Watch gift for first timer: SE is perfect? Series 6 is overkill? How important is AOD?

[EugW]

This has probably been rehashed to death, but after perusing a few threads, I thought I'd start another thread on 6 vs SE.

I'm wanting to get an Apple Watch for the wife. She often leaves her iPhone XR somewhere in the house and then is rushing to find it when the phone rings. (She gets a lot of phone calls from family.) Presumably an Apple Watch on WiFi in the house would solve that problem. Or does it always have to be in Bluetooth range? Also, when walking outside, she sticks the phone in her purse and when someone calls or texts she's fumbling around her purse to find the thing. I wouldn't get her a cellular version, because she'd be taking her phone anywhere she goes anyway. The only time she might not take it with her and when the phone might go out of range of WiFi is when she is in the backyard.

She has never owned an Apple Watch before (and neither have I). I'm thinking an SE would be perfect for her and that a 6 would be overkill, and to be honest I'm not entirely keen on overspending since it's not as if she's even asked for an Apple Watch in the first place. The health monitoring features would be lost on her, which mainly leaves the always-on display as the distinguishing feature. How important is the AOD to you guys and gals? A friend of mine has the Series 5 and he turned off AOD since he finds it superfluous, and because he wanted better battery life.

I will be making the purchase this week, as there are Black Friday sales.

 

[wilberforce]

My wife use non-cellular S4 for exactly this purpose, and loves it. The watch automatically switches between bluetooth and wifi as needed.
I suggest get the SE, but not on sale, i.e., directly from Apple so you can return it up to Jan 8 2021 for no reason.
This will enable her to try it out and see if she likes it, with no risk. If the lack of AOD bugs her, then return it and get the S6

 

[EugW]

My wife use non-cellular S4 for exactly this purpose, and loves it. The watch automatically switches between bluetooth and wifi as needed.
I suggest get the SE, but not on sale, i.e., directly from Apple so you can return it up to Jan 8 2021 for no reason.
This will enable her to try it out and see if she likes it, with no risk. If the lack of AOD bugs her, then return it and get the S6

I hear ya about ordering from Apple, but the coming sale is rather tempting as it would mean a rather sizeable discount (or rather a large amount of store points, at a store I'd actually buy other stuff from).

 

[mk313]

AOD is a pretty handy feature for a lot of people, but I'm one that never liked it. I upgraded my Series 3 to a Series 5 when they first came out & ended up turning off the AOD within the first day or two. It takes a second for the screen to switch from the AOD display to the regular display & in that split second, it's like the watch developed a stutter. Plus with AOD, all of your texts, etc are visible to everyone, unless you turn on hide sensitive info, which was more of a hassle to me than just turning off AOD altogether & using the watch like I had before.

It's really not a big deal (in most cases) to just turn your wrist to see the time, etc. In my case, I don't miss AOD at all.

 

[EugW]

Plus with AOD, all of your texts, etc are visible to everyone, unless you turn on hide sensitive info, which was more of a hassle to me than just turning off AOD altogether & using the watch like I had before.

That's an interesting point. I never thought of that. She does keep notifications on her phone visible, but normally that phone is not exposed to everyone, so it's not quite the same.

My wife use non-cellular S4 for exactly this purpose, and loves it. The watch automatically switches between bluetooth and wifi as needed.

Very good to hear, as I think this would be the primary reason for her to use it. We have a big house, so a lot of the time if the phone is left somewhere, she'd be out of Bluetooth range. I have WiFi everywhere in the house, by using multiple AirPort Extremes (with most acting as access points for the main AirPort Extreme router). Also, I understand this model only supports 2.4 GHz WiFi, but that should be OK as I have both 2.4 and 5 GHz active.

 

[MJ22]

My husband is a pretty casual user (he has an S3 currently) and wants an upgrade for Christmas, and after comparing wants the SE. It sounds like your wife is probably the same. Husband doesn’t care for the ECG or blood oxygen features, he just wants cool faces, to check texts, and look at sports scores while he’s in church LOL. I think she’ll like it.

