Original Apple Watch Health Features Were Dropped Due to Consistency Issues

[Chupa Chupa]

But it was ambitious because it crated a browsing and touch screen experience never seen before. Gen 1 apple watch really isn't doing anything we haven't seen before. Literally every feature in the thing has been done. That was not at all the case with gen 1 iphone. Far from it.

Far from it? Huh? Is 2007 that far off in history now that you misremember the phone scene back then? The bulk of the original iPhone features all had been done before and were available in other brand's phones. The impact the iPhone made was due to its more user friendly OS compared with competitors - Palm, Windows Mobile, (Nokia) Symbian. (Also BB, but BB was really more of a messaging system than smartphone.) But plenty of 2007 phones had color screens with keyboards, web connectivity and HTML browsers with apps. They even had 3G connectivity to the iPhones 2.5G.

It's likely the Apple Watch will mimic the iPhone - not do anything we haven't seen before but just do it in nicer looking, user friendly package. That's what Apple does best.

 

[Mac Fly (film)]

I was hoping all the rumors would be just a subset of all of the wonders that the Watch would have, including:

a holographic display, like they had in Star Wars,
a medicine doser that would rip apart the molecules of the air and reassemble the quarks into the medicine I needed, at the point I needed them without the benefit of a doctor,
have a battery life of 10 years,
help me pick up chicks, and then convince my wife that this is OK, because I have an Watch,
go to the bathroom for me,
buy me drinks (not at the same time as above...)
drive my car,
help me move grand pianos up 6 flights of stairs,
Fix me breakfast,
Tuck me in,
and, when I need it, tell me the time

Drive your car you say?

 

[cdm283813]

I still struggle to see any purpose of this watch and a reason to buy it.
The only reason for me I see why I want to replace a regular watch would be if it brought something profound to to the table. The battery issue is too big for for it to buy for the coolfactor alone.
ANd, since the health stuff isnt anything revolutionary at all, I really dont see any benefits, just annoyance. ALl the other stuff the watch does have NO appeal to me. Im surprised Apple even decided to go on with this product without any revolutionary health features.

There are 1000's of people that will buy the watch just for the Micky Mouse watch face alone. That's why Apple demo'ed it. For the past few years I've learned to never under estimate Apple and new products. It's always the Gen 2 and above that are the true tests. People tend to buy Apple just because. They really don't need it but they want it. So for every 1 health nut there are 100 people that don't care. They only care that it's Apple.

 

[maflynn]

Internally, the project became known as a "black hole" sucking in resources, one of these people said.

Can't say that I'm surprised over this revelation. Its been rumored for so long, like the apple television that it becoming a black hole isn't shocking. Nice to see this come to see the light of day though

 

[Keirasplace]

Yeah, you noticed that, too? Hmm. How many people live in Dubai and other oil-rich places?



The first post has this MacRumors story link, which quotes a WSJ article with the claim.

PS for newbies: if a story is behind a paywall, just take the article title and put it in Google. For example, in this case, Google "Can Apple Crack the Smartwatch Code" and you'll get a direct link with no wall. Thanks, Google!

Hmm, doesn't exactly work all the time, and not for the New Work Times. In their case, the articles you get when coming from Google is not exactly the same as when you go directly to the site. Yes, I do the same thing as you . They want some part of the article to be discoverable (so you get to their site), but not all of it so you can bypass subscription.

And if WSJ allows you to do that from Google, it is they're probably getting something out of it. They could easily prevent it, or present a partial article (many sites do); you'Re not pulling a fast one over them .

 

[cambox]

You can see the headlines now... Apple sell millions of watches making it a record! Well of course they will! Shiny new tech which is pretty useless for most things will have a short life unless it seriously becomes a need and not a want. Bit like YoYo's Apple will be up and down with their stock, you just need to know when to buy and sell.

 

[prowlmedia]

Nice to see a reminder of how everyone claiming the iWatch would measure glucose levels through the skin was wrong. This is basically an overpriced toy. Measuring glucose levels without using blood is something that will be developed by the scientists, not by the designers or toy makers.

You mean stuff people make up? Perhaps we should complain the the dude that runs this site... what's it called again.

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Yeah, you noticed that, too? Hmm. How many people live in Dubai and other oil-rich places?

They will Sell 5 million Rose gold and red in china alone.

 

[Col4bin]

So that's the story of how Apple Watch basically became just a tiny iPhone for your wrist.

I'm sure it will still sell better than the Samsung watch, Fitbit, Pebble, etc., but, it would have been even more remarkable (groundbreaking even) if Apple was able to execute as originally planned.

 

[st0k3d]

This is basically an overpriced toy.

So what is a watch that ONLY tells time? Less than a toy?

 

[prowlmedia]

Yeah, all this stuff was good to go but Tim Cook is forcing it to be saved for gen 2. Because all these sensors are commonplace and accurate in competing devices?

Can you please name them? Thanks.

As for Gen2 Might as well get the ball rolling...

Thinner of course but will use the same Straps. The Strap system is genius - They'll be using the same system for generations to come - Could be used with thinner bodies down to about 4mm

Camera They did it with the iPad and iPhone - no front camera at first. I suspect it's also because of space and battery life at the moment.

More sensors They may well shove them in and get them working!

More Materials The rose gold is all well and good for the ladies... but what about men? Platinum? Palladium? or every mans Favourite Titanium

The thing is lots of people like watches and will collect them and will get then next gen. As it is I am going get and aluminum Sports one and the Stainless steel black version.

