Hands-On First Impressions of the New Apple Watch

[spinedoc77]

Fakes Rolex do not have Rolex movement. They either have a Miyota and the high end fakes have ETA movements. Even the high end ones are fake. The typography is always wrong. The hand markers are off due to which movement being used. The length of the hands differ if it is a Chinese Miyota fake or a high end fake. I can usually tell these things at a glance. The width and weight of the date/dial font is usually the first tell-tale giveaway.

Also, no other Swiss company (or fakes) use 904L grade steel. This is a unique Rolex characteristic. Google it. Only Rolex uses 904L. Sinn had one tactical special force , limited model with 904L but 99% of everyone else uses 304 or higher grade 316L steel.

That all may be true, but my point was that the majority of the unwashed masses couldn't tell the difference. The fakes these days are stunning. The other day I was looking at youtube videos of jewelers comparing them and they couldn't tell the difference. Many of them commented that the sweeping movement of rolex watches was an urban myth and any watch by has some kind of tick to it, even if it's very subtle. Anyhow as I stated my point was the majority of consumers out there.

 

[IJ Reilly]

Quite amusing how reading reports from people who saw it hands on is quite different than comments here and elsewhere from people who've only seen photos. From the hands on reports I've read the common theme is that the device feels premium; premium materials and high quality manufacturing. I'm sure it will get dinged for not being round and being kinda chunky. But one thing I find amazing (and that's seemingly being overlooked) is the fact that Apple has three models with many different bands and light and dark versions on day 1. The classic version has 18 different combinations! And none of it leaked. I think that's pretty amazing.

This is the result of "doubling down on secrecy."

 

[paulsdenton]

I must say, that I am really enjoying the hate. It makes me smile because although I don't wear body furniture, I can see, against all my previous expectations that this watch is going to be absolutely monumental. It will be every bit as big as the iPod, iPad, and iPhone. And that is because people will buy it because it's brilliant.

Me too. I love it. This is great. I just love all the wombats who post that an Apple product will fall flat on its ass the minute it's announced.

They did it with the original iPhone.

They did it with the iPad.

They did it with the new Mac Pro.

They did it with the iPhone 5S.

All these products went on to phenomenal success. This will too.

It will be fun watching all these mindless critics be proven wrong. Lots of fun.

 

[spinedoc77]

Oh, I never meant to imply that the expensive watches are better because they are expensive. Merely that real watches are essentially jewelry. That is not to say that the difference in quality between a $100 watch from Macy's and a Tag (not an incredibly expensive watch) is not immediate to anyone who looks at or holds one.

If you want my opinion on the Moto360:

1. The width is huge. The submariner already has a fairly large face. The fact that the Moto360 dwarfs it is incredible. Also, you took the photo straight down on the face, which basically showcases only the screen and the glass. Take for example this:

http://i-cdn.phonearena.com/images/articles/126568-image/Motorola-Moto-360.jpg

2. The height of the casing is crazy. It's incredibly fat.

3. The casing just looks cheap.

4. Gorilla glass. Are you crazy Motorola? This is a watch, Gorilla glass is going to get scratched to hell in no time short.

When you add all of those to the fact that the entire idea of "wearables" is a gimmick, I think you fall really short of any plausibly successful product.

Apple has convinced me that they can produce something more. A complementary "wearable" that can pass for a classy watch with features, utility, design, and ease of use (albeit at the standard Apple tax). Compare to the Moto360, which is essentially shrunken down android phone with a metallic circular display.

My 2 cents and opinion. I'm just sick of people saying it looks like children's toy, which is hyperbole concerning the sports band.

1) True, it's a large watch, but not that much larger than my Rolex. The pic I took had the 360 much closer to the camera because the band doesn't flatten out, so it looks larger.

2) I don't think its unaesthetically "fat" at all, but of course this is personal opinion.

3) Casing doesn't look cheap IMO, but in all honesty it doesn't have the heft of my watch. I'm not sure if we can judge quality by heft, but I'm not denying that the apple watch isn't of higher quality. I'm just talking about looks here.

4) Gorilla glass was a huge mistake on Moto's part, should have been sapphire all the way. Moto made a lot of mistakes, the SoC is garbage, battery life is questionable, and android wear is kind of crappy.

I also agree that wearables are gimmicks, in that category so is Apples watch.

 

[mdelvecchio]

steve jobs died again today

dear lord, the drama on MR is out if control these days. worse than a bunch of 14-year-old girls in drama class.

 

[fortysomegeek]

That all may be true, but my point was that the majority of the unwashed masses couldn't tell the difference. The fakes these days are stunning. The other day I was looking at youtube videos of jewelers comparing them and they couldn't tell the difference. Many of them commented that the sweeping movement of rolex watches was an urban myth and any watch by has some kind of tick to it, even if it's very subtle. Anyhow as I stated my point was the majority of consumers out there.

I'm a watch collector so I know these things. The ETA 2892 is comparable to a Rolex movement in quality but it isn't a Rolex movement. Just as a Nissan V6 is a v6 and Porsche Flat 6 has 6 cylinders. Yet, both have different characteristics. When someone puts a Miyota or Swatch ETA, I can tell.

