Apple Watch - Terrible at Showing the Time

[gerball]

On the whole I'm enjoying using the Apple Watch, but the one thing I'm finding annoying is the one thing the Apple Watch should be good at - showing the time.

The whole point of a wrist watch is to be able to see the time *instantly*, as soon as you look at it. The Apple Watch suffers in two respects here - one, the very slight lag as the watch tries to interpret the accelerometer data. Secondly, the occasional misinterpretation of the accelerometer data - a very obvious twist or jerk of the wrist will mostly always switch the display on, but more subtle movements don't. So then you have to touch the screen - too much effort for something which should be about requiring *no* effort.

There's only one possible solution to this as far as I can see - to have an always on display. If Apple couldn't figure out how to do this without draining the battery too rapidly, then they shouldn't have released the watch in my opinion - it's crucial for a watch to tell the time as instantly as your eyes look at it. Anything less, and it has failed.

 

[tantantheman]

If you think that the main selling point of the Apple Watch is to tell time, then I'd suggest you look at every other non-smartwatch out there. Of course, as a watch it's reasonable to expect timekeeping to be a big feature. I personally find Apple's tilt to wake much much better than the android wear watches' waking that I've tried.

 

[shenfrey]

On the whole I'm enjoying using the Apple Watch, but the one thing I'm finding annoying is the one thing the Apple Watch should be good at - showing the time.

The whole point of a wrist watch is to be able to see the time *instantly*, as soon as you look at it. The Apple Watch suffers in two respects here - one, the very slight lag as the watch tries to interpret the accelerometer data. Secondly, the occasional misinterpretation of the accelerometer data - a very obvious twist or jerk of the wrist will mostly always switch the display on, but more subtle movements don't. So then you have to touch the screen - too much effort for something which should be about requiring *no* effort.

There's only one possible solution to this as far as I can see - to have an always on display. If Apple couldn't figure out how to do this without draining the battery too rapidly, then they shouldn't have released the watch in my opinion - it's crucial for a watch to tell the time as instantly as your eyes look at it. Anything less, and it has failed.

This post just makes you sound very lazy, I can elaborate if you like?

 

[JohnApples]

It literally takes not even a half second for the display to light up and tell me the time when I rotate my wrist. If it was a full second or more, your complaint may be valid. As for the watch detecting rotations, it rarely lights up when I don't want it to do so. Seeing as I made it the whole day yesterday with about half the battery left, it's clearly not affecting battery life, so it's a non-issue for me, at least.

For my original Pebble, (although it always displays the time) when I want it to light up, it requires some pretty serious wrist flicking to do so. Not very consistent at all. Also, I've tried on the Moto 360, and it's pretty hit-or-miss as well. Apple Watch is the most fluid out of all the smartwatches I've tried so far.

There are a good number of valid complaints with the Apple Watch, but I don't think this is one of them.

 

[gerball]

Nope not lazy at all thanks, I'm a very active person which is why I bought the sports watch.

Imagine if a TV only displayed a picture when it thought you were looking at - and it sometimes got this wrong, so then you had to touch the screen every time it got confused.

It would drive you nuts. If Apple are going to market it as a watch, they need to get that aspect 100% right - otherwise they should market it as an iPod Touch on your wrist.

 

[0007776]

Smart watches are not primarily intended to show the time, it is a screen for notifications from your phone. If your main purpose is telling time with your watch get a real watch and not a smart watch.

 

[seamor0512]

Smart watches are not primarily intended to show the time, it is a screen for notifications from your phone. If your main purpose is telling time with your watch get a real watch and not a smart watch.

That's an expensive Iphone extension, I must have missed that description. Apple Watch is a watch, fashionable and used to show the time with customizable faces, The benefits of making notifications and data easier to access is a bonus, and apparently one that isn't functioning all that great.

 

[dalcorn1]

I've actually found some of the time checks I make a lot easier that i was expeting. Quick glances down and the wrist and a slight rotate for example when I'm sat/laying down - never expected this to work yet it has 99% of the time.

