Tim Cook: Our Objective With Apple Watch Is to Change the Way People Live Their Lives

[wigby]

I just did a half marathon in pouring rain with a waterproof Pebble watch on my wrist and my iPhone strapped to me in a plastic bag. The Pebble was really helpful. The Apple Watch isn't waterproof and I even wonder if having the screen lit up that long (especially for a full marathon) would drain the battery too quickly.

Apple Watch is water-resistant which includes wearing it in the rain but not taking a shower with it. So a heavy rain for several hours might just damage it but I would expect anything less extreme than that would be fine.

And why couldn't you just turn off the screen on the watch? It automatically turns on when you lift your wrist up but of course there is an override to turn off or change that sensor switch behavior.

----------

I'll consider an Apple Watch when it's half the thickness and has a battery that lasts a week.

See you in 5 years.

 

[dec.]

Apple Watches are going back in technology.

Some smart watches last for days (the Pebble & Kairos wathch)...and the most power hungry last at least one day. I can't think of another smart watch that has a worse battery time than the Apple Watch.

How long exactly does the Kairos watch last? And is it comfortable to wear?

 

[Kar98]

Apple Watch is water-resistant which includes wearing it in the rain but not taking a shower with it.

In terms of water resistance, that's called water soluble

 

[Elvergun]

How long exactly does the Kairos watch last? And is it comfortable to wear?

I have no idea since the watch is going to be released in couple of months. The smart watch function is supposed to last 5 days.

 

[StyxMaker]

No no. That's still cheating.



It's either an accurate time keeping device, or it's not at all accurate and has to constantly get its time from other devices.



That's like me saying how amazing my memory is, but not knowing anything when asked unless I get someone else to tell me the answer 1st.

No more cheating than any of the $400 Citizen watches that sync to a time signal.

 

[McScooby]

Nice novelty for people who have the definition of disposable/unwanted income, but this isn't the "iPod" of today. At best this is the iPod Hi-Fi of today.

the problem with the iPod Hi-Fi wasn't the high cost per se, although it was at the top end of the then price margin, I think it was more to do with not enough people could see a use for it & not many companies were making consumer products in that range - remember airplay/iphones didn't exist when it launched. I'm still rockin one today tied to an AP express, & if apple brought out an updated version, I'm sure I'd buy another (only if it was minus beats branding!), they still hold command a high resale value.

The landscape has changed, iPhone changed it, people no longer look at the limitations of the the product itself, but with the added expandability of the apps produced it changes the product & the worth. Where i work I can't bring out my phone when it rings/I get a txt, so for me, I see value in it & for the record, I don't have a high disposable income, let alone a high income!

 

[Lepton]

There is equipemnt already for this. You don't need the iWatch. Unless the small implant will now have a bluetooth transmitter in it, you are still going to need the rest of the equipment that patients already carry.

Correct. It would be nice if the watch could monitor glucose, but it only tracks heartbeat. However, there is coming, a device that uses the small implant, which currently talks to a box you carry, but instead of the box it will talk to the iPhone, and to the watch via a watch extension. Dexcom is the company, and perhaps they will be mentioned at the big watch announcement. http://www.cnet.com/news/apple-watch-app-will-track-your-glucose-levels/

 

[Mashurrab]

I'm not sure why Cook even does these events because he's never going
to disclose anything about new products. You never get a sense of what's next because Apple keeps everything close to the vest. If there's some really cool feature or killer thing we don't know about the Watch Cook isn't going to announce it at a Goldman Sachs technology conference.

There is a training for this. Talking a lot and saying nothing. It makes people supper excited even though they know nothing about the product.

 

[Systra72]

GPS is out of the question for the foreseeable future due to its power consumption.

But I wonder: what about dead reckoning based on all the motion sensors it has? That is, it would calculate where you whet and how fast based on your movements. If your phone was nearby when you started your run it would all be relative to your starting position, so could even map your progress (or without a starting point it would still plot your relative progress, speed and distance).

I have no idea if that could possibly be accurate enough to be useful.