Those who actively study their products (myself) will pick up on these nuances. The common person won't know but I'm not looking to fool anyone so I stick to authentic, original things.

 

[bunnicula]

People blasted the iPod, the iPhone, the iPad, and now they're blasting the Apple Watch.

I bought all of them (except the original iPod, I waited on that one until the Mini launched and bought it at launch) on launch day. And I'm still buying them, because they're solid products.

I'll buy the watch. It'll be fun. And I'm not really into watches, but I do love new gadgets.

 

[sebastian...]

Image

You picked the most cheesiest cheapest casio watches. How about these ones, even older (year 1984) and with touch screen :

 

[mdelvecchio]

.


I can NOT believe how cheap that thing looks.

Especially after:

1. Jony I've says: watch out Switzerland (hahaha)
2. They hire the Burberry lady

I was actually expecting a beautifully designed, iconic watch... not even close.

1. there's absolutely no proof that Ive said that at all. not one shred.

2. what does the retail vp have to do with product design? nothing.

try harder.

 

[fortysomegeek]

1) True, it's a large watch, but not that much larger than my Rolex.

You are blind. Sorry but there is a BIG difference between 40mm and 46mm. Big difference. It is more pronounced on a small watch; it makes the whole lot of difference between sporty, large, over-sized.

46mm is OVERSIZED, outlier. Google Panerai. They make 44 and 47mm. They are considered "oversized" by the general market. The Moto 360 is 46mm.

 

[triptolemus]

1) True, it's a large watch, but not that much larger than my Rolex.

Could you please mention "my Rolex" a few more times?

 

[xmichaelp]

Yep. It's right up there with the iPad, which we all know is just a big iPod Touch.

No. Despite me not really caring about it the iPad was always a worthy product category. It's a personal computer. The Watch? Not so much. I don't want to jab at a little 2 inch screen that's on my wrist.

 

[sebastian...]

no he's right. the Koreans are well known for not only copying, but going into overdrive development mode just to get something out for the sake of getting it out. they'll throw in all sorts of bells and whistles, none of which work very well and some that don't even work at all. that is what they do, the Koreans. they copy.

And Apple never took any ideas from others ? For example raise your watch and the screen will power on was done by Casio probably 20 years earlier on their watches. So this time it was no "Casio stole it from Apple rumours".
And so on.

 

[kajpin]

Seemingly its cleared up on the web site (from someone uptread) and no you don't need to run with your phone unless you want GPS tracking.

What use is it without gps tracking? I can buy a stopwatch if all I want is to time myself. GPS tracking is critical to any serious runner. I realize most serious runners just get a running watch...I was just putting it off in hopes that I could get a well designed and integrated product from Apple. I just fail to see what the watch offers me besides heart rate monitoring that my phone, which I have to have with me at all times, can't already do???

 

[spinedoc77]

I'm a watch collector so I know these things. The ETA 2892 is comparable to a Rolex movement in quality but it isn't a Rolex movement. Just as a Nissan V6 is a v6 and Porsche Flat 6 has 6 cylinders. Yet, both have different characteristics. When someone puts a Miyota or Swatch ETA, I can tell.

Those who actively study their products (myself) will pick up on these nuances. The common person won't know but I'm not looking to fool anyone so I stick to authentic, original things.

No argument there, but it wasn't my point. Great info though, thanks.

----------

Could you please mention "my Rolex" a few more times?

Why would you take offense if I am comparing the 2? Sounds a bit insecure, I'm not going to apologize for owning one. Should I refer to it in 3rd party terms? Ok let me compare my moto 360 with this Rolex that for some odd reason is lying around my house. Weird.

 

[katewes]

During the last couple of decades, I have bought multiple models of virtually every Apple product -- MacBook Pro, MacBook Air, iMac, iPad, iPhone, iPod.

But this Apple Watch is the first product of theirs that I have no desire to get.

The worst way I can insult it is, "It looks like a Samsung". That's how awful it looks to me.

I just assumed, before I saw the Apple Watch, that I was going to be wowed and awed by the amazing new product design. Instead, it is so .... Samsung.

With an iPhone 6 in my pocket, I can't see the need or desire for an Apple Watch. On a plus or minus scale, I feel repulsed by the Apple Watch. It's a negative for me.

Back when MacRumors was posting mockups -- and they had a picture of a large iPod on a watch strap, I thought it was a joke, and now the actual Watch looks like a small iPod with a wrist strap. Ugly. Ugly. Ugly.

 

[spinedoc77]

You are blind. Sorry but there is a BIG difference between 40mm and 46mm. Big difference. It is more pronounced on a small watch; it makes the whole lot of difference between sporty, large, over-sized.

46mm is OVERSIZED, outlier. Google Panerai. They make 44 and 47mm. They are considered "oversized" by the general market. The Moto 360 is 46mm.

I'm not blind, simply stating my personal opinion on aesthetics. There isn't a big difference in my opinion, they both sit well on my wrist and I'm satisfied with how they both look.

