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Secondly, regardless of how it might be better to frame the subject, the fact remains that all monitors, TVs and movie screens are landscape, not portrait.
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Ignorance can be cured:
http://www.pcworld.com/article/2042888/review-three-widescreen-hd-monitors-that-pivot-from-portrait-to-landscape.html

Unless you've personally seen every monitor in the world, you shouldn't make unsupportable claims about them. It doesn't lend credibility to the rest of your post.
 
Maybe you've never owned a link bracelet before? This is a huge selling feature and convenience. Traditional link bracelets are a PITA to remove links and not something the owner can easily do. You have to take it back to the store. Apple's method allows anyone to add or remove a link at home.

You can change links easily with a <$10 watch link remover from Amazon.
 
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Maybe you've never owned a link bracelet before?

I've worn the same link bracelet every day for decades. One link was taken out in 1993 and has sat in a box, unused, ever since. I'm not even sure where it is now.

So it does seem like over-engineering for a single use feature. (beautiful as it is)

Or are there people who re-size their watches all the time? Maybe I'm missing something. I could understand it if it was a diver's watch designed to be worn alternately over a wetsuit or straight on the wrist.

Edit: Or maybe this suggests we'll see different sized watch cases in future? That would necessitate easy adjustability if an owner had a collection of different-sized watch cases and bands. Maybe that's it?
 
It's way over-engineered if its only purpose is to help a sales assistant remove a few links. Fitting a conventional watch is easy. You could train a competent salesperson to do it in 10 minutes and the process itself takes seconds.

Perhaps, when the hardware was being designed, appointments weren't on the cards and customers were expected to fit it themselves?

Whatever, I think everyone's spare links could be a hot commodity on eBay. I'd love to have a bunch myself just to play with. They look really cool. :)

Maybe you've never owned a link bracelet before? This is a huge selling feature and convenience. Traditional link bracelets are a PITA to remove links and not something the owner can easily do. You have to take it back to the store. Apple's method allows anyone to add or remove a link at home.

I think what Arran is saying (I quoted it above) is that if Apple is doing fittings (as a selling/hype point), then the Apple tech could fit the bracelet and remove any links necessary at time of fitting. Unless customers' body weight fluctuates greatly, then a bracelet typically only needs to be fit once. When you buy a decent watch at a jeweler, that's part of the process they do for you. And Apple is heavily pushing the idea of having an appointment for the purchase of these watches, so it seems as if they are trying to mimic the experience of buying an expensive watch.

To Arran's post, it does seem possible that maybe Apple didn't have the appointments in mind when they first designed the Link bracelet, and intended the end user to be doing it at home on their own. Which can still happen, but I'd imagine most people are going to want to see the watches in person to determine size, color, strap choice, etc.

Either way, it's a really cool design for a bracelet, but maybe overkill. It's like fellow Rolex fans/owners wanting the expensive (but easy to adjust on the fly) Glidelock clasp on all Rolex sport models and not just the Submariner, a dive specific watch, where the clasp is useful. All I'm ever wondering is...how often do you need to resize your watch if you're not diving??

I love watches, and initially like the design of the Apple Link bracelet, but I also think it might be over engineered. I see the potential for a BUNCH of little latching mechanisms that could fail over time in that bracelet.
 
Not everyone has access to an Apple store. And some who know what they want will choose to order online direct to their home. Has it been confirmed that Apple will be doing fittings? I know there are try-on appointments but I don't remember seeing anthing about fittings after you get your watch. Maybe the reason Apple chose this design is so store employees don't have to deal with fittings? :confused:
 
I've worn the same link bracelet every day for decades. One link was taken out in 1993 and has sat in a box, unused, ever since. I'm not even sure where it is now.

So it does seem like over-engineering for a single use feature. (beautiful as it is)

Or are there people who re-size their watches all the time? Maybe I'm missing something. I could understand it if it was a diver's watch designed to be worn alternately over a wetsuit or straight on the wrist.

Edit: Or maybe this suggests we'll see different sized watch cases in future? That would necessitate easy adjustability if an owner had a collection of different-sized watch cases and bands. Maybe that's it?

Yes, that's YOU. But other people lose weight, gain weight, grow, shrink. Links occasionally need to be removed or added. This makes it easier. Just go with it. It's not "over engineered" it's correctly engineered for consumer ease of use -- Apple's signature.
 
