AW S watch untethered?

[matt9013]

Anyone think the AW S if it is real will cater to none iPhone users? I really want an AW but I must be the only Apple fan without an Iphone. I have a samsung galaxy S3 that is going very strong after all these years and not looking to get a new monthly plan.

I have an Ipad which I could use the AW with but in truth I don't need to make/receive calls. It would be cool if Apple made the AW for iPads or none iPhone users. I'd still be able to use native apps, fitness tracking, bluetooth music, watch face etc without the need of a phone.

 

[douglasf13]

Anyone think the AW S if it is real will cater to none iPhone users? I really want an AW but I must be the only Apple fan without an Iphone. I have a samsung galaxy S3 that is going very strong after all these years and not looking to get a new monthly plan.

I have an Ipad which I could use the AW with but in truth I don't need to make/receive calls. It would be cool if Apple made the AW for iPads or none iPhone users. I'd still be able to use native apps, fitness tracking, bluetooth music, watch face etc without the need of a phone.

The iPhone is still far and away Apple's bread and butter, and, above anything else, that's what they want you to buy. I think it will be a long time before the Watch syncs with another phone, if ever.

 

[jasie02]

AW will never work with non-Apple product. Apple never has any interested to nominate 100% of smart watch market, if that even possible. This IS an advantage from revenue point of view for Apple, so anyone want a AW MUST have iPhone for now.

As far as working with iPad, it is possible in the future, but will be very long future. Apple still has a long way to go on watchOS development point of view to refine AW become a true capable extension of iPhone, specially on getting 3rd party app display/switch/refresh faster, or more independent with direct wifi connection. Some of issue are related to HW restriction, but most of them are SW, let it be how watchOS work or 3rd party app development not improve fast enough. Just look at how fast native watchOS app open vs 90%+ of 3rd party app. There is still room to improve, just on the model as iPhone extension. Adding another device will only make thing more complicate.

Then there is "as extension" of iPad point of view. If AW is an extension of iPad, I just could not imaging anyone will carry their iPad Air, iPad Pro, or even iPad Mini with them ALL the time, so their AW will work WELL outside of house.
Imaging anyone only has iPad pro...
You have to own a AW for awhile to understand this point.

As far as stand along AW, it will probably never happen, since fundamentally you really could not manage AW by itself on that tiny tiny screen without "usable" keyboard, unlike iPhone. Apple does not release a patch product/solution will not work well for majority of people, and we will likely never see a keyboard on the 2" screen, release by Apple, not going to happen from Apple.

 

[matt9013]

The iPhone is still far and away Apple's bread and butter, and, above anything else, that's what they want you to buy. I think it will be a long time before the Watch syncs with another phone, if ever.

I don't want it to sync with another phone. I just want to use native apps, watch faces/complications, bluetooth for music etc. No need for an Iphone to set it up etc or allow an Ipad to set it up and than just use it without it being tethered to anything.

I know Apple will never allow them to work with a none Apple product but I wish it could still work standalone.

 

[jasie02]

I don't want it to sync with another phone. I just want to use native apps, watch faces/complications, bluetooth for music etc. No need for an Iphone to set it up etc or allow an Ipad to set it up and than just use it without it being tethered to anything.

I know Apple will never allow them to work with a none Apple product but I wish it could still work standalone.

Apple also does not like to release product only use half of feature for some people.
They are always about complete experience. Apple is never interested on covered all the user, like Samsung or MS or others, they ALWAYS want their user to have full experience on Apple product.
Get an iPhone, solve your problem.

 

[Thai]

Anyone think the AW S if it is real will cater to none iPhone users? I really want an AW but I must be the only Apple fan without an Iphone. I have a samsung galaxy S3 that is going very strong after all these years and not looking to get a new monthly plan.

I have an Ipad which I could use the AW with but in truth I don't need to make/receive calls. It would be cool if Apple made the AW for iPads or none iPhone users. I'd still be able to use native apps, fitness tracking, bluetooth music, watch face etc without the need of a phone.

Why not just get Huawei Watch? Or a Fitbit or Garmin?

 

[zhenya]

The AW would only provide a fraction of its utility without an iPhone.

 

[matt9013]

Why not just get Huawei Watch? Or a Fitbit or Garmin?

I'm getting the Fitbit Blaze but I love the AW bands and faces more than anything. If another watch gave me the customization that AW does I'd get that instead but even the Galaxy Gear doesn't come close to what Apple offers.

 

[pika2000]

Get the Moto 360 if it's available where you are. I have one, and its round face attract attentions like no other, to the point most people thought it is the Apple watch.

 

[BarracksSi]

The AW would only provide a fraction of its utility without an iPhone.

True. It's tied so tightly to iOS, too, I don't see it being able to get its hooks into an Android Wear device (which would also need to have certain hardware and software, unless we expect Apple to support every Android Wear device out there).

Let's say that an Watch is eventually made to operate fully without an iPhone. How will it work?

How can you browse for apps?

How will you type a text response? Are you really going to want to have Siri take dictation all the time?

