Apple Watch limitations we did not know off.

[Picapau21]

Been following this thread for a while. I've had at the Apple Watch since S0 and although initially I did reply to iMessages using the watch I just found it too cumbersome and the voice recognition was not good enough so I stopped. I can't see how that process would be any different with Whats app. Overall fine to send quick emoji type messages but otherwise pretty much useless for a proper message. So much easier and quicker on the phone. So overall the presence or lack of a Whats app app is a moot point.

Also even without a dedicated app the notifications of whats app messages still come though fine so one can still read those just not reply to them.

 

[Sackofnickels]

To me what is missing is a true plus size. 42mm is just not big enough for me. I would prefer a version that is at least 46mm.

 

[madeirabhoy]

skimmed over this thread so some of my thoughts might have been covered elsewhere.

1. biggest issue. putting music on the watch is such a pain in the …….. why cant I download straight from internet? or if I have to use my phone, why does it work so badly.
the only almost fullproof way is :
1. download the music onto my iphpne. annoying as part of the reason I want it on the watch is to free up space on phone.
2. plug in the watch. why????
3. plug in the phone. okay might not need to do this but..
4. add the music in the watch app.
5. wait. a long long time.


2. so many apps are so slow or don't work. of course maybe that's their fault not apples. but outlook should be so useful but its waiting and waiting... maps is as slow.


3. definitely covered before but more watch faces. apple should be monetizing this, either charging for new ones, or charging companies to put ones like the toy story and Disney ones.

3. whats the point of the big button. does anyone really use that? I can press the small button and get a list of my apps in nice clear alphabetical order, why do I need a big button which brings up the same apps in a worse way? instead of a button you could have put a lightning connector socket with a cover, so in an emergency I can charge my watch when I have came on holiday without the proper charger.

 

[maflynn]

1: By default cannot listen to video/music from the AW speaker (headset listening only)

I can't say this is a limitation but rather a design feature. I'd rather not walk around with the arm to my ear listening to music.

2: No dedicated apple watch Whatsapp, facebook chat apps available since 2015.

I don't use facebook, or other chat apps on my watch, so couldn't care less about WhatsApp

3: No third-party AW face watches available since 2015.

Agreed, apple has it locked down, and its a bummer.

4: Photos/videos stored in Icloud cannot be access from the AW. (Only sync from Iphone)

yeah, that would be a nice feature.

5: Saphire Glass is scratch resistant, but not it`s coating that`s on top of it.

I have the S0, sports model and it has no scratches. I'd recommend since its fine/

6: 2FA apps are absent on the AW, you still need your iphone for these actions.

I'm not sure how useful 2FA apps will be on a watch, perhaps I need to see one in action to form an opinion

 

[Lennyvalentin]

I'm not sure how useful 2FA apps will be on a watch, perhaps I need to see one in action to form an opinion

Blizzard Authenticator isn't on the watch as such but it pops up a notification on it anyway; you tap "approve" and boom you're in. Super fast and convenient. I wish the Steam app could be as well designed...

2FA on watch is a great idea.

 

[bland1]

I use gps on my phone (waze) on my ride back from work every day. I wish notifications would still appear on my watch when I'm using a gps other than ios's built in map app.

 

[sosumi99]

The biggest limitation that wasn't clear to me ahead of time is how slow the watch is. It's impossible to get a "quick glance" at the watch because it takes a fraction of a second to wake up (and sometimes longer). Apps take time to launch and are slow to load. Responding to messages is slow. Etc. Etc. This is an overall limitation that changes the way you can use the watch.

 

[QuarterSwede]

The biggest limitation that wasn't clear to me ahead of time is how slow the watch is. It's impossible to get a "quick glance" at the watch because it takes a fraction of a second to wake up (and sometimes longer). Apps take time to launch and are slow to load. Responding to messages is slow. Etc. Etc. This is an overall limitation that changes the way you can use the watch.

Are you using the series 3? Slow is not how I’d describe it.

 

[Recognition]

1: By default cannot listen to video/music from the AW speaker (headset listening only)
(Contiguous design by apple, only calls work via the speaker)

By default you can watch and listen to videos directly on the watch that are sent to you in iMessage.

 

[vintagekeys]

Thanks for the feedback guys, i will amend the OP and let`s keep cracking with our findings.
Some very good feedback here.
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Getting back on topic ... here's one limitation that folks may not be aware of.

The AW does not do continuous HR monitoring. Folks coming from Fitbit Charge devices may be in for a shock when they see that the AW only records HR every 5 minutes or so, except when doing a workout.

