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Sending the watch back

B

beerglass007

macrumors 6502a
Original poster
May 13, 2008
566
111
I've had the weekend to use the watch and decided it not for me

I pretty much have all Apple products, struggled with the iPad after owning an iPhone, but wouldn't be with the iPad now, but the watch isn't doing it for me.

Its trying to fix a problem which isn't there.

I might feel the pull towards another Apple Watch when I see more need or must have application.

I mainly brought the Apple Watch to replace an old Garmin GPS watch, I use Strava and GPS when on my mountain bike. I always take my iPhone 6 in my bag for emergency if anyone gets hurt, so planned on pairing the phone for GPS use.

Using the Strava app on the watch is painful and doesn't support HR monitoring at present ( GUTTED )

The messages and emails alerts don't work 100%, quite a few other little issues.

I does a lot of stuff, but nothing perfect or amazing

Its really just doubling up on the iPhone which is pretty much always with me. Even working the dog, I ended up taking the phone out to check messages in more detail when the watch beeped
 
Still waiting for mine but after reading some of the real life user experiences I can see where you're coming from. Hey, at least you gave it a shot!
 
I wonder if pairing an iphone with a wahoo rflkt+ might be better for your situation? No notifications, but you could use any Bluetooth/ant workout sensors for heart rate, cadance sensors, etc. while you ride.

I was looking into this system a bit, at the end of the day I am not hardcore enough cyclist to bother, but it sounds like you may be.
 
beerglass007 said:
I've had the weekend to use the watch and decided it not for me

I pretty much have all Apple products, struggled with the iPad after owning an iPhone, but wouldn't be with the iPad now, but the watch isn't doing it for me.

Its trying to fix a problem which isn't there.

I might feel the pull towards another Apple Watch when I see more need or must have application.

I mainly brought the Apple Watch to replace an old Garmin GPS watch, I use Strava and GPS when on my mountain bike. I always take my iPhone 6 in my bag for emergency if anyone gets hurt, so planned on pairing the phone for GPS use.

Using the Strava app on the watch is painful and doesn't support HR monitoring at present ( GUTTED )

The messages and emails alerts don't work 100%, quite a few other little issues.

I does a lot of stuff, but nothing perfect or amazing

Its really just doubling up on the iPhone which is pretty much always with me. Even working the dog, I ended up taking the phone out to check messages in more detail when the watch beeped
Click to expand...

Why not list it in the Marketplace and let another member get an early launch Apple Watch?
 
I will have to admit that the thrill of having is not so strong anymore. Still waiting on my black SS but am having some second thoughts about just how useful the watch will be. The hype and usefulness of the Apple watch is in question in my mind.
 
Richdmoore said:
I wonder if pairing an iphone with a wahoo rflkt+ might be better for your situation? No notifications, but you could use any Bluetooth/ant workout sensors for heart rate, cadance sensors, etc. while you ride.

I was looking into this system a bit, at the end of the day I am not hardcore enough cyclist to bother, but it sounds like you may be.
Click to expand...

I bought the Wahoo RFIKT two weeks ago and use it with Runtastic PRo on the iphone and very pleased.The information provided both in real time and after the event analysis of the HRM is amazing. I had considered the watch but wanted it strictly for Mountin biking since I have a few expensive watches for normal wear. I decided to hold off on the watch until the fitness tracking and battery life improves.

I cannot recommend the Wahoo bluetooth chest strap enough
 
I'm in a similar position as the original poster, but I am going to try it for a full week at the least. Some of my thoughts after 2 days now are below:

The notifications when they work are ok, but not great. Many of the notifications are way too simple. Probably fixed by app updates, etc.

Haptic feedback is again ok when it works. OS prob needs an update.

Many of my emails won't display and I get a message saying "email can't be shown on the watch." Kind of defeats the purpose but I'm guessing that will be fixed in time.

The screen while nice is just too small and I need to scroll way too often. That's annoying.

The Watch is slow and slow to load but that spinning "waiting" graphic looks nice although it happens way too often.

