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Apple Watch Will Allow Left-Handed Users to Choose Interface Orientation
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The original Apple II game paddles only had a fire button on one side. It was hard to hold upside-down.
Your screen was off center by a couple pixels and the gradient was all wrong. Let me fit that.
Apple Watch as a gift
Until it's known (and felt – hands-on) why Apple's design places the wheel above the button, I should refrain from gifting an Apple Watch to any right-handed person who does not already wear a watch on their left wrist; or to anyone who might be not suitably dextrous with their right hand.
(I don't have the money for such gifts. That's just a thought, from the perspective of someone who might receive such a gift. Please see below …)
I'm right-handed and a wearer of wristwatches on the right.
I tried the left wrist, more than once, years ago, it felt alien/intrusive.
Big thanks to douglasf13 for being maybe the first person to steer readers towards a relatively authoritative source of information. I tried the following:
I wouldn't describe it as freaking out.
Apple's historic introduction to the product was a little careless – portraying its most personal device ever solely from the perspective of people who are right-handed. It's not unreasonable for a proportion of the other part of the population to wonder whether they're treated as second-class from a human interface perspective.
It's puzzling, and the presentation by Apple was somewhat screwy in its failure to address e.g. left-handed people, but I think it's too soon to label the hardware and/or software as screwed-up.
Personally, I don't hate Apple. But I am critical of some things
For linking to something that answered my question (Apple Watch: the most personal device ever created by Apple, for one wrist only?):
Until it's known (and felt – hands-on) why Apple's design places the wheel above the button, I should refrain from gifting an Apple Watch to any right-handed person who does not already wear a watch on their left wrist; or to anyone who might be not suitably dextrous with their right hand.
(I don't have the money for such gifts. That's just a thought, from the perspective of someone who might receive such a gift. Please see below …)
I'm right-handed and a wearer of wristwatches on the right.
I tried the left wrist, more than once, years ago, it felt alien/intrusive.
Big thanks to douglasf13 for being maybe the first person to steer readers towards a relatively authoritative source of information. I tried the following:
- http://appleinsider.com/search/watch+left+handed/
- Apple Watch is first device category developed under Tim Cook, took years to complete (2014-09-09)
- Apple Watch: first impressions of Cupertino's new wearable (2014-09-09)
I wouldn't describe it as freaking out.
Apple's historic introduction to the product was a little careless – portraying its most personal device ever solely from the perspective of people who are right-handed. It's not unreasonable for a proportion of the other part of the population to wonder whether they're treated as second-class from a human interface perspective.
It's puzzling, and the presentation by Apple was somewhat screwy in its failure to address e.g. left-handed people, but I think it's too soon to label the hardware and/or software as screwed-up.
Personally, I don't hate Apple. But I am critical of some things
For linking to something that answered my question (Apple Watch: the most personal device ever created by Apple, for one wrist only?):
- a big +1 to Cyborgeek
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I'm right handed and wear my watch on my right wrist., it doesn't feel natural on the left!!!
looks gorgeous to me... seems everyone is complaining about how bulky it is...to me it looks like it's the right "bulk" -it's right in the middle of being a "dress watch" and a tag heuer ...
Not on the Pebble Watch you can't - not and have the buttons work properly.
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Nope
I thought maybe they were referring to the crown wheel rotating the wrong way when turned upside down. But it appears not, they were referring to it being at the bottom. I don't see that as an issue at all unless there are operations that require the use of both buttons at the same time.
It has not been mentioned if the direction of crown wheel operation changes to match orientation, but I assume it does as it is a software issue.
I think there can be a huge spread between people who know something about watches (e.g. why a $1000 watch is better that a $50 watch) and those who only know about smart watches (e.g. I can't decide between a Casio and a Timex). Apple will be successful because their watch is targeted to the first group. That's why they called it Apple Watch and not iWatch. In that respect, perhaps Switzerland should be paying attention.
Edit: I should add that I'm part of both groups, in that I know the difference but can only afford a Timex, but I'll be saving up for a second gen Apple Watch. And this is how they'll be successful with the second group.
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The crown being on the top or bottom doesn't seem like it matters at all. If anything, on the bottom seems easier to reach. I'm surprised they did not just place it in the middle.
