Does anyone actually NEED a watch AND a phone?

[BarracksSi]

Those are the desk divers (like myself), and I'm pretty sure we outnumber real divers when looking at people who purchase dive watches

My desk diver:

Let's be realistic here, too: this Seiko, which can be had online for $250 or so, does anything that a $6K Rolex Submariner can do. (well, okay, 100m less water resistance, but who's counting) Before anyone says anything about accuracy, Seiko doesn't guarantee anything better than +/-30 sec/day with this movement from the factory, but it can be regulated to be pretty close, and I got lucky with mine at about -0.5 sec/day. Rolex tests their uncased movements with COSC to be within -4/+6 per day -- but you can get COSC-certified watches from other brands for much cheaper, too.

What I'm really lacking is the Rolex name… but otherwise, I've got a pretty slick, sturdy, legible watch that will never need a battery and could last twenty years without any maintenance.

 

[Tinch]

I don't see how that would help. The watch in power reserve mode won't buy you lunch, pay for a taxi home or open your hotel room door. A phone in a similar state won't be much use either. What you need when your phone (or watch) dies is another device on you that's still charged.

That's the reason I carry a small charger on my key fob that I got at, of all places, FedEx that will charge my phone for two hours. It's much smaller than my key fob.

 

[BarracksSi]

Anyway, back to the original point, which I thought about while walking this morning --

I would not want to carry my AW without also having the phone.

When I get a message requiring a substantial reply, rather than attempting to dictate a response among traffic noise or in a busy setting (like waiting in line at Starbucks), it's just better to use the phone.

If I'm only wearing the watch, even if it's cellular-enabled, I would still have to wait until I got back to my phone before composing a response (or calling, because text conversations waste a lot of time). [edit] I know that I could make a phone call with such a watch, and maybe even use a BT earpiece, but (A) talking to the wrist while walking about will always be douchey (sorry), and (B) I've got an aversion to charging earphones which I rarely use and never enjoyed using in the past anyway. [/edit]

So, yeah, I prefer to have the phone on hand to tackle bigger tasks than the watch can manage. But, in the nine days I've had my AW, I've already gotten to enjoy not dragging out the phone for short messages.

If I had to pick just one or the other, I'd keep the phone. Having both is pretty sweet, though.

 

[The Game 161]

I do as since I removed my gear S I have missed just checking my watch for notifications and general things and it was a pain getting phone out every time I wanted to see the time..this will be key more so with a bigger phone

 

[The Game 161]

Just as we have the Power Reserve Mode in the Watch, there's no reason why we can't have the same in the iPhone and perhaps Apple will incorporate that in the future. Better to have a crippled iPhone than a completely dead one.

Thought there is a power saving mode in ios 9?

 

[Arran]

Yes. But what of guys who spend $$$$$ on a dive watch even though they never go diving? I think they are buying dive watch AS jewelry, even if the dive watch itself has functional use.

The same was true of Single Lens Reflex cameras back in the 80's-90's. It was (for some) a covert display or wealth that ostensibly had a legitimate purpose. I knew quite a few other guys, friends even, who loved wearing their awesome Nikons, Pentaxes and Canon's round their necks - but didn't actually take many photographs. The bigger your telephoto the better. It was a guy thing, I guess. Always competing.

I was the opposite. I loved photography but used to carry my (very low-end) Nikon around in a plastic grocery bag. Call it Urban Camouflage if you will.

 

[Arran]

That countdown timer complication has probably been my most used complication. If you live in an area where there is no parking, and you rely on meters and timed parking (LA, NY, DC, etc) that thing becomes a godsend. It's so nice to be able to glance at your watch and see how much time you have left. Also helpful for laundry, and just being really efficient at time-sensitive stuff.

I use mine for lawn watering. Often just use Siri to set it - but it is incredibly handy to see the time counting down with just a glance.

Maybe if you were retired and lived in the country you'd never use or want a countdown timer. I think it's awesome that everyone can customize the face - and more - to suit their own very specialized needs. It's one huge advantage over all the other watches and wearables I've owned.

