Apple Watch Review Roundup: The 'World's Best Smartwatch', But 'Not For Everyone'

[petvas]

I don't get how people don't get what the Apple Watch or any smart watch is for.

The do get it but realize that they don't need it.

What bothers with the Apple Watch is this is not a typical Apple product. It tries to do a lot of things and succeeds in almost nothing (at least according to the reviews). Normally Apple products are simple and focus on 1-2 things only. I am sorry to say that but this is a product Steve would throw out of the Apple campus while saying that's ****! Apple used to be about simplicity. What happened to that? Since when is Apple doing what Samsung does? I am very disappointed.

 

[Piggie]

Jeeez

Got half way thru that Verge video of him listening to the women in the bar.

Hey, Turn the bloody thing off!
Bloody rude.

God I'd hate speaking to someone wearing this if I can see them getting distracted all the time.

Just say, hey, I'll speak with you again when you can stop playing with your bloody toys and actually pay attention to me, the human standing in front of you

 

[MH01]

That tells you all you need to know about The Verge and this product. Other than The Verge, I have yet to come across anyone who has seen the milanese loop in person or tried on that didn't have good things to say about it. Even if your personal preference is something else you can appreciate the quality of the band. Heck Gruber went into his review thinking he would hate the rubber Sport band and came away calling it "luxurious". I think Patel was predisposed to hate the watch before he used it and that colored his review to some extent.

Im not sure why you think Patel hated it. He had many positive things to say about it, just things that he concerns about. I did not mind the review to be honest, the issues he identified I already ran into before using an android wearable. While I appreciate the milanese band, I believe its better suited to a female, so like patel, I would also probably never wear it. I agree with him that the leather one is probably the best choice, though given the material apple classifies as "leather" based on their cases, yeah I agree with his assessment.

Are you sure you are not upset from being banned by verge, and being a bit hard on the review?

 

[HobeSoundDarryl]

From Self <review>: After one week with the Watch, what amazes me even more is how it’s managed to untether me from my iPhone.

Once again, I challenge anyone to step back to before there was this watch and find even a few examples of people griping about being "tethered to their iPhone". I can only imagine the beating people would take around here if they had gone into iPhone threads and griped about being "tethered".

Now, here's this new watch, so the iPhone is cumbersome, difficult to pull out of our pockets and has us tethered.

iPod: "1000 songs in your pocket". There needed to be nothing said about CD or cassette walkmans offering only 8-20 songs. Obvious advantage to iPod.

iPhone: "it's an iPod + a smart phone + the whole internet in your pocket". There needed to be nothing said to beat on just an iPod, just a phone or just other Internet-accessing technology. Obvious advantage to iPhone.

iPad: "it's a bigger-screen iPod" which- while some apparently took as a negative- resonated with anyone that found some things hard to do well on a 3.5" or 4" screen. It didn't need to beat on iPhone or iPod through there was some beat-downs slung at netbooks at the time. Again (IMO), obvious advantage to iPad.

Watch: "it's _________________________". ________________________________________________________________________________________________________. Obvious advantage to Watch.

Some of us are hunting for the somewhat equivalent fill-in-the-blank points. I know some of us can easily do that but others are struggling. And we are passionate enough about Apple to hang out in an Apple forum and talk to strangers about Apple. The iPod, iPhone and iPad points worked well with the masses too.

 

[ninethirty]

The mistake you're making here is applying logic and common sense to your position. This forum if full of frothing at the mouth fanboys who loved the watch before it was announced, love it more after it was announced, and love it even more still after the reviews have said it's far from perfect. No matter what you say, or what reviews say, they're only going to love it even harder. It's almost like they feel that they themselves designed it, and anything negative said about it throws them on the defensive.

I said it at the keynote:

"In the long run, Apple Pay with have a more profound (insert Apple keyword here) impact on the world. The Apple Watch isn't going to change the world. You won't see every kid in school using an Apple Watch. It's a niche market."

iPads, iPhones, iPods, and Macs all have an unlimited user base. The Apple Watch is an accessory that requires another product to function. Judging by the reviews, and my own intuition, the Apple Watch isn't a necessity unless you are someone flooded with notifications and need constant access to your phone. Even then, as the Verge mentions, it's annoying to have those notifications buzzing on your wrist all day long.

The Apple Watch will be trendy for a while, but its luster will fade quickly. Everyone wants a "life changing" device from Apple, but those are few and far between. Steve Jobs realized how lucky he was to be involved in a "few" game changing products, as he said during the original iPhone keynote.

The Apple Watch is not a game changing product. It's an accessory with a limited user base and unlimited hype. It will have short term success.

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Thanks for proving my point.

Well, the Verge "review" was absolutely terrible... and I mean their *review* was terrible, not the watch. Is this how they usually behave? Appallingly bad.

