This is a crazy theory. The watch is a wildly successful product and is already deeply tied to the iPhone. They don't need to intentionally break features to make the phone more appealing since the watch already needs a phone to function.
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Podcasts Watch v. Phone
- Thread starter TRICKorDEVICE
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So why is a very capable device crippled?
Why can’t it do basic hands free calling that a old ass flip phone could even do in my car, why do many simple features break in cell enabled watches if they are not by the phone?
Why does the phone need to be so involved in the watches operations?
You're arguing a different point here. Your first claim was that they intentionally break previously existing features, and now you're claiming that they limit the functionality of the watch (i.e. not adding features in the first place, rather than breaking after adding them). Maybe you believe those are the same thing, but I don't really see how they are.
First of all, I don't think it's really that crippled. The watch can do a lot away from the phone, but it's a small device with a limited battery. It makes sense for it to hand off tasks to something more capable like a phone whenever possible. It's designed as an accessory device first and foremost.
As for why — it probably doesn't need to stay that, I'm sure the watch could function as an entirely standalone device if they mandated a cellular connection, or i could be set up and managed via an iPad or Mac or something instead, but it's working for them as is so why would they change it?
I'm currently in love with iCatcher (I love that you have the option to listen through the watch's speaker!) I like the direct download option to the watch as well!
I was making both of the points
Got a cellular watch and the simple tasks apple doesn’t allow it to do, well I can’t find any other logical reason
Not being able to connect basic hands free to my car
Apps like voice memo not being able to send recordings via text or email
Email not being a full standalone program
Not being able to have a basic file explorer and not being able to easily download and play music standalone
Calendar not being able to sync without syncing to the phone
Not having a browser that I can open on its own
Being crippled from working in countries where its radio is on the same freqs yet it won’t function
No VPN abilities
Or just needing a iPhone to even set it up
That’s a off the cuff
Interesting. I've never tried, but I assumed it would connect to a car just like any other bluetooth speaker.
It's a tiny display, it's not like your could do any meaningful email stuff from it anyway. I see this as a limitation that fits the device category.
What are you wanting to do on a watch that would require a file explorer?
Again, it's a watch. The speaker is terrible and the battery is small. They're doing you (and, frankly, everyone around you) a favour by limiting playback to other devices.
I haven't checked but I'm pretty sure events would sync to your calendar over cellular or wifi.
It's a watch. The browsing experience would be objectively awful.
Yeah, that's a fair criticism. I purposefully buy the wifi versions so I'm not bothered by this, but I can see how not being able to move and switch networks with your watch would suck.
For what? What are you doing on your watch that requires a VPN?
It's an accessory device. I could understand wanting them allowing people to set it up from a Mac or Android device or whatever, but managing your watch from another device makes complete sense given its current hardware.
There are some fair points in there, but a lot of ridiculous ones too. Again, this is an accessory device, it's not meant to be an all-capable wrist workstation.
It’s not “just a watch” at least not at the price point
Voice memo
Sending via text or email doesn’t require any real screen space
bluetooth
Tried in 3 different cars, no dice
Music
Was thinking more of listing to it via ear buds or something
File explorer,
Just to manage stuff, again doesn’t take up much spacd
VPN
Just basic privacy and security, especially these days
It is just a smartwatch though. You can come up with your own interpretation of what a device should be at a given price, but that doesn't change the category of device or its capabilities.
Yeah, I meant to say that I think this is a valid feature request. I haven't needed to do this myself.
You can do that. I listen to music and podcasts off my watch while running without my phone all the time.
What do you need to manage though? And how would you even manage stuff, there's barely any display space for actually managing files. Even just rearranging app icons in the honeycomb layout was a nightmare, so a file manager would be a mess.
I could understand the need for a VPN if the watch was a fully standalone device with its own browser, etc, but it's not.
Ultimately, I think you have a very different vision for what you want a smartwatch to be compared to most people. I can't see Apple fulfilling most of your feature wishes, but maybe there'll be an Android Wear device out there that will do all of that one day.
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I wouldn’t buy a android due to their history and with most having google baked into them
VPN gets more and more important depending on where you travel and the more you read or court cases and all