It does more than you think. Apple Pay, turn-by-turn nav, remote for camera, etc., all without resorting to your iPhone. And this is only for the time being. Third party apps will open up many more applications.
Got a tip for us?
Let us know
Become a MacRumors Supporter for $50/year with no ads, ability to filter front page stories, and private forums.
What I Want In A Smartwatch
- Thread starter blairh
- Start date
- Sort by reaction score
It does more than you think. Apple Pay, turn-by-turn nav, remote for camera, etc., all without resorting to your iPhone. And this is only for the time being. Third party apps will open up many more applications.
Outside of basic watch functions, it allows me to quickly answer texts with canned responses. It allows me to answer phone calls on speaker, which I do all the time with my phone. It displays directions on a map, which I'll use. It tracks some health data. I can control my Apple TV with it. Also, like other Apple products, it looks fun, and I'm sure there will be some pretty interesting things that developers come up with.
I understand that there are lots of watch options out there. I own everything from a $12 Casio, to a $100 Seiko automatic, to a $5K Omega. $350-$550 on a well built, fun to use smart watch just isn't going to be a big deal for me. I spent $150 on a Pebble, which feels pretty cheap, and I had all kinds of trouble with it. Of course, YMMV.
But those things don't appeal to me. I already wrote in my OP what I would want in a smartwatch. And do you think the general consumer will really clamor for a device that lets you pay with your wrist versus your phone? I don't. And turn by turn nav on a 1.5" screen? Sounds pretty blah. Remote for camera?
----------
I message a lot with several platforms daily for work and personal use and I almost never use canned responses. If you do, great, but I don't. And it's limiting that you have to pull out the phone to do so.
I have GPS in my car. Can't imagine using navigation on such a small screen. Hell even if I need walking directions my phone is plenty.
I just find it so limiting overall.
Yes, I do. People didn't think the general consumer would really clamor for a touchscreen device before the iPhone either.
Actually comes useful to be in compliance with the strict laws restricting cell phone use while driving. It's on your wrist rather than your hand so no more fiddling with the iPhone/hiding it/mounting it while driving and not all vehicles have Apple CarPlay. I consider this an advantage.
I will likely only used canned responses for family members. It's the notifications that are more important, to me. My phone is buzzing and beeping so much in a day that I have to constantly pull it out of my pocket to decide whether it is or isn't important.
I have GPS in my car, too, although I don't love using it, and I generally still use my phone for it.
I don't find it limiting at all. It still does way more than any wristwatch I own, and I'm fine with the price.
----------
The car thing is a big one, for me. One can get stuck in traffic out in L.A. all of the time, and it's illegal to get the phone out, so, when I'm getting emails and texts buzzing my phone, it drives me nuts.
Hrmmm...it still has potential to cause accidents...
Someone making a turn and trying view the map on their wrist, not looking up and in the direction they're going...and bam. Lawsuit city.
Buuuut...
It would be super handy on vacation or in a city environment where walking or riding your bike is abundant.
The presentation was great and Apple was smart to think of things we didn't even fathom on this site.
However, will the overall package be a good user experience as found on the iPad, iPod, and iPhone? This is what will matter in the long run. But as for the presentation and TV ads on the watch, I give Apple Inc an "A" for now.
And if the user experience turns out to be good a few months into the product, the price will eventually have to be lowered if it's to survive like its consumer electronic bretheren in the Apple Store.
However, will the overall package be a good user experience as found on the iPad, iPod, and iPhone? This is what will matter in the long run. But as for the presentation and TV ads on the watch, I give Apple Inc an "A" for now.
And if the user experience turns out to be good a few months into the product, the price will eventually have to be lowered if it's to survive like its consumer electronic bretheren in the Apple Store.
Yeah I totally disagree. I really don't think paying with your wrist versus your phone will matter to most people. Comparing this specifically to an iPhone is nonsense.
Most people have GPS systems in their cars. And a GPS system or even docked smartphone is a lot safer than looking down at your wrist while driving.
In California, there's a recent ruling making it officially legal to use GPS on your phone as long as you're not talking on it so yes, you can get it out for the purpose of setting it up for turn-by-turn. However, I'm in the habit of hiding it to avoid drawing attention from cops thinking I might be doing something else. The watch circumvents this problem quite easily.
Sounds like you need a GPS unit you actually like and not to rely on a tiny screen on your watch while driving.
Can't tell you how many times I don't bother setting it up because it's too much of a hassle and I resort to turn-by-turn on my iPhone instead.
Watch is significantly smaller than the Gear S.
Errr... not a good example, since the Galaxy Gear S _is_ designed to be used as a phone with voice and text capability. (*)
Now, if all you want from a smartwatch is to keep from taking your phone out of your pocket for notifications, then there are plenty of cheap Bluetooth wristbands and watches that do that, starting from under $25 on eBay.
(*) The Samsung Galaxy Gear S is like having an iPhone on your wrist - ZDNet
"Summary: The hardware specs of Samsung's new Galaxy Gear S smartwatch are surprisingly similar to those of the first-generation iPhone that Apple released back in June 2007." ... "Some of its features are far superior to that of the original iPhone. "
As opposed to down smack dab in the middle of the dash on embedded NAV screen in most vehicles nowadays? The tactic feedback for turn-by-turn provided by the Apple Watch is a superior solution (much like head-up display in higher end vehicles).
The GPS thing really isn't a make or break it thing, for me. It's still mostly about notifications and fun.
I'd imagine the GPS would be handy for bicyclists.
Heads up display is actually in your line of vision...it's great, and nothing comes close.
Most (built-in) navs give prompts over the speakers...allowing you to not have to look. It is possible the watch will have the option to bluetooth in and do that as well. But it's neither here nor there...until apple gives more info on how it will all work.
Yeah, so with voice prompts from the iPhone itself and haptic feedback provided by the watch (which is confirmed), having turn-by-turn on the wrist is no more dangerous than in-dash NAV and may even be safer.
Most people? I'm pretty sure that built-in GPS systems still aren't standard on lower end car models.
Because the screen is tiny and it sounds dangerous to have to look down at your wrist versus on your dashboard.
----------
It's pretty rare I find myself in a car without GPS. And you can either use your smartphone or get yourself a 5" Garmin GPS unit for $100 new. Sounds a lot better/smarter than the 1.5" screen on your wrist of all places as you drive.
Not necessarily. Most in-dash NAV screens sit pretty low in the dash, which is more dangerous than glancing at the watch at eye level (assuming you're holding the steering wheel at the top), but like I said, with automatic voice prompts from the iPhone and haptic feedback provided by the watch, there's no need to look at the screen at all and of course not everyone mounts their iPhone at eye level.
That probably says more about the kind of cars you drive than the market as a whole. And the point an earlier person made is that the device vibrates depending on which direction you're supposed to go, thus the screen size is irrelevant.
I seriously doubt they'll rescind a feature they've already advertised (haptic feedback for turn-by-turn). Perhaps you're referring to voice prompts but we can already get that from the iPhone itself so I don't see why it can't occur concomitantly with the watch.