Hands-On With the New Theater Mode in watchOS 3.2

[jclardy]

how's this different from 'do not disturb' mode? (i don't own an apple watch, just curious)

is it justifiable for you to have two distinct modes?

It is different because if you look at your wrist, nothing happens. To all the whiners complaining about this - Don't call it theater mode, call it battery extender mode as it leaves haptics but turns off raise to wake (So essentially you have no accidental screen turn ons and the accelerometer/gyro can be put to sleep.) The movie theater is just the most obvious application. Use it on a date if you have a habit of looking at your watch every time it buzzes.

 

[iPadProBaby]

Seems like a widely-deployed solution to a very small problem.

Like every update to iOS recently. Who TF needs ore emoji's other than school kids in Japan?
[doublepost=1485889027][/doublepost]

I'd think this is a very useful feature for Apple Watch owners. I have an Android Wear watch and the ability to simply double press the home button to turn on Theater Mode is extremely convenient. Display is off, but I still get small haptic feedback from notifications. Also comes in handle for charging the watch at night next to my bed, so the light isn't shining on my face. Also turning the screen off lets you use it as a mini mirror

Of course, you have the inferior 'knock-off' so you probably don't know what you're talking about. but the Apple Watch doesn't 'shine' at night. It's display turns off when charging unless vibration (tapping the night stand) or you touch a button. So this stupid 'theatre mode' at night is utterly redundant too.

 

[odedia]

This is great for people like me who put sleep with the watch on for sleep monitoring. The light from the watch can literally wake me up at times if I'm not in deep sleep.
By the way, this feature already exists in settings - you just disable "raise to wake". But it's much nicer to have a one-button access to it.

 

[Bromeo]

Also applies to music concerts. Was at a chamber music concert last week and forgot to put my watch in power reserve mode or off. I tend to sit with my hands on my lap, and the slightest movements could turn the watch on, distracting to me and those next to me.

I created a red modular digital Watch face that has just the time. It is less distracting in a dark theater.

Since the phone/Watch have GPS, it'd be great to have both automatically go into theater mode during the concert/show.

Yes, some of us still get out of the house to see a movie or live concert.

 

[Jim Lahey]

Yes, some of us still get out of the house to see a movie or live concert.

Pfft. No one goes out of the house anymore. Weirdo. Way more fun actively searching for things to be offended by and complaining about them on the internet.

 

[honglong1976]

So that the watch face rubs against the armrest every time you move your arm?

The armrest isn't made from diamonds or sand paper so you don't need to worry about scratching the screen

 

[Gibletoid]

I don't get it at all - how this is remotely useful. Who is spending that much time in dark places to justify its own easily accessible setting for this feature?

I have my watch always on silent and I get haptic feedback all day, every day. When exactly was it ever an issue to have the screen light up, turning the situation into an inconvenient moment? Even in a theatre/cinema, it is not like my watch will light up the entire room.

[doublepost=1485896426][/doublepost]If you don't think you would use it great, but try to consider others have a different perspective. First time I was in a meeting with someone with an Apple Watch it kept going off on his wrist and it was distracting. In a movie, if your watch lights up I see it, and it ruins the immersion of the movie. Takes me out of it. THis is a free setting, I'm amazed that people here have an issue with it.

 

[beanbaguk]

I don't get it at all - how this is remotely useful. Who is spending that much time in dark places to justify its own easily accessible setting for this feature?

I have my watch always on silent and I get haptic feedback all day, every day. When exactly was it ever an issue to have the screen light up, turning the situation into an inconvenient moment? Even in a theatre/cinema, it is not like my watch will light up the entire room.

That comment applies to the whole Apple Watch product.

I don't get it at all - how is it remotely useful?!

 

[Gibletoid]

That comment applies to the whole Apple Watch product.

I don't get it at all - how is it remotely useful?!

It is a heart monitor. Maybe that is not useful to you.
It is an exercise monitor. Maybe that is not useful to you.
It can deliver directions without staring at your phone. Maybe that is not useful to you.
It can tell you the time and deliver notifications without having to pull out your phone. Maybe........you.

Again, like my last comment, why do some people think 'perspective' is singular?

 

[Mausse]

A big thanks from my girlfriend, she always get annoyed when i light up the bed room......well you get it..

 

[Bigsk8r]

you forgot the person you will do a handstand and occasionally clap while jumping up and down, making the watch turn on all the time. The arguments are getting better. It takes a bit more for the screen to light up (you have to raise your arm and look at it) and you make it sound as if this was happening all the time. I sat through a handful of movies with my watch on and I typically watch the screen rather than my watch.

