AWU2 kinda pointless?

[JohnRckr]

Hey guys..
I bought AWU2 two months ago as my first apple watch, and ever since I am struggling to like them and make use of them. Now, I am not a sedantary type and a move quite a lot, but it's not like AW is making my workouts any better, I perform the same because I know what to do. Is there something I am missing? It feels more like nuisance to start workout every time I work out only to have it logged so that my number in Fitness app do not suck...
Next thing are the sensors.. heart beat sensor - sure. But blood oxygen sensor? I never needed it, and won't need unless I have some kind of emergency, same for ECG, or is there something I can do with this data?

For real I don't understand it, everything the watch does I can do on my phone, and the sensors and mostly never needer. Or is there something I am missing here? What are your use cases? Need some inspiration maybe. Thanks

 

[arkitect]

@JohnRckr

I completely understand your frustration.

I have tried out 3 different models of Apple Watch over the years and always ended up returning them, for exactly the reasons you set out.
What does an Apple Watch actually add to my workflow/life/leisure?

During Amazon's Black Friday sales I got a very good deal on the Ultra 2 and thought oh well. Let's try it out again.

Firstly it feels more like my vintage watches — much better than the black slabs of glass the other watches always seemed to be.
I like how it looks and feels. So that is at least in its favour.

But, apart from it just being a watch, I am left with the same dilemma as before.

In the gym I still strap a heart rate monitor to my chest because the Apple Watch heart rate is very laggy and pretty useless for HIT stuff. Whereas the Polar strap is bang on accurate and responsive.

Even paying with ApplePay is easier with my iPhone as I find it awkward to push up my sleeves (especially in witer) and then reach for the NFC reader that are often in awkward spots — or the readers on the London Tube are on the right hand side… The iPhone just works better.

The much vaunted double tap/pinch feature is pretty useless.

I will probably keep this one… I have until next Thursday to return it.

It just doesn't do much that my iPhone can't already deliver.

Anyway, I have no answer for you, apart from, yeah, I know exactly what you mean. 🙂

Edit:
Just to add, the battery life is amazing compared to the other Apple Watches.
I charge it every 3 days or so.

 

[JohnRckr]

Yea the battery is pretty good. I am really trying hard to like the watch, but just can’t get to it..
I find step counter very useful but dont need 800$ watch for that.. Might sell it soon, I really dont know, it is more of a nuisance than valuable addition.

 

[stanza.richi]

AW is, in my opinion, a tool that could be useful for someone and useless for some other one. I picked up an Ultra 2 after 2 years of only mechanical watches and I find it useful to keep myself motivate with physical activities. And I use it to collect my runs, finding it comfortable with LTE and long battery life.

Each one of us is different, if you find it pointless return or sell it

 

[Jackbequickly]

Yea the battery is pretty good. I am really trying hard to like the watch, but just can’t get to it..
I find step counter very useful but dont need 800$ watch for that.. Might sell it soon, I really dont know, it is more of a nuisance than valuable addition.

Apple Watches are not for everyone. Don't like it, return it and go mechanical or no watch at all.

They might be pointless for you but Apple Watches are very popular among iPhone users.

 

[mlody]

Hey guys..
I bought AWU2 two months ago as my first apple watch, and ever since I am struggling to like them and make use of them. Now, I am not a sedantary type and a move quite a lot, but it's not like AW is making my workouts any better, I perform the same because I know what to do. Is there something I am missing? It feels more like nuisance to start workout every time I work out only to have it logged so that my number in Fitness app do not suck...
Next thing are the sensors.. heart beat sensor - sure. But blood oxygen sensor? I never needed it, and won't need unless I have some kind of emergency, same for ECG, or is there something I can do with this data?

For real I don't understand it, everything the watch does I can do on my phone, and the sensors and mostly never needer. Or is there something I am missing here? What are your use cases? Need some inspiration maybe. Thanks

You need to open your mind to other features on what the Apple Watch is and how it can benefit you. I never purchased any of my Apple watches with the primary focus on health or fitnes.
My main usage for watch are quick glances/notifications for message, mail, few work relates apps such Teams, HomeKit controls, ApplePay. The health stuff is all secondary and icing on the cake. I don't remember when it was the last time I used iPhone for ApplePay and I exclusively use Apple Pay (where available) since day one. The number of times Apple Watch saves me time by not requiring to pull up my phone is significant and that is what I value it the most.