Nope, lefty here and I've always worn my watches on my right wrist since I was very young. This digital crown dial on the right side of the device it seems would be very difficult to use with your left hand. They need a left handed version where the digital crown is on the left side.
Please don't judge stuff until you can actually try it out.
So you have worn the watch? You know that it is bulky to wear? You were at the press conference? Otherwise... Until you wear it and try it out... your opinion is false.
So you have worn the watch? You know that it is bulky to wear? You were at the press conference? Otherwise... Until you wear it and try it out... your opinion is false.
The Horror of 2 Buttons are Too Much...NOT!!!
1. I have an Apple TV and a Fire TV... I can tell you I wish Apple had added an additional Home Button to the remote instead of hitting menu multiple times to get to the home screen (like Fire TV Remote has)
2. I feel symmetry is a Non-Issue. If it works... then it's a good thing.
3. Try meditation every day, such Non-Issue's as a 2nd button ruining the Symmetry will fade away from your concerns.
1. I have an Apple TV and a Fire TV... I can tell you I wish Apple had added an additional Home Button to the remote instead of hitting menu multiple times to get to the home screen (like Fire TV Remote has)
2. I feel symmetry is a Non-Issue. If it works... then it's a good thing.
3. Try meditation every day, such Non-Issue's as a 2nd button ruining the Symmetry will fade away from your concerns.
You can't adapt to what you haven't used
"Originally Posted by MacRumors View Post
However, left-handed users will still be required to adapt to the Digital Crown input on the Apple Watch, which is on the bottom left side when the device is worn on the correct wrist."
Now how does one Adapt to something that they didn't have to use differently in the first place? A lefty picks it up, puts it on the wrist they want and are now learning to use it for the first time. BOOM!!!
Of course if you want to make the point... Then Righty's will have to 'Adapt' to using the Digital Crown as well. (The Pain... The Pain!!!)
"Originally Posted by MacRumors View Post
However, left-handed users will still be required to adapt to the Digital Crown input on the Apple Watch, which is on the bottom left side when the device is worn on the correct wrist."
Now how does one Adapt to something that they didn't have to use differently in the first place? A lefty picks it up, puts it on the wrist they want and are now learning to use it for the first time. BOOM!!!
Of course if you want to make the point... Then Righty's will have to 'Adapt' to using the Digital Crown as well. (The Pain... The Pain!!!)
Were there really people who were worried about this? It was obvious this is what Apple would have to do. I'm a lefty (who wears watches on the right wrist) and them allowing the flipping of the orientation is the first thing I thought of when I saw how the stem is used. I'm sure it's one of the first things they thought of as well when designing it.
I did for a while. Then I got a nice watch with a little size to it. Naturally, I wore it to work a lot. Whenever I took notes (this is pre-iPad days, mind you) I would notice it would catch onto the page or something else as I wrote. Drove me nuts. Switched to the right wrist and now it's impossible for me to think about a watch on my left wrist. The only issue was that using the crown meant I had to take the watch off most times, not a huge deal since my watch was a mechanical self winder. The Watch will be the first watch with a crown I will own where the crown is on the left side. (Yes there are lefty versions of watches, but they all suck, or are REALLY expensive.)
Same here. I always assumed this is why most people wear watches on their opposite wrist. It's annoying for me to write when I'm wearing a watch on the same side.
That's why it was a little surprising that they didn't mention lefty usage at all in the keynote. Lefties are something like 10% of the population but probably that percentage is much much higher for people who work at Apple or use Apple products (for work).
Left handed user adapt?
"However, left-handed users will still be required to adapt to the Digital Crown input on the Apple Watch"
This comment makes no sense. "adapt" implies having to adjust. From what? If they were used to using the Crown on top and had to CHANGE to the bottom, then they would have to adapt. But they never used it on the top to begin with. In the same irrational reasoning, righties will have to adapt to the Crown on the top.
Do you ever reread your comments or bounce it off someone else first?
"However, left-handed users will still be required to adapt to the Digital Crown input on the Apple Watch"
This comment makes no sense. "adapt" implies having to adjust. From what? If they were used to using the Crown on top and had to CHANGE to the bottom, then they would have to adapt. But they never used it on the top to begin with. In the same irrational reasoning, righties will have to adapt to the Crown on the top.
Do you ever reread your comments or bounce it off someone else first?