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Camusrieux

macrumors regular
Original poster
Dec 15, 2013
130
5
There's an interesting, if probably meaningless, omission from the list of watch faces on the Timekeeping page of the apple.com Apple Watch site. That page lists nine faces that Apple Watch will ship with: Chronograph, Color, Modular, Utility, Mickey Mouse, Simple, Motion, Solar, and Astronomy. But the original Watch press release issued in September makes it clear that there will actually be eleven faces on the shipping Watch; the two faces unaccountably omitted from the Watch site are Timelapse and Photo.

Both of those faces have been fairly noticeable on various materials Apple has published; for example, the "Introducing Apple Watch" short film (available here) that premiered at the September event appears to contain images of two Timelapse faces (one depicting Westminster Bridge and the Houses of Parliament in London, the other a mountain lake), as well as a Photo face (with a backlit picture of people on a beach at sunset). The same three faces can also be seen on various marketing images Apple has circulated—such as the one posted here.

All of this isn't intended as a criticism, or at least a harsh one, of Apple. In fact, it's nearly the opposite: I think the Timelapse face looks beautiful, and I expect that it may well be the face that I most frequently use on the Watch (42mm SS-silver with black sport band) that I hope to have on my wrist by the end of April. I just wish we had more information about these two faces at this point.

For example, with regard to Timelapse: are there just the two landscapes (Westminster and mountains)? Will there be more (I hope so…)? Obviously the general idea of the watch face is that we can watch midday turn to evening, to night, morning, and so on, as our own day progresses; how many actual images are part of the sequence? And, given that Westminster is such a specific and identifiable place on the globe, will the time-lapsing process on that one be anchored to GMT? Or, if the Watch is being worn in a place that’s far east or west of Greenwich, will Timelapse more or less pretend that Westminster is in the wearer’s time zone?

The Photo face seems more self-explanatory; presumably we set it up in a manner that’s very little different than the way we choose wallpaper on an iPhone or iPad. It would be interesting, though, to find out whether we have a choice of digital or analog clock, and whether that clock can be moved around on the screen at all.

Finally, I wonder if the sort-of-missing Photo face provides an answer to a particular low-level mystery that has been discussed on various blogs (such as Cult of Mac, here): as captured in a video (posted on that page) from the September event, an Apple employee “accidentally” exposed an element of the face-changing function of the watch that involves what CoM calls “a big white ‘+’ button.” Various parties have theorized that that button is used to add new faces, and that’s certainly possible—but couldn’t it also be for choosing/uploading a photo for the Photo face?

Anyway. Regardless of any of this, it seems just weird to me that Apple left both Timelapse and Photo off of the Timekeeping page, and that they really haven’t provided (AFAICT) much information about either one otherwise. Especially with the level of craftsmanship that appears to have gone into Timelapse. Hmph.
 
Last edited:

l.marcus

macrumors newbie
Mar 30, 2015
16
0
Detroit MI
If those two watch faces are actually gone, It's probably because they are so colorful. More color on the OLED screen uses more power which would hurt battery life.
 

Camusrieux

macrumors regular
Original poster
Dec 15, 2013
130
5
On a different thread, user JayLenochiniMac confirms that Timelapse and Photo were previously on the Timekeeping page. It's not clear why they were removed.
 

Mascots

macrumors 68000
Sep 5, 2009
1,663
1,413
We know there's at least one face that isn't in that list: the large text face (two digits on top and bottom) so maybe they omitted as an "obvious" or nonfocal choice?
 

Armen

macrumors 604
Apr 30, 2013
7,405
2,273
Los Angeles
I wonder if Apple will open up the watchface API to devs to add their own complications and watch faces.
 

Mr. Buzzcut

macrumors 65816
Jul 25, 2011
1,037
488
Ohio
If those two watch faces are actually gone, It's probably because they are so colorful. More color on the OLED screen uses more power which would hurt battery life.

That seems plausible. It could be that some faces on power reserve mode didn't conserve enough power.
 

Camusrieux

macrumors regular
Original poster
Dec 15, 2013
130
5
Just dropping back in to note, unhappily, that the new Apple Guided Tour video called "Faces" (available on YouTube here, as well as on apple.com) has no sign of either Timelapse or Photo.

I'm getting the sinking feeling that those two faces actually won't be on the Watch when it ships.