Not everyone has access to an Apple store. And some who know what they want will choose to order online direct to their home. Has it been confirmed that Apple will be doing fittings? I know there are try-on appointments but I don't remember seeing anthing about fittings after you get your watch. Maybe the reason Apple chose this design is so store employees don't have to deal with fittings? :confused:


I would think that an Apple associate could take the small amount of time needed to snap off a link or two. Especially as much as Apple is trying to make this a different buying experience, akin to buying a high dollar timepiece. And they are also pushing "fashion" with this product too. I'd think helping a customer fit the bracelet would be worth it not to have a bunch of people running around with ill-fitting watches hanging off their wrists.
 
You can change links easily with a <$10 watch link remover from Amazon.

OK, but that's an extra step +$10. (More if you are not Prime). With Apple's bracelet you adjust on the fly w/o tools or visiting your jeweler. Apple is just uncomplicating the process. Enjoy.
 
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Well of course it is. I can only speak for myself. Keeps things real.



So have you had to do that yourself? It wasn't real clear when you said "other people". I was just wondering who these "other people" were, that's all.

I understand completely what you're saying, but you're barking up the wrong tree on this forum. Apple's choices are typically going to be defended as "the best", no matter what, and their ideas are going to be "great" regardless. At least to the vast majority of people here. Not a place for thoughtful discussion anymore.
 
Well of course it is. I can only speak for myself. Keeps things real.



So have you had to do that yourself? It wasn't real clear when you said "other people". I was just wondering who these "other people" were, that's all.

You aren't really "keeping it real" if your only reference is you. You said Apple over-engineered it as-if it was custom designed for your needs, not a entire market.

Yes, I had to do it when I lost weight. My nephew had to do it as he went through growth spurts. Like I said most people do not stay the same size their whole life or even a short period of it. It's why people have multiple sizes of clothes in their clothes left over from different times when they weighed more, less, etc. and never got around to giving them away.
 
I could understand it if it was a diver's watch designed to be worn alternately over a wetsuit or straight on the wrist.

Most divers watches with bracelets come with a quick extension built into the deployment clasp for use over a wetsuit.

550-2.jpg


Obviously not a requirement for the Apple watch. :D
 
I would think that an Apple associate could take the small amount of time needed to snap off a link or two. Especially as much as Apple is trying to make this a different buying experience, akin to buying a high dollar timepiece. And they are also pushing "fashion" with this product too. I'd think helping a customer fit the bracelet would be worth it not to have a bunch of people running around with ill-fitting watches hanging off their wrists.

Aside from the link bracelet what other Watch bands would need to be fitted by a store employee?
 
You aren't really "keeping it real" if your only reference is you. You said Apple over-engineered it as-if it was custom designed for your needs, not a entire market.

Real for me. I can't credibly comment on what an entire market's product requirements would be. Nobody here can (not that anyone's expected to). Speculate, maybe.

Thanks for sharing your experiences. I can certainly see a more concrete purpose now. I imagine folks who are into bodybuilding might benefit too?

I was also wondering how they all managed before easy-adjustable-bracelets. Maybe a link bracelet was never an option for them?

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Obviously not a requirement for the Apple watch. :D

Are you trying to make trouble? ;)

Joking aside, I wish it was a requirement.
 
Well of course it is. I can only speak for myself. Keeps things real.



So have you had to do that yourself? It wasn't real clear when you said "other people". I was just wondering who these "other people" were, that's all.


I'm one of these other people my wrist fluctuates in size. My watch hand will fit perfectly one day but the next it is too loose then the next it is too tight. I have gone to the classic strap style band just for the convenience of adjusting my watch but I prefer a link style.
 
Aside from the link bracelet what other Watch bands would need to be fitted by a store employee?

That would be the only one. As a link style bracelet is the only band option in the mechanical watch world that would be fitted in store at time of purchase. Not sure I understand the purpose of your question.

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Most bracelets have micro adjustment in the clasp which can give a similar adjustment as adding or removing a link. I often wear mine one adjustment hole looser during hot weather.

I think Arran is trying to subtly make a point that metal link bracelets have been around for a long time, and that they've worked for the vast majority of people during that time, with no need for a quick connect style of link removal. If a traditional metal bracelet is fit properly (when on wrist and closed, be able to insert a pinky finger under the bracelet on the underside of the wrist), and with the typical micro-adjustments that most bracelets have, there's usually very little need to constantly add or remove links.

At least that's my take from Arran's posts. I could easily be wrong though.