More likely solution: someone creates a small GPS unit that you put in your pocket that is controlled by the watch and feeds it data via bluetooth. Of course, by that time you migh as well buy a different watch that does include GPS.

Tim Cook talked a lot about that the sensor industry will be the next huge thing. And all sensors cannot all be in a little watch. It actually make sense if Apple or someone else put a GPS sensor in a band with its own battery which is sold separately.

 

[Elvergun]

Where i work I can't bring out my phone when it rings/I get a txt, so for me, I see value in it & for the record, I don't have a high disposable income, let alone a high income!

The thing is...you can get that same value with a $100 Pebble.

I might still get an Apple Watch, but the bad battery life and the lack of functions is turning me off.

----------

Tim Cook talked a lot about that the sensor industry will be the next huge thing. And all sensors cannot all be in a little watch. It actually make sense if Apple or someone else put a GPS sensor in a band with its own battery which is sold separately.

Samsung was able to add GPS. Their watch is bigger though (and ugly as hell).

 

[Tech198]

.... but i like my life... .....

You needed a PhD to use an mp3 player lol.... That one is going in the funny pages..

 

[McScooby]

The thing is...you can get that same value with a $100 Pebble.

yeah, but can you respond, dial a number when siri isn't connected to the internet (I go to a few blackspot areas regularly where i get the message, "i'm really sorry but can't take your request at the minute" change a track on iTunes, all without fumbling about for my phone & most importantly, staying in Scotland, it is ever so not dry the whole of the time & don't like the idea of mollycoddling my iPhone in an otterbox to stop it getting wet, so yeah I can see worth in the watch!

 

[sigmadog]

I'll consider an AppleWatch when my iPhone no longer tells the time.

 

[apolloa]

I agree, I think it's a sign of stagnation and lack of imagination at Apple. These aren't the Steve Jobs days, and I'm betting there is no secret that's going to make this anymore than a crappy wannabe runner's watch/mapper. Tim is the same guy that told us 2014 was going to bring the most innovative products Apple ever made. Well, it's 2015 and we can judge his words--it turned out he was talking about a giant phone. A nice phone, yes, but nothing new or particularly interesting. This life changing Apple watch is likely going to be about the same.

True, but Apple has brought us an all in one computer with a 5K screen and the Mac Pro in a tiny quiet desktop design. Those were pretty innovative I think?

 

[Gameboy70]

A Rolex is hardly one percenter stuff. Hell I have one that I snagged at an estate sale. Move it up to Patek Philippe and we'll talk about one percenter watches

If you're a one percenter who doesn't know jack about haute horology, Rolex is a more recognizable totem of conspicuous consumption than a Patek. I'm speaking from experience, from having dealt with customers who'll drop $10k on an IWC without knowing anything about it other than the fact it looks cool.

It's a reality that most readers of tech blogs never come in contact with. Real watch geeks consider Rolex entry level fare, but for the vast majority of the population who buys quartz or digital watches, spending even $5k on a Rolex is unimaginable.

 

[Keirasplace]

Well, we do know that Apple stated that it should last around 19 hours...and 19 hours is the worst battery time for a smart watch (based on reviews I've read).

First, you do realize that there are TWO watches, ones about 33% in volume smaller than the other.... That most of the extra volume in the bigger one will undoubtedly filled with battery (since functionality is the same for each watches). So, how long does that bigger watch last hmmm. Quite a bit longer (more than 33%) no matter what the baseline is for the smaller one.

Secondly, Apple has issued NO SUCH STATEMENT (no 19h with various breakdown of usage that you seem to be referring too). Cook said lasts a day under heavy usage; that's the only real info we got. We can assume that this applies to the smaller watch first since it is the one with less battery.

How much usage is heavy usage makes all the difference in the world in how you compare the watches. So, comparing right now to other watches is plain laughable. What are you comparing exactly?

I've actually handled most of the current smart watches and you can kill the battery on any of them in less than half a day, no sweat, if you want to. But, what does it actually prove? I can also do the same to a smart phone. Most of those other watches were functional (if very clunky to use), but were esthetically horrible, just horrible. I would never in a million year want to wear any of them. If apple can solve this issue, they'll be way ahead of the Android crowd no matter what they do.