One less-unhappy possibility is that the two faces will be there, but that they're not particularly customizable, so they were kept off the Guided Tour (which is basically a How To Customize video). Chronograph and Simple are also missing from the "Faces" video. Still: :(
 

Piggie

macrumors G3
Feb 23, 2010
8,828
3,497
A little part of me, still wonders if Apple, being Apple, will control which watch can get which face?

I don't think they will do it, but a little part of me does wonder is only certain faces will be allowed on only certain models to keep future faces in tune, shall we say with the colour and status of the watch model.
 

Multiverse223

macrumors regular
Mar 16, 2015
212
5
A little part of me, still wonders if Apple, being Apple, will control which watch can get which face?

I don't think they will do it, but a little part of me does wonder is only certain faces will be allowed on only certain models to keep future faces in tune, shall we say with the colour and status of the watch model.

God no. Apple will not control which watch can use what faces. All watch models will be able to use all watch faces, no doubt about it. They don't control the color of the faces either, the user does, because as shown in numerous videos, including the guided tours, you adjust the colors how you want.

Also I've seen you post about Apple 'being Apple' not allowing third party watch faces, or user created watch faces. I hope to god you're right in thinking that Apple will NOT allow either of these. Apple needs to create the watch faces. No one else. Only Apple's watch faces would look even remotely good, or function remotely well. That's because Apple has the best designers on the planet Earth. Third parties have pitiful designers in comparison, and user created...abysmal. I mean if ANYONE has seen a single jail broken theme, they'd immediately know how God awful people's taste can be, people that have no design talent what so ever. I pray that the only watch faces you can get are fully designed by Apple. Having said all that, i hope that Apple makes many watch faces and continues to make them over the years, and adds further customization, with THEIR designed options. The only thing that third party watch faces would get you are a myriad of the worst looking crap you've ever seen, similar to how the App Store has like 1.3 million apps and only maybe 1% are any good. I know what you're going to say...'but I don't care and no one else should care what I like' save it. If I were Apple I wouldn't want people to tarnish the look of the watch with absolutely horrific looking watch faces, just like I wouldn't want anyone to be able to install a jail broken theme on an iPhone because it makes it look like trash.
 

Mr.C

macrumors 603
Apr 3, 2011
5,260
1,310
London, UK.
Apple isn't going to determine or control what face is available with which watch. It's not going to happen. If noting else it will generate consumer outrage.
 

Piggie

macrumors G3
Feb 23, 2010
8,828
3,497
God no. Apple will not control which watch can use what faces. All watch models will be able to use all watch faces, no doubt about it. They don't control the color of the faces either, the user does, because as shown in numerous videos, including the guided tours, you adjust the colors how you want.

Also I've seen you post about Apple 'being Apple' not allowing third party watch faces, or user created watch faces. I hope to god you're right in thinking that Apple will NOT allow either of these. Apple needs to create the watch faces. No one else. Only Apple's watch faces would look even remotely good, or function remotely well. That's because Apple has the best designers on the planet Earth. Third parties have pitiful designers in comparison, and user created...abysmal. I mean if ANYONE has seen a single jail broken theme, they'd immediately know how God awful people's taste can be, people that have no design talent what so ever. I pray that the only watch faces you can get are fully designed by Apple. Having said all that, i hope that Apple makes many watch faces and continues to make them over the years, and adds further customization, with THEIR designed options. The only thing that third party watch faces would get you are a myriad of the worst looking crap you've ever seen, similar to how the App Store has like 1.3 million apps and only maybe 1% are any good. I know what you're going to say...'but I don't care and no one else should care what I like' save it. If I were Apple I wouldn't want people to tarnish the look of the watch with absolutely horrific looking watch faces, just like I wouldn't want anyone to be able to install a jail broken theme on an iPhone because it makes it look like trash.

Well, that's quite a pro Apple speech there. :)
Honestly don't feel that most general people would agree with you, but you are of course full entitled to you opinion :)

The only point I would like to mention is that, perhaps you should have a little think, and consider not everyone likes what you like, and not everyone likes the same thing.
What you may consider horrific others may love.
Look at cloths, hair styles, car design, even foods to eat.

Saying only one company in the world can make anything that looks good is perhaps quite strong I'd feel.
 

Camusrieux

macrumors regular
Original poster
Dec 15, 2013
130
5
I seriously doubt that Apple would permit particular faces (or apps or whatever) to be Edition-only or Sport-only or whatever. "Consumer outrage" is putting it mildly.

