Tim Cook in London to Talk Apple Watch and Visit Covent Garden Retail Store

[heeloliver]

I'm seriously so BOTHERED by the fact that Apple cares so much about making a WATCH and a CAR but can't even get WiFi to work in Yosemite!

Has Apple just lost the care they used to have for their customers?

Ah, something like this is posted in every single thread. Thanks for reminding me that apple has different divisions working on different tasks.

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Something I keep wondering...

How well will the Watch possibly do in colder climates? When I'm outside in winter here, I have several layers on over my arms, plus gloves. The watch itself won't be warm, so I wouldn't want it to be the only layer between my wrist and the elements. If it's under layers, it's useless (plus it'll make taking those layers off and putting them on more difficult). If it's on top of the layers, it's tacky, I'd worry about it being stolen, and it may as well just be a tiny iPod touch strapped to my wrist for all it's able to do - it won't be able to monitor any health information an iPod Touch couldn't. Plus its pulse feedback wouldn't work.

I just feel like the Watch will only work for people who live in warmer climates.

So almost like any watch ever?

 

[Semester]

Covent garden is the only upscale Apple Store I've been to but damn that is one beautiful store.

Great to see Tim Cook being a very open and vocal leader in public during the last few months. The media strategy has clearly shifted.

 

[Edsel]

This watch obsession is over the top. Apple should be updating their peripheral technology. The Extreme and Express routers have old technology. Their airplay system sucks. You can't print from iPods and iPhones unless you buy a proprietary printer. Apple has become infatuated over iBling. This is not the direction Steve Jobs would have wanted.

 

[MH01]

Tim is here!!!

 

[rwilliams]

I'm still trying to get excited about the watch, but it's not working. I suppose I'll have to see it in use in the real world before I can determine if I have any need for it.

 

[FieldingMellish]

Did Steve go traveling around when he introduced the iPad or iPhone?

 

[bbeagle]

I just feel like the Watch will only work for people who live in warmer climates.

I live in Buffalo, and I've worn watches my entire life.

They work fine in colder climates. You usually have an easily openable gap at your wrists between your coat and gloves. It's very simple to see any watch I'm wearing by pulling back my glove slightly.

Unless you're playing in the snow, skiing, or it's below 20 degrees fahrenheit (only in February), there's no need for gloves.

 

[leenak]

As a guy who rents a lot of cars for his job, I've often wondered why so many manufacturers are still using keys.

At this point pretty much all cars have a remote unlock system and central locking. So most cars already have the technology to handshake with a key fob, so how hard can it be to add the functionality to start the car using the same security handshake with the key fob?

Surely it would be a lot cheaper than physically building and installing a mechanical lock, having keys made to fit that lock and so on?

Car companies need to stop selling push start as some advanced feature, and just make it standard.

Mercedes charge $550 for a push button start. Other manufacturers often bundle keyless start into some other expensive package with an upgraded stereo or navigation.

Until automakers stop their nonsense like charging $2K for navigation, we're a long way away from using an Apple Watch to start your car. But I like the vision.

There are also security concerns. A recent bug in BMW cars allowed someone to open and start a car through a simple hack.

 

[technopimp]

Is there any way to hide any front page article tagged with #timcook? Sheesh. I don't care where he is or what he's doing at any given moment. Or ever really.

 

[MH01]

Ah, something like this is posted in every single thread. Thanks for reminding me that apple has different divisions working on different tasks.

Thanks for reminding us that apple moves it's best people from existing divisions to support New products

Or they have some really bad people in those divisions ....

 

[xionxiox]

Is there any way to hide any front page article tagged with #timcook? Sheesh. I don't care where he is or what he's doing at any given moment. Or ever really.

Apple put so much time and effort into the smooth scrolling functionality on Macs and iOS devices. You should try using it.

 

[SusanK]

I'm seriously so BOTHERED by the fact that Apple cares so much about making a WATCH and a CAR but can't even get WiFi to work in Yosemite!

Has Apple just lost the care they used to have for their customers?

I don't think Cook has long term plans for the Mac.

 

[Chupa Chupa]

Cook claimed that the Apple Watch will have several features that go beyond timekeeping and health and fitness, such as the ability to replace large car key fobs that come with most current vehicles....

The chief executive told Apple retail employees at the Covent Garden store that the Apple Watch will be unlike any other product the company has ever sold before. "We've never sold anything as a company that people could try on before", said Cook. He added that "tweaking the experience in the store" will likely be a requirement when the wrist-worn device launches in April.

1) Hoping since BMW was promoted at the sneak peak its FOB is among those than can be replaced. It would be nice not to have to bring it with me. But guessing not since replacement FOBs have to be coded in Munich.

2) Sounds very much like the launch is going to be trial and error. That leads me to think it will launch Easter Weekend in the U.S. and maybe a few weeks later in other markets. I also wouldn't be surprised if only the largest stores in each U.S. city sold the high end Apple Edition while the sales technique was nailed down.

 

[iPadCary]

FOR THE LOVE OF CHRIST, WILL SOMEBODY ANSWER THIS GODDAMNED QUESTION:
WHAT PERCENTAGE OF IT WILL BE USABLE WITHOUT AN iPHONE?!?
Sheesh ....

