Apple Watch Series 5 Review Roundup: Always-On Display Solves Biggest Complaint, But Little Else to Warrant Upgrading

[manu chao]

Have you used the watch yet? Or read a review where it covers the user interface for this? It’s a shift in the way you interact with the watch and there are about three or four different implementations that Apple could have gone with for how to implement it.

Yeah, I've read a couple of reviews.

Does the watch tap you, then when you raise the wrist the notification is present as if the screen is coming on in the original series, or do you need to check notifications from swiping from the top? Or does it present as long as the screen is tapped? I’m asking how they implemented it, and until someone has worn the watch, or a reviewer has talked about this specific question, I think the topic is a legitimate area to ask about wrt how the S5 works.

Why would this be different than it has been until now? You get a tap for a notification, you raise the wrist (or activate the screen otherwise), the screen lights up/switches to normal mode. From thereon, it is procedure as usual.

The question was whether there is a privacy implication of the always-on screen in regard to notifications. And the answer is a clear no, as no notifications will be shown until YOU 'activate' the screen. Why would the always-on screen change whether showing a notification requires an extra user interaction from thereon or not?

 

[MisterSavage]

Useless feature. No one would leave their phone behind if their watch can’t roam in a foreign country. Hence, you’ll always have your phone with you. A much better feature would be international roaming with the Apple Watch.

Phones can be lost, stolen, have a dead battery, etc. Being able to make a call to emergency services when you're in a foreign country is about the furthest thing from "useless" I can think of.

Personally, I am upgrading from my S4 as the always on display is a big deal for me. This is a huge game changer IMO. I hate having to tap my watch or click it to see the time or if I have any new messages or emails. This is especially important during work hours. Bravo Apple.

Seriously. So many people saying AOD is useless and all I could think of is how wonderful it's going to at work and the gym.

 

[jjudson]

I find it weird that when the AW first came out, everyone was basically saying the display turning off wasn't a big deal even thought Samsung and other watch makers had an always on display. Now, those same folks immediately want ot upgrade.

As an avid viewer of this forum, you should know that it's only important and valuable when Apple decides to do it...

 

[Arndroid]

IMO Apple is keeping out AOD from the series 4 on purpose. Take away AOD and there is nothing major about the series 5. I don’t get it, Samsung has had watches with AOD for a while now, Apple is just withholding features, and this is coming from an iPhone and AW series 4 owner.

That being said the raise to wake works pretty well even with subtle movements.

no. There is a significant hardware upgrade in the s5 that facilitates always on display while preserving battery life. They are not just holding it back from the s4.

 

[Arndroid]

A lot of people very happy about Always-On display, their first question...are you able to turn it off! Lol

I think most of them mistakenly think they can add a noticeable amount of battery life by doing so. But given the detailed explanation of how they implemented AOD from the keynote, it seems likely that there will be almost no noticeable additional battery life as AOD was designed to be hyper efficient. People are not likely to get an extra hour with it off. They may not even get five minutes.

i suspect when most people get to use it and see turning it off doesn’t save any battery and the implementation protects private information, most people will leave it on and be happy with it.

 

[jjudson]

I haven't seen these new watches in person (I don't know many who have yet), but I'm waiting to see what the always-on screen looks like. In most demos I've seen, the face dims quite a bit and only lights up when you do that arm-sweep motion, which kind of mimics what I have already. I would like a watch screen that stays as bright as it does when you view it all the time. Perhaps the battery and tech isn't quite there yet, so I might just hold off until the next version to see if they incorporate that functionality.

Like the person who posted about their Rolex, part of the reason I wear watches is for the jewelry aspect of it. One of the reasons my gen 3 watch sits on the dresser more often while I reach again for my collection of fine watches to wear is that the Apple Watch simply looks boring on the wrist. That black hunk looks uninspiring and bland. I'm not sure a dimmed display on the gen 5 will be much better, but perhaps I'll think differently after seeing it in person.

 

[Dorv]

To me multi-day battery would only come handy on business trips. Otherwise ai charge it every bight.

I get it, but I charge everything at night, with the exception of the aforementioned watch cycle, even on business travel.

 

[darcyf]

Most people don't stream music or videos either. So, is streaming irrelevant too?

I think you've missed the point. I didn't say Apple Watch is irrelevant. I said that concerns around whether or not people are upgrading from their current Apple Watch to the new version is irrelevant given there are still so many people out there who have yet to buy one. That's who matters most for now. That's who a new Apple Watch is targeting. Yet reviewers keep obsessing over whether this latest version or that latest version will be enough to compel existing customers to upgrade. Make sense now?

