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Mine lights up with a tap as well, another advantage of this is that if you sleep in a darkened room you can point the watch face towards where you sleep and you get light as well at the audio to wake you.
 
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This would be the first ever nightstand clock that shuts itself off. Whether or not one agrees with this functionality (or lack of) it seems disingenuous to act like it's standard and we should not question it.

No... it wouldn't be the first ever. There are many digital alarm clocks that allow you to turn off the display so it requires a button press to read. There are also plenty of monochrome LED alarm clocks that you can't read in the dark unless you press the button to temporarily turn on the backlight (just like many older analog alarm clocks that had a light). Nobody is saying this is a standard and the way it should be for everyone. Some of us are just saying that we would find it useful and acceptable in the way that Apple has chosen to implement this feature. I think it would be ideal if Apple gave the option of an always-on, but I assume they have their reasons for not offering that option at this time. If they ever do offer an always on, I would still choose to have the display turn off since I don't like glowing lights in the bedroom.
 
apple, "It just works" (if you reach your arm out and rattle it). It seems more cumbersome than just saying "hey siri, what time is it" which your phone will answer for you if its plugged in.

Now, if both are plugged in and you groggily say, "what time is it" and your watch lights up, I would be ok with that.
 
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It's not cumbersome at all... coming from someone actively using Nightstand mode. Talking to Siri while half-sleep, potentially waking up my wife in the process - THAT seems cumbersome.

Not to mention, would asking Siri even work while the Watch is locked? I haven't tried.
 
The Galaxy S6 Edge has a feature on it's OLED screen where a very, very subtle clock and date show up at night along the edge of the phone. I have slept with that phone feature turned on and it does not illuminate the room. A faint clock showing in Nightstand mode would be awesome.
 
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Options are always good.

Yep, it should be an option, unless...

Unless there's a technical issue with having an OLED screen on the whole time then they should make it an option.

Some burn-in can be ameliorated by doing what Android Wear does with its always-on displays: move the image around once a minute, and use a less display-intensive graphic in ambient mode (for example, watchface developers are encouraged to use fewer colors and hollow watch hand center pivots in ambient mode, etc). More aggressive methods could also be used, so burn-in is a solvable problem.

Hmm. The Moto 360 gets slightly warm when it's wirelessly charging in its nightstand mode. Perhaps Apple wants to avoid any extra heating that might soften the glue holding in the sensor pod?
 
Yep, it should be an option, unless...



Some burn-in can be ameliorated by doing what Android Wear does with its always-on displays: move the image around once a minute, and use a less display-intensive graphic in ambient mode (for example, watchface developers are encouraged to use fewer colors and hollow watch hand center pivots in ambient mode, etc). More aggressive methods could also be used, so burn-in is a solvable problem.

Hmm. The Moto 360 gets slightly warm when it's wirelessly charging in its nightstand mode. Perhaps Apple wants to avoid any extra heating that might soften the glue holding in the sensor pod?

The heat thing was something I speculated. I have noticed the Apple Watch sometimes getting quite warm while charging. When I was trying them on in the Apple Store, I noticed some of the try-on models (which sit inside a drawer charging all the time) were downright hot. Not so hot that it should be a threat to the chipset, but if you combine it with heat from running the display all night I suppose it could be an issue for the glue/seals.

It could be that Apple wants to do long-term testing. If no problems are discovered, maybe in a few months they will add the always-on option in an update.
 
The heat thing was something I speculated. I have noticed the Apple Watch sometimes getting quite warm while charging. When I was trying them on in the Apple Store, I noticed some of the try-on models (which sit inside a drawer charging all the time) were downright hot. Not so hot that it should be a threat to the chipset, but if you combine it with heat from running the display all night I suppose it could be an issue for the glue/seals.

It could be that Apple wants to do long-term testing. If no problems are discovered, maybe in a few months they will add the always-on option in an update.

I think you're correct. My watch gets warm while charging. I suspect that this contributes to the situations where people have removed the charger and the back of the watch came off. But it may only be an issue if the glue was improperly applied to begin with.

