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Gym Watch

SLQ03

SLQ03

macrumors member
Original poster
Sep 19, 2012
79
9
Who else is mostly looking forward to the watch replacing their phone for the gym/working out?

This is the main reason I'm getting the watch. Sure I could have just continued to use my tired old shuffle, but after I went with the Beats Bluetooth earbuds, I haven't looked back. It's going to be great to not have to fumble with my naked 6 during my workouts.
 
SLQ03 said:
Who else is mostly looking forward to the watch replacing their phone for the gym/working out?

This is the main reason I'm getting the watch. Sure I could have just continued to use my tired old shuffle, but after I went with the Beats Bluetooth earbuds, I haven't looked back. It's going to be great to not have to fumble with my naked 6 during my workouts.
Click to expand...

Does the watch hold music alone or does it have to stream from the iphone?
 
SLQ03 said:
Who else is mostly looking forward to the watch replacing their phone for the gym/working out?

This is the main reason I'm getting the watch. Sure I could have just continued to use my tired old shuffle, but after I went with the Beats Bluetooth earbuds, I haven't looked back. It's going to be great to not have to fumble with my naked 6 during my workouts.
Click to expand...

Me! (raises hand)

Appl3FTW said:
Does the watch hold music alone or does it have to stream from the iphone?
Click to expand...

From what I understand, there is a space of 2 GB available for music.
 
From what I understand, there is a space of 2 GB available for music.[/QUOTE]

Yup. Which is plenty if you ask me. Also, if your gym has WiFi, then you can stream. Would have been a deal breaker for me if it couldn't be used as a standalone. Still crossing my fingers for Spotify on the watch.
 
Yup. Which is plenty if you ask me. Also, if your gym has WiFi, then you can stream. Would have been a deal breaker for me if it couldn't be used as a standalone. Still crossing my fingers for Spotify on the watch.
Click to expand...

Given the popularity of Spotify, I don't think it will be long before we see it on the watch.
 
The problem for me is I don't know if the watch will natively track sets/reps for weightlifting. I think I'll still need a phone for that.
 
SLQ03 said:
From what I understand, there is a space of 2 GB available for music.
Click to expand...

Yup. Which is plenty if you ask me. Also, if your gym has WiFi, then you can stream. Would have been a deal breaker for me if it couldn't be used as a standalone. Still crossing my fingers for Spotify on the watch.[/QUOTE]

I think that the WiFi on the Watch is not for connecting to internet, but rather to only the Watch.

Also, WiFi is a necessary part of the new Bluetooth spec.

--

I scratched my iPhone in the gym. Argh. But don't leave it in the car or locker either - maybe I'm paranoid.
 
8CoreWhore said:
Yup. Which is plenty if you ask me. Also, if your gym has WiFi, then you can stream. Would have been a deal breaker for me if it couldn't be used as a standalone. Still crossing my fingers for Spotify on the watch.
Click to expand...

I think that the WiFi on the Watch is not for connecting to internet, but rather to only the Watch.

Also, WiFi is a necessary part of the new Bluetooth spec.

--

I scratched my iPhone in the gym. Argh. But don't leave it in the car or locker either - maybe I'm paranoid.[/QUOTE]

I remember reading that if your gym has WiFi, then the watch can communicate with your phone, if your phone is also connected to the WiFi. But, yeah the watch alone cannot connect to a WiFi signal. All in all, I'll be content with the internal storage for music.

I'm just as paranoid about leaving my phone in a locker. I always try to get one at the entrance of the locker room.
 
SLQ03 said:
I remember reading that if your gym has WiFi, then the watch can communicate with your phone, if your phone is also connected to the WiFi. But, yeah the watch alone cannot connect to a WiFi signal. All in all, I'll be content with the internal storage for music.
Click to expand...

The watch won't connect to your gyms wifi. It uses wifi to directly connect to your phone only.
 
Runt888 said:
The watch won't connect to your gyms wifi. It uses wifi to directly connect to your phone only.
Click to expand...

The point is, you can greatly extend the range with which your watch can connect to your iPhone and get internet, if your iPhone is connected to a wifi network. So if one were connected to their gym's wifi network using their iPhone, they could be able to store it in a locker and connect their watch to it.
 
Multiverse223 said:
The point is, you can greatly extend the range with which your watch can connect to your iPhone and get internet, if your iPhone is connected to a wifi network. So if one were connected to their gym's wifi network using their iPhone, they could be able to store it in a locker and connect their watch to it.
Click to expand...

I haven't read much on the details of this, but I'm imagining it'll be a situation where the phone gets on the wifi and privately announces itself on the network in a way that your watch can latch onto it without joining the network explicitly.

That's my hope, actually.
 
Multiverse223 said:
The point is, you can greatly extend the range with which your watch can connect to your iPhone and get internet, if your iPhone is connected to a wifi network. So if one were connected to their gym's wifi network using their iPhone, they could be able to store it in a locker and connect their watch to it.
Click to expand...

Actually, the point is that it doesn't work that way. It doesn't matter if your phone is connected to a wifi network. The watch and the phone connect to each other directly, not over an existing network.
 
Runt888 said:
Actually, the point is that it doesn't work that way. It doesn't matter if your phone is connected to a wifi network. The watch and the phone connect to each other directly, not over an existing network.
Click to expand...

Exactly. And this makes the connection much more secure. There can be no man-in-the-middle attacks at the router when the iPhone->Watch doesn't go through the router.

----------
SLQ03 said:
Who else is mostly looking forward to the watch replacing their phone for the gym/working out?

