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iPad Lightweight = Good, iPhone Lightweight = Good, Watch Lightweight = Bad ?

Piggie

Piggie

macrumors G3
Original poster
Feb 23, 2010
9,203
4,173
Anyone care to explain this mentality to me ?

Myself as someone with nothing to prove, No need to display anything of any particular monitory value to anyone, and someone who is not worried about what brand/label is printed on it.

Lightweight is generally good, Unless you are into weight training, something being lightweight is a positive.

For Apple especially, iPhones, iPads, and perhaps other items have/will be proudly shown off for how lighter this years model is compared to last year.

However, now, all of a sudden with the watch, lightweight is bad.
Even for the ladies?

Aluminium = nasty cheap horrid lightweight.
Steel = better, more weight to it, feels better.
Gold = wow, even heavier, this is the best.

Ummmm, so now we have done a 180 degree shift, and now a Heavy Apple Product is the positive aspect to promote?

Something lightweight on your wrist that's so light and comfortable that you don't even know it's there is the new BAD thing?

Funny don't you think?

Perhaps we'll have a Heavy Steel iPhone next year :D
 
Generally, the heavier or more substantial the wristwatch, the higher it's perceived value. Consider a $5 plastic timex against a $5,000 solid stainless Omega or ~$10,000 solid gold Rolex. Apple is introducing the watch into an existing market as a fashion accessory, not a tech product.
 
drewsof07 said:
Generally, the heavier or more substantial the wristwatch, the higher it's perceived value. Consider a $5 plastic timex against a $5,000 solid stainless Omega or ~$10,000 solid gold Rolex. Apple is introducing the watch into an existing market as a fashion accessory, not a tech product.
Click to expand...

Why do you think that is?

Might there be some very very old historical reason why, with wristwatches Heavy = Better / Good ?

I can appreciate many many years ago, they did not have access to modern lightweight materials so a larger watch with perhaps thicker metal for the gears, and a thicker case was therefore heavier, so heavier was way way back associated with stronger construction hence longer life, hence higher quality.

It is strange when you think about it, that is most other aspects, Cars, Motorcycles, Aircraft? Bicycles, Phones, Tablets, Suitcases, Clothing/Footwear?

Modern materials offering strength, performance and less weight, in fact year upon year, model upon model making all these things lighter and lighter is a goal to be strived for, and shown off as an amazing achievement.

And yet, for a watch, strapping something that weighs a lot and feels heavy is looked upon, even in 2015 as a positive.
Rather than, as with other products in the modern world people being impressed with how amazingly lightweight the watch has been made.

Really weird. And perhaps as I say based upon some very old outmoded thinking of thick metal = durable from generations ago.
 
I don't see anywhere in Apple's marketing that would imply lightweight = bad, or heavy = good. What I see is lightweight = good for sports. Stainless steel and gold are heavier, which is fine because they were chosen for luxury, which weight is a lower priority.

Weight is a large priority for the iPhone and iPad because they are held, but for a watch I don't think it matters. It would be difficult for a watch to be so heavy that it's even noticeable.

Do you think designers at Apple should sit around and say "well since we cared about lightness on these other products, we should care about lightness on this new product so we appear consistent"? No way, that's not thinking about what's best for the product at hand. "Consistency" is a well-worned tool for the novice designer. Just look at icon packs designed for consistency, and not for distinctiveness.

Just because the lighter Watch is cheaper, it doesn't show that Apple thinks heavier is better. That's a very checklist-like view of products. The question is not "what is better?", it's "what is better for this purpose?" The Sport and Edition models are marketed for very different use cases, so their priorities are very different.
 
Piggie said:
Anyone care to explain this mentality to me ?

Myself as someone with nothing to prove, No need to display anything of any particular monitory value to anyone, and someone who is not worried about what brand/label is printed on it.

Lightweight is generally good, Unless you are into weight training, something being lightweight is a positive.

For Apple especially, iPhones, iPads, and perhaps other items have/will be proudly shown off for how lighter this years model is compared to last year.

However, now, all of a sudden with the watch, lightweight is bad.
Even for the ladies?

Aluminium = nasty cheap horrid lightweight.
Steel = better, more weight to it, feels better.
Gold = wow, even heavier, this is the best.

