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

[Keirasplace]

I'm starting to realize how awkward it would be to sit across from someone with one of these for a meal or on a date, and watching the notifications go off the whole time. Instead of a phone that can be put away, or flipped over on the table, now the person would constantly be looking down at their watch every time it wakes up from a notification, and you would be able to see it as well. Imagine a restaurant full of people wearing apple watches.

Let me guess, you've just seen a video...

BTW, nobody wants all their notifications going to their watch, that's why you can filter them. Unlike on the phone, the notifications can be silent and indicate who called through silent vibrations (taptic), you don't even need to look down if its not important.

You can also stop receiving notifications on the watch if you don't want too ("same as putting it away"). Good to see you're building a straw man instead of snow man, with the warm weather coming and all...

 

[LadyX]

I'm confused. How is it the "World's Best Smartwatch" when the majority of the reviews are negative??

 

[Keirasplace]

I'm confused. How is it the "World's Best Smartwatch" when the majority of the reviews are negative??

The majority of reviews ARE POSITIVE; maybe you need to read them again.
Some people doubt that there is a BIG market for smart watches in general, but I believe they'll be proven quite wrong.

 

[OllyW]

I'm confused. How is it the "World's Best Smartwatch" when the majority of the reviews are negative??

I think the negativity is mostly aimed at smartwatches in general but they think the Watch is the best of the bunch.

I see the reviews of the Watch as mostly positive with some reservations, which is to be expected for a first generation product.

 

[AppleMark]

Interesting comments so far.

However I felt that the reviews and especially the Verge video by Nilay Patel to be a very good 'heads-up'.

Being an early adopter of a few Apple products, such as the 1st Generations iPod, MBA, iPhone and iPad, I at least immediately saw the everyday use factor for me to go and buy one.

I do not get the feeling with this device. I do agree that it will be something that future revisions will address. This I feel is simply because the product is already obsolete..

Really.., I am not trolling.. It takes Apple (or anybody else) many years to get a product this complicated to market. In that time many compromises need to be made as technology is moving so fast. Otherwise they would be starting from scratch every couple of months to include new ideas and tech advances the mature concept track was not designed for.

Therefore, a 1st Gen product of this type will be an example of just that and that Jonny Ive is probably already wearing and testing the Rev.2 model as I write…

 

[RayDonovan]

To each their own.

Nilay is one of the best reviewers around. He brings tech features down from the spec sheets to their basic every day applications.

That's what makes a good tech reviewer, not someone who can recite a spec sheet backwards. Brownlee is another good one.

He's a douche.

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That's odd - got it right 'the first time'?

The Gear S is the THIRD Samsung smart watch. Gear, Gear 2 then Gear S. The fair comparison would be equating the Apple Watch 3 with the Gear S.

This doesn't look prettier than the Apple Watch. Looks like a monstrosity. Samsung still has a lot of work to do.

Image

That ACTUALLY looks like a phone on a wrist. Hideous.

*Shudders*

 

[x-evil-x]

Sounds good to me. if you haven't already get some jaybird bluebird's. Best bluetooth earbuds I've found yet.

Agreed and with the great reviews on the battery life, it's a great watch to me, but as you said, it might be best for active lifestyle people. And after reading the reviews and posts, it really isn't for most of the people who post here. Not even close...

I no longer have a use for any of my fitness trackers or even the phone with me when I run. The info will be stored. I don't even have to worry about wearing a watch anymore as this looks as good as my $200-$400 watches with the same thickness and width as the Apple Watch.

I'm very impressed and was still on the fence until I read this common review...

Quote:
"After more than a week of daily use, Apple Watch has more than alleviated any concerns I had about getting through a day on a single charge. I noted the remaining charge when I went to bed each night. It was usually still in the 30s or 40s. Once it was still over 50 percent charged. Once, it was down to 27. And one day -- last Thursday -- it was all the way down to 5 percent. But that day was an exception -- I used the watch for an extraordinary amount of testing, nothing at all resembling typical usage. I'm surprised the watch had any remaining charge at all that day. I never once charged the watch other than while I slept."

 

[macgabe]

A pulse monitor will diagnose..what heart condition?

I don't know I've never used one! I'm actually interested to know exactly what information is recorded.

But wouldn't it show if you had an erratic heartbeat? Or a very fast heartbeat? Or a heartbeat very slow to slow down after exercise?

If so, none of these actually diagnose anything but can give you information that it might be worth going to a cardiologist for a proper cardio exam. In the case of an erratic heartbeat, presumably you could show this to a cardiologist. Also you could monitor whether an exercise program that you are taking is having beneficial effects on your pulse, or if you are over-straining.

But maybe I'm misunderstanding how it works?