 

[FreakinEurekan]

To each their own. Since getting an Apple Watch, I need to dig out my phone only occasionally. For me, the main AW features are:

• Notification from apps - I can see messages, emails, app notifications & decide whether to ignore or if it's important enough for immediate action
• Siri - I add things to the grocery list, add reminders, add calendar events
• Weather - glance at the complication tells me whether to grab my coat before taking the dogs out
• Timers - I have a timer complication, set a 13-minute timer for 15-minute breaks or a 55-minute timer for hour lunch
• Apple Pay - use it in stores, at the gas pump, etc and not have to get my phone or wallet out
• Daily schedule - calendar complication shows me what's coming up next, touch it to see the day

It "Does" other things that I use occasionally (e.g. audio controls when listening to a book or podcast, unlocks my Mac automagically, track workouts when I'm in the mood to track them.... oh yeah, tells time too). But the above justify the cost to me.

 

[Abazigal]

I don't really use an Apple Watch for health tracking (except for when it ties in with a health app that lets me earn points for rewards). The features I use mostly are Apple Pay (especially handy for public transport), notifications, Siri, music controls, 1password and 2FA. If I get an ultra watch, it would be for the improved battery life, but my series 5 still gets me through the day.

 

[supremedesigner]

I want to share my positive experience with the Apple Watch Ultra 2. It's not pointless to me at all. In fact, this is my second major Apple Watch purchase since I got my AW4.

I have a profound hearing loss and I rely on the Apple Watch as my alarm clock due to its unlimited alarm modes. The reason I chose it is because of its bigger screen, long-lasting battery life, and keyboard for text messaging, which I find very useful. Additionally, I use it for my workouts to help me stay in shape as best as I can.

 

[Tdude96]

There's nothing wrong with not having buy-in on the watch, Apple watches definitely aren't for everyone, I completely understand.

I got the Series 4, and I didn't like it. I wasn't used to wearing a watch. I didn't need to have the time, I could use my phone for everything I was using the watch for. It was nice to see notifications or heart rate at a glance, but unnecessary. It wasn't until after more than a week of use that it really "clicked" for me. The value to me isn't in the watch itself or how much I use it, but in how much less I have to touch or carry my phone.

Even though at the time it was a GPS (no cellular) watch, I found that I wasn't touching my phone as much or sometimes at all. I could view emails & messages from my wrist, even respond after a fashion if needed. I could take calls, see the time, check on projects, set timers, listen to music or audio books, etc without needing to have my phone on me. I was able to just leave the phone on the nightstand or desk and go about my day around the house or the office freely, staying connected as-needed without feeling it as much as I did with my phone constantly to-hand.

For me, that freedom from the phone was valuable enough to keep the watch, and over time it's become an indispensable item for me.

One big thing is carrying my phone while working out. I hated that, but had to with the s4 & s7, because I needed to get work calls & notifications. AWU2 gives me near-complete independence from my phone. No more carrying it for workouts, and now I could absolutely just leave my phone at home entirely most weekends and never miss it.

I find the watch is essential for fitness tracking over time. I like to see where I've improved and where I'm slacking. I also use it all the time for Apple Pay. I used Apple Pay from my phone exactly once, and it was so inconvenient I never tried it again. Once I got a watch, I began to use Apple Pay almost daily. It's incredibly convenient.

Then you have things like Mac unlocking & bypassing password entry, timers, driving directions by tap, complications for weather & air quality at a glance (which are huge for someone like me who mostly does workouts outdoors), 2FA, and more. It's a very worthwhile device even outside of fitness. I also like the peace of mind that I have functions on it that I'll hopefully never have to use - like fall detection with the ability to call emergency services if I don't respond.

It's useful to control my phone sometimes too. Ever try to find a phone that dropped down underneath a car seat in the dark? Apple Watch helps a lot for that. And sometimes it's the perfect tool for weird use cases. I like to listen to audio books while I fall asleep. Because my cat likes to knock my phone off the nightstand I put my phone in an inaccessible place and use my watch from bed to control the volume and such.

The watch absolutely isn't for everyone, but for me it's an essential.