If it adds a camera, won't you want to write a post on Facebook with the pic? Shouldn't you be able to crop it, or at least make sure it's in focus? Will you dictate the text out loud while sitting at Starbucks? How about around drinks in a noisy bar on Friday night?

What about the Weather app? Do you want to add another location, like where your parents live?

C'mon, this idea of a fully untethered smartwatch seems more and more awkward as I think it through. I can do a lot of things on it, but it's no smartphone replacement.

 

[Armen]

Get the Moto 360 if it's available where you are. I have one, and its round face attract attentions like no other, to the point most people thought it is the Apple watch.

I'm not sure which Moto 360 you have (maybe the new one?) because the ones I've seen in person are bulky and cheap looking and could not be mistaken for an Apple watch.

 

[pika2000]

I'm not sure which Moto 360 you have (maybe the new one?) because the ones I've seen in person are bulky and cheap looking and could not be mistaken for an Apple watch.

There are bulkier regular watches out there, and to some extend, that is kinda the trend right now.
The biggest selling point is the almost bezel-less round face. And boy, it is not cheap looking at all, unlike the Asus/Samsung watches. I have the leather and metal band, and they look great. I'm an Apple fan, but I prefer the round face vs AW's square face. And personally, I actually think the Apple Watch Sport (which is what most people bought that I have seen) looks cheaper. Its square face makes it look like any "fitness tracker."

Every single person that asked me about my M0to 360 started by asking "is that the Apple watch?" Actually this is good for the Apple brand as this means people are equating smartwatch to Apple (like tissue to Kleenex).

 

[Thai]

There are bulkier regular watches out there, and to some extend, that is kinda the trend right now.
The biggest selling point is the almost bezel-less round face. And boy, it is not cheap looking at all, unlike the Asus/Samsung watches. I have the leather and metal band, and they look great. I'm an Apple fan, but I prefer the round face vs AW's square face. And personally, I actually think the Apple Watch Sport (which is what most people bought that I have seen) looks cheaper. Its square face makes it look like any "fitness tracker."

Every single person that asked me about my M0to 360 started by asking "is that the Apple watch?" Actually this is good for the Apple brand as this means people are equating smartwatch to Apple (like tissue to Kleenex).

Sorry flat tire kills it for me...rushed product x 2 generations! It is round is about the only argument you can make. Plastic back. Where the band attacks to body is cheap. Poor fitness due to horrible heart rate sensor accuracy. Poor Android Wear...i used one recently...OMG, horrible interface. If you have Gen1, then that processor is just bad.

 

[Newtons Apple]

I'm getting the Fitbit Blaze but I love the AW bands and faces more than anything. If another watch gave me the customization that AW does I'd get that instead but even the Galaxy Gear doesn't come close to what Apple offers.

I got the Blaze preordered too and look forward to seeing what is can do.

 

[JayLenochiniMac]

Sorry flat tire kills it for me...rushed product x 2 generations! It is round is about the only argument you can make. Plastic back. Where the band attacks to body is cheap. Poor fitness due to horrible heart rate sensor accuracy. Poor Android Wear...i used one recently...OMG, horrible interface. If you have Gen1, then that processor is just bad.

Not to mention the tacky gold ring around the crown that doesn't coordinate well with the body color. This part alone screams "I'm cheap!"

 

[canvasback13]

adding GPS will help the sales to the casual runners. Competitors like garmin, tom tom, and Polar sell a ton of watches. GPS is basic function on all those watches that start at a much lower price. Many offer music. They let you leave the iPhone at home.

The serious runners will still use dedicated running watches, but the market for the casual runner is much much larger. Not that many people train for marathons and triathalons.

I know the AW is much more than an activity tracker, but it should still be competitve at those functions.

I have been waiting for Gen 2, and hope it adds gps and faster processor.

 

[jasie02]

adding GPS will help the sales to the casual runners. Competitors like garmin, tom tom, and Polar sell a ton of watches. GPS is basic function on all those watches that start at a much lower price. Many offer music. They let you leave the iPhone at home.

Garmin, tom tom, and Polar are NOT AW competitors. They are fitness tracker with clock, not smart watch. A smart watch need to be smart, which means can grow in new app in future. There is very little to no app eco system for them to grow outside of fitness tracker. They do very watch for what function is giving by the maker, but almost no growth in the future.
They are semi-smart, not smart enough.

Apple could give you a good fitness tracker and not allow 3rd party app at all, do you want that?
Not me. If I want to very accurate fitness tracker, I wear my fitbit/jawbone. But I exercise no more than 1-2 hrs a day, and for the rest of day, I could care less how accurate my step or calories burns are, when I am not really exercise.

 

[zhenya]

I disagree that fitness watches are not AW competitors. I bought a Garmin because the AW was not ready for prime time as a running watch. I've since been given an AW and use it from time to time for running. While it's still not quite there, there's no question that in the long run the AW will be a better option for most people as it's a more complete device and gives people the option to use the exercise ecosystem of their choosing. Right now in the running world there are a ton of people who are choosing Garmins/Fitbits/etc who would rather have an AW if it was complete.