Come on people, you are making up weird scenarios to justify this feature - the only good point so far was from the guy who wears the watch when sleeping.

As a person who is happily single and enjoying it, not having my watch light up with an alert while on a date will keep me from worrying if something is visible on the screen that I'd rather not take time to explain. One tap of theater mode will take care of it. Useful feature if I forget to switch watches...

 

[TommyPePe]

I wear my watch to bed every night - can't tell you how many times my wrist has blinded me as I change sleeping positions.

That's what I'll use this for!

Indeed. I have been waiting for this feature for over a year, for use when I sleep. Have been making a watch face that is the darkest possible (Modular, red and time only), but still lights up. Annoying for wifey. THIS update will be great

 

[coolbreeze]

You know there is already a cinema mode?

rotate your watch 180 so it's pointing down. After the film, put it back to normal.

Or just....gasp! turn it off. I know, withdrawals, but c'mon ya'll.

 

[honglong1976]

Or just....gasp! turn it off. I know, withdrawals, but c'mon ya'll.

Turn it off, turn on wait 10 mins.

My method creates no disruption at all

 

[nicho]

The armrest isn't made from diamonds or sand paper so you don't need to worry about scratching the screen

applies only to SS models.

 

[honglong1976]

applies only to SS models.

Cinema seats are covered in high-density foam and covered in durable fabric

I think you are safe using an Apple Watch Sports. Although reading the forums here some people scratch there watches just by looking at it.

 

[aristobrat]

Cinema seats are covered in high-density foam and covered in durable fabric

I think you are safe using an Apple Watch Sports. Although reading the forums here some people scratch there watches just by looking at it.

I guess cinema seats are different in the UK. Here in the US (at least in the area I live), they armrests are not made out of foam and fabric.

 

[nicho]

Cinema seats are covered in high-density foam and covered in durable fabric

I think you are safe using an Apple Watch Sports. Although reading the forums here some people scratch there watches just by looking at it.

and have hard plastic fittings, including at the end... y'know, where your wrists would be. cup holders could easily scratch gorilla glass.

 

[honglong1976]

and have hard plastic fittings, including at the end... y'know, where your wrists would be. cup holders could easily scratch gorilla glass.

It might be hard plastic but it's still plastic. I just tried to scratch my cheap glass screen protector installed on my phone with a hard plastic tool and it wouldn't scratch and that's not even gorilla glass! I think you'll be ok

Amazing gorilla glass never scratches in the tests they perform and yet people just stare at the screen and it scratches. Use a piece of tissue to wipe it and it scratches. Never managed to scratch one myself. Maybe I am not pressing hard enough on the tissue?

 

[unashamedgeek]

How do you get yours to do that?

It has done that by default since I got it. To do it, while your watch face is off, turn the digital crown and the face will slowly light up. If you don't let the face fully light up, you can turn the crown in the opposite direction to fade it off.

 

[izzy0242mr]

Like every update to iOS recently. Who TF needs ore emoji's other than school kids in Japan?
[doublepost=1485889027][/doublepost]

Of course, you have the inferior 'knock-off' so you probably don't know what you're talking about. but the Apple Watch doesn't 'shine' at night. It's display turns off when charging unless vibration (tapping the night stand) or you touch a button. So this stupid 'theatre mode' at night is utterly redundant too.

I was wondering when my comment would trigger a (die-hard) Apple fanboy my "knock-off" was invented and on the market when people still called the unreleased concept of the Apple Watch the "iWatch."

 

[andreyirra]

It will be useful while driving. It tends to turn on when I move the wheel. Always thought it would be nice if it would know the watch is in the car and automatically turn off the screen while driving. I mean, the iPhone knows it because it tells me the driving time to my destination automatically.

 

[aristobrat]

It has done that by default since I got it. To do it, while your watch face is off, turn the digital crown and the face will slowly light up. If you don't let the face fully light up, you can turn the crown in the opposite direction to fade it off.

I think only the S2 models do that.

 

[modeyabsolom]

Why isn't this on iOS? The large screen of an iPhone can be far more distracting in a cinema than the diminutive one on the Watch, and there are a heck of a lot more iPhones out there than Watch's too!

 

[andreyirra]

Why isn't this on iOS? The large screen of an iPhone can be far more distracting in a cinema than the diminutive one on the Watch, and there are a heck of a lot more iPhones out there than Watch's too!

Because Do Not Disturb takes care of the screen on the iPhone.
In the watch it just stops notifications and vibrations but doesn't stop the screen from turning on when raising your wrist. This new setting does that.