I Don't See The Point

[Lucifer666]

Go for a run and then emergency?

The only emergency you should really worry about is people chasing you to steal your Apple watch.

Then again, there are deadly cars, wild animals, and Big Foot out there

 

[sulpfiction]

Some people have greatness flash right in their face and can't see it. They will sale like crazy.

Cmon..this isn't exactly "greatness" at this point. It's really not. I know guys like u want to believe it's great..and so do i. But it's just not. Not yet anyway. It's cool looking and has a few cool features. But that's about it. I'm most likely getting the SS watch with Milanese loop. But I really don't know why. I'm not rich and I don't have a bunch of FU money to play around with. I can afford it but im gonna know I bought it. And as much as I want to believe it's gonna be so awesome, it's really not. I mean it's basically just an extension to my phone. That's it at this point. It's not a timeless piece of jewelry that I can hand down to my kids. It's dosposable technology that'll be obsolete in 2 years max. That's what I'm having trouble with. I Think Apple is taking the wrong approach with this one. I think the gold one is without doubt a huge swing and a miss. And if this expensive piece of jewelry is updated every year, it's even more of a miss. Its not a beautiful timepiece. It's a pretty little computer...that can't really do much at this point. Anyone else feel this way about dropping $800?

 

[goobot]

they may not be a big features for you but to others including me it clearly is. It was the reason why I returned my Pebble months ago.

I mean what does the pebble really do beyond notifications ? It really is the most basic of basic when it comes to features. I wasn't satisfied spending 100-200 on a watch that mainly just gave me notifications. I might as well just spend 200 more and get a WHOLE lot more utility from an Apple watch IMO.

People will definitely be utilizing the call features for quick calls when their hands are full or phone is out of reach or just for convenience. Do you know how many phone calls are just quick 5 to 30 second calls ? I think you're overlooking so many "convenient" moments where full hands, distance phone, or just plain convenience is gonna find people using all these features CONSTANTLY throughout their day to pay for things, answer calls/texts, find info via siri, etc, etc. and you still haven't acknowledged the wealth of possibility from the app store.

For those who actually see where these features will benefit their tendencies can clearly see where an Apple Watch is clearly another league from the Pebble. Saying it doesn't have any big features in comparison is like someone saying the original Iphone didn't do much that THEY personally needed beyond their flip phone. Like those people who still own them and say " It makes calls , that's all I need". Okay to each their own, but to others there will be ALOT of useful features in this beyond what a Pebble can do.

All the things you stated are much easier and more enjoyable on the iPhone. The only point you have is hands free and I don't think you can answer calls with hey siri.

 

[Knowimagination]

My issue is not that the Watch is pointless, but rather that it's very limited it what it offers and in fact leaves a lot to be desired.

Compared to what though? Not compared to the competition in my opinion and other than that it is a first ten product and will continue to improve both with developers and future generations.

 

[blairh]

Compared to what though? Not compared to the competition in my opinion and other than that it is a first ten product and will continue to improve both with developers and future generations.

The Samsung Gear S allows you to send and receive phone calls without needing your smartphone. It also has an on-screen keyboard for replying to messages.

I'm not saying the Gear S is superior to the Apple Watch. But its features like that that I feel are sorely missing from the Apple Watch.

 

[psylence2k]

All the things you stated are much easier and more enjoyable on the iPhone. The only point you have is hands free and I don't think you can answer calls with hey siri.

of course they're more easier/enjoyable with the phone, no one is arguing that. Just like most media you consume on the Iphone is more easier/enjoyable on the Ipad and most media you consume on the Ipad is more easier/enjoyable on a Mac.

The Apple Watch is convenient alternative for certain situations just like the Iphone is in certain situations. It's just another step in the progression of technology that adds another level of convenience and practicality like alotta apple products before it did.

People are acting like people are pushing this as an Iphone replacement or substitute. No it's a very well done, practical, complementary companion piece that supplements and adds on to the Iphone experience and makes it better.

