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What features would entice you to trade up to AW2 having bought AW1?

W

wlow3

macrumors regular
Original poster
Sep 9, 2008
246
46
I guess it would not be totally accurate to say the watch is essentially a dumb terminal (especially after native apps start rolling out later this year), but it does seem currently to have a lot in common with, say, CarPlay, i.e., being mostly a bluetooth display for your iPhone.

As such, I’m not sure how Apple could improve it in the next generation or so to make me want to trade up. Native apps always take a while to catch up to hardware improvements. New sensors? I’m really not sure what new sensor they could add. A sleep sensor would be nice but I don’t see battery life improving all that much to support 24hr wearing. Other health sensors I could imagine might only be worthwhile to the people who have a particular problem, say, with blood sugar. And I’m not sure how much thinner they could get it and still have a functional digital crown.

What do you think they could feasibly do to get you to trade up next year or the year after?
 
For me it would need to have a better battery life and actually be waterproof for a few meters at least. Seeing as how these two criteria aren't going to improve for a good while yet, I imagine I'll be holding onto my 1st gen. watch for quite some time.
 
I don't see a compelling use case for the present watch.

I'll wait and see what happens after the honeymoon is over.

Then based on what it does best, I'll be able to evaluate it accordingly.
 
Longer battery life, compatibility with the bands that I will already have, more sensors to improve fitness and health tracking.
 
If it says :apple:watch 2. I'll buy it, I'm a sucker for new and shinny when it comes to tech:D
 
Definetly waterproof is my #1 upgrade I would love to see then extended battery life.

The rest... I don't know until they surprise me with something groundbreaking.

I probably won't sell my first AW, probably give it to my kid.
 
People talking about improved battery life, realize that any amount of improved battery life is mostly pointless unless it is more than double. I mean, say they add 10 hours of battery life - that would be amazing, but for 28 hours of battery life to actually be of any use you'd have to charge your watch during the day.

For extra battery life to actually be useful for average use, they'd need to improve it enough to last at least 40 hours, that would be a full day plus 16 hours, just enough to last two days per charge the owner sleeps 8 hours.

For me, I can't think of anything they could add to make me want an AW2 after just one year, since more than double battery life just isn't going to happen, and I'm not a fitness guru so I don't need more sensors. Being more waterproof would be useful the few times a year I go swimming, but that alone wouldn't make me buy a new watch. Maybe a holographic display...
 
DreamPod said:
People talking about improved battery life, realize that any amount of improved battery life is mostly pointless unless it is more than double. I mean, say they add 10 hours of battery life - that would be amazing, but for 28 hours of battery life to actually be of any use you'd have to charge your watch during the day.
Click to expand...

Charging daily doesn't bother me, but with the current battery life, I am worried about two things:
1) Long workouts. Will I be able to use the watch to its full extent on days when I spend two to eight hours exercising?
2) Decline in battery life over time. When it's new, I can charge it once a day, but as it gets older, it might not last out the day.
 
7 day battery. Any less and I will forget to charge it.

It would have to have seriously enhanced sensors that read something I need read.
 
wlow3 said:
I guess it would not be totally accurate to say the watch is essentially a dumb terminal (especially after native apps start rolling out later this year), but it does seem currently to have a lot in common with, say, CarPlay, i.e., being mostly a bluetooth display for your iPhone.

As such, I’m not sure how Apple could improve it in the next generation or so to make me want to trade up. Native apps always take a while to catch up to hardware improvements. New sensors? I’m really not sure what new sensor they could add. A sleep sensor would be nice but I don’t see battery life improving all that much to support 24hr wearing. Other health sensors I could imagine might only be worthwhile to the people who have a particular problem, say, with blood sugar. And I’m not sure how much thinner they could get it and still have a functional digital crown.

What do you think they could feasibly do to get you to trade up next year or the year after?
Click to expand...

I have to tell you, blood glucose is important to every human being on the planet. Knowing this, and learning how to control it (I.e. no sugar, far less carbohydrates) is pivotal to health in numerous ways. The less you bombard your body with high levels of blood glucose and consequently insulin, the better your health will be. Humans weren't designed to eat the high densities of sugar and refined carbohydrates that are abundant in the vast majority of foods in modern society. The fear of fat is profoundly detrimental to society, and it has to change.
 
Always-on time (without a backlight) like other OLED smart watches, plus 48 hours of battery life to make it through two days and two nights without a charge.
 
KauaiBruce said:
7 day battery. Any less and I will forget to charge it.

It would have to have seriously enhanced sensors that read something I need read.
Click to expand...