 

[bbeagle]

WHAT PERCENTAGE OF IT WILL BE USABLE WITHOUT AN iPHONE?!?
Sheesh ....

You just have to Google to find out....

What works WITHOUT an iPhone:
The watch, complications, music player, heart beat sensor, any APPLE-MADE apps that do not use any sensors/functionality that the watch does not have.

What doesn't work WITHOUT an iPhone:
3rd party apps (it's a current restriction - will probably stop being a restriction sometime in late 2015 after new APIs are released at WWDC), phone calls, texting, using any phone sensors (like GPS, Wifi), SIRI

UNKNOWN:
Apple Pay? Unknown whether it works with/without iPhone.

 

[Chupa Chupa]

FOR THE LOVE OF CHRIST, WILL SOMEBODY ANSWER THIS GODDAMNED QUESTION:
WHAT PERCENTAGE OF IT WILL BE USABLE WITHOUT AN iPHONE?!?
Sheesh ....

Sheesh? What an ironic way to cap your irate rant complete with full caps + expletive.

I don't think anyone here has the duty to answer your question so the "sheesh" is well overwrought.

Apple hasn't really answered the question anyway so no one here can honestly answer the question... maybe its why they have not.

Apple's own specifications require an iPhone 5 or later and depends on the iPhones GPS so I would guess it's fairly co-dependent on the iPhone. You can probably use it as a normal watch w/o an iPhone and as a music player and HRM. Don't expect much more until stand-alone watch apps appear.

 

[dred67212]

I'm seriously so BOTHERED by the fact that Apple cares so much about making a WATCH and a CAR but can't even get WiFi to work in Yosemite!

Has Apple just lost the care they used to have for their customers?

I just want a new Apple tv. I. I think the watch will sell good at first but then when people find it easier to just look at their phone many will End up on eBay.

 

[Zeos]

Big mental hurdle to overcome to get folks to leave credit cards and car keys at home. Dead watch batteries or a broken watch would suck if you don't have spare keys (or a spare watch!).

 

[iJandro]

At first glance, the picture displayed looks like Tim Cook is wearing a purple bow-tie

 

[Stayfly2407]

i wouldn't get to excited about this key fob feature, I'm sure if anything it'll probably only be compatible with something like the new BMW i8 (130k car), apple has already showed the watch app that shows the cars charge level, so we know there is already something in the works.

 

[nfl46]

He has an iPhone 6 in his pocket. Surprised he doesn't have the 6+.

 

[Lepton]

FOR THE LOVE OF CHRIST, WILL SOMEBODY ANSWER THIS GODDAMNED QUESTION:
WHAT PERCENTAGE OF IT WILL BE USABLE WITHOUT AN iPHONE?!?
Sheesh ....

Who could resist when you ask so nicely? It'll tell you the time! And a little more. It will track your heart rate, steps, and calories. It will play music you loaded into its memory. It will show photos you loaded into its memory. That's about all I can glean from... hey, why not go there yourself and see what it can do? http://apple.com/watch

 

[iPadCary]

You just have to Google to find out....

What works WITHOUT an iPhone:
The watch, complications, music player, heart beat sensor, any APPLE-MADE apps that do not use any sensors/functionality that the watch does not have.

What doesn't work WITHOUT an iPhone:
3rd party apps (it's a current restriction - will probably stop being a restriction sometime in late 2015 after new APIs are released at WWDC), phone calls, texting, using any phone sensors (like GPS, Wifi), SIRI

UNKNOWN:
Apple Pay? Unknown whether it works with/without iPhone.

OK, that's all I wanted to know: if I could use the darn thing without an iPhone ....
Thank you.

Sheesh? What an ironic way to cap your irate rant complete with full caps + expletive.

I don't think anyone here has the duty to answer your question so the "sheesh" is well overwrought.

Apple hasn't really answered the question anyway so no one here can honestly answer the question... maybe its why they have not.

Apple's own specifications require an iPhone 5 or later and depends on the iPhones GPS so I would guess it's fairly co-dependent on the iPhone. You can probably use it as a normal watch w/o an iPhone and as a music player and HRM. Don't expect much more until stand-alone watch apps appear.

Thank you, too.

 

[Piggie]

This watch obsession is over the top. Apple should be updating their peripheral technology. The Extreme and Express routers have old technology. Their airplay system sucks. You can't print from iPods and iPhones unless you buy a proprietary printer. Apple has become infatuated over iBling. This is not the direction Steve Jobs would have wanted.

I would like to see this, and more focus in that area also.
Unfortunately Apple see where the new money is to be made, and what we'd like is not there.

Apple has moved on I fear.
They seem to see a lot of that side of things as "good enough" for their type of customer, and no point in pushing much forward with it.

New Young, Fashionable money is where their biggest future profits lie.
So very sadly and with deep regret I can see things shifting even further in these new directions, with the odd thing drip fed when needed to the roots products that made them Apple.

 

[nebo1ss]

Seriously, I can get rid of my Ford Key Fob and walk up open and start my car with my Apple Watch and iPhone? Now that is a neat reason to get the watch.

That would be a backward step. I open and start my car with my key fob never leaving my pocket.