Using Apple Pay, answering quick 5-30 second phone calls, short reply texts, quick email checks, social media checks, calendar reminders, siri information look up, easier GPS navigation, etc etc etc the list just goes on and on and on for things I wont have to take my phone out for. I dont know about you guys but I know like myself there are alot of busy people that realize during the hustle and bustle of the day taking out your phone to check small things here and there CONSTANTLY adds up especially when your hands are full and you're doing a juggling act. If you dont realize this then I dont know what to tell you.

and yes you can answer calls and Siri is usable hands free with voice activation so chances are you'll probably be able to answer a call with Siri too and even if not now then eventually.

 

[noiceT]

I have to agree with blairh. Apple Watch is probably the first Apple product that I see no use for, whatsoever

I understand that some super-busy people find it great when they don't have to reach for their iPhone a thousand times a day, but that's the only use I can see for the Apple Watch.

It's funny. Said the same thing when the iPad was debuted. I didn't get it. Couldn't understand why I would want something that would just be a "bigger iphone screen". Well we know how that went.

Maybe its the same, but in reverse. Going smaller.

 

[iLunar]

It's a watch. A piece of jewelry that also gives you notifications and some other cool things. It tells the time and looks pretty. What is the point of jewelry? I see so many people who have smart phones and also wear expensive watches. Some of those people will probably like the design of the Apple Watch and wear it as jewelry and also use the "smart" features of it.

I have many pairs of shoes cause I like the way they look and some of them are comfortable while some are just great to go out in. I'll probably get an Apple Watch with a cool band cause it looks nice and tells the time and gives me some smart features I can sometimes use.

I'm really surprised by how few people understand the desire for beautiful objects that also serve functions. We could all get small efficient cars that get us from point A to point B, but there are many makes and models that people can customize and choose from. I think the Apple Watch fits into that mold, as do most luxury watches these days. I'd argue that most people don't even need watches today, but that they are a pretty accessory that can also serve some functions.

I guess I'm failing to understand these "why" questions asked about Apple Watch. It feels like someone asking why people get their ears pierced or why people like nice things.

If someone only uses their Apple Watch as a fashion accessory that also tells the time, then good for them. Some of the designs are really great, IMO. And price wise compared to other watches on the market, the Apple Watch is pretty reasonable for its aesthetic and function.

 

[douglasf13]

The Samsung Gear S allows you to send and receive phone calls without needing your smartphone. It also has an on-screen keyboard for replying to messages.

I'm not saying the Gear S is superior to the Apple Watch. But its features like that that I feel are sorely missing from the Apple Watch.

The Creative ZEN allows you to do...a Windows PC lets you...etc. etc. It's always been the same with Apple products. They set limits and do the things they do very well.

 

[blairh]

The Creative ZEN allows you to do...a Windows PC lets you...etc. etc. It's always been the same with Apple products. They set limits and do the things they do very well.

Right, it does what it does well. That's not my point. It's that it doesn't offer enough IMO. I don't feel it makes a strong enough case as it is.

----------

I guess I'm failing to understand these "why" questions asked about Apple Watch. It feels like someone asking why people get their ears pierced or why people like nice things.

Honestly I find your entire response pretty baffling. One, I think you are making too soft a case that people will purchase this watch because it's a pretty object. Two, and more importantly, you fail to understand the "why" questions regarding the Watch? I'm just one of many questioning if this product truly offers enough for most consumers to justify a purpose and/or desire to purchase it. The fact that you even question people asking that question is really odd.

 

[douglasf13]

Right, it does what it does well. That's not my point. It's that it doesn't offer enough IMO. I don't feel it makes a strong enough case as it is.

That's exactly my point. Competing mp3 players, computers, etc., have always had more options, customizations and capabilities than Apple products. Apple is basically telling us what is important, as they always do, and they usually tend to be correct. It's just part of the Apple ecosystem.