 

[st0k3d]

So that's the story of how Apple Watch basically became just a tiny iPhone for your wrist.

I'm sure it will still sell better than the Samsung watch, Fitbit, Pebble, etc., but, it would have been even more remarkable (groundbreaking even) if Apple was able to execute as originally planned.

Yea. It is going to sell out day 1, and they will selling for 2X, 3X MSRP on ebay and craigslist. I would bet my lunch on it.

 

[MH01]

Has nothing to do with being a good call. It comes from covering there backsides legally. If Apple knew about accuracy issues with the products and included them, they would be leaving themselves up to all sorts of trouble. Even with a box covered in disclaimers.

really? Cause I have a moto 360 that does not always give me heart rate readings, I can sue? And my touch id was flacky on my 5S, while others have no isses. Apple have to make a call if the current hardware will cover the majority of peoples needs and work as advertised, they did that with touch id.

The major problem of having a health sensor, also being a watch is that people have preferences on how they wear their watches. Not everyone is going to want to wear a watch that is tight on their wrists.

 

[samcraig]

Btw, Woz is quite bullish on Watch and thinks it will sell very well.

I'm not sure you want to use this as a data point since there are people on this forum who insist Woz is irrelevant and should keep his mouth shut

 

[maflynn]

I'm not sure you want to use this as a data point since there are people on this forum who insist Woz is irrelevant and should keep his mouth shut

I think Woz is geek who loves technology. He's called out apple on different things on occasion, I view him more as a geek who loves tech, more then anything.

I too think the watch is cool, it has some limitations, some of those limitations are a show stopper for me.

 

[0098386]

I don't want an iWatch but the health features was the big thing for me. I guess these sensor problems as well as the lack of water resistance, 19 hour battery life, non-replaceable battery... means I'll be waiting until my Pebble finally breaks before making the jump.

 

[maflynn]

This is basically an overpriced toy.

I believe similar criticisms were leveled when the first personal computers were unveiled, as with the iPhone.

People complain that Apple doesn't innovate enough, when apple does unveil a new product people complain that its a toy or a something they should not have wasted their resources on.

 

[newagemac]

If the "black hole" sells a few tens of millions gold plated and rose gold plated watches, then I suppose it will be covered. In the mean time they wrote off a large R&D expense.

FYI, the gold Apple Watch isn't just gold plated. It's actually solid gold. As in the watch itself is a hunk of real gold metal. Hence the high estimated price.

 

[maflynn]

I19 hour battery life, non-replaceable battery.

For me, its the battery and the lack of a GPS. As for the battery, I think most smart watch makers use non user replaceable batteries. I know for a fact the MS Band and Fitbit Surge both have sealed bodies and the batteries are not accessible.

 

[Rogifan]

I'm not sure you want to use this as a data point since there are people on this forum who insist Woz is irrelevant and should keep his mouth shut

Like me. Of course when I've said that I was specifically referring to Woz giving Apple advice in public. Especially dumb advice like Apple should build an Android phone. And I still think in those cases he should take it up with Tim Cook or keep his mouth shut. I'm sure he could get an audience with Cook whenever he wanted to.

 

[MacrumoursUser]

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[/COLOR]

Collecting sensor data uses very little power, is not even done by the main processor, so you are wrong.

Yes, you are right, unicorns do exist.

 

[samcraig]

Like me. Of course when I've said that I was specifically referring to Woz giving Apple advice in public. Especially dumb advice like Apple should build an Android phone. And I still think in those cases he should take it up with Tim Cook or keep his mouth shut. I'm sure he could get an audience with Cook whenever he wanted to.

Got it - so you only think he should voice his opinion if it agrees with you or supports your cause

 

[JayJayAbels]

Apple: "We investigated a whole bunch of wild stuff that isn't ready for mass production and usage yet. Maybe the tech will be more mature in the future and we can include it then."

Media: "The watch could've been so much more than the nothing that we currently know about it. We even have an unnamed, un-verified source that made a quip about the scope of the project that we can take out of context to make it sound like there's trouble behind the scenes. Ahh, just imagine the page views."

MacRumors Users: "Typical Apple - neutering all of the good features so we have to buy the next generation. Also, just a reminder that some software they released like 6 years ago was buggy. I always have to bring that up in unrelated threads as it is really the only contribution I make to the discussion."

Society in two months: "That is amazing! I need one! Going to get it right now!"

Media in two months: "Tim Cook's vision is incredible and the watch is amazing. We will mindlessly worship everything about the watch for the next 6 months (or as long as it gets us page views, then we'll go back to attacking)."

MacRumors Users in two months: "Well, there are still software bugs in OS X."

Haven't signed in here in over a year.

Just did it to give this a thumbs up.
100% accurate.

 

[Razeus]

Automatic no sale since health tracking features was the reason I wanted the watch.

 

[cdarlington1]

Automatic no sale since health tracking features was the reason I wanted the watch.

It still has the health tracking features that were announced in September. Nothing has changed. This article is talking about what they decided not to implement, which we knew nothing about. It still has health tracking features. Just not as many as they had initially hoped for while it was in development.

 

[JHankwitz]

What a bummer. Health tracking was my #1 reason for getting an Apple Watch.

Only some of the sensors aren't viable at this time. There will likely be several health related features on the first generation, at least if not more than anything else on the market.

You'll note that tests in an hospital use sensors coated with a conductive gel in order to work. I certainly wouldn't want to coat the back of my watch with conductive gel before putting it on in the morning.