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I'm one of these other people my wrist fluctuates in size. My watch hand will fit perfectly one day but the next it is too loose then the next it is too tight. I have gone to the classic strap style band just for the convenience of adjusting my watch but I prefer a link style.

So you'd be snapping in and out links of an Apple Link bracelet every other day or so? That seems exhausting. If I had to guess, I'd venture to say that your previous bracelets have never properly fit.
 
Don't be so harsh. First time offenders should get the opportunity to go to take a remedial smartphone camera education course. :D

Maybe the three strikes and you're out rule should apply? But seriously, it wouldn't be hard for the software engineers to shoot in 1080P landscape even while holding in portrait and just be zoomed in to a faux portrait to frame the subject, so that the actual saved video is still landscape.

Oh, and that video, as horrible as it is (was it even shot on an iPhone?) makes me want my black SS that much more
 
I think Arran is trying to subtly make a point that metal link bracelets have been around for a long time, and that they've worked for the vast majority of people during that time, with no need for a quick connect style of link removal. If a traditional metal bracelet is fit properly (when on wrist and closed, be able to insert a pinky finger under the bracelet on the underside of the wrist), and with the typical micro-adjustments that most bracelets have, there's usually very little need to constantly add or remove links.

At least that's my take from Arran's posts. I could easily be wrong though.

I can't believe anyone would argue against Apple making adding and removing links easier.
 
That would be the only one. As a link style bracelet is the only band option in the mechanical watch world that would be fitted in store at time of purchase. Not sure I understand the purpose of your question.

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I think Arran is trying to subtly make a point that metal link bracelets have been around for a long time, and that they've worked for the vast majority of people during that time, with no need for a quick connect style of link removal. If a traditional metal bracelet is fit properly (when on wrist and closed, be able to insert a pinky finger under the bracelet on the underside of the wrist), and with the typical micro-adjustments that most bracelets have, there's usually very little need to constantly add or remove links.



At least that's my take from Arran's posts. I could easily be wrong though.

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So you'd be snapping in and out links of an Apple Link bracelet every other day or so? That seems exhausting. If I had to guess, I'd venture to say that your previous bracelets have never properly fit.


Yes I might. Before it wasn't an easy option now it would be. The previous ones would fit on the day I had them adjusted. But then on some days I would have to take my watch off all the time as it being uncomfortably tight on my wrist.
 
People who shoot portrait video shouldn't be allowed to buy watches.

Here is a thread I started about it a year ago in the iOS forum. Many people are like (incarcerated framed) portrait video but most are indifferent .

https://forums.macrumors.com/threads/1747014/

Because the image sensor is physically wider than it is tall. Cropping part of the sensor when phone is held in portrait position wouldn't make sense, as it would mean losing (a lot) of pixels and resolution in the resulting video. This is especially important as you might actually want to shoot video in portrait mode sometimes to better frame the subject you're shooting.

Not true. The iPhone has a 8MP CMOS sensor that is 3,264 x 2,448. So even held in portrait you have 2448 pixels but only need 1920. That still leaves 528 pixels unused at full 1080x1920 vertical recording.

So you get full 1080x1920 resolution without even using the whole CMOS while shooting landscape holding the iPhone vertically.
 
I can't believe anyone would argue against Apple making adding and removing links easier.

I don't think anyone really is. It's a cool thing, just might not be totally necessary for the majority of people out there. Hence several people having said it might be "over-engineered". But, if it simplifies Apple's distribution of watches and makes it easier for people get a good fit, then it's a good idea.

My only reservation would be that the more complicated parts you put into something, the more chance of failure. Same way I feel about the aforementioned Glidelock clasp on my Submariner. It's cool as heck, but with a proper fit, it offers nothing over my other non-Glidelock Rolexes. But it is an additional point of possible failure with all the small parts.
 
Maybe the three strikes and you're out rule should apply? But seriously, it wouldn't be hard for the software engineers to shoot in 1080P landscape even while holding in portrait and just be zoomed in to a faux portrait to frame the subject, so that the actual saved video is still landscape.

Oh, and that video, as horrible as it is (was it even shot on an iPhone?) makes me want my black SS that much more

With current sensor technology in nearly all cases (a few rare counter-examples now exist) it is nearly impossible to do what you are suggesting. The issue is the time it takes to get data off the sensor into the buffer and compressed. The sensors in the phones can not be read all at once, they have to be read one line at a time. This takes time, per line. Second, the more data, the more work it is to compress. So the solution to both problems at once is to take fewer lines, skipping every X lines on the sensor to get something close to or exactly 1920xwhatever width. Well guess what? This is done on hardware and cannot be switched in direction. The hardware is designed with readouts in one direction only.

