Original Apple Watch Health Features Were Dropped Due to Consistency Issues

some1uDNTknow said:
I have a feeling that Apple decided to save some of these features for future iterations of the watch to give us more of an incentive to upgrade.
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Apple wanted to give the competition a chance to get those features out before Gen 2 and give us an incentive to switch. That's how Apple does things. They don't want you buying Apple products unless you're really sure. All these people saying they're going to wait until Gen 2 or later are part of Apple's insidious plans.
 
Keirasplace said:
Well, buddy, collecting sensor data is not even done by the main processor (M8) on the Iphone (you know, because those use little power). So, you're saying that in a low power device like a watch they'll get the main processor to do the job? Good thing you're not designing anything hey!

For example, the Apple M8 is the NXP18B1
( a variation of the NXP18XX)
See spec sheet. Description pertaining to power.

Designed using NXP's 90nm process technology, the LPC1800 claims faster operation, low dynamic power consumption, and proprietary low leakage optimization yielding between 10 and 100x reduction in standby modes.

http://www.datasheetlib.com/datasheet/1293040/lpc1833jet100e_nxp-semiconductors.html?page=119

The chip consumes 15 mw in full speed low power mode and 3 mw in suspend mode, just so you see how that compares, the A8X uses 4.5w, that 300 time more power than the M8 which collects sensor data. So, basically, yes, you are wrong!

And yes, unicorns do exist, chocolate coated ones. I've eaten a bunch.

Next time, you'll probably stick to things you're knowledgeable about.
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Nice imagination. I say it wouldn't even last half a day and you managed to put all kinds of words in mouth.

Well done, unicorn lover.
 
jdclifford said:
And I want to buy one of these because...?
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You'll have to answer that question for yourself.

Apple has supposedly pre-ordered 5-6 million of these, so they think they'll be giving 5-6 million of you enough reason to plunk down your money.

Not YOU personally, of course. Just 5-6 million people who will make up their own minds, which might include you.
 
I think we can finally say that it isn't revolutionary. There is no super watch, Apple may have looked into such a wearable, but Apple watch is not that. So, what do we have?



We have a designer watch with Apple branding and marketing. Will it sell? You have to assume Apple's spent millions focus grouping this, figuring out who wants it and what they'll pay for it. So, let's see how Apple is treating this.


Apple has gone out of its way not to hype this, it seems to me. No dedicated product showcase, only a part of an event, like a new model macbook. Now we're getting info from tier 1 sources that first gen devices won't include any special health sensors, that battery life could be better, and Apple plans to a first run of 5 million (compare that to iPhone numbers, that's not many compared to their premier products). I think Apple knows this is a slight gamble and isn't going to risk much. Sort of like they've never put their full push behind Apple TV, I sense they're not going to go all out for Apple watch.
 
This switch is what really makes Apple Watch 1 D.O.A for me.

Not a very attractive watch and without all the sensors, it's just another glorified, overpriced activity tracker.

I suspect I will only be tempted by 3rd or 4th version.
 
BvizioN said:
I don't know for a fact but I have used this one (photo attached) and I have played with some others. Except for the Motorola watch which I think is really nice (apart from few minor things) the rest just looks plainly rushed out. They look nothing like a product that have been on a work for years. And when a company tries several models on a very short period of time, doesn't it give you the impression of mud throwing to see what sticks?

By the way, the gear fit did look cool on the wrist and had almost 3 days battery life. It was more of a fitness tracking band then a smart watch. But so inaccurate!! Ended up using it only for notification, and sold it after 3 months.
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I personally think the pebble looks very nice (which has been in development for less time). I find the Moto to be ugly in person. To each his own I guess.

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Chupa Chupa said:
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.
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It's not so far back, no. I don't recall a phone (or any device) that had as nice a touch screen and browser experience. I'm not just talking about UI. I'm talking about responsiveness. Is there a device in mind that you're thinking of that was on par, in terms of the screen?
 
SpectatorHere said:
You have to assume Apple's spent millions focus grouping this, figuring out who wants it and what they'll pay for it.
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Apple doesn't strike me as a "focus grouping" type of company. Is there any evidence that they have "spent millions" doing so?
 
Apple's first major fail in a long time!

It's never going to take off, they have no business being in the watch business!
Epic fail coming soon to your nearest Apple store! We'll see what happens to all the advancments the stick has made recently. I'm figuring 20-30% drop in price!
 
lordofthereef said:
I personally think the pebble looks very nice (which has been in development for less time). I find the Moto to be ugly in person. To each his own I guess.

It's not so far back, no. I don't recall a phone (or any device) that had as nice a touch screen and browser experience. I'm not just talking about UI. I'm talking about responsiveness. Is there a device in mind that you're thinking of that was on par, in terms of the screen?
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Perhaps you're right, and Apple will succeed with the Apple Watch the way the iPhone succeeded over its smart phone competition in 2007, by providing a nicer experience, which made people want to use it. iPhone definitely lagged in features (it took two years for it to get cut and past, so just having the features is not a guarantee success).
 
