Daring Fireball: Apple Watch Series 3 to Feature 'All-New Form Factor' [Updated]

[arkhanjel]

Don't you just like how MacRumors just chopped off the part where Gruber says it's an "unconfirmed little birdie, though, so I wouldn’t bet the house on it." so that they could make it a bigger deal and make everyone click and comment on this? Oh looks like they updated it but of course way after all the clicks.

 

[monty77]

An always-on screen would require a massive upgrade to the battery. Probably not feasible even if the entire device were twice as thick. It was possible with the Pebble due to the e-ink display technology, but for a color, animated display, that's basically not an option with current technology.

Don't hold your breath.

Tag connected has it. I had a first gen, very nice watch but limited usefulness in iOS

 

[jlseattle]

Now the earpods start to make a lot of sense.

????

The airpods make lots of sense just in and of themselves. Apple can't keep them in stock. They are an amazing piece of equipment and work seamlessly with my Apple devices.

 

[JPack]

Update: Gruber updated his post to clarify that his information comes from "a little birdie" and that it might not be accurate: "That tidbit came from an unconfirmed little birdie, though, so I wouldn’t bet the house on it."

...

In other words, Ming-Chi Kuo didn't say anything about this. So we're not sure about it. But we still need the clicks!

 

[LordVic]

Oh boy ... one innocent remark of a redesign and the "watch needs to be round" brigade has high hopes again. Just re-read what Jony said, at length, about the very deliberate thought and design process that led to the rectangular shape. There won't be a round Apple Watch.

listening to jonny ive is like listening to someone masturbate to himself.

I'm sorry. the Watch is a good device, But from a design perspective, it really looks like he phoned it in... I mean, he took the iPhone 1 and just shrunk it.

now i'm not saying that's a bad design. I don' tlike it. But it's subjective and to each their own.

But I honestly have a hard time believing Mr Ive's superflous language about how much effort he put into this design


we've all seen this image:

 

[jlseattle]

Feedback on Apple watch redesign. I'm really not interested in a redesign. The design "works" for me. I'm more interested in functionality. Add blood pressure and glucose monitoring to the Apple watch and I'll be interested in upgrading.

I'll qualify. I only use the apple watch for time, getting updates on health related stuff, and answering phone calls (it allows me to send the call to my airpods without touching my phone. I don't like the notification features (I put it in Do not disturb mode).

 

[ozthegweat]

Don't you just like how MacRumors just chopped off the part where Gruber says it's an "unconfirmed little birdie, though, so I wouldn’t bet the house on it." so that they could make it a bigger deal and make everyone click and comment on this? Oh looks like they updated it but of course way after all the clicks.

They didn't intentionally leave it out. Gruber's post originally didn't have that clarification, and when he added it, Macrumors updated their article.

 

[ggt]

A sapphire screen on at least one of the Aluminium models please! The sapphire screen on my original watch is incredible, I fell and scraped it against a brick wall and nothing happened to the screen, the brick came off worse! I don't think I could buy a new one without a sapphire screen, but I love the black aluminium :/

 

[pat500000]

Yeah I just got out of the pool with mine. That's all I wanted in a upgrade from my Series 0, one that was lightweight and officially poolworthy. But I look forward to seeing what Apple brings out.

I already have a cellular enabled Samsung watch and it's a bit bulky, so I'm not super eager to jump on the LTE Apple Watch bandwagon. But it is a nice convenience to have at times, and I think for men with large wrists there won't be any serious compromises in comfort to have a bulkier LTE Watch.

I would not be shocked to see Apple bring out a Watch that can compete with the Gear S3 Classic and Frontier, with LTE and Always-on face options. It makes for a very bulky watch but my husband loves his. Even I briefly contemplated getting one until I came to my senses about how uncomfortable that would be. 😕

Samsung wasn't interested in expending the money and effort into miniaturizing the technology to produce a Gear S3 in a smaller size for women. They brushed the whole matter aside by saying women were more interested in fitness trackers than smart watches anyway. 🙄 Hmph.

If Apple does come up with an LTE enabled Apple Watch, I want to see how they addressed the bulkiness that would keep a lot of women locked out. Apple has never been cavalier about female customers, not so far as I can remember.

My concern, as another forum member mentioned earlier, was the cellular/data plan. If we currently have date/cellular plan for our iphones...do we need another one just for the watch? Just like ipad? There are people who buy data plan for ipad but for watch? This should have been implemented with our iphones.

 

[Glockworkorange]

Yes please! Looking to upgrade my S0 and a re-design would be the perfect excuse. That and because I want swim proof and GPS.

And better/new battery.

The battery on my first gen is inconsistent. Some times great life, sometimes it's dead in several hours of normal use. I think it's failing. Curious if other owners of first gen watches are having similar problems.

 

[arkhanjel]

They didn't intentionally leave it out. Gruber's post originally didn't have that clarification, and when he added it, Macrumors updated their article.

It looked that way since Gruber is normally pretty good about showing that he's edited his posts.

