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Der Keyser

macrumors 6502
Original poster
Aug 18, 2016
258
193
Hmm, perhaps it’s just Apple that thinks its time I start considering getting a AW4 when it’s out, but WatchOS4 has been a real bummer for me. 4.0 was borderline useless in speed and 4.1 did very little to help. The real help came with 4.2 that speeded the watch up considerably and made it usefull again (not 3.2.3 by a long shot, but usefull). But these last updates has really killed it again. Specially 4.2.5 and 4.2.6 send it back to abyssmal speed.
Fx: It now takes 10 sec+ to be able to scroll in activity after launching it. I can’t start workouts the first 8-10 sec of the program being active - it just does not register pressing the screen. I use Downcast a lot and it used to work fairly well. But now it’s hopeless. I have to plan ahead by launching it 15 sek before use - otherwise it does not respond to interaction.

Is that just me, or are you seeing the same trend?
 

Kald9299

macrumors newbie
Oct 12, 2017
1
0
I didn’t get my series 2 until after 4.0 but it’s been terribly slow since I got it. I haven’t noticed that intermittent updates have made a difference, either for the better or worse.

It’s the same for me where it takes 10 or more seconds to start a workout after opening the app. Frustrating but not worth the cost of getting a s3 at the moment. I’ll see what the aw4 brings or maybe look for a second hand s3 at that time.
 

Der Keyser

macrumors 6502
Original poster
Aug 18, 2016
258
193
I didn’t get my series 2 until after 4.0 but it’s been terribly slow since I got it. I haven’t noticed that intermittent updates have made a difference, either for the better or worse.

It’s the same for me where it takes 10 or more seconds to start a workout after opening the app. Frustrating but not worth the cost of getting a s3 at the moment. I’ll see what the aw4 brings or maybe look for a second hand s3 at that time.
Yeah, they should look into planned obsolecense here, because the watch ran really really good on 3.2.3 and suddenly ... BADABING... it’s slow as molasses (coincidentally the same time as AW3 released).
Boy I wish I could downgrade to 3.2.3 again....
 
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CJM

macrumors 68000
May 7, 2005
1,582
1,168
U.K.
Yeah I’ve been living with a slow Series 2 for a while now and six months after WatchOS 4, we’re at the point where one can reasonably expect any .0 release’s teething issues to be ironed out. Has anyone used 4.3 beta and can comment on its performance?

I found a blog post that has aggregated a bunch of the complaints but doesn’t offer any resolution either, but read it to see further confirmation on the existence of a problem.

I suppose this is a case where we just have to put up or shut up, and can’t involve the warranty somehow? I mean, a product isn’t behaving how it did when I bought it, does that count?
 

Neodym

macrumors 68020
Jul 5, 2002
2,488
1,114
Either the S2 aged less gracefully than S0 or people are already spoiled from the progress the Apple Watch has seen over the first iterations. Reinforces me to take a close look at the AW4 this year ...
 

Der Keyser

macrumors 6502
Original poster
Aug 18, 2016
258
193
honestly I don’t think it’s the hardware. That’s clearly very capable from the 3.2.3 experience. It’s more Apple’s descision to have the Series1/2 be a intermediary “bump” best forgotten between launching the watch and getting it to what they want the watch to be (Series3 as a taste and probably series4 as the first “real” watch from them”).
They have very clearly decided to move WatchOS “ahead” of the hardware in API and under the hood features to be ready for the next-gen hardware. The price of that is a bloated OS way to heavy for S1/S2 hardware.
 

xDKP

macrumors 68020
Feb 27, 2011
2,481
2,626
Denmark
honestly I don’t think it’s the hardware. That’s clearly very capable from the 3.2.3 experience. It’s more Apple’s descision to have the Series1/2 be a intermediary “bump” best forgotten between launching the watch and getting it to what they want the watch to be (Series3 as a taste and probably series4 as the first “real” watch from them”).
They have very clearly decided to move WatchOS “ahead” of the hardware in API and under the hood features to be ready for the next-gen hardware. The price of that is a bloated OS way to heavy for S1/S2 hardware.

Might be correct with the prioritizing the future experience for the S3 - it's selling like hot cakes according to Tim, so makes sense... They should just disable some stuff then, if the experience is bad on our S2 watches...

I would have upgraded if they offered the LTE / Stainless Steel version in Denmark, but they don't... So when they don't even offer me a solid upgrade option, it's pretty bad to slow down my current watch...

Well it's not THAT bad to be honest and I'm fine with it until they have LTE / SS watches on sale here in Denmark - might be ready for S4
 

CJM

macrumors 68000
May 7, 2005
1,582
1,168
U.K.
A supposed 'fix' that has worked well for me so far is to disable the 'Connect to gym equipment' setting either on the Watch itself or the Watch app on the iPhone. On the phone app, it's under the Workout settings menu. I've done that, restarted the watch and for the last couple of days its been a lot more responsive.
 

Luigi3

macrumors regular
Aug 11, 2012
107
13
A supposed 'fix' that has worked well for me so far is to disable the 'Connect to gym equipment' setting either on the Watch itself or the Watch app on the iPhone. On the phone app, it's under the Workout settings menu. I've done that, restarted the watch and for the last couple of days its been a lot more responsive.

Placebo. I turned it off and didn't help.
Yeah, overall watchOS4 is for S3, I suppose. Series 2 is super sluggish, especially during workout without iPhone. Running with GPS + Music is putting AW through the hoops - raise to wake takes 3-4 seconds, animations of running guy is laggy, switching to music is super slow. I'm wondering how Music works in S3 since I read that this is easy replacement for iPod. on S2 browsing Music is slow, not to say during workout.

For lag when starting Workouts app there's a weird fix: open app, go back by tapping crown and open again.
 

ISKOTB

macrumors 65816
Aug 6, 2011
1,028
219
Florida
I was about to go back to my regular watch with 4.2 but about a week ago I just upgraded to 4.3/b6 and the watch is a lot better.​

"I don't encourage anyone to use any beta software"
 
Last edited:

Solver

macrumors 65816
Jan 6, 2004
1,230
3,205
USA
watchOS 4.0 was terribly sluggish on my Apple Watch 1. watchOS 4.3 (beta) is back to working as expected, with those extra features. :)
 

danny842003

macrumors 68000
Jun 6, 2017
1,968
2,252
I have found restarting my watch daily is helping a little.
I keep getting issues with it slowing down so much as to not recognise touch gestures promptly.
 

Luigi3

macrumors regular
Aug 11, 2012
107
13
I have found restarting my watch daily is helping a little.
I keep getting issues with it slowing down so much as to not recognise touch gestures promptly.

Yup, restarting works, kinda. But it's still ridiculous that I need to do that.
 
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