 

[QCassidy352]

I went from a S3 to a S5 last year and wouldn't buy another watch without AOD. I probably check my watch 100x a day where the display doesn't activate but I can see the necessary info because of the AOD.

 

[staggerlee41]

Just recently went to S6 from S4 and mostly have AOD turned off. The exception being when I'm working out--walking or riding my bike. Even then it just displays the time instead of the app I use so AOD for me isn't that amazing because I still have to tap the screen. Raise to Wake or simply tapping the face works just fine for my needs and actually raise to wake may be better.

For someone that has a phone with them nearly at all times, wifi only model is great. One nice thing about an LTE version is a security factor in the event you walk out of the house without a phone. Thinking fall detection or in an emergency, like a broken down car or something to that effect. I don't have Apple Music yet but that is also a consideration for those that exercise and prefer to go without a phone.

 

[Apple fanboy]

This has probably been rehashed to death, but after perusing a few threads, I thought I'd start another thread on 6 vs SE.

I'm wanting to get an Apple Watch for the wife. She often leaves her iPhone XR somewhere in the house and then is rushing to find it when the phone rings. (She gets a lot of phone calls from family.) Presumably an Apple Watch on WiFi in the house would solve that problem. Or does it always have to be in Bluetooth range? Also, when walking outside, she sticks the phone in her purse and when someone calls or texts she's fumbling around her purse to find the thing. I wouldn't get her a cellular version, because she'd be taking her phone anywhere she goes anyway. The only time she might not take it with her and when the phone might go out of range of WiFi is when she is in the backyard.

She has never owned an Apple Watch before (and neither have I). I'm thinking an SE would be perfect for her and that a 6 would be overkill, and to be honest I'm not entirely keen on overspending since it's not as if she's even asked for an Apple Watch in the first place. The health monitoring features would be lost on her, which mainly leaves the always-on display as the distinguishing feature. How important is the AOD to you guys and gals? A friend of mine has the Series 5 and he turned off AOD since he finds it superfluous, and because he wanted better battery life.

I will be making the purchase this week, as there are Black Friday sales.

First time Apple Watch user here. Went with the SE. Couldn’t be happier. AOD is a pretty non issue for me. When I want to look at the watch, it’s on. It’s that easy.

 

[DGGoingUphill]

AOD is a game changer in my experience and couldn’t imagine going back. Glanceability is so useful in many situations — especially when both hands are filled and in social situations. Also, I went from a 5 to Garmin Fenix Pro for a couple of months, and since I sold the 5, when I gave up on the Garmin, I went with the AW 6. The improvement of the screen when outdoors is quite significant to me, especially when working out and glancing at stats — one of the main reasons to go with the Garmin was to get better outdoor readability, which is much less of a trade-off now with the AW 6.

 

[mj_]

What you're looking for can be easily accomplished by any Apple Watch out there, even the very first S0. I can say that with a certain confidence because your wife's and my wife's use cases are practically identical, and my use case is not too far off either. My wife's S1 that she purchased recently on a neighboorhood buy & sell page set her back a whopping $60, the S0 that I'm using for pretty much that exact same purpose was practically free, and they both are perfectly capable of doing what you're looking for. In my experience the raise to wake feature on my S0 works very well, and I honestly don't see how the AOD would make the watch any more useful (or the lack thereof would make it any less so).

 

[Apple_Robert]

i went from a series 3 > series 5 > series 6. For me AoD is a must have now. If that isn’t important to you or the other health monitoring, go with the SE.

 

[MacCheetah3]

She often leaves her iPhone XR somewhere in the house and then is rushing to find it when the phone rings.

My purchase was in part based on a very similar situation, and the watch has been as conveniently useful as I expected.

The health monitoring features would be lost on her

ECG and sp02 are no doubt useful, although, only to a small percentage of users with pre-existing conditions -- despite even Apple's marketing, they're aware, hence the creation of the SE. Notwithstanding the general health/fitness features are helpful in my experience. Reminders to stand, filling the rings (even if you have small fitness goals). Small benefits are still benefits.