Wow that is crazy! i come from the fitbit and there its already very inacurate because its very slow to pickup increases of heartbeat when you go running. It takes around 2 to 5 minutes before it starts to fully document your increased heartbeat accurately, the same for slowing down. It does not show in small increments but rather jumps sections of heartbeat increases and decreases. That the AW is worse at that amazes me..
[doublepost=1536744350][/doublepost]

By default you can watch and listen to videos directly on the watch that are sent to you in iMessage.

Thanks for sharing this.
That makes it even stranger, so the audio works for voice messages and videos in IMessage but not for regular videos and music stored on the AW from the build in speakers. Thats a bit strange in my opinion.

 

[madeirabhoy]

this is a bit tenuous as its actually a criticism of the app store design not the watch itself.


you cant filter the app store to see all the apps that have a watch app. bonkers.
there will be apps out there that have a watch app that I have never thought might. even if I think ' want a football scores app that has a watch app' I still have to search for football scores apps and click on them individually.

what would be great would be if there was an apple watch filter or tab in the main app store, or if the store in the watch app on the phone showed all watch apps.

 

[matrix07]

Thats a bit strange in my opinion.

Not strange at all if you understand designing product. I give you a hint.

Video in iMessage is usually short. Listening to music is usually long.

In watchOS 5 Apple will give you ability to view webpage from a link in iMessage but they won’t ship web browser on the watch. Is that strange? Maybe to you it is ..

 

[parseckadet]

Wow that is crazy! i come from the fitbit and there its already very inacurate because its very slow to pickup increases of heartbeat when you go running. It takes around 2 to 5 minutes before it starts to fully document your increased heartbeat accurately, the same for slowing down. It does not show in small increments but rather jumps sections of heartbeat increases and decreases. That the AW is worse at that amazes me..

I think you misunderstood what was being said. It only checks heart rate every few minutes IF you don't start a workout in the workout app. So if you go running and don't start the workout, then yes, the Apple Watch will miss that stuff. But ALL of Apple's online material and how-to's tell you to go to the workout app and select your workout before you actually start. The app even gives you a little countdown to let you know when to start. When you do this the Apple Watch starts monitoring heart rate constantly and those increases in heart rate WILL be detected as they occur.

Additionally, WatchOS 5 is bringing automatic workout detection. So when the Apple Watch thinks you have started a workout, it will prompt you to begin it in the workout app.

Realize that Apple has to strike a balance between battery life and functionality. If you leave the heart rate monitor running non-stop the watch can't go nearly as long without charging.

Finally I'll throw in a little anecdote about how even under the current scheme, the periodic monitoring still provides very useful information. Friday night I hurt my hand very badly. Badly enough that I went to the ER and nearly passed out. I can tell you exactly when this happened because I'm able to go into the health app on my phone see that my heart rate had gone from more than 150 to less than 80 in just a few minutes.

 

[andiwm2003]

wow, this could have been a very useful thread if people would have stayed on topic and simply just listed what they can not do on the watch.
in any case thanks to the OP for trying and the 10% posts that had actually useful information in it were helpful for me to decide if i want a series 4 or not.

 

[vintagekeys]

I think you misunderstood what was being said. It only checks heart rate every few minutes IF you don't start a workout in the workout app. So if you go running and don't start the workout, then yes, the Apple Watch will miss that stuff. But ALL of Apple's online material and how-to's tell you to go to the workout app and select your workout before you actually start. The app even gives you a little countdown to let you know when to start. When you do this the Apple Watch starts monitoring heart rate constantly and those increases in heart rate WILL be detected as they occur.

Additionally, WatchOS 5 is bringing automatic workout detection. So when the Apple Watch thinks you have started a workout, it will prompt you to begin it in the workout app.

Realize that Apple has to strike a balance between battery life and functionality. If you leave the heart rate monitor running non-stop the watch can't go nearly as long without charging.

Finally I'll throw in a little anecdote about how even under the current scheme, the periodic monitoring still provides very useful information. Friday night I hurt my hand very badly. Badly enough that I went to the ER and nearly passed out. I can tell you exactly when this happened because I'm able to go into the health app on my phone see that my heart rate had gone from more than 150 to less than 80 in just a few minutes.

Thanks for the information, i hope you are doing alright, that sounds awefull!

 

[iBought]

one thing that annoys me is not being able to stream Pandora or Spotify from the cellular apple watch
so another words its locked to apple music- basically costs 24.00 more a month to have that feature.

open it to other streaming apps

This is a legit issue for me. So if i get an lte s4 i cant go jogging without my phone and listen to spotify?

 

[matrix07]

This is a legit issue for me. So if i get an lte s4 i cant go jogging without my phone and listen to spotify?

As long as Spotify won't support their customers by making watch app then you wouldn’t be able to. There is no excuse really since watchOS 5 supports background audio now.