Up to 40% Thinner Apple Watch 2 Predicted to Debut at WWDC in June

[Stirlo]

Can't say much more that hasn't already been said. Been waiting patiently for gen 2, hoping for:

Speed
Less phone dependence
1.5 day battery
Possibly a 46-50mm option (hoping)
Some more health sensors

2nd gen is going to fix and improve so many things, can't wait.

Already has 1.5 days. No good, if you want a useful amount to not charge it every night you will need 2-3 days at least. And that would require quite a battery size increase which Could work if it was a huge 46-50mm; you have seen the watches before haven't you?! Unless you are Massive with hulk arms it would look ridiculous!

I'm not sure what other health sensors can be added without having to go through medical device approvals, expensive, slow and also "shows their hand" to all the other manufacturers years ahead of release.

 

[Springman]

Of all products, especially first generations, the Apple Watch is one where I truly don't mind the size and don't think it needs to get thinner. I was so hoping for some extra sensors or GPS and keeping the same battery life.

And most importantly, SPEED!

Agree with your assessment. Very polished for a first gen. But agree that it's slow!

 

[Stirlo]

The watch needs to be and can be thinner as long as they make it larger. It's too thick and the screen is too small.

Win win in my opinion.

Also...

50mm round dial with thin bezel.

always on display...with minimal info...like time, date and when you raise your arm, you get the full display of information. Very good compromise IMO.

Minimum 2 days battery life (36 hours or more).

Have you actually seen one?! 50mm lol.

Round would destroy space for complications, and introduce a bunch of issues like the 360 or whatever those round android wear things have. Text cutoff, pixels around the edge unless they invent circular pixels ;-)
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Agree with your assessment. Very polished for a first gen. But agree that it's slow!

Speed increase = more power and thermal.. The cpu is extremely anemic. On purpose. It's a battery sipper not a burner.

I have a "sore arm policy" if your app doesn't load in 5-10 seconds it's on death row, if it's not absolutely necessary (a good one is Spark mail, almost takes too long to load.. Almost. But is so good for email + complication is great) it will be deleted pretty quick.

Apps that were made for watchOS 1 suffer a lot of terrible lag, watchOS 2 rebuilt from the first line of code are zippy and very much like 1st party apps.

 

[ke-iron]

The most important feature of the next gen Apple Watch will be the ability to use existing accessories. If they change the charging and band connection it won't sell too well. I own 3 bands and twelve south forte stand as well as an additional charger at my girlfriends house.

If the second gen can use non of these I simply will not buy. No way people will buy over all the accessories, not for a watch.

 

[caligurl]

Whaat? you have to charge after your morning workout??
My watch makes it thru the day including workout with 50% spare battery at times!

I sometimes wear it thru the night and charge it in the morning while I'm getting ready for the day.

.

If I don't charge it after my workout, it won't make it through the day. So I top it off while showering and getting ready to ensure it mostly lasts until bed time.
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What's with Apple's obsession with thinness?

SERIOUSLY!

 

[JamesPDX]

This story has twice the comments as the story above it. I weep for America.
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I still don't understand the FaceTime camera. I mean who wants to hold you wrist up for a several minute long convo and look at someone. I don't even like using the phone feature for long conversation becuase it's an uncomfortable position.

"You're wearing it wrong!"

 

[tillsbury]

Yes thinner would be great, the only problem I have with the AW is that it's so thick. Can't believe people want it bigger, I saw a 42mm in the shops recently and it's laughably huge. My girlfriend would like a significantly smaller one, the 38mm is way too big for her. But half the thickness would match it to the sort of watches I used to wear and make it look a whole lot more elegant than the big lump it is.

 

[Digital Skunk]

I hate to say it, but I think I'd be interested in a thinner Apple Watch.

Thinner and a TAD bit cheaper

 

[pat500000]

How about you retire those watches.

 

[Ickywickets]

You could maybe invented a time machine to jump 30 years into the future for when battery technology that could even make this possible might exist...maybe.

As long as the current bands are compatible with the new watch, I'll be happy.

 

[Michael Joseph]

Since most of the cost for the 1st generation Gold edition Apple Watch are gold, so if Apple continue to make Gold Edition for 2nd generation is that mean the price will be reduce by upto 40%????

 

[Uofmtiger]

The battery life is actually fine. I haven't had any problems.

I haven't had any problems with battery either, but I still want more battery life. The reason it lasts so long is that they automatically shut off the display. I would rather have a low power, always on, option ( I am assuming they could use screensaver technology like larger displays to avoid burn in) that kicks in more power when the wrist is raised and an option to listen to podcasts on the speaker. Also, GPS would be a great option.

In other words, a better battery will most likely mean access to better features.

As a side note, I love my AW and I still wear it every day. However, there are obvious areas that need improving and most are trade offs related to the current battery. I am afraid a thinner watch will only push off these type of improvements.

 

[Stirlo]

The most important feature of the next gen Apple Watch will be the ability to use existing accessories. If they change the charging and band connection it won't sell too well. I own 3 bands and twelve south forte stand as well as an additional charger at my girlfriends house.

If the second gen can use non of these I simply will not buy. No way people will buy over all the accessories, not for a watch.

Absolutely. If they change the band connector at all (I doubt, even if they made it half as thick could still easily have same connection points for the bands.. I have three and two of those were. Quite pricey. Would not be pleased if the next watch whenever it drops doesn't let me use those.
IMO (completely uninformed and nobody can pre guess Apple reliably) they will probably change that part as often as they have changed the iPad /iPod and iPhone connectors; and everyone will act like the sky is falling if it's even per decade
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Yes thinner would be great, the only problem I have with the AW is that it's so thick. Can't believe people want it bigger, I saw a 42mm in the shops recently and it's laughably huge. My girlfriend would like a significantly smaller one, the 38mm is way too big for her. But half the thickness would match it to the sort of watches I used to wear and make it look a whole lot more elegant than the big lump it is.

