It has worked well for Pebble. I think that it would make the watch that much more profitable for Apple.
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Quanta May Begin Trial Production of Apple Watch 2 This Month
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Won't purchase the 2nd gen for many reasons.. one there's not going to be a huge jump in technology between the two. Two, they've not utilized what gen 1 can do.. they can add more to the device through software changes. Three, the watch is similar to that of the ipad series.. you don't need to purchase a new one yearly.. and of course four, the OS3 should support a good portion of whatever is on gen 2 so again there's no real reason to upgrade. They'll probably keep the device looking the same or very similar. Yes it will be a bit thinner, doubt there's going to be a camera, and will be twice as fast.. but speed isn't exactly needed on a device such as this.. we need software support which there is very little of. They rushed OS1 to get the watch out, OS2 came super quick.. since then there's been very very little support.
I think the general public would be able to deal with two shapes.
Other watch companies seem to be okay with it:
You do know that text doesn't fit easily in the circle (without losing a lot of space).
Almost every other UI elements need to rethought if you for full circle use
(and you have to drag devs with you even though for now its just a niche market for them).
There are functional reasons for the watch being a rectangle, not just esthetics.
If the watch goes all voice interaction, with very little info on screen, then yes a circle might work.
For me there's still a lag between the watch and the iphone. If they could do something to accelerate the transfer of data between the 2 devices that would be a big step forward.
Agree fully with this comment.
That and less lag with Watch OS. OS 2 is far better but still hangs in places it shouldn't.
Anyone who thinks the Apple Watch is too thick just hasn't laid eyes on "real" watches before. I was worried about thickness before, but it seems a whole world thinner than my Seamaster.
Give me a bigger battery, more CPU power (loads apps like a snail), and a cellular connection (or a way to use it like the android watches where you don't really need your phone, not the half-assed make-do approach Apple cobbled together so people wouldn't think the Watch was a complete joke).
Give me a bigger battery, more CPU power (loads apps like a snail), and a cellular connection (or a way to use it like the android watches where you don't really need your phone, not the half-assed make-do approach Apple cobbled together so people wouldn't think the Watch was a complete joke).
For me, the next Apple Watch needs to improve in one area:
Speed - of UI, of app loading, of data transfer, of responsiveness. I should be able to use the watch without waiting and second guessing whether it's going to actually do what I want of it.
Speed - of UI, of app loading, of data transfer, of responsiveness. I should be able to use the watch without waiting and second guessing whether it's going to actually do what I want of it.
Yes, a round face has a number of issues to be dealt with, but a confused customer is not one of them. Apple should not feel they are stuck with rectangular watch faces because people are too stupid to deal with round ones mixed with them.
BTW, I have nothing against rectangular watches, I have a Monaco!
I presume that thinness is also a concern - and taking into account the iPhone, thinness may take priority over battery, because Apple.
I have enough faith in Apple to believe they could work out a usable interface for a circular display. A lot of the current analogue type watch screens are circular based anyway so it's just a matter of adapting the digital faces.
A version 2 suggests a more drastic update of design and functionality. Not sure why but I think this will be more an 1s update and not a 2.0 Apple Watch.
Why would you do that? Have you been reading outdated folk tales about 20th-century nicad batteries that lost their mojo if you didn't fully discharge them before recharging?
My (non-i) phone can go 2-3 days on a charge, but I still usually charge it every night. However, if I forget to plug it in, or go away for a day or two and forget the charger then I'm not faced with a brick in the morning. A few years ago I had an unscheduled hospital stay and my phone lasted until I could get someone to bring me a charger.
In the beginning I thought it might be possible, but seeing how far behind they are with the first gen, I doubt we'd see it until the 3rd gen.
No, but having a consistent look until it's more widely disseminated won't hurt them. Round is definitely on the list of things to do.
I think the general public would be able to deal with two shapes.
Other watch companies seem to be okay with it:
These are style concerns, for brands that are well established. Apple has just entered the watch game, and has a few tech hurdles to leap first. Once they do, and more people are aware of the Apple Watch, they'll do a round watch if for no other reason than fashion concerns.
If for no other reason, a faster processor alone would justify the upgrade. There is entirely too much lag. Frustratingly slow sometimes. And that's enough to buy one every year until the watch isn't even a second thought on ones wrist.
Yes there are functional reasons why rectangular is the preferred shape. And it's appropriate that Apple made this choice for gen one. They've had enough trouble just getting it to market and working well, so I don't see them trying to introduce a more complicated round watch at this juncture, but definitely by gen 3 from a fashion perspective alone. And more importantly, although Apple's OS will handle a lot of the UI presentation for the developers, it's best to keep them focused on one format, at least until the market is large enough to support a thriving watch app ecosystem, before they introduce the round format. But it's coming. I'd be surprised if there weren't a lot of heated debates between The designers and UI engineers about what shape to launch with initially.
But if you look at the ipad 2 it was a lot more futureproof than the ipad 1. They are still supported, the ipad 1 is not.
I hope the watch 2 will make more use of the port to add smart bands.
I don' t believe it will have a facetime camera.
I hope it is a little thinner, faster, perhaps less screen bezel( perhaps a rounded / slightly curved screen over the edges), better wifi or cellular cap, more storage, etc.
And .. More bands with smart capabilities, they could make a band with more health sensors, or a band with a small camera, that extends the function if the smartwatch itself.
Please no. I get the appeal and the desire for variety, but round watches are and anachronism of form over function.
Smart watches are meant to display data, and data fits better into squares.
Traditionally watches were round to support the sweeping hands. This is not relevant for a digital screen.
Then again watches are frequently worn as jewelry or fashion accessories. So I suppose there is a market willing to sacrifice some functionality. I guess I just find it silly.
When I first got my 42mm AW, I thought they accidentally gave me the smaller 38mm. They are a lot smaller in person than one would guess.
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Thanks. That pic really illustrates my point well. It needed to have all complications disabled in order to look round. If you want round, you need to sacrifice functionality.There still seems to be a demand for sweeping hands on digital screens.
If you make the round face the same diameter as the height of the current Apple Watch face you can make the dial bigger and bring the complications inside. Just like they do on traditional watches.
Three words. Gee Pee Ess.
That's what will sell me an Apple Watch.
That's what will sell me an Apple Watch.
They supported multiple pair because the 2nd gen still has no battery improvement. Some people wants to track their sleep too, which is obviously the Apple Watch cannot run over 24hrs. It's more on financial decision for Apple to do that. Gives you a reason to buy the next gen and leave the old one in your house charged and ready when you go to bed.