 

[Derived]

cellular connectivity, totally not interested. don't want that radio on my wrist 24/7

There is not one shred of scientific evidence anywhere that supports the idea that LTE radios are bad for your heath. It's 2017, I can't believe people still say things like this...

 

[julesme]

I expect the third version to be a major upgrade in capabilities, but I was not expecting a form factor change yet, if only because there are many other areas Apple can improve before worrying about the shape. It's also been reported that Apple is focused on increasing battery life as opposed to making it thinner.

 

[ahhh]

The Third generation of an Apple product is almost always the one that people wanted in the first place.

I might be tempted.

Really? Like which ones?

 

[LordVic]

Really? Like which ones?

Off the top of my head:

-IPhone didn't take off and really become the dominant smartphone until the 3GS.
-the MacBook Air didn't take off till 3rd revision that saw a big change in both design and price.
-Even macbooks themselves (original, not the current one), wasn't bad, but didn't take off until they moved away from the plastic to metal unibody.

 

[5105973]

My concern, as another forum member mentioned earlier, was the cellular/data plan. If we currently have date/cellular plan for our iphones...do we need another one just for the watch? Just like ipad? There are people who buy data plan for ipad but for watch? This should have been implemented with our iphones.

I forget how the plan works on my LTE Samsung. We got it as a special free offer with the purchase of two Note 7's on BOGO with AT&T. The bill piggy backs on the plan for the phones. I think at the time it was around $5 a month added to the bill for our phone lines, but that might have been an introductory rate for the first year. My husband handles the account so I'll have to ask him all the details. I think he switched the data plan from his free Samsung cellular watch to his new Frontier watch and complained it was a bit pricey.

I do know that the watch automatically detects when I'm away from the phone and the cellular radio then turns on and I can call from just the watch and it happens flawlessly. My cellular watch has its own phone number but anyone calling my Samsung phone will be seamlessly transferred to the watch even if I'm separated from the phone.

There is supposed to be an AT&T number sync feature, but the AT&T reps never got it to work. So I have a lot of confusion over exactly how and what all is taking place. I know it's all working, but I'm not sure how it's being administered. I'm not sure even my husband understands. Dealing with AT&T is about as logical as superstition sometimes. We may as well be sacrificing chickens and dancing by a bonfire to get stuff to work.

 

[ActionableMango]

My concern, as another forum member mentioned earlier, was the cellular/data plan. If we currently have date/cellular plan for our iphones...do we need another one just for the watch? Just like ipad? There are people who buy data plan for ipad but for watch? This should have been implemented with our iphones.

There are already plans out there that cater to multiple devices on a single plan with a shared pool of resources.

 

[dilbert99]

I'd rather have an always on screen or at least a screen that is always on when I look at it.
Its hit and miss for me to get my Apple watch to display without a "defined" movement.

 

[lordofthereef]

I have a Mac, iPhone, iPad, and now AirPods, but still feel no desire, or see a need for, an AppleWatch. My iPhone is always at hand and my schedule isn't all that packed that I need to save seconds getting back to me. Plus, I like my Sub.

I'm mostly there (no AirPods). I like it for running. About it. No longer wear daily.

That said if I had LTE and didn't require my phone to be incrange that may change things. *may*

 

[airpod]

DO NOT MAKE ROUND APPLE WATCHES!

Please Apple do not listen to these old farts. A round smart watch makes no sense, and is super ugly to boot.

 

[44267547]

But I honestly have a hard time believing Mr Ive's superflous language about how much effort he put into this design

That's because the design wasn't all contributed to Ive. Marc Newson also was part of the design team with the Apple Watch as well. It was a tandem effort.

http://www.standard.co.uk/lifestyle...-guy-behind-the-apple-watch-10229835.html?amp

 

[LordVic]

That's because the design wasn't all contributed to Ive. Marc Newson also was part of the design team with the Apple Watch as well. It was a tandem effort.

http://www.standard.co.uk/lifestyle...-guy-behind-the-apple-watch-10229835.html?amp

That's cool. I was always under the belief that the watch was I've, and the bands and attachment system was newson

 

[Rogifan]

listening to jonny ive is like listening to someone masturbate to himself.

I'm sorry. the Watch is a good device, But from a design perspective, it really looks like he phoned it in... I mean, he took the iPhone 1 and just shrunk it.

now i'm not saying that's a bad design. I don' tlike it. But it's subjective and to each their own.

But I honestly have a hard time believing Mr Ive's superflous language about how much effort he put into this design


we've all seen this image:

Do you honestly think Ive designed this all by himself? Heck he doesn’t even own the watch project, Jeff Williams does.

 

[V.K.]

incompatible with your $10k Apple Watch Edition band

I totally fail to feel bad about this.

 

[Abazigal]

Don't you just like how MacRumors just chopped off the part where Gruber says it's an "unconfirmed little birdie, though, so I wouldn’t bet the house on it." so that they could make it a bigger deal and make everyone click and comment on this? Oh looks like they updated it but of course way after all the clicks.

I think it's not so much a question of whether the Apple Watch will get 4G connectivity but when. It's clearly following the iPod playbook, and I believe Apple will eventually position the Apple Watch as the next standalone platform independent of the iPhone.