As for nightstand mode, I'd like the option as long as it doesn't lessen the lifespan of the display or any other component. It should be possible to display the time or maybe a countdown to the next alarm very dimly and still be readable in a dark room.
 
The Galaxy S6 Edge has a feature on it's OLED screen where a very, very subtle clock and date show up at night along the edge of the phone. I have slept with that phone feature turned on and it does not illuminate the room. A faint clock showing in Nightstand mode would be awesome.
This is no surprise, no reason it can't be dimmable and/or move slightly.
 
Its one of my watch's favourite features, you need to realise that the watch is very sensitive to just a tap on your nightstand (like a foot away from where the watch is docked) for it to light up and show me the time. Personally I don't want any light in my room at all when I'm trying to sleep.

Reading through the thread, it seems the vast majority of people who think it sucks haven't even tried it.
 
I read this whole thread and missed it - is there a diff in Night mode in OS3?
Apple probably didn't want accidents falling off charger with an always On display, and low battery in the morning.
My Sony clock had a night mode that was very dim, but viewable in the dark.
all this talk about always on. every watch before this one I've had had an always on display, something AW can't do..yet.
 
When I want to see the time I just reach out and tap my night stand. I mean, it's a very soft tap, and it activates the watch. I'm glad it turns off personally. I don't know why they wouldn't make it an option though.
 
Its one of my watch's favourite features, you need to realise that the watch is very sensitive to just a tap on your nightstand (like a foot away from where the watch is docked) for it to light up and show me the time. Personally I don't want any light in my room at all when I'm trying to sleep.

Reading through the thread, it seems the vast majority of people who think it sucks haven't even tried it.
I've had the watch since it first came out, it sits on my nightstand right next to my alarm clock as it charges each night, which displays the time all the time and there's no comparison. I never have to "tap" anything to make my dimmable alarm clock visible, and it's always my source for time because I can see it a glance and there's no need to invoke it. It's been a while since I started this thread and nothing has changed, it's just a novelty IMO.
 
I've had the watch since it first came out, it sits on my nightstand right next to my alarm clock as it charges each night, which displays the time all the time and there's no comparison. I never have to "tap" anything to make my dimmable alarm clock visible, and it's always my source for time because I can see it a glance and there's no need to invoke it. It's been a while since I started this thread and nothing has changed, it's just a novelty IMO.

That's interesting, I didn't think it could be always on
 
I have really enjoyed nightstand mode. I hate always-on displays while I'm trying to seep. I can see the time on my AW by just tapping the nightstand.

These days I have been wearing the watch to sleep and tracking my sleep with the Pillow app, so no nightstand mode. Of course I have the time on my wrist so it's not needed. My wife also appreciates the fact that my watch now wakes me up silently.

Sean
 
Mine lights up with a tap as well, another advantage of this is that if you sleep in a darkened room you can point the watch face towards where you sleep and you get light as well at the audio to wake you.
I'm surprised how bright that light can be. It comes on very dim five minutes before the alarm is set to go off and gradually brightens. Like a mini-sunrise. A couple of times, the light has woken me up two minutes before the alarm.
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When I want to see the time I just reach out and tap my night stand. I mean, it's a very soft tap, and it activates the watch.
It's incredibly sensitive to any movement. Mine will even turn on when I walk across the room or jump in bed. (wobbly floorboard, I guess)
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oh right... well as I said I prefer it the way it is
As do I. It's a perfect travel alarm clock.
 
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Sure there is a reason Apple didn't design it to stay on, because they can't innovate! Samsung has no trouble making always on displays....

I would like to see Apple offer an always on option along with color (red is a better choice) and brightness adjustment. However it is not related to innovation or screen burnin that is the reason. It is more likely to just be Apple's standard 'my way or the highway' that is the reason.
 
I would like to see Apple offer an always on option along with color (red is a better choice) and brightness adjustment. However it is not related to innovation or screen burnin that is the reason. It is more likely to just be Apple's standard 'my way or the highway' that is the reason.
I too would like an option to change the color or at least have them change the default color to either orange or red. The option to leave the screen on would also be nice but I understand why they don't currently allow it ( the watch already gets pretty hot when charging and would probably get even hotter if the display was on the whole time).
 
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