Either way, 100% of people don't find usefulness in every Apple product, and it looks like this simply isn't for you.

 

[blairh]

That's exactly my point. Competing mp3 players, computers, etc., have always had more options, customizations and capabilities than Apple products. Apple is basically telling us what is important, as they always do, and they usually tend to be correct. It's just part of the Apple ecosystem.

Either way, 100% of people don't find usefulness in every Apple product, and it looks like this simply isn't for you.

But I don't think I'm speaking for just myself. I've heard a lot of skepticism about answering the 'why' question from big Apple fans like Gruber and writers for other tech sites before the keynote. Last fall people were saying that we'd learn that the Watch can do a lot more once it had a proper keynote and I don't think we got that. And I think that will be reflected in sales. Even if there is strong demand/curiosity next month when it hits retails, I think consumers will struggle to see truly great reasons to make the purchase.

 

[douglasf13]

But I don't think I'm speaking for just myself. I've heard a lot of skepticism about answering the 'why' question from big Apple fans like Gruber and writers for other tech sites before the keynote. Last fall people were saying that we'd learn that the Watch can do a lot more once it had a proper keynote and I don't think we got that. And I think that will be reflected in sales. Even if there is strong demand/curiosity next month when it hits retails, I think consumers will struggle to see truly great reasons to make the purchase.

All things that happened with prior Apple products, too. It does a few things really well, and, once people get time with it, it'll make more sense. I've spent a lot of time with a crappy Pebble, so I know the potential.

 

[echo44]

I am not one of these people who carries my watch with me all around my house or at the gym. Tim specifically stated at the event that if your iPhone is on the same wireless network as your watch they do not need to be in the vicinity.
This alone is worth it for me. I often spend time in my study or in my tv room
both on my second floor while my watch sits on the first floor near my kitchen.
Now I don't have to miss voice calls or texts when my phone is in the other room.

I think Apples brilliance is unlike Samsung and Pebble the first and foremost priority with the Apple watch was to design a fashionable high quality piece of jewelry. Looking at the space black stainless I would buy that even if it was just a watch. everything else is just gravy.

I have a funny feeling these will sell to the point they will be hard to get at first.

And for those who say they won't hold their value like a Rolex
the first Apple 1 computer sold for $600 the last one sold in working order at an auction sold for over $900,000

 

[iLunar]

Honestly I find your entire response pretty baffling. One, I think you are making too soft a case that people will purchase this watch because it's a pretty object. Two, and more importantly, you fail to understand the "why" questions regarding the Watch? I'm just one of many questioning if this product truly offers enough for most consumers to justify a purpose and/or desire to purchase it. The fact that you even question people asking that question is really odd.

Not really questioning anything, just saying that the Apple Watch makes sense to me from a fashion/function perspective. As does the Moto 360. As do numerous iterations of automobiles. As do the thousands of clothing brands. As do the millions of pieces of art, music, movies that are consumed. Not everyone is going to see the humor in The Interview or the raging beauty in a Van Gogh, but some people will. Isn't it great that we can have the discussion?

I think there will be a huge amount of skepticism of the Apple Watch for most people, as already witness like you say. I think some of the Apple Watch combination are ghastly, but some of them are really amazing. Fashion is a very subjective industry, and this is Apple's first foray. If you flip through any fashion magazine, you will probably find more things that are not to your liking and wonder who would pay massive amounts of money for such ugly, uncomfortable, items. But the fashion industry is 1.7 trillion dollar industry worldwide, so the value proposition for consumers is already there. I have no idea why women buy $4000 coach bags, but they do.

To me, the the Apple Watch is Apple's attempt to bridge the fashion/tech industry. I think Steve Jobs was really eloquent when he splashed up the road signs of being at the intersection of "Technology" and "Liberal Arts". In a lot of ways, Apple has always been the industry leader in that intersection, and the Apple Watch fits into that evolution. It was only a matter of time (pun intended) that technology started to converge to what we wear.