Ummmm, so now we have done a 180 degree shift, and now a Heavy Apple Product is the positive aspect to promote?

Something lightweight on your wrist that's so light and comfortable that you don't even know it's there is the new BAD thing?

Funny don't you think?

Perhaps we'll have a Heavy Steel iPhone next year :D
Click to expand...

i don't think this is funny at all and your hypothesis is nonsense. I would rather have a house built of steel than toothpicks, so heavier is better in some cases.
 
Actually, your premise is wrong. Many complained that the iPhone 3G/3GS felt cheap because it was significantly lighter than the original iPhone. There are even some who are of the opinion that the heavier 4/4S feels more substantial than the 5/5s.
 
Mtmspa said:
i don't think this is funny at all and your hypothesis is nonsense. I would rather have a house built of steel than toothpicks, so heavier is better in some cases.
Click to expand...

Wow, that has to be the saddest and most desperate attempt at an analogy there has every been in the history of mankind! laughs.

iPhone lightweight = Good

iPad Lightweight = Good

Apple Watch Lightweight = Bad, because you want a heavier house, so heavy = better!

OMG Man, that is so desperate! :D

We are talking about items humans carry and wear not a house!

Yes, a lightweight steam roller would not be much use either.

Please try and stay on track! laughs....

----------
JayLenochiniMac said:
Actually, your premise is wrong. Many complained that the iPhone 3G/3GS felt cheap because it was significantly lighter than the original iPhone. There are even some who are of the opinion that the heavier 4/4S feels more substantial than the 5/5s.
Click to expand...

My point is WHY.....
 
Stainless steel is a more durable metal than aluminum. Hence it is better. It being heavier is a side effect of that.
 
JayLenochiniMac said:
It's just human nature to assume heavier = more substantial. E.g., heavier speakers usually indicate better quality. Not that difficult to understand. Again, your premise is wrong that lightweight iPhones are better.
Click to expand...

So you want the iPhone, and perhaps the iPad to be made from a heavier metal so they are heavier devices?

Yes ?

It's ok, if you do. I'm just asking.

----------
cmChimera said:
Stainless steel is a more durable metal than aluminum. Hence it is better. It being heavier is a side effect of that.
Click to expand...

And do you also apply this to iPhone and iPads also, and like others are seeming to say would prefer these other items to be heavier and make from a heavier stronger metal also ?

This is interesting.
 
No. Heavy watches suck. They always want to slide up and down your arm and in doing so certain kinds of bands pull hair out. Not nice. This is why there are light and strong materials such as titanium (titaninium?) and ceramic.

As far as your why, people get stuck in a mindset from past experiences. Many light items are hollow and flimsy. This is obviously not true when more exotic materials and techniques are used. A light item can feel like a solid block if engineered to do so.
 
Weight is secondary to many people, first is style. I'm very surprised Apple's obsession with thin products isn't reflected in this chunky fat watch.
 
Mr. Buzzcut said:
No. Heavy watches suck. They always want to slide up and down your arm and in doing so certain kinds of bands pull hair out. Not nice. This is why there are light and strong materials such as titanium (titaninium?) and ceramic.

As far as your why, people get stuck in a mindset from past experiences. Many light items are hollow and flimsy. This is obviously not true when more exotic materials and techniques are used. A light item can feel like a solid block if engineered to do so.
Click to expand...

I agree.

This whole Heavy = Quality thinking seems stuck in the past.

So a Titanium, Kevlar, Carbon fibre and perhaps Graphite composite watch would = cheap because it's not heavy enough and not made from a chunk of old heavy iron or steel.

This type of thinking is from your great grandparents.

I'm amazed so many people here are stuck with this old mind set.

Funny as in the next breath they will talk about how amazing this $20,000 bicycle is that's made of brand new composite materials and it so light!

Really crazy old thinking some here have about watches.

----------
technosix said:
Weight is secondary to many people, first is style. I'm very surprised Apple's obsession with thin products isn't reflected in this chunky fat watch.
Click to expand...

Agreed.

I'm sure it will lose it's fatness as the years go by :)
 
Piggie said:
Wow, that has to be the saddest and most desperate attempt at an analogy there has every been in the history of mankind! laughs.

iPhone lightweight = Good

iPad Lightweight = Good

Apple Watch Lightweight = Bad, because you want a heavier house, so heavy = better!

