WatchOS 9 Workout view much worse than 8

[redscull]

This new WatchOS touted better workout stuff, but all I use it for is walking and jogging, and for that simplest kind of workout, it is absolutely worse. And due to such simple, pointless UI changes that I have no idea why they made them.

Firstly, the elapsed time on open walks/jogs no longer shows milliseconds. Why was this removed? It's not so much that I actually need to know what fraction of a second I'm on while walking, it's that glancing at my watch and immediately seeing the time quickly incrementing reassured me that everything is active and tracking (not accidentally paused or whatever). Now I have to stare at the watch for a full second (while sweaty and tired and needing to look ahead for balance) and make sure I notice it tick. And a second in this scenario is actually immensely and obnoxiously long to stare at my wrist.

Secondly, everything is so much tinier now. When I'm tracking my walk, there are three pieces of data I show: time elapsed, distance, and calories (indoor mode) or pace (outdoor mode). Previously, everything used a much larger font. I don't know if that's because it enlarged the font based on how many total metrics you showed, or if it was always larger. But currently, the font is much smaller than before and for no reason. My watch screen is literally 75% black emptiness because the three metrics fit tightly in the bottom left corner. What the heck does it think I need the other three areas empty for?? At best I could take up more of the left vertical by adding more metrics, but I don't need them, and the right half of the screen would still be wasted space.

 

[Night Spring]

Ouch. Haven't upgraded to os9 yet (have to get new phone first), but hearing this makes me reluctant to upgrade. There really is no way to get the fonts larger???

 

[Monkswhiskers]

The fact you cannot make the workout fonts larger has been a missed goal from Apple ever since my first series 3.
As a sports watch it has improved in every single way except this glaring error.

 

[redscull]

Ouch. Haven't upgraded to os9 yet (have to get new phone first), but hearing this makes me reluctant to upgrade. There really is no way to get the fonts larger???

Not that I could figure out, and I did go in and explore everything new again to see if I could find a way. So if someone does find a way, please share!

It's not even that I can't read it. Because I can, despite it being small. But it would be easier to glance at if it were bigger, and regardless, what is the point in it being so small when there is soooo much room available to fit bigger text?!

 

[Regbial]

It doesn't show milliseconds if you have low power mode on... that clears one thing off the list... I can't get my hands on an SE yet so I can't help you with the other stuff..

Surely there's an option to display a lot of metrics at once like before... I would hope.. But maybe Apple's changing that in favor of more detailed stats.

 

[redscull]

It doesn't show milliseconds if you have low power mode on... that clears one thing off the list...

I appreciate the tip. If I want my milliseconds back, I have to also have the watch-face always-on. In OS 8, the default was that the always-on watch-face disabled during workouts but milliseconds were still present. I think the OS 8 approach was superior. Oh well.

 

[QCassidy352]

You also have to create custom workouts on the watch itself, not on iPhone. So clunky. I am going back to iSmoothRun for my workout tracking.

 

[Monkswhiskers]

You also have to create custom workouts on the watch itself, not on iPhone. So clunky. I am going back to iSmoothRun for my workout tracking.

Yes, and editing metric screens, bad move, surely they will revert?

 

[DMG35]

The reason it only takes up that small portion of the screen is that all of the workouts are editable now. You can go in and add whatever metrics you want to the workout to look at the data you want during the workout. You can have the entire watch face filled with data if you choose to.

Here is what my strength training view looks like on my Series 7?

 

[redscull]

The reason it only takes up that small portion of the screen is that all of the workouts are editable now. You can go in and add whatever metrics you want to the workout to look at the data you want during the workout. You can have the entire watch face filled with data if you choose to.

I still think the UI design is poorly thought through. It's like an engineer who's never actually worked out before built it. Sure, I can pick 1 default thing and add 4 custom things for 5 total stats. And yes, some of those things can potentially be wide. So each item is allotted 1/5 of the vertical space and 100% of the horizontal space. But when you only want 3 things and they're all short-lengthed, you get a stupid-looking screen with most of the space uselessly wasted. We got customizability but lost usability.

It'd be better if it worked like watch faces. They came up with different arrangements ahead of time and you pick which pattern you want and then which widgets you want in each slot. So that I could pick the "three large font metrics" and you could pick the "five small font metrics" and then put your items in there. Now we're all forced to the same five-count version even if you don't use so many. It's just a cheap, unimaginative solution from a trillion dollar company.

 

[DMG35]

I still think the UI design is poorly thought through. It's like an engineer who's never actually worked out before built it. Sure, I can pick 1 default thing and add 4 custom things for 5 total stats. And yes, some of those things can potentially be wide. So each item is allotted 1/5 of the vertical space and 100% of the horizontal space. But when you only want 3 things and they're all short-lengthed, you get a stupid-looking screen with most of the space uselessly wasted. We got customizability but lost usability.

It'd be better if it worked like watch faces. They came up with different arrangements ahead of time and you pick which pattern you want and then which widgets you want in each slot. So that I could pick the "three large font metrics" and you could pick the "five small font metrics" and then put your items in there. Now we're all forced to the same five-count version even if you don't use so many. It's just a cheap, unimaginative solution from a trillion dollar company.

I guess. I think the point is that most people don't spend an absorbanent amount of time staring at their watches during a workout. Its supposed to just be quick glanceable information for you to look at and not something to stare at during your workout.

 

[QCassidy352]

Yes, and editing metric screens, bad move, surely they will revert?

Yes, that too. It’s so clunky. Can’t believe they did it.

I guess. I think the point is that most people don't spend an absorbanent amount of time staring at their watches during a workout. It’s supposed to just be quick glanceable information for you to look at and not something to stare at during your workout.

Isn’t that an argument for making better use of the screen space by allowing larger numbers when you have fewer metrics displayed?

 

[telefono]

Totally agree here, 1/3 of the screen is blank and the fonts are smaller.

Also why can’t we customise on the iphone instead of the Apple Watch.

I ordered the Ultra so the screen will be larger compared to my Series 6 so hopefully the font will be larger

 

[matrix07]

Ouch. Haven't upgraded to os9 yet (have to get new phone first), but hearing this makes me reluctant to upgrade. There really is no way to get the fonts larger???

Different stroke for different people I guess. I absolutely love the new changes. Grants that I love to see my heart rate zone so only new watchOS gives me that & I have no problem at all customize my workout on the watch. Love that! (Yes, doing it on iPhone would be easier but I take what I didn't have before).

 

[Monkswhiskers]

Yes, that too. It’s so clunky. Can’t believe they did it.

Isn’t that an argument for making better use of the screen space by allowing larger numbers when you have fewer metrics displayed?

Exactly, for open water swimming I glance at the watch as I am performing my stroke, with foggy goggles and sunlight/reflections it is really hard to see, WorkOutDoors allows bigger fonts but has no AOD which means basically putting the brakes on in the water to activate the screen.

 

[Jackbequickly]

I appreciate the tip. If I want my milliseconds back, I have to also have the watch-face always-on. In OS 8, the default was that the always-on watch-face disabled during workouts but milliseconds were still present. I think the OS 8 approach was superior. Oh well.

Mine shows milliseconds and AOD is not on. The APP works great for me.

 

[Saturn007]

Sounds like a step backwards and a poor UI.

Anyone troubled should let Apple know directly about it.

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