 

[BlueMoon63]

Why is it so THICK??? It's obtrusive, you can't bend your wrist without really feeling it's there, and your shirt won't cover it.

Make it half as thin.

You mean half as thick Half as thin would be double the size.

 

[ditzy]

These reviews have made me question which watch I'm going to buy. I was set on the watch with milanese loop, but now thinking about getting the sport instead. As I'll feel a lot better about replacing that when the second one comes out, and is inevitably much better.

 

[Piggie]

I hate to say this, but it sounds like Apple is doing the "samsung" of the smartwatch industry.

at least they have some good designers (I don't like the design myself, but the thing at least doesn't look cheap)

its one case where I think Apple has gone for Function over form, but are trying to push it as Fashion. its so bipolar, and so not apple.

Things that make littel sense for example is the way NFC works for example. A few of the reviewers who have tried it are saying that yes, from a software side it works fantastic, but they have to twist their arm around at uncomfortable angles to get proper contact to work...

thats the type of ommission that doesn't make sense to me from Apple. They're usually the company that does things right, and thinks these things out much better. but this case... it doesn't make sense.

I agree 100% with you.

Looking at the controls, the apps, the smileys, the heart rate, the wrist tapping, the send a heartbeat, the draw a penis to send to your mate, before we even get started..........

It SCREAMS at you that they has no focus, and no clear idea what a SmartWatch (THEIR SMARTWATCH) was for, and have simply thrown everything into it, and will just see what sticks.

I predict some of these 1st gen features are going to get removed as time will tell them what a dumb idea some/most of them are, and people simply don't want of us them after the initial novelty has worn off.

 

[rowspaxe]

When I am teaching in class full of pupils, yes, pulling out my phone would be a huge no-no. But with my pebble watch, I can still discretely see what my incoming notifications are about. And funny thing - my pupils see me looking down at my watch and assume that I am impatiently waiting for them to settle down, and they do.

Why don't you just give your full attention to the task at hand and check your notifications on your own time? Certainly you expect as much from the class?

 

[Arran]

and also how people are saying review arent good.... how is the best smartchwatch in the world not good? of course if not for everyone!

It's called "damning with faint praise". It's how diplomats tactfully say what's on their mind without offending someone.

Take this statement for example;

Apple made the best tool in the world for removing stones from horses' hooves - but it's just not for everyone

Translation: Yes it's great, it's beautiful, it works 100 times better than all the other tools for removing stones from horses' hooves.

But the real assessment is in the innocent-looking but barbed comment at the end. Nobody needs it. It's not relevant to most people's lives.

 

[J4B3]

I think The Verge's review covers the best perspective of the Apple Watch and not just smartwatches in general. Some of these reviews sound like they are coming from someone who has never worn a smartwatch before (likely because they would have had to use Android).

I appreciate that it is bringing my expectations back down to earth. I will be downgrading my decision from SS back to the Sport. It sounds like revisions in 1 year or less, possibly a price drop by Christmas time, are now much more likely.

 

[BlueMoon63]

The mistake you're making here is applying logic and common sense to your position. This forum if full of frothing at the mouth fanboys who loved the watch before it was announced, love it more after it was announced, and love it even more still after the reviews have said it's far from perfect. No matter what you say, or what reviews say, they're only going to love it even harder. It's almost like they feel that they themselves designed it, and anything negative said about it throws them on the defensive.



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Thanks for proving my point.

You are very correct. It does go both ways. Fans versus the opposite extreme... way too nice and positive versus way too negative and even false statements.

 

[st0k3d]

These reviews have made me think about switching from the SS version to the Sport. Maybe it isn't worth the extra $200 for Gen 1.

 

[D.T.]

Why is it so THICK??? It's obtrusive, you can't bend your wrist without really feeling it's there, and your shirt won't cover it.

I can tell that plenty of luxury branded watches (Rolex Daytona for example) are as thick, if not thicker (talking about reasonably sized sport variants), and no owners have any issues with their sleeves

 

[rowspaxe]

I say that to my doctor every day they take my pulse. It's very obvious to people who need to know hypertension, fitness conditioning, early on stage heart disease.

But the point is he doesn't take your pulse--every day. He is taking your pulse as a generalized health parameter for the visit. And pulse has nothing to do with hypertension. Fitness is somewhat different--but you made the diagnostic health case

 

[HobeSoundDarryl]

Cook should make iPoop or an Apple Pet Rock just to see if people would buy it.

You know they would: "Best iPoop or Pet Rock ever.", "How did we ever get by without..? "shut up and take my money", etc.

And don't forget: "How long until Samesung rolls out SamDung or their Pet Stone?"

We joke. But you know it would happen.