(I actually think the iPod was Apple's first attempt, the clip on shuffle and nano's wear very much fashion accessories, IMO. The clip on ad felt more like a fashion commercial than a tech commercial: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vpdnTSJXtVA&spfreload=10

)

 

[drew0020]

It's a watch. A piece of jewelry that also gives you notifications and some other cool things. It tells the time and looks pretty. What is the point of jewelry? I see so many people who have smart phones and also wear expensive watches. Some of those people will probably like the design of the Apple Watch and wear it as jewelry and also use the "smart" features of it.

I have many pairs of shoes cause I like the way they look and some of them are comfortable while some are just great to go out in. I'll probably get an Apple Watch with a cool band cause it looks nice and tells the time and gives me some smart features I can sometimes use.

I'm really surprised by how few people understand the desire for beautiful objects that also serve functions. We could all get small efficient cars that get us from point A to point B, but there are many makes and models that people can customize and choose from. I think the Apple Watch fits into that mold, as do most luxury watches these days. I'd argue that most people don't even need watches today, but that they are a pretty accessory that can also serve some functions.

I guess I'm failing to understand these "why" questions asked about Apple Watch. It feels like someone asking why people get their ears pierced or why people like nice things.

If someone only uses their Apple Watch as a fashion accessory that also tells the time, then good for them. Some of the designs are really great, IMO. And price wise compared to other watches on the market, the Apple Watch is pretty reasonable for its aesthetic and function.

What other nice piece of jewelry or fashion accessory is made in a sweatshop in China? I am all for nice jewelry and I love Louis Vuitton wallets and men's bags, but again I don't think it's fair to compare the two at this point.

 

[echo44]

What other nice piece of jewelry or fashion accessory is made in a sweatshop in China? I am all for nice jewelry and I love Louis Vuitton wallets and men's bags, but again I don't think it's fair to compare the two at this point.

go walk into bloomingdale's and look where most of the clothes are made
including shirts from designer labels costing over $1000!!! I think you may be a little surprised to find out how much of the "designer labels and fashion accessories are made in China"

 

[drew0020]

go walk into bloomingdale's and look where most of the clothes are made
including shirts from designer labels costing over $1000!!! I think you may be a little surprised to find out how much of the "designer labels and fashion accessories are made in China"

I don't consider those designer, but my expectations may be different than many others. Coach sold out to China long ago, but they are cheap bags relatively speaking. In order to charge a premium for jewelry or luxury I expect a hand made in America or Europe.

I like the design of the Apple watch but to call it a fine piece of jewelry when it is made in one of the worst sweatshops in the world is a stretch.

 

[dthmtlgod]

I'm not a runner, but a bicyclist.

It's perfect for me. I usually keep my phone in my front saddlebag of my bike... it's there for emergencies, but I really don't have access to it while riding.

With the Apple Watch, I'll be able to get alerts and phone calls much easier.

It should also hopefully make people/family members more personal. Maybe people will now keep their phone on their person and not in their hands whether eating dinner or having a drink with friends.

I went out with a family member last week and she literally had to check her email, IM, FB and Instagram every 15-30 seconds for 3 freaking hours.

I am one to check my phone a lot as well - but not when i am out or over at a friends house. My phone stayed in my jacket pocket the entire time, I did check my Pebble though when it did vibrate to make sure there was not an emergency at home.

 

[papa8706]

It's a watch. A piece of jewelry that also gives you notifications and some other cool things. It tells the time and looks pretty. What is the point of jewelry? I see so many people who have smart phones and also wear expensive watches. Some of those people will probably like the design of the Apple Watch and wear it as jewelry and also use the "smart" features of it.

I have many pairs of shoes cause I like the way they look and some of them are comfortable while some are just great to go out in. I'll probably get an Apple Watch with a cool band cause it looks nice and tells the time and gives me some smart features I can sometimes use.

