First Android Wear 2.0 Smartwatches to Launch Early Next Year

[sinsin07]

I admit I have never seen the Apple Watch as a shrunken down iPhones, design wise. I guess I see your point. Not sure what to make of it.

On this particular point, what you make of it is that its an assumption, someone's opinion.
Is there any details from Apple that they went with square because it was "safe"?
You saw a square and reasoned it was due to efficiency displaying data.
Someone else just sees two similar shapes and makes another conclusion.
Neither can be said to be wrong or right unless we have something from Apple clarifying the reason they went with square instead of round.

 

[chickenwingfly]

More beautiful REAL watchfaces to dream of...

 

[Vanilla35]

Wearables market will shape into iPod-like domination sooner than many think.

The problem with that statement is that the product itself will not be as dominant as iPod was. These wearables are not cutting it (not android wear or apple watch). Maybe in 5 more years.

 

[kdarling]

Is there any details from Apple that they went with square because it was "safe"?
You saw a square and reasoned it was due to efficiency displaying data.
Someone else just sees two similar shapes and makes another conclusion.
Neither can be said to be wrong or right unless we have something from Apple clarifying the reason they went with square instead of round.

We already have that:

The shape of the body, meanwhile, barely changed: a rectangle with rounded corners. “When a huge part of the function is lists”—of names, or appointments—“a circle doesn’t make any sense,” Ive said. - interview in The New Yorker

The interview also talks about him ending up,with a rounded rectangle design. (Same as an iPod or iPhone.)

I.e. Mister Form Over Function chose function this time. And yet, look at all the round references in the stock apps. Contacts, exercise circles, etc. Why aren't those rectangular to maximize the screen space usage? Answer: people like round things.

And on that note, it's interesting that Apple just got a couple of patents on wiring displays with curved edges.

Very interesting how fairly quickly they were granted, too. Perhaps a product coming up? One can only hope.

 

[mthomas184]

Nobody wants a round Apple Watch. The current design is pure perfection.

I've had the Moto360 and Samsung Gear S2 and must say, round smartwatches are awful

 

[sinsin07]

We already have that:
The shape of the body, meanwhile, barely changed: a rectangle with rounded corners. “When a huge part of the function is lists”—of names, or appointments—“a circle doesn’t make any sense,” Ive said. - interview in The New Yorker

In the quote above there is no confirmation of this:

snip...But that's not what I meant by safe.
I was referring to the overall shape and style. As I've pointed out previously, Ive took what had worked for him before and basically repeated it:

Where in the New Yorker article does it say Ives went rounded rectangle because it was "safe"?

From your other post:

I've used both square and round a lot. Not really any difference to me as far as usefulness.

Anecdotal, therefore irrelevant.

The interview also talks about him ending up,with a rounded rectangle design. (Same as an iPod or iPhone.)

Yeah but the article referred to something else, which you left out:

"The shape of the body, meanwhile, barely changed: a rectangle with rounded corners. “When a huge part of the function is lists”—of names, or appointments—“a circle doesn’t make any sense,” Ive said. Its final form resembles one of Newson’s watches, and the Cartier Santos, from 1904."
That comment doesn't prove your theory at all. It proves the OP's point.

I.e. Mister Form Over Function chose function this time. And yet, look at all the round references in the stock apps. Contacts, exercise circles, etc. Why aren't those rectangular to maximize the screen soace usage?

Answer: people like round things.

Well that's your answer, which is based on your own opinion.

And on that note, it's interesting that Apple just got a couple of patents on wiring displays with curved edges.

Very interesting how fairly quickly they were granted, too. Perhaps a product coming up? One can only hope.

Interesting yes.
However do all of Apple granted patents materialize into something real?
Until its implanted into a product, its just an idea.
Not saying it won't happen, but until it does so what?

I also wanted a round Apple watch.[/QUOTE]

 

[kis]

Android Wear is already a dead platform. I'm all in on Apple Watch, as are the devs.