 

[Arran]

My desk diver:
View attachment 574807

Let's be realistic here, too: this Seiko, which can be had online for $250 or so...

For $250 that's a beautiful automatic. I wish I could find a reason to buy one.

Edit: Yikes! Only $150 on Amazon now. And I really do need a new swimming watch

 

[anybutbush]

I use my iPhone to read all sorts of text during the day: news, financials, emails, more. I cannot do that on any watch face. I will always want a larger pocketsized screen to allow me to read internet pages when/where I want.

 

[Arran]

I use my iPhone to read all sorts of text during the day: news, financials, emails, more. I cannot do that on any watch face. I will always want a larger pocketsized screen to allow me to read internet pages when/where I want.

Agree entirely. And it's why I'm thinking of swapping my trusty 6 for a 6s plus come September.

I imagine the phone will stay in my pocket or on my desk most of the time - since the watch has proven it's ability to effortlessly deliver what I regard as important information. So when I do pull out my phone, the big screen will make that experience better.

 

[The Game 161]

Need? Maybe not but if you have a big phone you don't want to keep taking your phone out your pocket every 5 mins not when it's a handful when on the go

 

[Aluminum213]

I've pondered this question for some time now (like many) and always come back to the view that the watch is a really, really nice add-on to the phone in my pocket, but not absolutely essential.

I'm starting to shift, however, since using ApplePay on the watch more and more.

Perhaps not right now, but maybe in a few years, when mission-critical functionality resides primarily on our electronic devices, it's going to be rather nice to have a backup device on your person should the other device fail.

By mission critical, I mean things like: credit cards, boarding passes, public transport passes, car unlocking and starting, home security systems, hotel room keys. Things which absolutely must work 100%

So, could having two devices, on your person, start to be seen as a huge advantage?

Could something as simple as, "redundant backup" be Apple's killer app?

Thoughts?

Does one NEED a phone? No

 

[BarracksSi]

Does one NEED a phone? No

When cell phones are so common that all my family, friends, and coworkers expect me to be available every hour of every day and night, then the answer is, unfortunately, "yes".

 

[Aluminum213]

When cell phones are so common that all my family, friends, and coworkers expect me to be available every hour of every day and night, then the answer is, unfortunately, "yes".

Not sure you understand the meaning of "need"

 

[bbeagle]

When cell phones are so common that all my family, friends, and coworkers expect me to be available every hour of every day and night, then the answer is, unfortunately, "yes".

Most of my friends are on Facebook - I'm not. There is no 'need' to do something just because others do.

I quit a job where they required me to be on-call during the weekends. I work at a job now where I don't have to be available after hours. I never answer my phone after 8pm on weeknights or on the weekends - it's my time.

 

[nStyle]

Needs are very individual. Truth be told, you can boil every single thing in life down to a want. The sheer desire to stay alive is a want, not a need. If you look at yourself in the grand scheme of things, you don't even need to stay alive. Your existence is probably hurting the environment more than it's helping. Deep ****, I know.

So that said, absolutely no one on Earth needs a watch OR a phone. But, they might want them to make certain tasks easier to fulfill their other wants. And I think that's the point. Right now, the watch doesn't really add anything to one's computing experience. It makes certain micro-tasks slightly more convenient - though that convenience is quickly negated by the nuisance of having to keep up with a second portable device and charging it all the time!

 

[nStyle]

Let's be realistic here, too: this Seiko, which can be had online for $250 or so, does anything that a $6K Rolex Submariner can do. (well, okay, 100m less water resistance, but who's counting) Before anyone says anything about accuracy, Seiko doesn't guarantee anything better than +/-30 sec/day with this movement from the factory, but it can be regulated to be pretty close, and I got lucky with mine at about -0.5 sec/day. Rolex tests their uncased movements with COSC to be within -4/+6 per day -- but you can get COSC-certified watches from other brands for much cheaper, too.

Likewise, your $250 Seiko doesn't do anything more than a $11 Casio does. Moot point since owning a cell phone makes them both incredibly redundant anyway, which is what this thread is about.

