Jony Ive on Apple Watch: 'Everything We Did Was in the Pursuit of What We Thought Was the Best Solution'

[convergent]

I wear an Apple Watch every day and don’t experience this at all. Of course I use the watch for only a few things so I’m not spending a lot of time navigating the UI. I launch a workout or a timer or set an alarm or check a notification or use Apple Pay. I spend next to no time navigating the app grid as all the apps I use are located right near the clock face or I access them via multitasking pane. To me the Watch is dead simple to use.

I don't understand your response. I just said that the UI on the AW, especially when it was introduced, was not well laid out. I happily used the AW for a couple of years before experiencing the rotating dial and UI of a Gear S3. The AW loses in that comparison substantially. Unless you've used both in daily use, I'm not sure how you'd say you haven't experienced it. If you use the watch during workouts or runs, you can't tell me that its easier to turn that crown or swipe than it is to rotate a big dial ... which then is also controlling a simple UI.

But glad you like the AW. My only point was that Jony is full of #$#$#

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The band connector is the best thing about the Watch. I suppose Apple could have gone the Android OEM route and made a watch that looks like a bad knockoff of a mechanical watch but I think they respect high end watches too much to do that.

I don't disagree with you that the band attachment on the AW is well done. I would rather have that on my Gear S3. I can use any band imaginable, but its not nearly as secure, and not going to hold up as well over a long period of time changing bands frequently. Thankfully I don't change bands that often.

 

[Mac 128]

Them bezels?

No. These are the current bezels:

 

[Matz]

Said this before, but I don’t look at the AW as a watch. Yes, it happens to tell time, and it occupies the space my mechanical watches did a decade ago. But I don’t compare it to my Tag, for example, which I really liked but stopped wearing years before the Pebble came on the scene. Eventually, wearing and maintaining it overshadowed the benefit of having a nice looking watch that only told the time and date.

Then the Pebble came out, but I didn’t pay much attention. Wasn’t really interested in having one. Then a friend of mine explained why he had one, and what it did for him, so I took the plunge. And liked it almost immediately. Not because it told time, but mainly because of notifications without having to pull my phone out. It was a game-changer, for me. And eventually frustrating, because it was pretty limited.

When the AW came out, I was cautiously optimistic. Sometime after they started shipping, I ordered one, and waited what seemed like months for it to arrive. When it did, the game changed again. For me.

Now I have a GIS only 3, and I’m really happy with it. It fills several needs (ok, wants) for me, primarily notifications, navigation with Maps, and Apple Pay. Weather at a glance, reminders to stand every hour, having my shopping list handy and checking off items as I go, activity and exercise tracking, declining to answer spam calls without taking my phone out, and answering a call when I’ve left the phone at my desk or in another room are also quite useful to me. There’re more, but those are the main ones.

Fortunately for me, I like the shape of the face. I see it as an iPhone extension, remote screen, whatever - but I just don’t see a round face fitting that model as well. In my experience, battery life is more than adequate, as I don’t wear it to bed - it goes on the charger. I find the design - a lowly aluminum Sport in space grey - practical and pleasing to my eye. While I don’t have a strong opinion about Mr. Ive, my opinion is that the AW is an excellent design - software, hardware, and aesthetics. If he’s responsible for that, then I applaud him.

I don’t know how widespread its use will become, nor do I particularly care. It’s obviously a commercially successful product, so I expect it to be around for a long while, and continue to evolve. Works well for me, in both my personal and professional lives.

 

[OllyW]

Fortunately for me, I like the shape of the face.

Unfortunately a lot of people don’t like it.

 

[Matz]

Unfortunately a lot of people don’t like it.

I do not understand your comment.

 

[OllyW]

I do not understand your comment.

Some people like the shape and design of the Apple Watch but others don’t and there is no alternative option available if you don’t like it.

 

[Matz]

Some people like the shape and design of the Apple Watch but others don’t and there is no alternative option available if you don’t like it.

I was speaking strictly for myself, not others. Perhaps I wasn’t clear enough.

Since I wasn’t claiming that the design is objectively good, just that I prefer it for the AW, I find it odd that you felt the need to contrast my personal preference with a statement about others’ differing preferences.

Hence the confusion on my part.

 

[kdarling]

I only want to know one thing: Why isn’t there a round face version?

Probably partly because Apple knew that Motorola, Samsung and others were already going that way, and partly because Ive is a fairly one trick pony, and likes to repeat shapes that were successful for him in the past:



Still, as much as Ive claims he never considered a round watch, Apple (and others) created a fair number of core round face UI apps.

