I'be been through 3 Apple watches before going back over to Android. I used them all for the same 3 things: Time, Fitness and paying for stuff. Very rarely did I use one without my iPhone being around which made the data connection rather pointless. The lack of a goldrush for apps indicates that outside of that core functionality nobody is adding anything to theirs either. The ECG and such are clever ideas but IRL a tad pointless. I don't recall Linford Christie, Carl Lewis or Roger Bannister needing to check their heartrate after a run.
Which brings me to my question: beyond the core functionality of time, fitness and pay what capabilities are we not getting?
I don’t know what other people feel they’re missing, but I’ve been in the Android side of the forum enough to have heard others say they don’t want to give up their Apple watches and that’s why they don’t make a full commitment to Android phones they like. I can’t answer for them but I can tell you what keeps me with Apple Watch.
I really value my Apple Watch for traffic navigation. I’m starting to become aware, thanks to my kids and the awareness their generation has on such matters, that I may have some sort of sensory processing deficits that never got diagnosed.
And I probably won’t bother getting officially diagnosed because my Apple Watch renders my worst one moot.
I’m fine driving a familiar route, but when accidents or road work cause detours or if I’m navigating a fast paced multi lane monstrosity of a road, my senses can get overwhelmed and navigating by sight or audible turn by turn instructions doesn’t help me all that much. I can amp up to a fair amount of anxiety. It’s really stressful for me to the point I got a bit phobic about driving for awhile. It wasn’t such an issue when I was younger, but in the last 25 years traffic has become horrifically dense and congested and aggressive. Even our rural routes are often clogged with backups!
But when I use my Apple Watch in conjunction with Apple Maps, which is really very good in my region, I get the assistance I need to navigate traffic smoothly. The haptic feedback alerts me to prepare for lane changes and turns. It’s just a better, calming experience for me than navigating with the phone alone. I sometimes even use my Apple Watch for the haptic feedback even on routes I am familiar with, if traffic is bad and the motion of all the cars around me is too overwhelming. It just helps me navigate the lane changes and turns.
I also sometimes have issues on foot, in crowded places like malls. I might start using haptic feedback in malls but I don’t know how granular navigation with an Apple Watch is on foot in places like that. If I’m with friends or family it’s not necessary but by myself it would be nice to have this technology crutch.
Now for other users in general, myself and a lot of other women I’ve talked to find Android watches too big and bulky compared to the smaller Apple Watches. So do some men.
I liked my Fitbit and my Samsung watches but I just find my Apple Watch more reliable and comfortable. I like the modular face that lets me know so much information at a glance. I personally like the rectangular shape and how the information is organized on it vs on a round face.