 

[bbeagle]

Right now, the watch doesn't really add anything to one's computing experience. It makes certain micro-tasks slightly more convenient - though that convenience is quickly negated by the nuisance of having to keep up with a second portable device and charging it all the time!

I completely disagree.

Being able to feel notifications on my wrist stops me from checking my phone all the time. I can't feel the phone vibrations in my pocket, so I would have to take my phone out every hour or so to make sure nobody called or texted me. Now I only ever take out my phone when I want to call or text someone. Not just because.

This convenience alone is worth the money to me. I like the feeling of being connected, yet not tethered to checking my phone.

 

[nStyle]

I completely disagree.

Being able to feel notifications on my wrist stops me from checking my phone all the time. I can't feel the phone vibrations in my pocket, so I would have to take my phone out every hour or so to make sure nobody called or texted me. Now I only ever take out my phone when I want to call or text someone. Not just because.

This convenience alone is worth the money to me. I like the feeling of being connected, yet not tethered to checking my phone.

Huh? You're arguably MORE tethered to your phone since your Watch depends on the phone to work. And you don't use Safari or take pictures? I know you're taking your phone out for more than calls or texts. Are you so popular that people call or text you as soon as you think of them?

 

[bbeagle]

Huh? You're arguably MORE tethered to your phone since your Watch depends on the phone to work. And you don't use Safari or take pictures? I know you're taking your phone out for more than calls or texts. Are you so popular that people call or text you as soon as you think of them?

This post proves you don't have a clue as to how the watch works to make your digital world less cumbersome.

 

[nStyle]

This post proves you don't have a clue as to how the watch works to make your digital world less cumbersome.

Again, what? I'm lost. How is having two devices not cumbersome when one device will do everything the other one will?

 

[Night Spring]

Again, what? I'm lost. How is having two devices not cumbersome when one device will do everything the other one will?

Your desktop computer does everything your laptop does, but you wouldn't lug your desktop with you everywhere you go. Similarly, the iPhone does everything your watch does. But it's more convenient to hot have to pull your iPhone out of your pocket/bag.

I suppose some people don't find pulling out their iPhones inconvenient, but for those of us who don't like to have our iPhones on us every waking moment, the watch is useful.

 

[bbeagle]

Again, what? I'm lost. How is having two devices not cumbersome when one device will do everything the other one will?

I have both a key AND a key fob on my keychain.

The key will start my car AND unlock my car doors.
The key fob will ONLY unlock my car doors, and WON'T start my car.

However, I find it convenient to have BOTH. Because the time saved opening a car door by pressing a button instead of inserting my key (which I need to have in my hand because I have to put it in the ignition anyways) is WELL WORTH IT.

Unless you drive cars, you don't understand. It's a couple of seconds saved, but well worth it.

This is similar to the Apple Watch. It's WELL WORTH IT to see notifications on my wrist than miss them on my phone in my pocket.

There are numerous other examples, like why have both an oven AND a toaster? Why have a remote control AND a button on your TV to change channels?

Why have both a mouse and a keyboard? The keyboard can move the pointer around the screen too! The mouse doesn't do anything 'new' that a keyboard doesn't!

 

[BarracksSi]

Likewise, your $250 Seiko doesn't do anything more than a $11 Casio does. Moot point since owning a cell phone makes them both incredibly redundant anyway, which is what this thread is about.

Right, which makes a Rolex, at six or seven hundred times the cost of the Casio, an even dumber idea.

 

[BarracksSi]

Are you so popular that people call or text you as soon as you think of them?

Wow, that's pretty rude.

So anyway, I was out for a walk today (day off to make up for a work weekend) and got a call from one of the guys at work. I had my phone in my Camelbak, knowing that I didn't need to hear or feel it, because my watch tapped me instead.

Many times, I've missed a call or message because I couldn't hear a ringtone or feel a vibration. I don't even carry a purse -- the phone is in my front pocket. I've ended up carrying my phone in my hand when I'm expecting a call; but that doesn't help when something unexpected comes up.

I don't need to use Safari when I'm out and about, and I rarely need to take any pictures, either. What I appreciate about my AW the most is not missing the few calls and texts that come my way.