How important is the AOD to you guys and gals?

With the SE being my first Apple Watch, I don't have any experience with an AOD model. However, I can't think of a time when I didn't look at the watch straight on by raising it (in which it promptly activates). If you can't raise your wrist, etc, features such as Siri, including dictation, are helpful enough.

How to Have Siri Read Your Text Messages: 8 Steps (with Pictures)

Whether you're driving, working out, or doing stuff around the house, you can have Siri read you important messages so you don't have to look at your phone. This wikiHow article will show you how to ask Siri read your text messages aloud,...

www.wikihow.com

Send messages from Apple Watch

In the Messages app on Apple Watch, compose and send text messages, send a suggested reply, choose a quick reaction—like thumbs up, or reply to a specific message.

support.apple.com

Additionally, the answer and end call buttons are fairly large targets

Answer phone calls on Apple Watch

Use Phone on your Apple Watch to answer calls. You can also hold calls, switch calls to your iPhone, send calls to voicemail, and listen to your voicemail.

support.apple.com

 

[paulsonj72]

I just bought myself a Series 6 GPS watch as an early Christmas present. Figured I might as well go with the Highest model this time for an Apple Purchase.

 

[Acronyc]

This has probably been rehashed to death, but after perusing a few threads, I thought I'd start another thread on 6 vs SE.

I'm wanting to get an Apple Watch for the wife. She often leaves her iPhone XR somewhere in the house and then is rushing to find it when the phone rings. (She gets a lot of phone calls from family.) Presumably an Apple Watch on WiFi in the house would solve that problem. Or does it always have to be in Bluetooth range? Also, when walking outside, she sticks the phone in her purse and when someone calls or texts she's fumbling around her purse to find the thing. I wouldn't get her a cellular version, because she'd be taking her phone anywhere she goes anyway. The only time she might not take it with her and when the phone might go out of range of WiFi is when she is in the backyard.

She has never owned an Apple Watch before (and neither have I). I'm thinking an SE would be perfect for her and that a 6 would be overkill, and to be honest I'm not entirely keen on overspending since it's not as if she's even asked for an Apple Watch in the first place. The health monitoring features would be lost on her, which mainly leaves the always-on display as the distinguishing feature. How important is the AOD to you guys and gals? A friend of mine has the Series 5 and he turned off AOD since he finds it superfluous, and because he wanted better battery life.

I will be making the purchase this week, as there are Black Friday sales.

I got an SE (44m LTE) about two months ago and also picked up one for my wife (40mm LTE) a little later. Her use case is very similar to your wife's and she really likes it after about a month of use. She hasn't had any issues without an AOD as it turns on easily enough. Overall she really likes the ability to get her notifications, monitor her heart rate, record her walks and runs, take calls, reply to messages through dictation, and of course check the time.

I went with the LTE for myself because it was the entire reason I wanted to try an Apple Watch: I wanted to be able to run without my phone but still be connected to my family, music, and maps. After using the LTE version for a month I really liked the convenience of not relying on my phone all the time, so I got my wife an LTE as well. She is frequently losing her phone somewhere in the house and also sometimes forgets to take it with her if she runs out for something quickly, so the LTE connection has been nice for her.

As for the SE vs the 6, for me the only thing I really miss is the AOD but it wasn't worth the extra money, especially considering I wanted the cellular version. I came from a Garmin watch and it was nice to have the AOD in daily use, but where it was really helpful was on my runs. It's really easy to just glance at your stats and you don't need to do any big arm movement.

With the Apple Watch SE, I find I have to make a significant enough movement while running that it slows me down a bit just to check my stats. I've found pressing the crown or button is easier to turn on the screen, but it's still not as nice as an AOD while running.

But that's really my only complaint (well, and the design - I still prefer round watches). The convenience of the Apple Watch SE outweigh any negatives for me and it's replaced my Garmin as my daily and running watch.