 

[canvasback13]

Garmin, tom tom, and Polar are NOT AW competitors. They are fitness tracker with clock, not smart watch.

They are competitors. Not as much as samsung and pebble, but they are. Garmin has added emails, texts, music, and custom faces to their watches. Apple probably does it much better, but they are clearly in the smart watch game now. They are becoming more than running watches and fitness trackers, although that is their core function. They are obviously trying to protect market share from apple. In the year apple watch came out, Garmin still grew watch sales 60%.

The fitness market is huge, apple can take a ton of market share from those guys if they get to the same level as the fitness watchers for athletes. I want them to.

I agree with you, those competitors lack the app ecosystem and that is what defines the apple experience.
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there are a ton of people who are choosing Garmins/Fitbits/etc who would rather have an AW if it was complete.

Well said, i am one of them who has held out for apple to get on par in the fitness dept. Its hard to buy the AW when many other companies do the fitness stuff so much better. Apple will fix this quick. They want a big piece of that market.

 

[jasie02]

They are competitors. Not as much as samsung and pebble, but they are. Garmin has added emails, texts, music, and custom faces to their watches. Apple probably does it much better, but they are clearly in the smart watch game now. They are becoming more than running watches and fitness trackers, although that is their core function. They are obviously trying to protect market share from apple. In the year apple watch came out, Garmin still grew watch sales 60%.

The fitness market is huge, apple can take a ton of market share from those guys if they get to the same level as the fitness watchers for athletes. I want them to.

I agree with you, those competitors lack the app ecosystem and that is what defines the apple experience.

I have to disagree, I have both, and fitness tracker will never replace smartphone.
It just could not do a lot of thing AW could do.

If they are competitor, why there is no data of revenue or shipment comparison?
If you know where is data, could you provide a link?

Added: By the way, would you consider bicycle dealer and car dealer are competitors, because people use them for transportation to work? How about energy bar maker and beef rancher, are they competitors, because some people use them as main daily energy source? How about hotel chain and real estate broker, are they competitors, because they sell place for people to sleep for at least one night?
When most analysis consider competitors, they think same markets. If they are not in the same market, they are not competitors. Markets could overlap with each other, and it happen all the time in real life, but most of analysis will not consider them as competitors, if not in same market.

 

[canvasback13]

it wouldn't replace a smart phone, I am saying garmin watch sales do impact apple watch sales. Watches like a Garmin Fenix have some similar

I have to disagree, I have both, and fitness tracker will never replace smartphone.
It just could not do a lot of thing AW could do.

If they are competitor, why there is no data of revenue or shipment comparison?
If you know where is data, could you provide a link?

Agree 100% that fitness trackers would never replace a smart phone, never said they would. I said they compete with the apple watch.

There is revenue comparisons everywhere for the wearable category.

 

[jasie02]

There is revenue comparisons everywhere for the wearable category.

That is a big category. If (or maybe existed already ) someone create an electronic underwear for some wired reason, or something "wearable" for same "purpose", would you consider they are also in "wearable" category?

 

[zhenya]

I have to disagree, I have both, and fitness tracker will never replace smartphone.
It just could not do a lot of thing AW could do.

If they are competitor, why there is no data of revenue or shipment comparison?
If you know where is data, could you provide a link?

Added: By the way, would you consider bicycle dealer and car dealer are competitors, because people use them for transportation to work? How about energy bar maker and beef rancher, are they competitors, because some people use them as main daily energy source? How about hotel chain and real estate broker, are they competitors, because they sell place for people to sleep for at least one night?
When most analysis consider competitors, they think same markets. If they are not in the same market, they are not competitors. Markets could overlap with each other, and it happen all the time in real life, but most of analysis will not consider them as competitors, if not in same market.

Based on what you are saying here I have a feeling you don't follow the wearable market that closely. All those players you've mentioned are petrified of what Apple will eventually do because they are definitely a risk to swallow up nearly all the profits.

Yes, Garmin makes a better fitness watch than Apple right now, but they've been doing it for years and they are focusing on one thing. Apple is pretty darn close in their first iteration where fitness was really an afterthought. There is no question that once the battery life and UI concerns are taken care of many current fitness watch owners will switch to Apple.

 

[jasie02]

Based on what you are saying here I have a feeling you don't follow the wearable market that closely. All those players you've mentioned are petrified of what Apple will eventually do because they are definitely a risk to swallow up nearly all the profits.

Yes, Garmin makes a better fitness watch than Apple right now, but they've been doing it for years and they are focusing on one thing. Apple is pretty darn close in their first iteration where fitness was really an afterthought. There is no question that once the battery life and UI concerns are taken care of many current fitness watch owners will switch to Apple.

I know I am not the expert as you.
Could you forward your published article link so we could all review and better follow up with wearable market, like you?

 

[zhenya]

I know I am not the expert as you.
Could you forward your published article link so we could all review and better follow up with wearable market, like you?

All you have to do is read the articles with every new device release. It's pretty obvious.

You are effectively saying that point and shoot digital camera and mp3 player manufacturers had nothing to worry about when the iPhone was released.