Siri is hit or miss and no way to edit what it types incorrectly as far as I am aware. I will not talk to my phone in public which makes it nearly impossible to respond to texts without canned responses (take the phone out anyway)

The fitness aspect while nice is very basic but I do like the achievements. That may motivate some people. Wish it had GPS but that would prob kill the battery even more.

Battery life is an issue. When I workout at 545am for an hour my battery drain is about 20-25%. Not sure I'd make it through a full workday as I leave at 7a and get home at 7p. I will find out tomorrow when I get back into my office.

The Watch is too chunky. Probably the only Apple product that should be thinner but isn't.

I like the overall design (except the thickness) more than I thought I would.

The OS while slow is pretty intuitive. I've had no issues learning what to do although sometimes force touch doesn't do anything (no way to know this; only works on certain parts of the OS).

The biggest problem is the Watch (I have the 42mm Milanese loop) $699 is way too expensive for an accessory. The price is only slightly less then the cost of my iPhone 6 Plus at $849 and I find myself looking at my wrist (added step) and ultimately taking my phone out of my pocket anyway.

These are only two days of impressions and while I have lots of criticisms it is still a very nice looking piece. I almost like it more as just a watch then as a smart watch.
 
Last edited:
If the iPhone 6/6+ is any indication, many ditched the larger or smaller model after a few days thinking it's not for them only to give it another shot some time later.

I imagine many will be in the same shoes. Return it after a few days only to come back later.
 
What kind of condition does the watch have to be in to be returned? Let's say it picks up a small scratch somewhere, will Apple still accept that?
 
I wonder if it also has to do with not many compelling apps. Supposedly there are around 3,000 watch apps in the store. However most of these apps really have no business being on such as limited sized screen.
 
I am not that excited about now either after trying my wife's for a while. It is ok but most apps are sluggish and there is nothing that blows me away on it.

It is also hard to use because it's tiny. I am talking about the 42mm too, wish they made a bigger one already.
 
I honestly don't want more apps on the watch. I'd rather have better native apps on the watch and have developers spend more time on iPhone apps. For me I want great messages, calendar, email, and one great sports a app for a quick glance at a score.

I still have too many iPhone apps that aren't updated for the 6 Plus resolution yet. That's a travesty.
 
In my experience so far, I'm approaching the watch similarly to how I approached the iPhone 6 Plus. Previously, I used my iPad Air frequently and used my iPhone mainly for talking, texting, and quick browsing of apps or Safari. When I got the 6 Plus, my iPad Air use diminished significantly. Now that I've got the watch, my iPhone spends more time on my nightstand while at home since I've got my watch on. When I'm at work, I'll use my iPhone a good bit, primarily due to the fact my work internet is about as bad as dialup. But so far, I'm using my iPhone less since getting the watch.
 
It's a super computer on your wrist. If you can't think of a task for it then you're not using your imagination.

Within a few months, the number of apps available will explode and the watch will be Apple's great new platform.
 
drew0020 said:
I'm in a similar position as the original poster, but I am going to try it for a full week at the least. Some of my thoughts after 2 days now are below:

The notifications when they work are ok, but not great. Many of the notifications are way too simple. Probably fixed by app updates, etc.

Haptic feedback is again ok when it works. OS prob needs an update.

Many of my emails won't display and I get a message saying "email can't be shown on the watch." Kind of defeats the purpose but I'm guessing that will be fixed in time.

The screen while nice is just too small and I need to scroll way too often. That's annoying.

The Watch is slow and slow to load but that spinning "waiting" graphic looks nice although it happens way too often.

Siri is hit or miss and no way to edit what it types incorrectly as far as I am aware. I will not talk to my phone in public which makes it nearly impossible to respond to texts without canned responses (take the phone out anyway)

The fitness aspect while nice is very basic but I do like the achievements. That may motivate some people. Wish it had GPS but that would prob kill the battery even more.

Battery life is an issue. When I workout at 545am for an hour my battery drain is about 20-25%. Not sure I'd make it through a full workday as I leave at 7a and get home at 7p. I will find out tomorrow when I get back into my office.

The Watch is too chunky. Probably the only Apple product that should be thinner but isn't.

I like the overall design (except the thickness) more than I thought I would.