 

[Sorinut]

You need to open your mind to other features on what the Apple Watch is and how it can benefit you. I never purchased any of my Apple watches with the primary focus on health or fitnes.
My main usage for watch are quick glances/notifications for message, mail, few work relates apps such Teams, HomeKit controls, ApplePay. The health stuff is all secondary and icing on the cake. I don't remember when it was the last time I used iPhone for ApplePay and I exclusively use Apple Pay (where available) since day one. The number of times Apple Watch saves me time by not requiring to pull up my phone is significant and that is what I value it the most.

I've tried using mine for Apple Pay and it's just awkward as I always have to pull up my sleeves and twist my wrist at a weird angle to get it to work... It's easier to just grab my phone.

I've been using Apple Watches since the Series 3, and I just don't use the smart features other than weather at a glance. It's all secondary or tertiary to the fitness stuff, which I consider vastly more interesting and important than anything else the watch offers. I'm probably going back to Garmin for my next watch; they can get notifications just the same as Apple's offerings.

Oh yea, the battery sucks. My fully-charged Series 6 died on a century ride over the summer. It's almost died some of multi-hour trail runs, and it definitely would have if I was using Bluetooth.

 

[TechnoMonk]

What is important to you in fitness and health tracking? Are you looking at immediate feedback on your metrics during workouts? Or are you looking at trends.
I came from almost 15-20 years of Garmin/polar world. It took little bit of time to understand AW, and I would never go back to Garmin or Polar unless I start running Ultras in the mountains. The best part about AW for me is integration with Health, competing with my friends, and trends on all metrics combine. How does my BG level change with my diet and workouts? How does my sleep change with other factors? How does my breaths/min change? Recently I focussed on getting the breaths/min down, I started with around 15/min, and now at 11 per min. With those ch ages my stress levels are down ,much higher energy, and so on. My phone is always on silent/vibrate, I never miss anything.

 

[metapro]

I use my AW 9 so much that I would say the opposite. I almost don’t see the point of an iPhone. The Watch does almost everything that the iPhone does, but without needing to pull it out and possibly fumble or even drop it and then put it back again. For those of you who may not know, you do need to have an iPhone for your Apple Watch meaning that you can’t just own the watch without the phone.

Other than running a bunch of the Shortcuts, I can’t think of what the Watch can’t do that the phone can, although there must be some.

 

[jz0309]

there are plenty threads here discussing this, and what people use their AW for, bottom line, for some AW works fine, for others it doesn't and that is just fine

 

[MauiPa]

I don't think you said anything that is not true for any smart watch - it is just a smart watch, your activity is on you, not the watch.

I have had Apple Watches since the early days when the battery was not adequate. Now I easily go 2 days and charge it when I m in the shower (yah it is water resistant, but why chance it). All the runners I know, have other brands (they do less, but last longer, and that is what they want, and they are happy with it.

These are things I use it for:

1) turn by turn directions
2) Setting timers and alarms
3) a watch - of course
4) Opening Mac
5) ApplePay
6) weather
7) finding iPhone by pinging it (yah silly me, sometimes I can't remember where I put it)
8) emergency phone calls when I don't have phone
9) Tracking my walks/runs
10) ECG (despite that stupid company suing - they think they invented ECGs, naw, they been around awhile)
11) heart rate and blood oxygen
12) Sleep tracking - now that I agree is kinda useless, you go to bed, you wake up, why do I need to track that?
13) playing music when phone is too big to carry around
14) Siri - (directions, timers, alarms, weather, etc). amazes me that you can actually use Siri on such a small device

Some people use it for messaging (it is seriously too small for me to use it for that). Necessary? No. I wouldn't even consider any other brands until they get even remotely as closely integrated to other devices

 

[BeerDrinkerDan]

Yep, it's useless. For you.

I'm surprised you still have this thing you really really really don't like.

-dan

 

[djcerla]

Hard disagree.

Last month I had a very very bad fall and the watch correctly initiated the SOS call. Your jewelry will not do that for you. All of my Rolex' are firmly in my bank.

 

[the future]

A quick reminder for the „I have to pull up my sleeves“ (to use Apple Pay) folks: you really don‘t. You can double-click the side button under the sleeve and just hold your wrist near the NFC terminal. Neither you nor the NFC terminal needs to see the screen.