Which bands did you look at out of interest? Different ones?

For me the sport band gives this illusion making watch look Way more "bulgy" but if I have classic leather or Milanese, way slimmer. Leather really draws it in, it's like three different/individual watches the amount the "look" changes total perception
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I have really wanted an Apple Watch but am holding off due to the first generation's poor battery life, speed lag, lack of sensors and good health/fitness applications, usefulness, etc. Thinness and a FaceTime camera will not be features that get me off the fence. Apple has made a decision to pursue thinness instead of standout feature improvements in all its product categories in recent years. It is turning me off the brand.

Use the Apple Store return and trial one for yourself. If you're not hooked after a week or two you'll prob never want the next gens.

 

[Datalinks]

I still don't understand the FaceTime camera. I mean who wants to hold you wrist up for a several minute long convo and look at someone. I don't even like using the phone feature for long conversation becuase it's an uncomfortable position.

 

[Stirlo]

If I was in your shoes, I would wait until the next iteration of the watch.

The other week, I was flipping through the channels and one of the home shopping networks was demoing the Apple Watch. I shook my head when the guy tapped the weather icon and the circle proceeded to spin for three, four, five, six seconds. Finally the camera cut away.

I'd believe that if it was a third party watchOS 1 app... But if it was apples own weather, no. This did not happen. See above my "app death row policy" // just tested on mine it was instantaneous- not even a second to count.
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Nope. I guess it's possible to be 20% thinner, but the main problems with the watch revolve around battery (slow app updates, slow to load apps, screen not always on, inability to directly connect to WIFI, ability to stream music/podcasts from my phone or iTunes, etc). More than any other device, this one could be so much better if it were faster, so I'd be pretty disappointed if they just made it slimmer and didn't address the main things that hold back the watch.

You haven't used one obv. If you actually do own or use one try turning airplane mode on the phone, and see how much is still fine On. Wifi! Your FUD chart needs a good update.

 

[576316]

I do not think the hardware needs updating for a while to come yet. At least not until someone works out what it's actually for, and they add more useful functions.
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This is the first of the design flaws in the rev 1 iWatch. Thanks for listening, Apple.

The other two for a reminder are:

2) Battery life a minimum of a week.
3) Always on display.

Then I might consider buying one.

To make either of those things possible you'd have to cut 80% of the functionality and switch to an e-ink display. Sounds like you might want one of those Pebble things. Horribly useless but the battery will last you a week.

I have no problem charging my Apple Watch every night. I rarely get to the point where my Watch has no battery left, at the end of the day. It always has about 40% left when I go to bed.

It could do with being thinner, but I don't believe Apple should update the hardware anytime soon. The product is still so unsure of itself and they should deal with that issue first.

 

[Obi Wan Kenobi]

I haven't had any problems with battery either, but I still want more battery life. The reason it lasts so long is that they automatically shut off the display. I would rather have a low power, always on, option ( I am assuming they could use screensaver technology like larger displays to avoid burn in) that kicks in more power when the wrist is raised and an option to listen to podcasts on the speaker. Also, GPS would be a great option.

In other words, a better battery will most likely mean access to better features.

As a side note, I love my AW and I still wear it every day. However, there are obvious areas that need improving and most are trade offs related to the current battery. I am afraid a thinner watch will only push off these type of improvements.

Finally a sensible comment on the thinness idea.

I think this article is very vague on 'thinness' improvements. 20-40% thinner of an already small / thin product is rather unlikely in my view. Technology hasn't improved that much in the last year.

This article is also inconsistent with other rumours that Apple Watch 2 will include more sensors to fulfil the claims/promises in the September launch back in 2014(?).

It's just baseless speculation.

If there was really an Apple Watch coming out this year, Kuo would have put it in his research note.

 

[garylapointe]

It was their most focused on product when it was first unveiled.

When it was unveiled, it was their most focused on product...
I'm going to say that's probably true, not sure what it has to do with WWDC.

Gary

 

[Luscious]

The Apple Watch will go down in history as the point in time in which Apple officially jumped the shark. Specifically with the Apple Watch "Edition". $10,000+ for a "smart watch"? If you're looking to alienate most of your customers then congratulations!!!! You've done it in spades.

 

[malexandria]

The need to spend their time working on the wretched interface and not on making it Thinner.

 

[Nevaborn]

More sensors is a much as HealthKit is getting such spotlight from Apple but thinner is not what is needed. Better battery life is and a way to use this without your phone.

Speed and memory will prob be hand in hand but the real thing is battery.

 

[0098386]

Thinner I'm okay with, but let's have some definite water resistance and longer battery life.
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You could maybe invented a time machine to jump 30 years into the future for when battery technology that could even make this possible might exist...maybe.

Pebble manages this just fine. I imagine it'd increase the size of the device, but some kind of coloured eInk display to act as an "always on" screen would be nice for when the watch isn't in use.

 

[Stirlo]

The need to spend their time working on the wretched interface and not on making it Thinner.

It's not quite wretched but does need a serious rethink for watchOS 3 - I typically open everything via complications and Siri, the bubble menu is pretty clunky, and hard to organise.. Looks pretty but that's not Usability. And user experience is .... Pretty ******

 

[Da Hurdler]

Dear Apple,

The world don't care about the thinness product. We have told you guys this cycle after cycle. Tired of this ****.

Sincerely,
AppleFanBoy

 

[anthorumor]

Thinner can only mean one thing - same or less battery life.