I would be surprised if the company didn't allow third parties to create faces, though. And, yes, Apple will presumably approve them for quality, adherence to copyright (as I believe you posted on a different thread, Piggie), and so on, and then make them available to users on similar terms to apps.

There won't be massive numbers of faces available, or at least not soon. But Apple would be leaving huge amounts of revenue on the table (not to mention sharply limiting the function of the Watch) if it blocked third-party faces entirely.

In the shorter term, I just hope Timelapse and Photo (the latter of which is, actually, a variety of user-created watch face!) are on the shipping product.
 

Piggie

macrumors G3
Feb 23, 2010
8,828
3,497
I only suggested such an admitedly 'Wild idea' and given the way Apple has handled the edition model so far, which has surprised many.

They might of made for Edition only "Exclusive" watch designs.

Or not wished to see, say, a Flappy Bird watch face on the edition, which they may be happy allowing on the sport.

I agree, it probably won't happen.
But I could see Exclusive Edition only faces being more of a possibility.

I suppose I'm still trying to hang onto the notion that after screwing them on the purchase price AND the Apple care, there will, at some stage be SOMETHING special for them.
 

Multiverse223

macrumors regular
Mar 16, 2015
212
5
I only suggested such an admitedly 'Wild idea' and given the way Apple has handled the edition model so far, which has surprised many.

They might of made for Edition only "Exclusive" watch designs.

Or not wished to see, say, a Flappy Bird watch face on the edition, which they may be happy allowing on the sport.

I agree, it probably won't happen.
But I could see Exclusive Edition only faces being more of a possibility.

I suppose I'm still trying to hang onto the notion that after screwing them on the purchase price AND the Apple care, there will, at some stage be SOMETHING special for them.

There is something special. They get a high quality level of support, high quality materials, and a high quality special box which doubles as a charging stand... They won't make exclusives for the edition because they don't want to alienate their customer base... They aren't a company that only sells to a select few people, they want everyone to be able to love and enjoy their products, and giving exclusives to the edition only frustrates their customer base. How do you not get that?
 

Piggie

macrumors G3
Feb 23, 2010
8,828
3,497
There is something special. They get a high quality level of support, high quality materials, and a high quality special box which doubles as a charging stand... They won't make exclusives for the edition because they don't want to alienate their customer base... They aren't a company that only sells to a select few people, they want everyone to be able to love and enjoy their products, and giving exclusives to the edition only frustrates their customer base. How do you not get that?

So you don't think pricing a $2,000 watch at $10,000 way way out of the reach of 99.5% of Apple fans has not alienated them enough already?

I can't see how a few Edition Exclusive faces, perhaps black and gold looking to match the case you really cause any further upset, would you?
 

Multiverse223

macrumors regular
Mar 16, 2015
212
5
So you don't think pricing a $2,000 watch at $10,000 way way out of the reach of 99.5% of Apple fans has not alienated them enough already?

I can't see how a few Edition Exclusive faces, perhaps black and gold looking to match the case you really cause any further upset, would you?

Absolutely not hahah. First of all hardly anyone knows what the actual cost of that would be, secondly, it doesn't alienate anyone because it's just materials, not function.
 

cambookpro

macrumors 604
Feb 3, 2010
7,148
3,160
United Kingdom
God no. Apple will not control which watch can use what faces. All watch models will be able to use all watch faces, no doubt about it. They don't control the color of the faces either, the user does, because as shown in numerous videos, including the guided tours, you adjust the colors how you want.

Also I've seen you post about Apple 'being Apple' not allowing third party watch faces, or user created watch faces. I hope to god you're right in thinking that Apple will NOT allow either of these. Apple needs to create the watch faces. No one else. Only Apple's watch faces would look even remotely good, or function remotely well. That's because Apple has the best designers on the planet Earth. Third parties have pitiful designers in comparison, and user created...abysmal. I mean if ANYONE has seen a single jail broken theme, they'd immediately know how God awful people's taste can be, people that have no design talent what so ever. I pray that the only watch faces you can get are fully designed by Apple. Having said all that, i hope that Apple makes many watch faces and continues to make them over the years, and adds further customization, with THEIR designed options. The only thing that third party watch faces would get you are a myriad of the worst looking crap you've ever seen, similar to how the App Store has like 1.3 million apps and only maybe 1% are any good. I know what you're going to say...'but I don't care and no one else should care what I like' save it. If I were Apple I wouldn't want people to tarnish the look of the watch with absolutely horrific looking watch faces, just like I wouldn't want anyone to be able to install a jail broken theme on an iPhone because it makes it look like trash.