 

[EugW]

Thanks everyone. It seems some swear by AOD and some don’t see it as a big deal.

I ended up ordering a gold SE 40 mm GPS with pink band for the wife. I figure this will be a good intro to the device. If she eventually decides she really wants AOD we could always get that later I suppose, and she can pass this one down to me.

 

[staggerlee41]

Thanks everyone. It seems some swear by AOD and some don’t see it as a big deal.

I ended up ordering a gold SE 40 mm GPS with pink band for the wife. I figure this will be a good intro to the device. If she eventually decides she really wants AOD we could always get that later I suppose, and she can pass this one down to me.

Excellent choice, here's hoping she enjoys it! Let us know how the gift goes over and share her thoughts with it please.

 

[EugW]

The cash back works out to 24% back, and it's already in my account. Nice.

With that deal, I could not resist! I ordered another SE GPS for myself as well.

I ordered the silver Nike one with platinum band, because that was the only one left in the 40 mm size besides the one I ordered for the wife, but I actually prefer silver to space gray so that works out. I actually wanted gold like my wife's, but it only comes in the pink band from that store.

As somebody mentioned, that's the drawback of not ordering from Apple. Lots of custom mix and match options at Apple.

 

[MacCheetah3]

I ordered the silver Nike one with platinum band, because that was the only one left in the 40 mm size besides the one I ordered for the wife, but I actually prefer silver to space gray so that works out. I actually wanted gold like my wife's, but it only comes in the pink band from that store.

As somebody mentioned, that's the drawback of not ordering from Apple. Lots of custom mix and match options at Apple.

I went hunting for a deal on the SE when I couldn't find a satisfactory price on a refurb or used Series 5, settling on a Best Buy open-box in excellent condition SE, which also limited my options to the preconfigured packaged watch + band bundles and, of course, what was in stock.

I know this is after the fact, though still helpful, I beleive.

There's nothing wrong with the included band, however, I wanted one for strictly outdoor activities and style choices. I struggled with a willingness to pay Apple's prices on watch bands, so I searched for alternatives and came across i-ccessories.com -- not $5-10 eBay sold third-party but at least a 50% savings in comparison to Apple. After a little review research and a buy one get the second for 30% off promo, I decided to take a chance and make a purchase. I bought two sport silicone for Nike Edition watch bands. The quality seems good, no discoloring or breakdowns following about a month of use. One package did include two S/M bands rather than a S/M and M/L, although, customer service promptly sent out a replacement package as soon as I sent a photo of the incorrect package contents.

Ultimately, if you're willing to forego a little convenience and take a little bit extra chance, you can come out/finish with high satisfaction.

 

[EugW]

After watching a bunch of YouTube videos proclaiming AOD as being the second coming of Watch, and because a lot of the sold out models came back in stock, I was tempted to get the Series 6 instead, esp. since this 20-24% cash back deal may not be back next year.

However, I then learned that master rumour baiter Kuo Ming-Chi states that next year may bring a form factor change to the Watch. That would make sense since the form factor has been basically the same since the 4, after slimming down from the overly fat 3 series.

That and the fact that we are both Apple Watch virgins made me stay the course with the SE. I definitely won’t need LTE, because I always take my phone with me, even when gardening, and it’s not as if I would have to activate tethering of the non-cellular Watch each time like I have to with my iPad Pro. Or at least I hope not. However, I’m not 100% sure if I’ll be satisfied with the 40 mm size or if I’ll decide I want to move up to the bigger size.

OTOH, while my wife probably won’t need cellular, there is a small chance she may want to get cellular to allow her more freedom. I wonder if she carries her phone most places because she has to. If given the option to leave her phone behind though, would she want to?

Here’s hoping for a sleeker design in 2021-2022.

PS. For those interested, the money back deal is from SportChek in Canada, and the money back is in the form of Canadian Tire Money. It’s 20% of the Apple Watch pre-tax purchase value if you join their free rewards program, and in my case I get another 4% because it’s a Canadian Tire branded MasterCard.