 

[AppleMark]

I'm confused. How is it the "World's Best Smartwatch" when the majority of the reviews are negative??

Reviews are relative to the market the product sit's in.

Therefore, it can still be the best smart watch in the world, yet fail on it's expectations and promises and not be the most useful/usable product...[yet].

Not to mention the price point and perceived value for money for any given product, which will always be a major factor in any review.

 

[BlueMoon63]

You want a device that pokes your arm while you swing? If I was your competition, I'd call you every time you swing

good idea!

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I don't know I've never used one! I'm actually interested to know exactly what information is recorded.

But wouldn't it show if you had an erratic heartbeat? Or a very fast heartbeat? Or a heartbeat very slow to slow down after exercise?

If so, none of these actually diagnose anything but can give you information that it might be worth going to a cardiologist for a proper cardio exam. In the case of an erratic heartbeat, presumably you could show this to a cardiologist. Also you could monitor whether an exercise program that you are taking is having beneficial effects on your pulse, or if you are over-straining.

But maybe I'm misunderstanding how it works?

Applications will be able to tell what shape you are in just from the heartbeat monitor and it is a good indicator. If you run for one minutes as fast as you can, it will record your heart rate max and how long it takes for your heart rate to return to a resting state. The worse shape you are in, the longer it takes to return to a resting state. Obviously there are more examples or things to measure a persons shape, but this is one example.

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Sounds good to me. if you haven't already get some jaybird bluebird's. Best bluetooth earbuds I've found yet.

I actually have those and I agree. Great for working out and lifting and they never get in the way and super light.

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I think the negativity is mostly aimed at smartwatches in general but they think the Watch is the best of the bunch.

I see the reviews of the Watch as mostly positive with some reservations, which is to be expected for a first generation product.

So true... first gen. Reviews mixed won't stop it from selling 10-20mm in the first year and already labeled as "best smart watch out there..." It's really not for most people on these forms and that is fair as well.

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I'm confused. How is it the "World's Best Smartwatch" when the majority of the reviews are negative??

The rest must be really bad? The rest bombed? No idea...

 

[apple-1010]

Apple Watch speed in reviews

What all these reviewers don't get is that apple gave them pre-release beta software. A software update can fix all of that, and Apple is probably going to iron everything out before April 24. These issues are not permanent.

 

[Ries]

What all these reviewers don't get is that apple gave them pre-release beta software. A software update can fix all of that, and Apple is probably going to iron everything out before April 24. These issues are not permanent.

Please... the watch is one month of shipping, the difference is going to be the same as the last two beta's of 10.9.3, it is not going to get better.

It's like the running joke with 1GB of RAM and constant tab reloading. Apple just needs a bit of optimizing, next update it will be fixed... said since iOS 8.0...

 

[BlueMoon63]

Now I have no doubt iPoop would sell. The thread about the Apple Watch packaging in 7 pages long. 7 pages discussing the box it comes in. Wow.

and maybe 90% of those 7 pages were people mocking Apple and wasting peoples time. This or any smartwatch for that matter is not for a majority of the people on these forums.

 

[AnthonyHarris]

I think the Verge review summed up how I feel about this product on a whole. People will buy it and it will be used but for me it's already redundant because I would much rather take my phone out of my pocket and do things directly.

 

[AFDoc]

You want a device that pokes your arm while you swing? If I was your competition, I'd call you every time you swing

Well if a little buzz on your wrist is enough to distract you from your swing then maybe some focus is in order. I love honking my horn at guys like you as I drive by the many golf courses in my area..... I get a huge kick out of watching a grown man throw a fit!

I've had it happen to me and simply lay one down the middle like I always do.....or sometimes do.... ok rarely do but I'll do it when distracted.

 

[Ries]

Well if a little buzz on your wrist is enough to distract you from your swing then maybe some focus is in order. I love honking my horn at guys like you as I drive by the many golf courses in my area..... I get a huge kick out of watching a grown man throw a fit!

I've had it happen to me and simply lay one down the middle like I always do.....or sometimes do.... ok rarely do but I'll do it when distracted.

I don't play golf, it is boring as hell Good luck finding me.

 

[BlueMoon63]

The below was an interesting review that says good and bad but also touches on items the other reviews didn't. If I had to say, this would be a review for the layman. I liked it...

https://www.yahoo.com/tech/the-apple-watch-half-computer-half-jewelry-115815015484.html

 

[wigby]

People keep saying that, but given how horrible smartwatches have been up until now, it would have been a colossal screwup and embarrassment for Apple not to make the best one.

And yet we have trolls all over the internet (and a few reviewers too, I suspect) saying Apple Watch is a screwup and embarrassment and that they should've skipped this years and waited to release version 2. Just goes to show you how some people are either never pleased or have agendas that cannot be reasoned with.