 

[MH01]

That Moto 360 next to a 40mm Diver's watch looks ridiculously out of proportion; making it look like a clown watch.

The width is 46mm which is over-sized. The strap appears to be 22mm. It makes it out of proportion. It is as big as a deep diver's watch yet it can't go under 4,000 feet of water. Deep diver's watch are chunky for a reason.

The strap size ration is extremely puny. It is like putting 14" wheels on a Corvette. At minimum, it should be 24 or 26mm for the strap like Panerai (which are 44 and 47mm)

But if you add a 24mm strap, the watch would ginormously big.

Thus, I do not understand the appeal of the 360 despite the flat tire design.
It tries to copy the Braun musuem watch which people have compared it to. But that watch is only 38mm.

Big watches are popular at the moment.

Not all watches need to have a wide band to go with a large size.

http://www.iwc.com/en/collection/pilots/IW500901/

This is an example of a very iconic watch in the industry...swiss.

 

[Boatboy24]

Some cool features, but for $350 I need something better. It HAS TO work without the phone. I understand you can't put full calling/wifi capabilities in there without it getting huge, but give me some functionality sans phone, and full functionality with it.

I'll be sitting this round out. But then again, I did the same with the iPhone and iPad. Maybe that's just my style.

 

[spinedoc77]

That Moto 360 next to a 40mm Diver's watch looks ridiculously out of proportion; making it look like a clown watch.

The width is 46mm which is over-sized. The strap appears to be 22mm. It makes it out of proportion. It is as big as a deep diver's watch yet it can't go under 4,000 feet of water. Deep diver's watch are chunky for a reason.

The strap size ration is extremely puny. It is like putting 14" wheels on a Corvette. At minimum, it should be 24 or 26mm for the strap like Panerai (which are 44 and 47mm)

But if you add a 24mm strap, the watch would ginormously big.

Thus, I do not understand the appeal of the 360 despite the flat tire design.
It tries to copy the Braun musuem watch which people have compared it to. But that watch is only 38mm.

By the way I have a temporary band on the Moto that is very wimpy looking, I was playing around to see how it looked. For a 22mm band it tapers a lot, and it's very thin, much thinner than the rolex band.

I also see a LOT of chunky watches these days, but most of those are not diver watches. Obviously most of this comes under personal opinion and preference. My main point was that the moto 360 is a nicer looking watch than the apple watch is, that's not talking about quality or function but simply looking at them in pictures. Not sure how it got blown out of proportion, but hey this is macrumors lol.

 

[flux73]

http://www.reuters.com/article/2014/09/09/us-markets-stocks-idUSKBN0H410J20140909

Anybody ever remember Apple stock FALLING on a major product announcement?

Is this your first Apple product announcement?

 

[Analog Kid]

I have skinny wrists so I doubt I'll be getting one until it's able to slim down. But the hands on reports I've read are completely different than the comments here. IMO most of the comments are reactionary. It's square not round and immediately it's ugly. I prefer to actually see one in person and try it on before I make judgement. One thing that that I'm hopeful about though is it seems the bands are able to fit snug on the wrist so maybe it won't be so bad for people with tiny wrists.

I've been struck by the same thing. I expected the Gizmodo/Engadget crowd to puke on it as soon as they possibly could just to show they're above the hype-- yet they seem to have favorable impressions. Didn't trust those particular outlets before, so no reason to now, but it's still a sign that A-Watch is not an also ran.

I have this horrible feeling like I'm going to wind up with one on my wrist. A year later, the next one. Maybe again at the third iteration when they finally get it right.


When iPod came out, I liked the idea but thought it was incomplete for the price. Caved within months. Took a few revs before I felt complete, but was dependent on it immediately, even with its flaws. iPhone took me until rev 4 before I bought in all, and I didn't feel too troubled waiting.

I think the watch might be another early adopter item for me. I only wish it were more independent of the phone. Mostly it's the GPS I'd like in there-- if I leave my phone at home I don't care about making calls.

 

[Anim]

I kinda like the idea of the Sport version. Having my iPhone out in a gym is slightly risky (forget it near a machine, break it etc) and a phone is a pain to check progress if it's zipped up in a pocket. The sport watch would certainly excel here and as more apps update to interface to it.

I wouldn't consider the other watch editions though as most (not all) of the straps seem a little too easy to undo (thieves rejoice) and lets face it, walking about with an obvious Apple Watch on your wrist is like walking about with your iPhone constantly out in your hand (thieves rejoice again).

Thoughts?

 

[Chatter]

... I don't want a digital watch approximation of a Swiss watch. No one is going to mistake a smart watch for a Patek Phillipe and think you're wealthy. Smartwatches are a chance for new wearable designs, and I think Apple is on the right track.

Thank you! This is exactly the point.
Now, I was personally hoping for a different design but I think you are correct - no one will veer confuse a smartwatch for an expensive watch. That is the point of these items.

 

[spinedoc77]

Thank you! This is exactly the point.
Now, I was personally hoping for a different design but I think you are correct - no one will veer confuse a smartwatch for an expensive watch. That is the point of these items.

Well it depends on how much the gold one will be priced at.