Finally, the biggest Apple watch is 10% smaller than the average Android watch and smallest one is 40% smaller! That should tell you exactly why, especially for the smallest one, battery optimization is a challenge and getting a day out of that small watch is in fact a feat.

 

[orioncrystalice]

If it were Steve, most of the comments would be praise and anticipation about how we can't wait to buy an Apple Watch.

 

[Elvergun]

I'm speaking from experience, from having dealt with customers who'll drop $10k on an IWC without knowing anything about it other than the fact it looks cool.
is unimaginable.

I hope you are not saying that IWC is not a good watch? The Portuguese is one incredible watch.

I know Patek is an legendary brand, but I just don't like their designs (too small...too much gold...too much money) -- I would rather buy the entry level Submariner.


----------

First, you do realize that there are TWO watches, ones about 33% in volume smaller than the other.... That most of the extra volume in the bigger one will undoubtedly filled with battery (since functionality is the same for each watches). So, how long does that bigger watch last hmmm. Quite a bit longer (more than 33%) no matter what the baseline is for the smaller one.

Secondly, Apple has issued NO SUCH STATEMENT (no 19h with various breakdown of usage that you seem to be referring too). Cook said lasts a day under heavy usage; that's the only real info we got. We can assume that this applies to the smaller watch first since it is the one with less battery.

Didn't Cook say that it would last around 3 hours under heavy use? And he never mentioned which size he was talking about, so for all we know the 19 hour estimate is for the bigger size.

 

[apolloa]

If it were Steve, most of the comments would be praise and anticipation about how we can't wait to buy an Apple Watch.

If it were Steve you still wouldn't know weather the Apple Watch really exists or not, Apple wouldn't have announced it yet.

 

[SarmadE]

I guess my life is over since I won't own one.

No, your life just won't be changed

 

[Keirasplace]

I hope you are not saying that IWC is not a good watch? The Portuguese is one incredible watch.

I know Patek is an legendary brand, but I just don't like their designs (too small...too much gold...too much money) -- I would rather buy the entry level Submariner.


----------



Didn't Cook say that it would last around 3 hours under heavy use? And he never mentioned which size he was talking about, so for all we know the 19 hour estimate is for the bigger size.

Wow! produce me that quote PLEASe. I want ta link to the interview. So, you'Re telling me the smallest watch won't last the day. You want to be taken seriously after that.

 

[Glideslope]

He took the criticism to heart and is trying to hard to prove he is as innovative as steve jobs.

Actually, IMO, he is trying to prove to Elon Musk that he is as innovative as SJ.
Musk is under Tim's skin. This will be a good test.

 

[Teste]

This won't sell that well.

Apple products are too expensive. They get to have massive profits with the iPhone because most of their target audience doesn't pay full price for it. When we talk about products that people do have to pay full price for, well, just take a look at the iPad and the sorry situation it is in.

The Apple Watch will, at most, sell a bit in the beginning then stagnate as people find themselves with no reason to update it every year, or even every couple years.

 

[Elvergun]

Wow! produce me that quote PLEASe. I want ta link to the interview. So, you'Re telling me the smallest watch won't last the day. You want to be taken seriously after that.

https://forums.macrumors.com/threads/1840285/

As of 2014, Apple was reportedly aiming for 2.5 to 4 hours of active application use with 19 hours of active/passive use, plus 3 days of pure standby time and four days if the watch was sleeping. That's somewhat in line with early rumors, which suggested Apple was targeting a three to five day battery life for the device. Though Apple was aiming for three to four days of standby time, it may only reach two to three days. Apple is hoping the Apple Watch will last for 19 hours of mixed usage, but it "may not hit that number in the first generation version."

No mention if this article is talking about the big or small model.

 

[ToroidalZeus]

Actually, IMO, he is trying to prove to Elon Musk that he is as innovative as SJ.
Musk is under Tim's skin. This will be a good test.

really? whats the deal between cook and musk?

imo tim is the logistics man, he makes it work. He doesn't have the same people skills as sj, the same skills to determine how a product will be perceived by the general public, so he can't win this test.