As for "wasted space" when people try to compare round vs square, Motorola liked to mock how much of the AW face was wasted, with less than 50% of the forward-facing body used for display:

I think if Apple offered a round watch, that it would likely sell in much higher numbers, same as round regular watches outsell rectangular almost nine to one.

 

[ipponrg]

I think if Apple offered a round watch, that it would likely sell in much higher numbers, same as round regular watches outsell rectangular almost nine to one.

The rectangular nature of it always reminds me of Dick Tracy. I do agree that if it were a round watch, it may sell more. I personally find the square shape of the Apple Watch to not be attractive at all.

 

[Abazigal]

Sounds like the Apple Watch is on the verge of becoming something even much greater than what it currently is. Can hardly wait.

 

[SL4VE]

He’s like the perfect image of ‘money can’t buy you happiness’ in that photo...

And being the owner of one, I think the Apple Watch is the best gadget they’ve made in literally years and years.
Interesting then that it had absolutely nothing to do with Jobs...

That's why whenever you open half the apps they don't work. Because Jobs didn't sign it off

 

[apolloa]

That's why whenever you open half the apps they don't work. Because Jobs didn't sign it off

The ones I use work just fine.

 

[zzzachi]

'Everything We Did Was in the Pursuit
of What We Thought Was the Best Solution' ...

if you're looking at the mac pro,
this says a lot about their professional abilities....

 

[diipii]

"Smug" personified.

Macrumors note. It's "was interviewed", not "sat down for an interview". We assume the sitting. Like we assume you are mature journalists with an adult command of English.

 

[OllyW]

Macrumors note. It's "was interviewed", not "sat down for an interview". We assume the sitting. Like we assume you are mature journalists with an adult command of English.

The first line of the Hodinkee article says...

Sir Jonathan Ive, Chief Design Officer of Apple, Inc., is sitting across from me at a seamless white oak table.

No assumption necessary.

 

[jacobj]

What ever, the Apple Watch can be so much more. Start with battery life.

I just moved to a kronaby because it does much of what I want for a smart watch, is more classic looking (which I prefer) and the battery lasts over 12 months. I used to have an Apple Watch, but I went through a period where I could charge it every day and so I fell out of the habit of using it. When I tried to go back I was hit with the realisation that it was a real pain with no real benefit.

 

[BSG75]

One thing I can say about Hodinkee, from what I've read, is that they always give the Apple Watch a good deal of respect as a timepiece. That's saying a lot, especially for a site that is primarily focused on mechanical timepieces.

IMHO, the Apple Watch's future is probably in health and fitness. There are a lot of possibilities out there for development and collaboration with the healthcare industry. Personally, I've found the AW most useful as a fitness tracking device and for Apple Pay.

I've been wearning my AW for three years recently accumulated all of the activity goals, reaching my move goal 1000 times. Since then, I've been using my AW to track sleep and workouts, while going back to my mechanical watches as daily drivers. I can appreciate the tech behind the AW, while also appreciating the art and craftsmanship behind mechanical watches.

The AW is an incredible piece of design and technology, with potential to become so much more. Being able to have a curved sapphire crystal is pretty amazing, especially at that price point.

The AW is a part of my watch collection and IMO will end up as a design icon in the world of horology. It's helped make the smartwatch mainstream.

 

[MacsRuleOthersDrool]

Unfortunate because the watch ended up being a dud. Oh well.

Based on what FACTS, exactly?

https://www.cnbc.com/2018/03/01/idc-data-apple-watch-on-top-of-wearables-market.html
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Am I the only one who finds it ironic that this is the head designer of Apple and admittedly has designed stellar looking products, but always wears unflattering jeans and shirts?

Shows he knows the difference between utility and fashion.
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He’s like the perfect image of ‘money can’t buy you happiness’ in that photo...

And being the owner of one, I think the Apple Watch is the best gadget they’ve made in literally years and years.
Interesting then that it had absolutely nothing to do with Jobs...

"Can't innovate any more, my ass!" -- Phil Schiller
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More revealing is the line:
>> Apple wasn't aiming to solve a particular problem with the Apple Watch, according to Ive.

So, basically, designed because it's "cool", a gimmick, like the emoji bar on the MacBook Pro. Jobs would have killed both without hesitation, as it should be.

And he would have been, er, dead wrong. (Sorry, Steve!)

https://www.cnbc.com/2018/03/01/idc-data-apple-watch-on-top-of-wearables-market.html
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Forget about the silly Mac Pro, we will focus all of our attention on a watch.

Just take a look at their main HQ.

You REALLY think that they can't do more than only Project at a time?

 

[spinedoc77]

I just wish my AW2 didn't stutter and freeze so much, it just feels so underpowered. I know it's a balance between battery life and power, but it just seems like this technology isn't quite ready yet.