 

[GuruZac]

Yep, I put my 2 fingers on my wrist or my neck and count for 15 seconds, I don't need an EKG, if I do I will go to a hospital and rely on state of the art equipment and doctors which is what you will have to do anyways if your watch or body gives you a signal, so it is not significant. I watch (no pun intended) what I eat and get exercise so I have no need to see how many calories I've burned or consumed. It is not made for texting nor phone calls but hey I've managed to live a pretty fine life for 27 years without those capabilities affecting me in the least... you are correct, there is a place for both, my point was about Apple solving their biggest complaint.
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Thanks, I needed your affirmation to feel better about my comment.... not sure what it has to do with always on display though??

The logic about not needing an EKG is flawed. I can see the EKG monitor being incredibly useful for a range of cardio myopathies. The possibilities for healthcare integration using a smart watch like the Apple Watch are endless.

As others have posted, there is room for both a traditional watch and a smartwatch. I prefer smart watches because I prefer all of the additional functionality it offers.

On topic, my Series 5 arrives Sept 25 and I can’t wait to see what an upgrade it will be over my Series 2.

 

[MisterSavage]

The logic about not needing an EKG is flawed. If that were the case, why do we use an EKG at the hospital when we could just use the old fingers... as others have posted, there is room for both a traditional watch and a smartwatch.

Seriously. An average consumer is going to be able to detect aFib with their fingers? I'm glad Apple gave us this tool.

 

[TheRealDGD]

Seriously. An average consumer is going to be able to detect aFib with their fingers? I'm glad Apple gave us this tool.

Read the post, you measure your heart rate with your fingers not the results of an EKG, for that you should rely on an accurate instrument at the hospital. If you really consider the Apple watch a medical warning device then you are entitled to that opinion, the billions of other people that don't have an Apple watch on this planet must really be missing out on something but I am sure that if it is as critical as you believe to your everyday life, Apple will find a way for everyone to afford their watch. I will keep my always on, non-battery dependent watch instead and not have to updgrade as newer models with updated features each year, drain the pocketbook.

 

[MisterSavage]

Read the post, you measure your heart rate with your fingers not the results of an EKG, for that you should rely on an accurate instrument at the hospital. If you really consider the Apple watch a medical warning device then you are entitled to that opinion, the billions of other people that don't have an Apple watch on this planet must really be missing out on something but I am sure that if it is as critical as you believe to your everyday life, Apple will find a way for everyone to afford their watch. I will keep my always on, non-battery dependent watch instead and not have to updgrade as newer models with updated features each year, drain the pocketbook.

You're also entitled to your opinion but you're blatantly wrong. It's trivially easy to find multiple stories about people who weren't aware that they had a heart issue until their Apple Watch alerted them. Several of them were highlighted in the last keynote.

 

[The Game 161]

I had a S4 but upgrading for SS and always on display...

 

[cmaier]

Read the post, you measure your heart rate with your fingers not the results of an EKG, for that you should rely on an accurate instrument at the hospital. If you really consider the Apple watch a medical warning device then you are entitled to that opinion, the billions of other people that don't have an Apple watch on this planet must really be missing out on something but I am sure that if it is as critical as you believe to your everyday life, Apple will find a way for everyone to afford their watch. I will keep my always on, non-battery dependent watch instead and not have to updgrade as newer models with updated features each year, drain the pocketbook.

This is a weird argument you are making. Apple Watch has already saved numerous lives. It may not catch every heart problem but it has already helped lots of people get to the doctor before they even knew they had any symptoms. And just yesterday there was a news story about a guy who fell and hit his head, and when he woke up in the hospital he found out it was because his watch detected the fall and called 911 for home.

The fact that it isn’t as accurate as a $10,000 hospital device doesn’t detract from the fact that it does some real good.

(Also, the finger touch on the crown measures ECG, not heart rate. Not sure what you are trying to say with your first sentence)

 

[TheRealDGD]

This is a weird argument you are making. Apple Watch has already saved numerous lives. It may not catch every heart problem but it has already helped lots of people get to the doctor before they even knew they had any symptoms. And just yesterday there was a news story about a guy who fell and hit his head, and when he woke up in the hospital he found out it was because his watch detected the fall and called 911 for home.

The fact that it isn’t as accurate as a $10,000 hospital device doesn’t detract from the fact that it does some real good.