It seems to struggle more when I'm stood up and raising my arm more, I'm sure this will be ironed out though.

It is frustrating when the screen switches off after half a second cos it thinks your arm has gone down.

 

[leenak]

On the whole I'm enjoying using the Apple Watch, but the one thing I'm finding annoying is the one thing the Apple Watch should be good at - showing the time.

The whole point of a wrist watch is to be able to see the time *instantly*, as soon as you look at it. The Apple Watch suffers in two respects here - one, the very slight lag as the watch tries to interpret the accelerometer data. Secondly, the occasional misinterpretation of the accelerometer data - a very obvious twist or jerk of the wrist will mostly always switch the display on, but more subtle movements don't. So then you have to touch the screen - too much effort for something which should be about requiring *no* effort.

There's only one possible solution to this as far as I can see - to have an always on display. If Apple couldn't figure out how to do this without draining the battery too rapidly, then they shouldn't have released the watch in my opinion - it's crucial for a watch to tell the time as instantly as your eyes look at it. Anything less, and it has failed.

Actually I've noticed mine comes on with very subtle movements. Like even if I slowly, slowly twist my wrist towards my face, the watch pops on.

 

[Armen]

On the whole I'm enjoying using the Apple Watch, but the one thing I'm finding annoying is the one thing the Apple Watch should be good at - showing the time.

The whole point of a wrist watch is to be able to see the time *instantly*, as soon as you look at it. The Apple Watch suffers in two respects here - one, the very slight lag as the watch tries to interpret the accelerometer data. Secondly, the occasional misinterpretation of the accelerometer data - a very obvious twist or jerk of the wrist will mostly always switch the display on, but more subtle movements don't. So then you have to touch the screen - too much effort for something which should be about requiring *no* effort.

There's only one possible solution to this as far as I can see - to have an always on display. If Apple couldn't figure out how to do this without draining the battery too rapidly, then they shouldn't have released the watch in my opinion - it's crucial for a watch to tell the time as instantly as your eyes look at it. Anything less, and it has failed.

My screen lights up as soon as I turn my wrist to look so not sure what you are experiencing. no jerking, shaking required. Heck, it even lights up at a slight turn.

 

[KPOM]

My guess is that as the technology improves, Apple will add some sort of "always on" time display, but for now that's one of the limits of trying to operate a mobile device with a battery 1/10 the size of that of a phone battery.

 

[rdrr]

Smart watches are not primarily intended to show the time, it is a screen for notifications from your phone. If your main purpose is telling time with your watch get a real watch and not a smart watch.

You really believe that? Jesus, talk about being a blind apple fan, and having your head buried in the sand. And the smart phone not being able to make a call would be acceptable?

Since watch is in the name, I would say telling time should be a primary function for the apple watch.

 

[powerbook911]

I believe there is some validity in this. Hopefully, things will get better with time, or we will get use to it being this way.

 

[Steviejobz]

The watch is bad at many things. But it's made by Apple so everyone will make an excuse for it or give them a pass because it's a first gen. If this were any other company it would be laughable and immediately discarded.

If you're at your desk have your arms just parallel you have to shake your arm to tell the time. I don't know what the solution is since it's electronic and battery life is a concern so it can't always be on. But selling a watch that's bad at telling time is a joke.

 

[Che Castro]

The watch is bad at many things. But it's made by Apple so everyone will make an excuse for it or give them a pass because it's a first gen. If this were any other company it would be laughable and immediately discarded.

If you're at your desk have your arms just parallel you have to shake your arm to tell the time. I don't know what the solution is since it's electronic and battery life is a concern so it can't always be on. But selling a watch that's bad at telling time is a joke.

You can also tap the screen

 

[leenak]

The watch is bad at many things. But it's made by Apple so everyone will make an excuse for it or give them a pass because it's a first gen. If this were any other company it would be laughable and immediately discarded.