I'm really surprised by how few people understand the desire for beautiful objects that also serve functions. We could all get small efficient cars that get us from point A to point B, but there are many makes and models that people can customize and choose from. I think the Apple Watch fits into that mold, as do most luxury watches these days. I'd argue that most people don't even need watches today, but that they are a pretty accessory that can also serve some functions.

I guess I'm failing to understand these "why" questions asked about Apple Watch. It feels like someone asking why people get their ears pierced or why people like nice things.

If someone only uses their Apple Watch as a fashion accessory that also tells the time, then good for them. Some of the designs are really great, IMO. And price wise compared to other watches on the market, the Apple Watch is pretty reasonable for its aesthetic and function.

IMO this is the whole problem people who make that comparison don't understand

Jewelry/fashion accessories= Look nice and have one job to do. One that doesn't require a computer to do it and can be used for as long as you take care of them for.

Smartwatch= Essentially a computer strapped to your wrist. Built in non-upgradable hardware that is obsolete when software updates surpass it's hardwares capability. Making them "fashionable" is awesome, but just like your phone, and computer, you don't need something that is made of solid gold when you know you're gonna never touch it again after the new one comes out.

I'm buying the SS link cause I enjoy smartwatches but even at that price I realize it's not my smartest investment. Its a fashionable computer for my wrist that I'll get 3 years out of. Making it a little more attractive doesn't change the fact that it's wearable tech

 

[echo44]

I like the design of the Apple watch but to call it a fine piece of jewelry when it is made in one of the worst sweatshops in the world is a stretch.

Have you ever actually talked to anyone who worked in one of these
"worst sweatshops in the world" You mean like the one in Longhua where
people who come from villages so poor, there are food shortages and no running water? They move to the city get a job with Foxconn and make enough money to feed their entire family? You mean the sweatshops where Apple helps send these workers to college? You mean the same sweatshops that make the iPhone which has anodized metal so thin and gap margins so small the engineers at anadtech
describe it as a engineering marvel that it could even be manufactured? Do you really believe a company like Rolex has tighter tolerances in their product production than Apple?

 

[drew0020]

Have you ever actually talked to anyone who worked in one of these
"worst sweatshops in the world" You mean like the one in Longhua where
people who come from villages so poor, there are food shortages and no running water? They move to the city get a job with Foxconn and make enough money to feed their entire family? You mean the sweatshops where Apple helps send these workers to college? You mean the same sweatshops that make the iPhone which has anodized metal so thin and gap margins so small the engineers at anadtech
describe it as a engineering marvel that it could even be manufactured? Do you really believe a company like Rolex has tighter tolerances in their product production than Apple?

No disrespect to Apple (I love my Apple stuff), but they mass produce cheap electronic gadgets. They are best in class for what they do but again it's a completely different market and clientele compared to Rolex.

 

[slvrscoobie]

If the watch had its own cellular connection, I'd probably cancel my phone plan. Then the watch will become my phone, and everything else would be an extra screen for the watch.

Because that would be healthy for apples bottom line!
Amongst about 20 other problems with that scenario

 

[entropi]

I don't get the watch either and the new MacBook doesn't suit my needs. But anyway, live and let live! Great that they are testing some new stuff and as long as Apple don't strip the more pro hardware of all ports and I don't really bother...

 

[Night Spring]

I went out with a family member last week and she literally had to check her email, IM, FB and Instagram every 15-30 seconds for 3 freaking hours.

If someone kept glancing at their watch every 15-30 seconds, I bet that would also get annoying pretty quick.

I do think that smartwatches can help cut down on people being distracted by notifications, but it can only do so much. The Do Not Disturb setting on the iPhone already offers a way to filter notifications so only the most important calls/texts come through, by only allowing notifications from the people on your favorites list. It's perfect for dinners/meetings, but apparently, not many people know how to set it up this way.