(Also, the finger touch on the crown measures ECG, not heart rate. Not sure what you are trying to say with your first sentence)

Not to take away from your argument but so has Aspirin with that logic, but do you take it every day? The thread was about the complaint and solving of Always On and Battery life to which I pointed out another "Apple" created non-existent, prior problem, that needed to be solved so you could remain in their ecosystem with an upgrade. I use a watch for its intended purpose, if you need more functionality than that by all means continue to buy their product, who am I to say different. You cannot deny the fact that the Apple watch you buy today will become obsolete and basically worthless, causing you to have to buy another model to stay with the times but with today's throw away consumables society, I guess that's not really an issue anymore...

 

[TheRealDGD]

You're also entitled to your opinion but you're blatantly wrong. It's trivially easy to find multiple stories about people who weren't aware that they had a heart issue until their Apple Watch alerted them. Several of them were highlighted in the last keynote.

I am sure you are right, I'll make sure I let a keynote speaker with an agenda to ensure that his company continues to be profitable for shareholders, become my source of intellect. What were you expecting them to say about their product, it was a miserable failure and unreliable??? They have had an impact on some people I am sure but let's not get caught up in their consumer driven propaganda with all the hype. I still am not concerned with the AOD and Battery life issue as I do not, nor ever will own an Apple watch. If it solved or warned people of the medical issues you refer to then put one in the hands of everyone... after all do we not want our entire population to be healthy??

 

[Abazigal]

Not to take away from your argument but so has Aspirin with that logic, but do you take it every day? The thread was about the complaint and solving of Always On and Battery life to which I pointed out another "Apple" created non-existent, prior problem, that needed to be solved so you could remain in their ecosystem with an upgrade. I use a watch for its intended purpose, if you need more functionality than that by all means continue to buy their product, who am I to say different. You cannot deny the fact that the Apple watch you buy today will become obsolete and basically worthless, causing you to have to buy another model to stay with the times but with today's throw away consumables society, I guess that's not really an issue anymore...

I might if there were no long term health implications with taking painkillers everyday.

I am not seeing the issue. The Apple Watch is constantly recording and analysing your heart rate thanks to it always being on your wrist. It alerts the user if it detects an anomaly, which they can then verify using the EKG sensor.

Apple is giving users the tools they need to make a more informed decision with regards to whether they should consult a doctor or not.

As for you having to upgrade the Apple Watch every few years, is this not a variation of the ‘it’s not how long you live, but how well you live that matters’ argument all over again? Sure, a $20 digital watch will last longer and cost me way less money in the long run, but I am losing all the benefits of the Apple Watch while at it.

 

[sirozha]

Read the post, you measure your heart rate with your fingers not the results of an EKG, for that you should rely on an accurate instrument at the hospital. If you really consider the Apple watch a medical warning device then you are entitled to that opinion, the billions of other people that don't have an Apple watch on this planet must really be missing out on something but I am sure that if it is as critical as you believe to your everyday life, Apple will find a way for everyone to afford their watch. I will keep my always on, non-battery dependent watch instead and not have to updgrade as newer models with updated features each year, drain the pocketbook.

I had an event that felt like a heart attack coming with the heart racing, skipping beats, and high blood pressure. I asked my wife to drive me to the emergency room. They took me back for a 15-second EKG, then told me to go back to the waiting room. They did some blood tests and a heart X-ray. Four hours later, they called me back and put me in the room. Another hour later a nurse practitioner came in and said that I was having anxiety and need to see a neurologist. The ER doctor never bothers to see me. I asked them to admit me, but they refused. Six hours after I got to the ER, I was discharged. I received a bill for $4,000. If I called an ambulance, my bill would have been $6,500.

i made an appointment with a cardiologist, but the wait was 1 month. Two weeks later, my symptoms were back, and I couldn’t find a cardiologist who would see me. They were telling me to go to the ER again. I knew better this time.

The US has a dysfunctional healthcare system. It’s impossible to get any help. Wait for specialists is months. ER charges ridiculous prices and do absolutely nothing unless you are dying in their waiting room. They don’t care if you die after they discharged you and you went home.

I think a $500 Watch with an EKG could save you thousands of dollars and possibly save your life, as all doctors are interested is making their new boat payment.

I’ve never had any heart problems before, always eaten right and worked out regularly. I’ve been swimming, running, and doing weights all my life. I’ve been in the healthy weight range my entire life. The stress of this life got to me and destroyed my heart health. This can happen to anyone at any time no matter how healthy you think you may be.

 

[UltimaKilo]

It really isn’t. Name me all of the new features that S4 won’t have after new Watch OS drops?

You’ll be stuck on case designs, always on display and a compass.

I thought there was a significant processor upgrade, so I retract. If you have a Series0 or 1 this is definitely the way to go, otherwise it seems fine to wait.