 

[uid15]

Sadly for the reviewers, feeling the need to be "FIRST! FIRST!" with their reviews, means that they're getting Apple Watch with VERY early firmware, and I bet the consumer experience will be A LOT better in a few months. So... why don't reviewers WAIT a few months, instead of having this insatiable desire to HAVE to review it first? Also, as a reviewer myself, to do A PROPER review, you have to have an item and use it daily for AT LEAST 1-2 months to give an impartial, honest and fair review. You can't be impartial and have a FULL understanding of a product in 1-2 days or weeks - not gonna happen.

I'd rather see a neutral party with no agenda doing the reviews, like a consumer, which is naturally going to happen on YouTube etc. THOSE reviews will be worth listening to.

 

[sterl320]

Out of all the reviews, this one is by far the most realistic, engaging, & informative one so far! Its not a clear cut answer as to whether you should buy it or not, It lets you form your OWN opinions of the watch. Thank you, Joanna.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=SAXRJPbT-5M

 

[KPOM]

I believe this is apple's hardest product to sell. As someone that likes watches , and loves tech I wanted to believe in the wearable's potential to change my life style , I got a moto360 and have it a trial for 2 weeks, as per these reviews , I wanted it to be an awesome experience, but alas it was not the software or the tech, my smartphone did everthing better, and was a better experience. I ended up going back to my regular watch. I'm just surprised that I can relate to these reviews from my experience . I honestly thought the reviews would be much better.

Maybe a few gens in, I will change my opinion. Still think I will preorder one and give it a trial. Interesting times ahead. Some users will no doubt love it, but this product may not be for everyone. Time will tell

That's why I think Apple is taking a very long term approach to the Apple Watch. If they thought it was just a fad, they'd have launched months ago, no matter how "thrown together" the software felt. But they have spent months developing it even after first announcing it. With the reviews they will undoubtedly be incorporating the feedback into their plans for future software updates. The main thing that they can't improve with the original Watch is the battery life. Other areas can be addressed with software updates.

No one has quite solved the wearable riddle, but the reason Apple entered this category is clear. Lots of people still wear watches, and wearable technology will eventually take off. We're more in Apple I/II territory than iPhone territory right now. It took more than a decade for personal computers to become mainstream, and it was Apple's 4th try (the Mac) before they really got it right.

 

[Arran]

...its so bipolar, and so not apple...

Bipolar. Perfect description.

 

[HobeSoundDarryl]

It doesn't necessarily have to be only picking positive points. From Wikipedia:

What about "Though occasionally applied the other way" did you not get?

I'm guessing, but I suspect "cherries" generally has a pretty positive connotation with most. Maybe if the phrase used "beats-picking" or "spinach-picking" instead of "cherries"? Of course, I'm not trying to put down those who love beats or spinach any more than I'm trying to prop up those who love cherries.

 

[rowspaxe]

A lot of commentators said the iPod was unnecessary- just another mp3 player.

The iPhone had detractors as well.

After the iphone--the ipod was largely unnecessary.

 

[KPOM]

Im not sure why you think Patel hated it. He had many positive things to say about it, just things that he concerns about. I did not mind the review to be honest, the issues he identified I already ran into before using an android wearable. While I appreciate the milanese band, I believe its better suited to a female, so like patel, I would also probably never wear it. I agree with him that the leather one is probably the best choice, though given the material apple classifies as "leather" based on their cases, yeah I agree with his assessment.

Are you sure you are not upset from being banned by verge, and being a bit hard on the review?

Mesh bands are common on men's watches. I'm not sure why people see them as feminine.

 

[ninethirty]

I've been pretty level headed about it. From the get go, I don't understand why it exists, but I absolutely can see some serious use in fitness and health tracking. Because it's Apple, despite the lack of reason for existing, it'll be slick, and it'll sell. I don't think it's going to be revolutionary the way the phone or iPad were. Further to this, I think Apple's made a serious misstep by trying to position this as fashion, and worse that they created the Edition and priced it the way it did.

The reviews seem to echo that, and I think people will feel the same as well.

You are very correct. It does go both ways. Fans versus the opposite extreme... way too nice and positive versus way too negative and even false statements.

 

[technosix]

Also agree... saying something was obvious and then thinking the guy getting annoyed with alerts when he knew how to turn it off was pointing out the same thing. lol

People will focus on the items of the reviews that help their point of view - good or bad. Some reviews were so laughable... the guy twisting his arm for the apple pay as the only way it can be done.

Some of us are calmly posting our perspectives, thoughts and opinions. Not every one will agree since their are both pros and cons like any new product has.

The problems and arguments largely are caused by emotionally charged Apple Devotees that have an unusually personal attachment to Apple products. They'll go to any lengths, witness the Samsung / Android hate they post when none of that matters. We're talking about Apple here.