 

[Donoban]

Some people like the shape and design of the Apple Watch but others don’t and there is no alternative option available if you don’t like it.

The real question is do you like it?

The Apple Watch isn’t for those other people.

If you want a round watch, there are those guys over there.

If you want something that integrates with your iPhone and is rectangle. Here, this is for you.
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I just wish my AW2 didn't stutter and freeze so much, it just feels so underpowered. I know it's a balance between battery life and power, but it just seems like this technology isn't quite ready yet.

Only Apple Watch 3 has a really smooth UI.

The technology is ready. If it wasn’t, it wouldn’t be on your wrist.

Unless your definition of ready is different from mine.

 

[spinedoc77]

The real question is do you like it?

The Apple Watch isn’t for those other people.

If you want a round watch, there are those guys over there.

If you want something that integrates with your iPhone and is rectangle. Here, this is for you.
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Only Apple Watch 3 has a really smooth UI.

The technology is ready. If it wasn’t, it wouldn’t be on your wrist.

Unless your definition of ready is different from mine.

No don't get me wrong, I love my AW's (have 2 of them). They are both AW2's because I didn't need LTE, but I'm definitely ready to grab a couple of AW4's as I would expect some design changes and improvements. I'm just miffed that 3 generations in (0, 1, 2) the watch stutters and freezes on every single little thing that I do. I've literally trained myself to always be half a second behind so I can work at the AW's pace.

 

[44267547]

Probably partly because Apple knew that Motorola, Samsung and others were already going that way, and partly because Ive is a fairly one trick pony, and likes to repeat shapes that were successful for him in the past:.

@kdarling. Actually, you’re incorrect and I would suggest you research the back history of the watch before commenting. Johnny Ive and Mark Newson were the designers behind the original Apple Watch design, which they were influenced by a 1904 Cartier Watch Santos, Because they wanted something that served more of a contemporary design piece based off the Cartier. It Has _nothing_ to do with Jony Ive repeating shapes that are successful for him in the past, (Which a watch isn’t a relevant comparison) as you’re interjecting your own personal assertions without any validation.

https://www.cultofmac.com/312462/apple-watch-jony-ive-production/amp/


https://www.cultofmac.com/295250/sp...-straps-look-just-like-marc-newsons-old-ones/

Still, as much as Ive claims he never considered a round watch, Apple (and others) created a fair number of core round face UI apps.

This is also completely false. Johnny Ive never commented that a ‘round Apple Watch’ was never considered, what he actually _did_ say was:

“When a huge part of the function is lists, a circle doesn’t make any sense.

He was specifically referring to that a circle doesn’t make any sense in Terms of displaying information, but as for a round Apple Watch design, we don’t know the Apple did or did not experiment with that aside from the square design implementation. You're conflating two different things between the _design_ and in the sense of functionality with the _circle_ displaying information.

Reference:

https://amp.theguardian.com/technology/2015/mar/09/apple-watch-what-jony-ive-has-said-about-it

 

[Donoban]

No don't get me wrong, I love my AW's (have 2 of them). They are both AW2's because I didn't need LTE, but I'm definitely ready to grab a couple of AW4's as I would expect some design changes and improvements. I'm just miffed that 3 generations in (0, 1, 2) the watch stutters and freezes on every single little thing that I do. I've literally trained myself to always be half a second behind so I can work at the AW's pace.

Dude, I've got an AW series 0. You have nothing to complain about. lol!

My mum bought my apple watch as a 40th birthday present, so it's a bit hard to give it up each year a new model comes out. But maybe AW4 is the one to do it.

Surely they'll stop making it thicker and try to focus on shrinking the tech this year.

Bigger screen possibly? ie, same form factor but the screen hits the edges.

 

[sunwukong]

They all seem so full of themselves these days... blah blah blah... with the customer in mind. I hear the sound of a cash register in the background, oh wait... there is Tim and his infinite pipeline.

Problem with that pipeline is that seems circular.

 

[tubular]

If it were round, I'd buy it in twenty minutes, and nineteen of those minutes would be waiting in line in an Apple store.

I can understand those who say it's a wearable iDevice that happens to include watch functionality, and that focusing on just the watch-ness is like saying the only thing that matters with the iPhone is the phone quality. But still, rationally or irrationally, it's gotta be round if I'm going to buy it.

Getting WatchKit and WatchOS to understand a round screen is a serious undertaking when everything's been built on a block-stacking layout, so it would represent a serious retooling. And the manufacturing would require a parallel line too. So I can see why Apple isn't jumping all over it.