This is the main reason I'm getting the watch. Sure I could have just continued to use my tired old shuffle, but after I went with the Beats Bluetooth earbuds, I haven't looked back. It's going to be great to not have to fumble with my naked 6 during my workouts.
Click to expand...

Just yesterday, I was at the gym and a member lost his iPhone. He had wireless earbuds and was looking around for his phone. His iPhone was in his pocket at one time - at one machine his phone fell out of his pocket - didn't realize it, as the music kept playing... he went to machine after machine... then the music stopped. He was out of range. He went looking for his phone - couldn't find it. He asked all gym members around what happened to his iPhone. Nobody knew. He thought it might have been stolen.

Luckily - it was seen under a machine by gym management and they brought it to lost-and-found.

But that's a situation that wearing the Watch will avoid.
 
This is one of my major reasons for wanting the watch, so I definitely am ready.
 
lewisd25 said:
The problem for me is I don't know if the watch will natively track sets/reps for weightlifting. I think I'll still need a phone for that.
Click to expand...

I've been eyeing this app. Trying to decide if I really want to track my sets and reps, or if I want to continue to wing it. After competing in a couple bodybuilding contests and tracking every calorie eaten and rep lifted, I'm kind of enjoying the "wing it" approach.

But I like apps and technology so we'll see.

http://www.repsandsetsapp.com
 
Runt888 said:
Actually, the point is that it doesn't work that way. It doesn't matter if your phone is connected to a wifi network. The watch and the phone connect to each other directly, not over an existing network.
Click to expand...

so you're saying it only connects using Bluetooth to save battery?
 
Fireproof! said:
It should connect via bluetooth OR wifi when bluetooth is out of range (and assuming watch and phone are connected to same network, I believe).

http://www.idownloadblog.com/2015/03/10/apple-watch-iphone-wi-fi/
Click to expand...

I don't think that article is correct.

On the developer boards (which I can't link to here), there's mention that the iPhone talks DIRECTLY to the watch through wifi if out of bluetooth range, much the same as a wifi hot spot and how continuity works.
 
Last edited:
bbeagle said:
I don't think that article is correct.

On the developer boards (which I can't link to here), there's mention that the iPhone talks DIRECTLY to the watch through wifi if out of bluetooth range, much the same as a wifi hot spot.
Click to expand...

Oh really? Well, I'm certainly not a developer. I've read several different articles and they all position it just like the article I posted. But perhaps they are perpetuating the same misperceptions.

Would love more data/documentation on exactly how the Wifi is supposed to work! Share if you have it!
 
SLQ03 said:
From what I understand, there is a space of 2 GB available for music.
Click to expand...

Yup. Which is plenty if you ask me. Also, if your gym has WiFi, then you can stream. Would have been a deal breaker for me if it couldn't be used as a standalone. Still crossing my fingers for Spotify on the watch.[/QUOTE]


Yep waiting on the beats music app so I can stream my music from my phone to my watch. I have never bought an album or song in my life. These streaming services are God sent.
 
Fireproof! said:
Oh really? Well, I'm certainly not a developer. I've read several different articles and they all position it just like the article I posted. But perhaps they are perpetuating the same misperceptions.

Would love more data/documentation on exactly how the Wifi is supposed to work! Share if you have it!
Click to expand...

For example, since iOS 8, AirPlay works using peer-to-peer wireless. No wireless network needs to exist. Same with Continuity between macs, tablets and phones. (but it ALSO works through a regular wifi network too)

(The last link to Ars Technica gives the best info)

http://chambersdaily.com/bradleychambers/2014/9/19/technical-details-of-peer-to-peer-airplay

http://9to5mac.com/2014/06/03/ios-8...irplay-to-apple-tv-no-longer-needs-a-network/

http://arstechnica.com/apple/2014/11/continuity-in-yosemiteios-8-which-network-powers-what-service/

Why wouldn't Apple use the features they developed with continuity and airplay on the watch and phone? It just makes sense. More secure than trying to connect both to a wifi network, which might be slow.

At least it's what people on the developer boards are saying. Apple has no confirmation one way or the other.

Here is an article by Apple about how peer-to-peer Apple Play works:
http://help.apple.com/deployment/ios/#/apd8fc751f59
 
Last edited:
Anyone know how far the watch can be from the iPhone and continue to stay connected?
 
bbeagle said:
For example, since iOS 8, AirPlay works using peer-to-peer wireless. No wireless network needs to exist. Same with Continuity between macs, tablets and phones. (but it ALSO works through a regular wifi network too)

(The last link to Ars Technica gives the best info)

http://chambersdaily.com/bradleychambers/2014/9/19/technical-details-of-peer-to-peer-airplay

http://9to5mac.com/2014/06/03/ios-8...irplay-to-apple-tv-no-longer-needs-a-network/

http://arstechnica.com/apple/2014/11/continuity-in-yosemiteios-8-which-network-powers-what-service/

Why wouldn't Apple use the features they developed with continuity and airplay on the watch and phone? It just makes sense. More secure than trying to connect both to a wifi network, which might be slow.

At least it's what people on the developer boards are saying. Apple has no confirmation one way or the other.

Here is an article by Apple about how peer-to-peer Apple Play works:
http://help.apple.com/deployment/ios/#/apd8fc751f59
Click to expand...

Awesome - thanks for the help. Should've dug deeper on my own. Looking forward to reading those articles. :cool:
 
The gym is the worst place to wear a watch. If you're lifting or doing yoga, the last thing you need is more jewelry or anything to constrict your body. You don't want to be wearing it when you're doing pushups, lifting weights, using a machine, etc.

You're just going to whack your watch at a metal bar and cry you scratched your watch.
 
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