OMG Man, that is so desperate! :D

We are talking about items humans carry and wear not a house!

Yes, a lightweight steam roller would not be much use either.

Please try and stay on track! laughs....

----------



My point is WHY.....
Click to expand...

You need to calm down, man. We're talking about smartwatches here.

Everything in here comes down to personal preference. There are people who don't like how light smartphones have become because they don't feel as 'premium' anymore. In many cases a heavier product can indicate premium construction quality and design, especially in watches.

Also, no one is going to buy the gold watch because it's heavier. They're going to buy it because it's made of freaking gold.
 
AceFernalld said:
You need to calm down, man. We're talking about smartwatches here.

Everything in here comes down to personal preference. There are people who don't like how light smartphones have become because they don't feel as 'premium' anymore. In many cases a heavier product can indicate premium construction quality and design, especially in watches.

Also, no one is going to buy the gold watch because it's heavier. They're going to buy it because it's made of freaking gold.
Click to expand...

Agreed, but honestly this is the 1st I've heard about people complaining the iPhone and iPad are too light... Honestly never heard that as a complaint before.
 
Piggie wanted a light house so he built it of straw and the wolf ate him. Now we don't have to have any more Piggie post to be boared by. Sow what?

I love bacon.
 
Piggie said:
Agreed, but honestly this is the 1st I've heard about people complaining the iPhone and iPad are too light... Honestly never heard that as a complaint before.
Click to expand...

You must not spend too much time in the iPad forum, then. Every time the iPad has gotten thinner and lighter, there have been people who complain that the lightness makes it feel insubstantial and less sturdy.

As for Apple watch, my first thought when I heard about aluminum vs steel was, would the steel be too heavy to be comfortable? Would the aluminum be a better choice for me since it is lighter? Or would the extra sturdiness of steel be worth the extra weight? These are questions that can't be answered until I get to hold them and try wearing them on my wrist.
 
There is a point where Lightweight becomes cheap. That's no different for Apple watch, iPhone or iPad. Only the point where it becomes cheap is different for every product.
 
It's not about "weight," per se. It's about feeling substantial. If an object feels insubstantial (weight being part of that equation), it is equated with being cheap. You hear that argument from iPhone and iPad users every time there's a major revision. The thinner and lighter it gets, the weaker and less substantial it seems. That's why things like Bendgate are able to pick up steam so quickly: it fits with the belief that the iPhone 6/6 Plus are of lesser quality than past iPhones because they've gotten "too thin."

When dealing with objects made of metals, especially when used as jewelry and especially when precious metals are common, people expect a certain heft to it. When the device is heftier and more substantial, it indicates that the device is not only made of something more valuable (gold versus steel versus aluminum), but it has more of that material in it.

That's my read on it, anyway.
 
I spent time thinking about why I want a light iPad and iPhone, but want a more substantial watch. Then I remembered they're not the same thing. I don't like the new iPhone because to me it's too big. Yet I want my TV to be as big as I can afford, without looking ridiculous in my flat. I want my iPad to be as light as possible, I want my watch to feel substantial.
 
I still find this interesting from a human point of view.

As I can't see any REAL reason why it's good for a mobile phone to be good because it's lightweight, but a watch to be bad because it's lightweight.

If heavy means a watch is better, why does not the same apply to a mobile phone?

Just saying it is, it not an answer.
I'm puzzled how some people have got to this point of view that lightweight = cheap, and yet there is no logic to this at all.

I can see more gold = heavy = better, but that's only valid for precious metals as you are getting more.

I wonder where this idea comes from originally?
 
Piggie said:
As I can't see any REAL reason why it's good for a mobile phone to be good because it's lightweight, but a watch to be bad because it's lightweight.

If heavy means a watch is better, why does not the same apply to a mobile phone?
Click to expand...

A heavy watch (or ring, for that matter) doesn't really drag the arm down. On the other hand, make the iPhone and iPad too heavy and it becomes unwieldy.

However, many of us prefer the heavier weight of the original iPhone (compared to the 3G/3GS) and the 4/4S (compared to the 5/5s). This is not to say the iPhone 6/6+ should be proportionally heavy because by then you'd cross the line of them being too unwieldy to handle (due to the bigger size) and more likely to cause wrist pain.
 
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