 

[AppleScruff1]

Starting with Apple I, Jobs and now Apple have cared a great deal about the box the product comes in and people have always loved it.

All new Apple gadgets unboxing pictures have made news so far. If and when another tech company spends as much time and attention to the boxes their products are shipped in, those will make news as well.

With all due respect, I doubt it. Only hard core supporters could argue over a box.

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and maybe 90% of those 7 pages were people mocking Apple and wasting peoples time. This or any smartwatch for that matter is not for a majority of the people on these forums.

My comment was not about mocking the Apple watch. It was about the power of Apple marketing. And if a smart watch isn't for the majority if people like us, why would it be for the average, non tech savy consumer? Just curious.

I think the watch will sell well initially. I am looking forward to see how it does over the next couple of years.

 

[dampfnudel]

It's a first generation product so it's not going to be perfect.

Exactly. Just like the first iPhone in 2007 and and the first iPad in 2010, it's more "hello world, look at me, show me off" than "hello world, now I mean business." Same thing with the retina MB. Of course, that shouldn't dissuade people from buying the first gen. of any device because they're doing an invaluable service of laying the groundwork ($) for significant improvents that will make the device much more usable for people who decide to wait a year or two (like the MBA). Developers & users should also have a better understanding of what the Apple Watch is capable of and what doesn't work too well. With all of that being said, I may still do my "part" and purchase the first generation Apple Watch.

 

[kdarling]

The Gear S is the THIRD Samsung smart watch. Gear, Gear 2 then Gear S. The fair comparison would be equating the Apple Watch 3 with the Gear S.

The Gear S is not in the same lineage as the others. It's more of a continuation of Samsung's earlier wrist smartphones dating back a decade or more, which is a category few other phone makers besides LG have ever ventured into.

The Gear Live is just another Android Wear watch, so it's in that category.

The Gear Fit is unique in its shape, so I tend to isolate it as well.

However, I think it would be fair to say that the Gear, Gear Neo and Gear Neo 2 represent one basic series, so yep, there's your third fair comparison.

The below was an interesting review that says good and bad but also touches on items the other reviews didn't. If I had to say, this would be a review for the layman. I liked it...

https://www.yahoo.com/tech/the-apple-watch-half-computer-half-jewelry-115815015484.html

Many of these reviews, including this one, demonstrate how little the reviewer knows about current smartwatches. For instance, the author of that one writes about the Apple Watch battery:

"This is not, of course, entirely Apple’s problem; no full-color smartwatch lasts more than a day."

Which is incorrect. All he had to do was read reviews of some other watches to find out that several go 2-3 days... some even with their display always on.

He should've said "No other full color watch that works with the iPhone at this time".

 

[jamesryanbell]

I agree. I'm willing to wait though as the asking price for this gen is too much for what it is. My other watches will still be stylish in the meantime.

The real reason I suggested this (honestly) is because I don't want to think a $17,000 product could be revised every year. I'm well aware of the "those people don't care", and "it would still work fine" arguments. I just don't like the idea.

 

[rowspaxe]

I don't know I've never used one! I'm actually interested to know exactly what information is recorded.

But wouldn't it show if you had an erratic heartbeat? Or a very fast heartbeat? Or a heartbeat very slow to slow down after exercise?

If so, none of these actually diagnose anything but can give you information that it might be worth going to a cardiologist for a proper cardio exam. In the case of an erratic heartbeat, presumably you could show this to a cardiologist. Also you could monitor whether an exercise program that you are taking is having beneficial effects on your pulse, or if you are over-straining.

But maybe I'm misunderstanding how it works?

i think you are...but ask your doctor!

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The real reason I suggested this (honestly) is because I don't want to think a $17,000 product could be revised every year. I'm well aware of the "those people don't care", and "it would still work fine" arguments. I just don't like the idea.

Remember the posts pre keynote about how the apple watch had to be modular and apple would be updating the sensors and cpu for some minimal cost? They too were engaging in magical thinking

 

[mrex]

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

It's a first generation product so it's not going to be perfect.

but we are not talking about something new is invented here. surely it is apples 1st gen smartwatch, but the technology has been there for years. other companies like Samsung and Sony etc. were those who made 1st gen smartwatches and apple was able to jump in the business with all the knowledge and testing made by other companies. yes it is apples 1st gen but with the knowledge and technology from this day. the expectation can be higher than with some real new invention.

 

[CooKieMoNs7eR]

It's funny how someone who originally wanted to buy the watch changed their mind just because of someone else's OPINION, go check out the watch and decide for yourself, don't worry about other people.