The MacRumors Show: Where Does the Apple Watch Go Next?

[IIGS User]

Where does the Apple Watch go ?

On your wrist 🙂.

Step to the left and be fitted for your uniform, Captain Obvious. 😆

There will be a lot of Ultra 1 users upgrading to the Ultra 4 this year to run the latest watchOS. I for one was really hoping for a full redesign, in addition to the new S chip.

There will be a lot of Ultra 1 users who won’t be upgrading to the Ultra 4 because they purchased a premium product that was essentially obsolete in 3 years. Like me.

Sure, it still tells time and does Apple Pay. But I’m trapped on 26 for life and I paid $800 for this thing 3 years ago. Bunch of horse **** if you ask me.

This will be the last Apple Watch I purchase until either it offers some awesome health tracking like actual BP or glucose tracking. Until then I’m not paying that premium price for something that won’t be FULLY supported in such a short period of time.

Apple could have made a stripped out version of Watch 27 that didn’t include all the new features you needed a U 2 for. I would have been perfectly fine with that. Then maybe I get a taste of the next thing and that cajoles me into upgrading. Now I’m just felt with that ex girlfriend feeling.

 

[tech_enthusiast_]

It goes round. Absolutely zero interest until they make a round one.

Not going to happen, and for good reason. The purpose of the Apple Watch display (as opposed to a watch with basic functions) is to show data and notifications in text. Text is inherently rectangular and is extremely irritating to read and scroll through when it's trapped inside a circle. If you look at a Pixel watch or a Samsung watch you can see how exceedingly dumb it is to try to scroll through notifications or use buttons inside a round display.

There's a reason why 99.99% of the displays around us in the world are rectangular.

 

[yurgrenn]

Round smartwatch is a form-over-function skeuomorphism that brings no benefit except resembling something that it isn't, which is stupid especially that it detracts from functionality. Analog time indication is quick and intuitive indeed but it works just fine with rectangular dial. Also I think wraparound form factor is interesting direction for the category.

 

[azentropy]

A round design would be a totally illogical design choice from a UI/UX perspective. What tech devices do you use in your daily life with a round display? Basically none with the exception of a Nest. There's a reason round displays effectively don't exist because they're a complete waste of screen real estate due to UI's being square/rectangular which is the most efficient design for any UI. The relatively few tech devices that have round screens still have a square UI in the middle of the display with the rounded space around the square completely wasted.

Square/rectangular designs are also the most efficient designs for internal components hence the reason you don't see round phones, tablets, laptops, etc.

If you want a round display, get a real watch which has a single function that lends itself to round interface.

Samsung, Google, Garmin, Citizen, Seiko, Amazfit and many many others have figured out how to make a round smart watch but Apple can't?

Round smartwatch is a form-over-function skeuomorphism that brings no benefit except resembling something that it isn't, which is stupid especially that it detracts from functionality. Analog time indication is quick and intuitive indeed but it works just fine with rectangular dial. Also I think wraparound form factor is interesting direction for the category.

Some people are fine giving up a little functionality for fashion and comfort.

Just another point, the Apple watch isn't perfectly rectangle/square as it too has rounded off corners. So at some point they too have figured out rounding the corners does have some benefit.

 

[GadgetGill]

Think Apple have an opportunity to make the Apple Watch and the Apple Fitness band one of the same where you can just detach or slide the watch of the apple fitness band so you have the best of both worlds, just an idea!!!! Move the health sensors out of the watch and into the apple fitness band then bingo, watch battery life doubles!!!

 

[terrapinjess]

The only way I’d ever even consider another Apple Watch is if it is an MIP display that is extremely power efficient.
My Garmin Enduro 3, I can’t even begin to describe how much it blows the Apple Watch out of the water. It works so much better for my lifestyle, allows for more customization, has better health features, allows me to edit and trim my workouts… It’s better than any Apple Watch I’ve ever owned: Ultra 3, 2, Apple Watch 8, 7, 4…. I’ve tried for years to make Apple’s watch work for me but it always just fell short and becomes boring.

 

[switz]

My Ultra 3 watch lasts much more than 24 hours. If I wear it in bed overnight, then in the moring while I get started it needs 15 minutes on the charger while I eat breakfast. So more battery is not necessary for me. I have spare stainless steel watch bands so will probably get Ultra 4 to get the use of the bands.

 

[Nibo10]

Unfortunately in London, so on the same boat with H.