Is the Apple Watch as functional as you thought it would be?

[Tom G.]

Does my Watch perform as I expected. Yes, and more so, but I expected this coming, like some others here, from a Pebble background.

Would I recommend it to others? Yes, and I have, but some of the greatest recommendations are simply when they see it in action.

 

[AppleB]

I call BS on that first vid. I saw it a few months ago. There's a obvious edit and also anything can crack or not crack if you drop it. Means absolutely nothing. And dude going crazy on the video is just some stupid immature YouTube video jerk behavior not for grown ups.
Grown folks buy what they want to buy take measures to protect a purchase and keep it movin.

 

[AFEPPL]

 

[nalk7]

This guy's biggest gripe is actually surprisingly invalid, just say "Hey Siri" it's been there since Watch OS 1, no need to hold the crown.

 

[LoveToMacRumors]

I wish it could be a bit faster. I mean i hate when things are not fluid. And every time it lags, i get frustrated. I'm sure the 2nd gen will be much better.

However, the watch is still a great device. Very good looking and excellent for notifications.

 

[iMas70]

Something that I can't figure out. If I'm listening to music with my earbuds in and the phone rings, can I answer it on my watch and talk on the earbuds. I know I can press the control on the earbuds but is that the only way to use them to have a conversation (besides answering on the phone).

 

[BarracksSi]

Something that I can't figure out. If I'm listening to music with my earbuds in and the phone rings, can I answer it on my watch and talk on the earbuds. I know I can press the control on the earbuds but is that the only way to use them to have a conversation (besides answering on the phone).

It sounds like it's done that way on purpose. If you press the button on your earbuds, the assumption would be that you'd want to talk using the earbuds. Same with tapping the watch to answer or swiping on the phone -- whichever device you've interacted with is expected to be the one that you want to talk to.

(shaky grammar in my post, but I'm sure you get the gist).

 

[iMas70]

It sounds like it's done that way on purpose. If you press the button on your earbuds, the assumption would be that you'd want to talk using the earbuds. Same with tapping the watch to answer or swiping on the phone -- whichever device you've interacted with is expected to be the one that you want to talk to.

(shaky grammar in my post, but I'm sure you get the gist).

Yup, I got it! Thanks!

 

[mrklaw]

no, not really. Two main reasons. Firstly, because I have gmail as my primary email, I can't get push email unless I use a third party app. So I use inbox by google which matches the web email I use. But then I can't reply to emails. So now I'm looking for other apps that support push and watch replies (or switch back to apple mail and use fetch..)

Secondly - I hope I'm doing something wrong - but are all vibration notifications the same? I went into notifications on the phone and eg set messages vibration to the heartbeat one, so I was hoping to get that double vibration on my wrist to help me know it is a text message rather than an email or some other notification. But no, I just get a little tap like with everything else.

Is there any way to customise the vibrations on the watch? on the phone you can even record your own. I can't believe Apple wouldn't let those be mirrored to the watch. I have the sound turned off because it is obnoxious to me having my wrist make noises, this is supposed to be discreet.

 

[Night Spring]

Is there any way to customise the vibrations on the watch?

Unfortunately, no. I want this feature too, because then in many instances, I wouldn't even have to raise my wrist to know what the notification was about. I could set my Sport scores app to a particular pattern, and my emails to another, and if it taps me one way for the scores, I know I can ignore it, and if it's an email, I just take out my phone.

Oh, well. I'm sure Apple will get there sometime, in wOS 3 or 4....

 

[iMas70]

I haven't used the watch for calls much. Today I released that I asked the wrong question the other day. Is there a way to start a call with my watch but use my earbuds to carry on a conversation? I can make a call on the phone if I have my earbuds in but I'd have to use the watch to have a conversation unless I pull out my phone then click "touch to return to call". Then it swaps over.

 

[redman042]

I've had an Apple Watch since early June. I am still very happy with it. The main reason I wanted one is to handle notifications and alarms without pulling my phone out of my pocket. It has done that extremely well since Day 1. For busy people like me, getting gentle taps on the wrist instead of a buzzing/ringing phone that has to be pulled out and dealt with is a bigger deal than you might think.

I also use my watch to set reminders and timers using "hey Siri", quickly check the weather (now by tapping on the Dark Sky complication), and as a bedside alarm. It does all these things well too.

I'm still not sold on third party apps (other than Fantastical and Dark Sky). Even native apps take too long to load. I don't like holding my wrist up for very long. Might as well get out the phone. The functions I'm happy with on the watch are truly 'glanceable', meaning that I can raise my wrist, get the info, and drop my wrist in a few seconds. Anything that takes longer is generally not useful to me unless I'm in a meeting with my arm already resting on the table in front of me.

Bottom line: while not everything is as great as I thought it would be, the functions that matter most to me certainly are, and I've customized my watch face, glances, etc. to put those functions forward.

 

[kupkakez]

I would say yes since I always end up with one. I use it mostly for notifications without checking my phone and for the fitness aspect.

I do think it is 100% an unnecessary device and if you have some money to burn and want a pretty cool iPhone accessory it's worth it.

 

[gwsat]

I've had a 44mm Space Gray Apple Watch for three weeks and like it a lot so far. It has been particularly useful in conjunction with playing back the many recorded books I have on my iPhone and listen to, and in answering the phone and carrying on a conversation via the watch. I have also appreciated how lightweight and comfortable to wear it is. Was it worth $399.00? Probably not but I was willing to pay the Apple Tax and am glad I did.

The one warning I would give to those who are considering an Apple Watch is to make sure they know that 90 percent of its utility (at least) depends on the Apple Watch wearer also having his iPhone on his person. I always, I say again always, have my iPhone in my pants pocket so the Apple Watch has been great for me.