The Apple Watch is and will remain a niche product. i've stopped wearing it because it's primarily annoying - that's not to say that the other competitors are better in any way, though
[doublepost=1482468568][/doublepost]

Will these actually work properly with iOS? I'll admit, the Samsung watches look nice to me, but are essentially worthless without a Samsung phone.

You do know that Samsung has iOS software for these and that at least Gear 3 works perfectly fine with the iPhone? Not that anyone would care as nobody cares about smart watches in general. Just saying.
[doublepost=1482468774][/doublepost]

I've had the Moto360 and Samsung Gear S2 and must say, round smartwatches are awful

I've had the original Moto 360 (ok), the Watch Urbane (yuck), the Huawei Watch (semi-yuck), the Gear S2 (actually not too bad) and the Apple Watch (yawn). I've wanted to love wearables. Really. But in the end, I have to say that none of these improved my life in any way. They're mostly annoying little pieces of plastic stuck to my arm. I still have the Huawei Watch and the Apple Watch but use neither of them. Back to my trusted Sub for time-telling purposes.

 

[44267547]

I want circular design, and I am not alone who don't like ugly square box on the wrist. That was the main reason why I still haven't even thought about purchase of Apple Watch.

I would appreciate both round and square. I like choices and diversity. I'm not sure Apple will implement a round variant by the third generation Apple Watch. I believe if they did, it would draw in more of a following who have wanted both options.

 

[pradip patel]

Google to Start Selling New Android Smartwatch (Google Watch) in 2017

 

[lowendlinux]

I have a Moto360 and I think I'm going to hold off getting something else until there is a Pixel watch or this thing dies.

 

[44267547]

I have a Moto360 and I think I'm going to hold off getting something else until there is a Pixel watch or this thing dies.

I recently saw the Moto 360 2. It's a nice watch. I actually really like the round variant. I think my favorite thing about the Moto 360 is I appreciate the larger interface. Apple Watch 42 mm is a nice size, but I would actually really appreciate the extra screen real estate.

 

[vmistery]

But they (obviously) don't support ApplePay which is basically the key reason I'd want a smart watch. With second hand Apple Watch V0's going around the £130 mark I might pick one of those up to satisfy my itch until the hopefully thinner and round v3/4.

 

[CmdrLaForge]

Does the Android Watch can be used together with an iPhone? Is there an app and if so what is the experience?

I have to say that the Casio for example does fit so much better my style of watches then the Apple one. Now just for the watch I do not want to leave the Apple eco system. There are other reasons for that e.g. missing Macs...


EDIT: I answer my own question. I search revealed this app:

 

[lowendlinux]

But they (obviously) don't support ApplePay which is basically the key reason I'd want a smart watch. With second hand Apple Watch V0's going around the £130 mark I might pick one of those up to satisfy my itch until the hopefully thinner and round v3/4.

Yea this thread will be of little interest to iPhone users which is why I'm surprised to see it at all.

 

[BvizioN]

Apple should offer both versions.

Yes. Which will need a different Watch IS on it. Therefore confusing the heck of already confused people. I think people who want form over function should buy the circular Android Wear watches, they run on iOS also, through Android Wear app for iOS.
[doublepost=1482491274][/doublepost]

Pretty much nobody wanted a large screen iPhone until Apple made one, even Apple said a large phone was wrong.
Pretty much nobody wanted an OLED screen iPhone either (until next year)

I think the person you have quoted was being sarcastic, nobody seem to have noticed though.

 

[MrMac2015]

Nobody wants a round Apple Watch. The current design is pure perfection.

I do

 

[Roadstar]

Yea this thread will be of little interest to iPhone users which is why I'm surprised to see it at all.

Well, Apple Pay is currently not a factor for my watch choice as it's still not available where I live and I've actually lost all hope that it would ever make it here. Then again, I do prefer my Apple Watch to the Huawei Watch I also have, even though I'd like to have an option to have my Apple Watch show the current time constantly without any wrist acrobatics. The Huawei Watch can do that without too much impact on the battery life.