There's nothing wrong with the included band, however, I wanted one for strictly outdoor activities and style choices. I struggled with a willingness to pay Apple's prices on watch bands, so I searched for alternatives and came across i-ccessories.com -- not $5-10 eBay sold third-party but at least a 50% savings in comparison to Apple. After a little review research and a buy one get the second for 30% off promo, I decided to take a chance and make a purchase. I bought two sport silicone for Nike Edition watch bands. The quality seems good, no discoloring or breakdowns following about a month of use. One package did include two S/M bands rather than a S/M and M/L, although, customer service promptly sent out a replacement package as soon as I sent a photo of the incorrect package contents.

Ultimately, if you're willing to forego a little convenience and take a little bit extra chance, you can come out/finish with high satisfaction.

Yeah I don’t see myself buying a whole bunch of expensive bands at Apple.com just yet, but would consider a couple of reasonably priced third party ones from reputable places.

Thanks for the recommendation.

 

[MacCheetah3]

OTOH, while my wife probably won’t need cellular, there is a small chance she may want to get cellular to allow her more freedom. I wonder if she carries her phone most places because she has to. If given the option to leave her phone behind though, would she want to?

FYI/Reminder: Wireless providers/carriers typically have an added monthly charge for wearables. Additionally, the Apple Watch isn't supported by many carriers, namely MVNO, as they need to support eSIM, at least in a very minimal way. For example, I recently switched to Mint Mobile, so if I did have a cellular-equipped Apple Watch, I would no longer be able to utilize that ability -- though they did recently begin eSIM support. Things to keep in mind when considering a cellular wearable.

and it’s not as if I would have to activate tethering of the non-cellular Watch each time like I have to with my iPad Pro. Or at least I hope not.

Correct. And the Apple Watch app also transfers your Wi-Fi configs/settings. So, your Apple Watch will automatically connect to any Wi-Fi networks your iPhone has already been set up to. (That's how it worked for me.)

 

[wilberforce]

There's nothing wrong with the included band, however, I wanted one for strictly outdoor activities and style choices. I struggled with a willingness to pay Apple's prices on watch bands, so I searched for alternatives and came across i-ccessories.com -- not $5-10 eBay sold third-party but at least a 50% savings in comparison to Apple. After a little review research and a buy one get the second for 30% off promo, I decided to take a chance and make a purchase. I bought two sport silicone for Nike Edition watch bands. The quality seems good, no discoloring or breakdowns following about a month of use. One package did include two S/M bands rather than a S/M and M/L, although, customer service promptly sent out a replacement package as soon as I sent a photo of the incorrect package contents.

If you are satisfied with the third party bands that is great, but just for information for others reading this: unfortunately the third party silicone bands are not the same as Apple fluoroelastomer bands. The third party silicone bands feel different (slightly more rubbery and flexible), and tend to attract lint. People have different opinions of whether this matters to them, considering that the Apple bands are much more expensive. As far as I know, there are no third party fluoroelastomer bands (even though some band vendors are, shall we say, ethically challenged in their descriptions).
A close-up shot of Apple fluoroelastomer band on left, and a typical third party silicone band on right:

 

[EugW]

FYI/Reminder: Wireless providers/carriers typically have an added monthly charge for wearables. Additionally, the Apple Watch isn't supported by many carriers, namely MVNO, as they need to support eSIM, at least in a very minimal way. For example, I recently switched to Mint Mobile, so if I did have a cellular-equipped Apple Watch, I would no longer be able to utilize that ability -- though they did recently begin eSIM support. Things to keep in mind when considering a cellular wearable.

My current cell plan (Rogers) is 20 GB and supports additional eSIM or SIM devices with shared data (including both smartwatches and tablets), at CAD$10 each per month. That's about US$7.70 per month.

My wife's current cell plan (Telus) is also 20 GB but doesn't support shared data with additional devices. However, it does support additional eSIM smartwatches with I think at 1 GB per month again at CAD$10 per month. I figure 1 GB would be enough since she doesn't stream music or anything like that.