The only 7 day battery life you will get out of this until a completely new battery technology is being used, is possibly completely in power reserve mode. If you think you'll get the functionality of an Watch to last 7 days anytime soon, you're sorely mistaken. I hate to break it to people, but Apple has largely kept battery life the same on all iPhones, iPads, iPods, and MacBooks. It's increased only by a low percentage throughout the generations of these devices. It will only see a large percentage increase, when a breakthrough in batteries is being used in consumer electronics.

----------
rhyme said:
Charging daily doesn't bother me, but with the current battery life, I am worried about two things:
1) Long workouts. Will I be able to use the watch to its full extent on days when I spend two to eight hours exercising?
2) Decline in battery life over time. When it's new, I can charge it once a day, but as it gets older, it might not last out the day.
Click to expand...

If you're working out that long it definitely won't last thoughout the day, seeing as how it has an estimated 6.5 hours of workout time. Anyway, if you're working out 8 hours, you may want to not, because that would be detrimental to health if anything.

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valleydesign said:
Waterproof. Less Bezel. Better battery. Facetime.
Click to expand...

I doubt they'll ever add FaceTime. It's not practical really, because trust me, you're not going to want to hold your wrist up for more than a few seconds to talk to someone. Not to mention the waste of space it would be. You're right that they should reduce the bezel, and I hope they reduce it completely, ergo there would be no room for a camera.
 
Multiverse223 said:
If you're working out that long it definitely won't last thoughout the day, seeing as how it has an estimated 6.5 hours of workout time. Anyway, if you're working out 8 hours, you may want to not, because that would be detrimental to health if anything.
Click to expand...

I'm not "working out" for 8 hours, but I do have days when I am physically active for 8 hours (e.g. cycling at a moderate pace, or hiking in the hills), and would like the watch to give me an accurate estimate of my activity and calorie burn on those days.
 
I would want to see a version that is more rugged, less delicate. Something that would replace my fenix 3. That means a good all around outdoors/sports watch. To accomplish this, it would need GPS, significantly improved battery (fenix goes about a week), GPS nav features (not turn by turn, but in the woods with no trail), waterproof, more durable design, ability to be mounted securely to a bike, full 3rd party app workout support with real time metrics. That is what I have off the top of my head.

I am not holding my breath, since Apple seem much more interested in selling an overpriced fashion accessory than a tool that serves a real purpose.
 
In the following order, this would convince me to upgrade to AW2:

1) Longer battery life
2) Inclusion of a camera for photos/video
3) More innovative design
4) Lower starting price
5) Increased customization options (i.e. Space Black SS even at introductory price point)
6) Slimmer profile with less bezel
7) Inclusion of the Apple Logo somewhere visible like other brands do (i.e. Rolex, Oakley, etc)
 
Multiverse223 said:
The only 7 day battery life you will get out of this until a completely new battery technology is being used, is possibly completely in power reserve mode. If you think you'll get the functionality of an Watch to last 7 days anytime soon, you're sorely mistaken. I hate to break it to people, but Apple has largely kept battery life the same on all iPhones, iPads, iPods, and MacBooks. It's increased only by a low percentage throughout the generations of these devices. It will only see a large percentage increase, when a breakthrough in batteries is being used in consumer electronics.
Click to expand...
You totally missed the point of the question. It was 'what would it take for us to upgrade?', Not 'What do you expect the next one to do?'

I would not upgrade for just an incremental battery life extension. It would have to have seriously new features that I WANT.
 
My big thing would be a GPS so you can use the watch for working out (mainly running) without having the phone with you as well. I currently have a Garmin I use, and I think the only reason Apple did not include a stand-alone GPS in this first version is due to the already limited battery. So we probably won't see a GPS until that battery issue is greatly improved.
 
First, it will have to fit and match the current bands. Then, it doesn't matter that much, any number of things would be appealing. Best would be increased battery life (probably accomplished with lower power consumption on the system board.) A GPS radio maybe? I don't expect it to shrink until the battery life can be increased past a day reliably, at which point it will only shrink if that can be maintained.

Still, I do not expect Apple to push fast upgrades on this device. I expect, instead, to focus on the fashion element as well as focusing on enhancing the accessory value to promote the iPhone sales. I'd expect to see another set of bands in 6 months or so. A product red leather loop band, for example.
 
I would say:
• More sensors
• Thinner bezel
• more independence from iPhone, or syncing with iPod/iPad as well
• ability to use it as a virtual proximity key to all of your devices, including smart home devices, and car (approach and unlocks/turns on, leave and locks/turns off)
• More, sub-$79 bands
• More materials for the cases
• better water resistance
• ability to leave watch face on constantly, if desired
• Ability to purchase without a band (use current band)
 
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