 

[clauzzz203]

Let me have a go at it:
before lauch - omg this will kill apple
at launch - this blows everything out of the water
after launch - ...
a year later - looking back, no one actually was seen in public

 

[rizzo41999]

Nobody wants a round Apple Watch. The current design is pure perfection.

I'm with you. Although, everyone I talk to interested in them, really do want a round watchface. Personally, I don't see the need.

 

[eebrown]

Nobody wants a round Apple Watch. The current design is pure perfection.

I like my Apple Watch but do wish it was round, so to say knowbody wants one is not exactly correct. If the Samsung Watch worked better with IOS I would certainly go with the Samsung Watch but for now it's the Apple Watch.

 

[Precision Gem]

I think many of the people who see no point in the Apple Watch are younger. Their generation grew up with smart phones, and have used the phone as their time keeping device. People in my generation grew up with watches. I got my first wrist watch in 1967 as a grade schooler, and have been wearing a watch ever since. So I am always going to wear a watch, and the main thing I do with my Apple Watch is tell time, most likely looking at the time 50 times a day. When I am home, I wouldn't keep my phone in my pocket, and when out, it is certainly much quicker to glance at the watch than pull out the phone. For me getting notifications on the watch, and taking a call from time to time is just an added bonus.
A plus for me with the Apple Watch is the ability to quickly swap out band, where I can dress down, or up the watch as the day requires.

 

[Lesser Evets]

Trinket wars.

 

[lowendlinux]

Let me have a go at it:
before lauch - omg this will kill apple
at launch - this blows everything out of the water
after launch - ...
a year later - looking back, no one actually was seen in public

Why would you think that?
The Apple watch and Android wear aren't really in competition with each other as they're extensions of each ecosystem. If I want an Apple watch I have to buy and iPhone I'm also not sure how comprehensive the support for Android wear is in iOS. The companies that make android wear are competing against each other not Apple.

 

[hipnetic]

I have the 1st gen Moto 360 sitting in a drawer. I got it about a year after release for about $150, and think $150-250 is the right price point for an accessory like this.

I didn't like the "flat tire" but when paired with well-designed black watchfaces, it's usually not noticeable. And it's still better than Apple's 4 flat tires (thick black dead area around all four sides of the screen). The round face, coupled with a ton of creative faces (and completely open to developers) allows you to completely change the look of your watch day to day. And if you have a model without the flat tire, you can take it even further and use faces with white backgrounds, or any other color.

OTOH, Apple tightly controls the faces you can put on there, and they all have to be black because of that thick black dead area around the screen.

I do give credit to Apple for innovating on the watch band connection, to simplify swapping bands. But then they practically ruined that by grossly overcharging for their bands (fortunately, there are 3rd party bands which are reasonably priced - though often of lower quality). I also like the haptic feedback (tap) you get on your wrist when a notification comes in. Build quality seems good (though lack of guaranteed waterproofing is a concern).

And, of course, it's designed to work great with my iPhone. That's the biggest draw. But I just don't like the look or price of it. So until a round version is offered, or I find a great deal (under $200) on a stainless steel model, they won't get my money.

The primary reason my Moto 360 sits in a drawer is because it doesn't interoperate with iOS very well. There's an iOS app, but many of the watch's features are then unavailable, you can't add 3rd party apps, and you also get limited to just a handful of watch faces. I've been anxiously awaiting Android Wear 2.0 because the ability to load apps directly on the watch without the need to pair it with an Android phone should hopefully resolve much (or at least some) of that.

That said, I don't like the look of any of the current round Android watches as much as the original 360. The 1st gen 360 had a cleaner (and more original) look. It didn't have the typical watch "lugs" (or whatever they're technically called). The 2nd gen Moto 360 (and all of the other Android watches) have those "lugs" and, as a result, end up looking a little too much like a regular watch IMO.

 

[TechGeek76]

That's OK then, I'll tell them not to bother shall i?

What does "all in" actually mean.!? Apart from the fact you have bought one..

All in as in he defends it daily?