If you are satisfied with the third party bands that is great, but just for information for others reading this: unfortunately the third party silicone bands are not the same as Apple fluoroelastomer bands. The third party silicone bands feel different (slightly more rubbery and flexible), and tend to attract lint. People have different opinions of whether this matters to them, considering that the Apple bands are much more expensive. As far as I know, there are no third party fluoroelastomer bands (even though some band vendors are, shall we say, ethically challenged in their descriptions).
A close-up shot of Apple fluoroelastomer band on left, and a typical third party silicone band on right:
View attachment 1682217

I just ordered some nylon braided loops from AliExpress, out of curiosity more than anything, and because I wanted to make use of a coupon I had. If they suck, I won't use them, but if they are passable, then I'll probably try ordering more of them from various places.

But yeah, the fit and finish of the Apple band in your pic is way better, and it collects much less lint. I wonder if that is also true of the material used in their iPhone silicone cases. (I'm using their leather MagSafe case, so I wouldn't know.)

 

[staggerlee41]

Honestly, while it's convenient to get some data on AW, depending on what you're doing, it is a much better experience on iPhone at least for me.

Some things off the top of my head that I really like the watch for in no random order:

• Calls if a phone isn't nearby-GPS model works as long as you are on the same WiFi or within range of Bluetooth.
• Silent, haptic alarm--set it up on the phone and it will vibrate on your wrist
• Notifications for texts, emails, notifications you have setup on the phone. Quick glances are the thing here. So an email may be best viewed/responded to on iPhone.
• Traveling--whenever that will happen again. You can get alerts for gate changes, flight info, etc.
• Weather
• Exercise/Activity Tracking-self explanatory
• Unlocking my vehicle
• Controlling my Bose system
• Quick texting is nice. The preset responses that is, otherwise iPhone is better.
• Courrier deliveries. Amazon, UPS, FedEx, etc.

So yeah, your SE models will do all of those things. As first time users I think you made the right call. Keep in mind it's tech and definitely not as mature as an iPhone. Meaning more features will be added. If you like them, use them often and find yourself wanting more, you can always upgrade at a later date. When I picked up my iPhone 12 Pro Max, the carrier offered me a decent price on a trade in of a GPS only model plus had a credit on a new watch if you were buying an iPhone. So there will be deals to be had. AOD I know for some is a big thing. To me, raise to wake or simply turning that off and tapping the screen works perfectly. One thing with Raise to Wake. If you wear them to bed for sleep tracking, you might want to turn that off to maximize battery life. Part of the reason I like to just tap the screen. I don't have to change settings constantly.

This is my long winded way of saying I think you did the right thing. Congrats!

 

[EugW]

Warning! This is old news for most of you...

As for the size, judging by the info out there, it seems I'm on the fence for wrist size. Yes some people like big watches even though they have smaller wrists, and other people like small watches even though they have bigger wrists, but it seems a consensus out there is that around 170-ish an average person could go either way, and I have 170 mm wrists. I'm not sure what size my wife's wrists are, but it's not as if I can easily surreptitiously measure her wrist size.

Apple says the 40 mm is best for 130-200 mm, whereas the 44 mm is best for 140-220 mm, so their respective mid-points are at 165 mm and 180 mm.

What did surprise me a little though was the fact that the 40 mm screen on the SE is actually bigger than the 42 mm screen of the Apple Watch Series 3 (curved corners not withstanding). Both have a diagonal of about 40 mm (again if you ignore the rounded corners of the SE), but the 40 mm SE is actually about 5% larger than the 42 mm Series 3. I know I'm looking at the Series 3 with 2020 eyes, but the Series 3 looks kind of awkward these days with all that bezel and sharp corners.

As I mentioned, I know this is all old news, but it's nice to be reminded of these things when you're someone that hasn't followed this stuff closely.

However, I still think these watches are too thick, even though the SE is 1 mm thinner than the Series 3.