OllyW said:
No, I said rumour. ;)

All of the battery times being banded around are rumours, all we have from Apple is an unofficial statement from Tim Cook saying we will "wind up charging it daily".

If the battery lasts for 6 hours plus in real life tests when fitness tracking then I'll reconsider.
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Great! Love it. Good for you and you're open mind. So, rare here :). No, you're not getting a hug ;-).
 
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Hopefully WSJ is wrong. If there right than why do people need an AppleWatch if there's no added function like healthcare Time will tell. Hard to believe Apple would put out a Watch without having substantial new features
 
samcraig said:
"The" debate - not your debate. It's been argued that the Apple Watch (or smart watches in general) is a solution looking for a problem.

Finding a use vs having/needing are two different things. I was not making judgement on you or others.
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Yes, but again, that is a personal question. For some people it does solve a problem. Those are the people looking forward to finding out more about it. For others they enjoy the status quo and they find zero utility in it. So it really is a subjective, not objective question as most tech is. People don't know what they are missing until they try it out.

But millions of activity bands have already been sold with each successive generation getting "smarter" and more connected. So I don't really think there is debate whether there is demand for a really great smart watch, it's just whether that demand transcends a niche market.

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lordofthereef said:
It's not so far back, no. I don't recall a phone (or any device) that had as nice a touch screen and browser experience. I'm not just talking about UI. I'm talking about responsiveness. Is there a device in mind that you're thinking of that was on par, in terms of the screen?
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Yes, but that isn't what your original post stated. You didn't single out the screen. You stated that no existing product had any of the features of the iPhone by far. That's just not true. There were touch screens -- they just had to be used with a stylus. As I said the iPhone's ground breaking was in ease of use -- that was new. But none of the spec sheet features were unique to the iPhone. They were at best "improved." In fact the original iPhone didn't even have SMS.
 
Pilgrim1099 said:
They should drop the price, now that some of the features were. . .dropped. But I can't help but wonder if this story is engineered as an excuse by Apple to have a way to drop the price, on the other hand.
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What announced features did Apple drop? Apple never discussed nor promised all theses sensors that everyone is now saying are a must else the product is a dud. There's a difference between announcing a feature and it not shipping and internet rumors not coming true.
 
My primary interest is in fitness/HR tracking. Hopefully the apple watch will do better at HR tracking than the fitbit Charge HR and Surge. I tried the Charge HR and it is not accurate when working out. Does ok when resting.
 
Nevertheless I can't wait to see how this thing sells. It's too half baked for me to consider yet so the overall story is what's fascinating. So many questions to be answered? Will this product sink or float? Apple considers it an important launch so I expect actual sales figures to be released very surgically.
 
jdclifford said:
And I want to buy one of these because...?
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Because you are an early adopter too impatient to wait for three generations when it will actually be what it's being touted to be...

Because you need to play digital touchy-feely with somebody you care about...

Because you have money to blow and enjoy flaunting it and want the extra attention it will attract...

Because you want to strap a beeper to your wrist...

Because your iPhone 6 or 6+ needs a playmate...

Because you might actually like it and want to try it out...

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lobbyist said:
I wonder what kind of upgrade cycle it will yield - iPad like or iPhone like?
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That my friend is the million dollar question.

Apple has been conspicuously silent on that point.

Upgradability would be ideal but I have my doubts about that.

I think Apple dreams this will be the biggest cash cow in history.

You think it will ever be bundled with the iPhone at a discount?

Finally, will the thing ever work with the iPad?
 
Rogifan said:
What announced features did Apple drop? Apple never discussed nor promised all theses sensors that everyone is now saying are a must else the product is a dud. There's a difference between announcing a feature and it not shipping and internet rumors not coming true.
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I'm inclined to believe the "black hole" story relating to the apple watch features. If sources say the original health features were dropped due to inconsistency, then the price should be lower than it originally was to reflect that change.
 
MacRumors said:
Last week, Apple CEO Tim Cook said the company's objective with Apple Watch is to "change the way people live their lives" and that people would be surprised by the breadth of what the device can do, which includes activity monitoring, reminding users to stand up after a certain time period, and non-verbal communication with friends.
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Yeah, because the iPhone I already have in my pocket can't remind me to do that.
I want to be blown away, but I still don't see the AppleWatch as anything more than a convenience for notifications.
 
I think Apple watch is going to shape itself on its own in the future. When the iphone first came out it was only supposed to play media, surf the web, and make phone calls. Now it does everything including streaming to TVs, play games, editing videos, and probably even taking orders in some restaurants.
 
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