So no, sorry, it's not a trivial matter of engineering, it's actually a very non-trivial matter to get this working at all in the first place, especially on such low powered, low cost devices.

Now, there are some sensors that can do global shutter, full read-out and these are used in higher end dedicated devices for high quality 4k recording and such, but, the hardware isn't even remotely close to fitting in a phone.

So don't expect this kind of behavior to change any time soon.

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It's hilarious to me that people are arguing about a high end watch related product being "overengineered."

That's the basic DEFINITION of all mechanical watches today. Since the invention of the quartz "movement" (yes technically there is a molecular-level movement but still, basically it's solid state) all mechanical watches are overengineered for their purpose.

The link bracelet apple has designed if ***** awesome! If you don't think so, don't buy it. I, for one, am super stoked to have it. I've always worn link bracelets. I can change the links myself, but, it's a pain in the ass without question. People saying you can do it "easily" have a seriously messed up idea of what "easily" means. You have to get the pin pusher out, wrap the watch awkwardly around it, push out the pin, and then, depending on the type of bracelet, you have potentially a bunch of tiny loose pieces to keep track of and then replace perfectly when you push the pin back in.

Nothing about that is easy. Even if I only have to adjust my link band 1-2 times a year (mainly due to temperature's effect on the daily fluctuation of my wrist size) it will make me very happy that I never have to worry about the idiotic process of adjusting the band.

This band isn't even remotely over-engineered. It's appropriately engineered to make a commonly necessary task easy to perform. You may only ever need to do it once, but, so what? It will be done stress free. In fact, knowing that adjustment is trivial, you may very well find yourself doing it more often instead of just accepting a slightly misadjusted band until you get the motivation to go to the jeweler or buy and learn to use the tools to do it yourself, for your band (because there isn't just one linkage design.)

Frankly, imho, this band and its design is THE star of the show for this product line. It's a high end product selling for far less money than the watch industry would typically offer something like this. Ironically, and with the tech community completely at a loss to realize it, the bands and their design (in most cases) are likely to be the most disruptive aspect of the Apple Watch in relationship to the broader watch industry. This kind of convenience, from the super easy-to-remove band lugs to things like the flush butterfly closure and simple band resizing, are things that have been considered impossible or simply high end luxury in the rest of the industry until now.

Over-engineered? If you think the link band is over-engineered, you probably shouldn't buy any kind of computing device, as surely your paper, quill, and abacus can handle all of this nonsense without even requiring electricity!

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I was under the impression Apple was not going to add/remove links or swap bands during appointments.

Yes, this is what has been reported, and the OP is totally off base. The reason appointments will be required in reality is because the Apple Store as it is would be impossible to manage if everyone could just come in and start jamming their arm-sausages into any random watch. It's merely a matter of maintaining order and dealing with logistics of the mass interest that is predicted (at least 25% of americans interested in buying, based on surveys so far, that's like 80 million people.)

Also, the appointment requirement is temporary. When initial interest dies down, appointments will go away, though one-on-one interaction at the store will surely still be required for trying things on, but, not likely for just buying.

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I don't think anyone really is. It's a cool thing, just might not be totally necessary for the majority of people out there. Hence several people having said it might be "over-engineered". But, if it simplifies Apple's distribution of watches and makes it easier for people get a good fit, then it's a good idea.

My only reservation would be that the more complicated parts you put into something, the more chance of failure. Same way I feel about the aforementioned Glidelock clasp on my Submariner. It's cool as heck, but with a proper fit, it offers nothing over my other non-Glidelock Rolexes. But it is an additional point of possible failure with all the small parts.

Says the person intentionally wearing a mechanical watch full of completely unnecessary design complication and moving parts when it could just be a quartz "movement." :D

Isn't the idea of complex mechanical design working elegantly for a long time part of the appeal of a mechanical watch in the first place? Or maybe it was just a fashion purchase... which is fine, but, one must at least be consistent with their concern over mechanical complexity, I'd say.
 
My only reservation would be that the more complicated parts you put into something, the more chance of failure.

That's exactly where I'm coming from.

I'll gladly accept increased risk of failure in a product if that risk is balanced by the product delivering something valuable in exchange. And thanks to people sharing their experiences above, I can now see how it might add value.

It just doesn't seem worth it for me. Nothing really to argue about.
 
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