right path as i intended it.
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You clearly did not read the OP, if this comment was addressed to me.
Plus the comment does not contribute to the OP where i am asking for items that has been discovered as in limitations of the AW, that we might not be aware off as of yet. Or something you found as a limitation yourself.
Please stay on topic.
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I love it when people start topics but then ask people to leave if they offer a discussion the thread starter doesn’t like.
..especially when the thread starter also defends his opinion with nail and tooth too.
Simply because thats the whole reason of this post to list out factual things you can`t do with the AW, instead of lots of people coming here with opinions why items should not be listed.. Because in their opinion this or that reason....especially when the thread starter also defends his opinion with nail and tooth too.
While that has nothing to do with the fact of the matter why it`s listed. Because those are facts, that`s what we try to gather here, factual limitations. Not your reason, why in your opinion it should not be listed. That does not apply for this topic, it`s that simple.
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Because, i did not ask for a discussion on the items listed, you and others are arguing about things listed accordingly to the OP rules and you want to let your opinion heard why it should not be listed for other reasons then it clearly is stated why its listed. but regardless you keep nagging, because you need to keep forcing your opinions upon people.
That`s the difference. I reply because i don`t want to get this topic polluted with your opinions on the list itself.
I think the real problem is that people constantly need to have a opinion on anything even if its a FACT, it needs to be debunked somehow with a opinion.
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So is it a fact the Apple Watch has a limitation in no whatsapp app? Or is it a fact that it’s a limitation of the service? What are the facts?
Correct the apple Watch does not have a native Whatsapp app, the iphone does, THAT IS THE FACT. Service/device does not matter bottom line is, a native whatsapp app is not present on the AW.
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