The OS while slow is pretty intuitive. I've had no issues learning what to do although sometimes force touch doesn't do anything (no way to know this; only works on certain parts of the OS).

The biggest problem is the Watch (I have the 42mm Milanese loop) $699 is way too expensive for an accessory. The price is only slightly less then the cost of my iPhone 6 Plus at $849 and I find myself looking at my wrist (added step) and ultimately taking my phone out of my pocket anyway.

These are only two days of impressions and while I have lots of criticisms it is still a very nice looking piece. I almost like it more as just a watch then as a smart watch.
Click to expand...
Well said. It's a lot of money for something that does so little. I wouldn't be surprised if Apple slashes the prices by 30-40% in the next year. I have the 42mm Sport and it seems like something that should cost no more than $249.

Also the exercise app is out of control. I just got done doing an hour workout, and I lost 27% battery. At this rate I'll just top it off while I take a shower. But I don't want to do that everyday after a workout.

Some people cliam it isn't an issue. Even Joanna Stern mentioned it in her review. I want to keep it, but I may give it until Friday.
 
I'm not buying the watch because of it's functionality. I'm buying the watch because I wanted something stylish. I wanted a Micky Mouse face without the disney markings all of it.

beerglass007 said:
I've had the weekend to use the watch and decided it not for me

I pretty much have all Apple products, struggled with the iPad after owning an iPhone, but wouldn't be with the iPad now, but the watch isn't doing it for me.

Its trying to fix a problem which isn't there.

I might feel the pull towards another Apple Watch when I see more need or must have application.

I mainly brought the Apple Watch to replace an old Garmin GPS watch, I use Strava and GPS when on my mountain bike. I always take my iPhone 6 in my bag for emergency if anyone gets hurt, so planned on pairing the phone for GPS use.

Using the Strava app on the watch is painful and doesn't support HR monitoring at present ( GUTTED )

The messages and emails alerts don't work 100%, quite a few other little issues.

I does a lot of stuff, but nothing perfect or amazing

Its really just doubling up on the iPhone which is pretty much always with me. Even working the dog, I ended up taking the phone out to check messages in more detail when the watch beeped
Click to expand...
 
Juan007 said:
It's a super computer on your wrist. If you can't think of a task for it then you're not using your imagination.

Within a few months, the number of apps available will explode and the watch will be Apple's great new platform.
Click to expand...

That last part is doubtful. And there's nothing "super" about it.
 
Robert M. said:
Well said. It's a lot of money for something that does so little. I wouldn't be surprised if Apple slashes the prices by 30-40% in the next year. I have the 42mm Sport and it seems like something that should cost no more than $249.

Also the exercise app is out of control. I just got done doing an hour workout, and I lost 27% battery. At this rate I'll just top it off while I take a shower. But I don't want to do that everyday after a workout.

Some people cliam it isn't an issue. Even Joanna Stern mentioned it in her review. I want to keep it, but I may give it until Friday.
Click to expand...

I completely agree about the pricing. Sport needs to start at $199 and Watch at $299. I also top the battery off after a workout but that is honestly annoying.

I'll see how well the battery does while I'm at work this week.
 
It will work for me because I leave my 6 Plus in my bag at work. I don't like taking it out all the time so this way I can see what i'm receiving and then approach my phone as needed.
 
Aside from the original iPhone when has Apple recently slashed prices on anything? It's not happening.
 
I do find myself thinking that I don't need it. And at this point, I just wish they would ship me the dam thing. So I don't have keep refreshing and wondering when it arrives. But when it comes, it makes me wonder just how useful it will end up being for me. Other than being able to brag about having one.
 
Rogifan said:
Aside from the original iPhone when has Apple recently slashed prices on anything? It's not happening.
Click to expand...

I'd gladly eat crow, have before and it isn't that bad. But never say never. They may if sales aren't as good as they hoped. Also didn't they just drop the price on the Apple TV? And didn't they lower the price on the 11inch MBA like a year or two ago? They drop prices. The sport may not go down drastically, but it will do down (even if it's just by $50).

I can't see these staying at the current price. They're just too expensive for mainstream adoption IMHO.
 
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