If you're at your desk have your arms just parallel you have to shake your arm to tell the time. I don't know what the solution is since it's electronic and battery life is a concern so it can't always be on. But selling a watch that's bad at telling time is a joke.

You don't have to shake your arm to tell time, you just have to have it face you.

I understand why it isn't always on but if people aren't comfortable with first gen products, then they should return it.

 

[BD1]

My screen lights up as soon as I turn my wrist to look so not sure what you are experiencing.

Same here. From some of the early reviews like from Gruber, I thought this might be an issue. Works well for me 99% of the time.

 

[Sodner]

I'll take a beautiful bright crisp pic of Mickey tapping his foot away and telling me the time in the split second it takes to pop up over the ugly e-reader screens of the always on pebble.

 

[0007776]

You really believe that? Jesus, talk about being a blind apple fan, and having your head buried in the sand. And the smart phone not being able to make a call would be acceptable?

Since watch is in the name, I would say telling time should be a primary function for the apple watch.

How is criticizing an apple product and saying that it isn't right for a lot of people including myself being a blind apple fan?

 

[Newbie67]

I noticed if you changed wrist from right to left or vice versa and skip changing the wrist side under orientation settings you will get a lag and less than optimal performance. Seems like apple engineered the accelerometer to appreciate the movement difference between wrists.

 

[Liberachi86]

And the iPhone takes a bit longer than a flip phone to get to the keypad and place a phone call. These smart devices are designed to do a lot more than their traditional task. These 1 second delays are the trade off for having more features

 

[Mac128guy]

On the whole I'm enjoying using the Apple Watch, but the one thing I'm finding annoying is the one thing the Apple Watch should be good at - showing the time.

The whole point of a wrist watch is to be able to see the time *instantly*, as soon as you look at it. The Apple Watch suffers in two respects here - one, the very slight lag as the watch tries to interpret the accelerometer data. Secondly, the occasional misinterpretation of the accelerometer data - a very obvious twist or jerk of the wrist will mostly always switch the display on, but more subtle movements don't. So then you have to touch the screen - too much effort for something which should be about requiring *no* effort.

There's only one possible solution to this as far as I can see - to have an always on display. If Apple couldn't figure out how to do this without draining the battery too rapidly, then they shouldn't have released the watch in my opinion - it's crucial for a watch to tell the time as instantly as your eyes look at it. Anything less, and it has failed.

So, this is the exact reason I did not order the Apple Watch. For me, a guy who wears a watch every day, time is the #1 most important feature, then notifications. I really wish there was an Always On mode with a power saving monochrome screen. I have a Pebble and love the fact that the screen is always on so I can easily glance at the time without moving my wrist (like when I'm typing!).

 

[firewood]

I plan to rotate my wrist twice. The first time to wake up the watch, the second for me to look at the time. In a meeting or dinner the first flick can be hidden in a gesture to pick up a memo or touch my coffee cup or wine glass.

 

[Armen]

I plan to rotate my wrist twice. The first time to wake up the watch, the second for me to look at the time. In a meeting or dinner the first flick can be hidden in a gesture to pick up a memo or touch my coffee cup or wine glass.

It's not that complicated.Even the slightest rotation should light up the screen. Try restarting your watch.

 

[KPOM]

So, this is the exact reason I did not order the Apple Watch. For me, a guy who wears a watch every day, time is the #1 most important feature, then notifications. I really wish there was an Always On mode with a power saving monochrome screen. I have a Pebble and love the fact that the screen is always on so I can easily glance at the time without moving my wrist (like when I'm typing!).

It's taking a little getting used to, but the raise arm feature tends to work pretty well. It's like what Gruber said in his review at Daring Fireball. It isn't perfect, but it's about 90% there. Perhaps by Gen 2 or Gen 3 it won't be necessary. Some Android Wear watches have always on, but then again, not all of them use OLED screens, and most of them have batteries that are 50% larger (or more) than the battery in the Apple Watch.