 

[Timpetus]

My Apple Watch S8 is on my wrist all day every day. I'm not a power user, but I like the fitness tracking, notifications on my wrist, quick ability to use Siri without having to pull my phone out of my pocket, taps for directions when riding my scooter, and last but not least, the fact that my S6 helped save my life when it detected my motorcycle crash and, despite having a cracked screen, managed to survive long enough to call my wife and alert emergency services while I was unconscious on the side of the freeway. I'll always have an AW of some sort because anything that saves your life is worth the cost.

 

[Timpetus]

A quick reminder for the „I have to pull up my sleves“ (to use Apple Pay) folks: you really don‘t. You can double-click the side button under the sleeve and just hold your wrist near the NFC terminal. Neither you nor the NFC terminal needs to see the screen.

As long as you have the correct default card selected, of course

 

[Apple_Robert]

Hey guys..
I bought AWU2 two months ago as my first apple watch, and ever since I am struggling to like them and make use of them. Now, I am not a sedantary type and a move quite a lot, but it's not like AW is making my workouts any better, I perform the same because I know what to do. Is there something I am missing? It feels more like nuisance to start workout every time I work out only to have it logged so that my number in Fitness app do not suck...
Next thing are the sensors.. heart beat sensor - sure. But blood oxygen sensor? I never needed it, and won't need unless I have some kind of emergency, same for ECG, or is there something I can do with this data?

For real I don't understand it, everything the watch does I can do on my phone, and the sensors and mostly never needer. Or is there something I am missing here? What are your use cases? Need some inspiration maybe. Thanks

Return the watch.

 

[akidokraja]

This is same arguments as 20-30 years ago when cellphones started: “oh, but why would I need to carry this phone with me, I have access to phone anywhere, at home I have a landline, at work, also there are pay phones on every corner. How does this improve my life?, etc”

 

[turbineseaplane]

A lot of this is why I have a Garmin

The ecosystem and their focus on workout and lifestyle tracking and improvement is the big draw for me. Additionally, my Garmin watch lasts well over a week on a charge, even when tracking activities all week.

And..all the tracking activities are built in (no paid other apps required) and pulled together in Garmins great cloud/app/ecosystem

For me, it’s just a more focused and better experience.

The AW are very generalist devices..and they are masters of not much.

 

[ForkHandles]

Hey guys..
I bought AWU2 two months ago as my first apple watch, and ever since I am struggling to like them and make use of them. Now, I am not a sedantary type and a move quite a lot, but it's not like AW is making my workouts any better, I perform the same because I know what to do. Is there something I am missing? It feels more like nuisance to start workout every time I work out only to have it logged so that my number in Fitness app do not suck...
Next thing are the sensors.. heart beat sensor - sure. But blood oxygen sensor? I never needed it, and won't need unless I have some kind of emergency, same for ECG, or is there something I can do with this data?

For real I don't understand it, everything the watch does I can do on my phone, and the sensors and mostly never needer. Or is there something I am missing here? What are your use cases? Need some inspiration maybe. Thanks

I use the watch for running. Its really quite useful as it tracks my runs / bike rides accurately, connects well to my headphones so I can listen to my music and then allows me to pay for a beerio or two at the end of it all. The upside is that I get to leave my iPhone at home.
We also subscribe to Apple Fitness+ so it works well with a home gym.

 

[ForkHandles]

A lot of this is why I have a Garmin

The ecosystem and their focus on workout and lifestyle tracking and improvement is the big draw for me. Additionally, my Garmin watch lasts well over a week on a charge, even when tracking activities all week.

And..all the tracking activities are built in (no paid other apps required) and pulled together in Garmins great cloud/app/ecosystem

For me, it’s just a more focused and better experience.

The AW are very generalist devices..and they are masters of not much.

Garmin is an excellent training watch. Hands down if you're working towards a running goal, half or full marathon, it is nearly perfect.

However as a running watch it is perfectly miserable! My biggest bug bear is when you do a 10 mile effort and the watch reports it as "UNPRODUCTIVE!!!!!" I don't care that its right, Ive just done ten miles, give me some love
Apple Watch on the other hand will proclaim me to be a god of all things exercise if I stand up 12 times a day. Comfortable Lies can be nice sometimes.