Not sure if you're being sarcastic, or have just overdosed on the Apple Kool-Aid.

I love Apple's designs, but there's no way on earth that there are no other good UI designers out there. Have you seen Material Design? Design of some apps on the App Store?

I for one welcome more choice - it's not like someone would hold you at gunpoint and force you to use a non-Apple face :rolleyes:
 

Multiverse223

macrumors regular
Mar 16, 2015
212
5
Not sure if you're being sarcastic, or have just overdosed on the Apple Kool-Aid.

I love Apple's designs, but there's no way on earth that there are no other good UI designers out there. Have you seen Material Design? Design of some apps on the App Store?

I for one welcome more choice - it's not like someone would hold you at gunpoint and force you to use a non-Apple face :rolleyes:

I've seen material design. It's honestly horrifically bad. It's astoundingly hilarious to me that people said/say iOS7 design is kiddie like. Look at material design HAHAHA it is essentially for children. It looks cartoony and unprofessional. It's no wonder though...Google has a slide in their HQ..

There are other good UI designers, but they're stuck doing terrible things being given terrible direction, at terrible companies.
 

Camusrieux

macrumors regular
Original poster
Dec 15, 2013
130
5
I think, alas, that this gallery from CNET fairly definitively answers the question I posed on this thread. It would appear that the shipping Apple Watch has not nine (as the Timekeeping page suggests), not eleven (as the September press release stated), but ten faces—and one of the ten was never mentioned in either of those sources. (The specific fact that there are ten faces has been cited in numerous online reviews today, as well.)

The CNET gallery shows:

  • Astronomy,
  • Modular,
  • Motion,
  • Solar,
  • Utility,
  • X-Large (the new one not mentioned in the two sources cited above, though I think sharp-eyed observers have spotted it elsewhere),
  • Mickey,
  • Color,
  • Simple, and
  • Chronograph

It would appear that Timelapse and Photo, the two faces I was most interested in, are not on the shipping Watch. I have to admit that I'm substantially irritated, considering the degree to which those two faces were a big part of what made the Watch appear attractive in Apple's introductory materials—especially at the September event. Not cool, Apple. :mad:
 

cmChimera

macrumors 601
Feb 12, 2010
4,202
3,514
I think, alas, that this gallery from CNET fairly definitively answers the question I posed on this thread. It would appear that the shipping Apple Watch has not nine (as the Timekeeping page suggests), not eleven (as the September press release stated), but ten faces—and one of the ten was never mentioned in either of those sources. (The specific fact that there are ten faces has been cited in numerous online reviews today, as well.)

The CNET gallery shows:

  • Astronomy,
  • Modular,
  • Motion,
  • Solar,
  • Utility,
  • X-Large (the new one not mentioned in the two sources cited above, though I think sharp-eyed observers have spotted it elsewhere),
  • Mickey,
  • Color,
  • Simple, and
  • Chronograph

It would appear that Timelapse and Photo, the two faces I was most interested in, are not on the shipping Watch. I have to admit that I'm substantially irritated, considering the degree to which those two faces were a big part of what made the Watch appear attractive in Apple's introductory materials—especially at the September event. Not cool, Apple. :mad:

So then there isn't a way to use your own photo as a wallpaper?

As for time-lapse, that's unfortunate too. Keep your head up though, software updates will certainly add new faces.
 

Piggie

macrumors G3
Feb 23, 2010
8,828
3,497
So you cannot even have your own static background photo as a watch face now?
There is no user picture watch face at all?
 

Camusrieux

macrumors regular
Original poster
Dec 15, 2013
130
5
So then there isn't a way to use your own photo as a wallpaper?
That would seem to be the case. I haven't read all of the reviews, but in the ones I have looked over I don't see any mention of that. And the CNET gallery, ISTM, would certainly mention the Photo face if it were available on the device(s) they had access to.

As for time-lapse, that's unfortunate too. Keep your head up though, software updates will certainly add new faces.
I certainly hope so.

FWIW, I'm betting that l.marcus, above, is correct: one or both of these faces were nixed because of what they do to battery life. Oh, well.
 
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