What's the selling point besides texts on your wrist?

[KauaiBruce]

I fear this thread will turn into a "me against you" debate on the Apple Watch. Honestly I'm just trying to "see" it - and I don't yet. Looking for practical uses on why to get excited for it. It might just be that I wouldn't really "use" it for much other than cool text messages and emails on my wrist instead of my back pocket.

Essentially, if you don't see why you need it then you should wait until people get it to check it out. I felt the same about the iPad but I eventually got an iPad 2 which I still use every day. Many thought that about the iPhone. They did not see why anyone needed the internet on the phone. Now the world has changed and we all now 'see it'. Possibly the watch will be the same. But, no need to pre-order if you are not sure. We who KNOW we want it do not need the competition on day 1.

 

[Tycho24]

This is true, but a Bluetooth headset doesn't cost $1,100 either.

I honestly think I have your solution in one...
You need to reign in your aesthetics. You are not an $1,100 Apple Watch customer. It sounds like you'd feel marginally ripped off. I bet a $350 Sport would make you a believer! Just try the cheap one to see...

 

[Luba]

Agreed … it's the continual "offloading" for convenience. Laptop can do a good portion of what the desktop can do with the convenience of being lightweight and being mobile. iPhone offloaded function from thelaptop. Now, we AW doing some of the work of an iPhone. The question is whether the AW does enough "offloading" for you to make it worthwhile. Plus AW adds some new function although I don't care that much about the fitness aspect. If other apps in the future bring additional functions that will be a bonus.

Charging another device everyday is no big deal to me since I'm charging iPhone everyday.

Wearing a watch every day will be a new thing for me though.

IMHO it's the next logical step in mobile computing, how many times a day, an hour, do we glance at our phones, many times unlocking in order to do it? It seems like most of the time it's just to peak and get relevant information. That being the case, the Apple Watch will be a slam dunk, simplifying things marginally. I guess we'll have to wait and see how well it does, just my .02.

 

[Multiverse223]

Is a Bluetooth headset a life changing device? No. Is it more convenient than holding your phone up to your face? yes.

That's the Apple watch. It makes the things you do on a daily basis with your phone easier and more convenient.

That's one of the main reasons for it right now, but in the future it's main purpose will be health. Biosensors will be the number #1 reason for its existence. No, I don't care if someone says 'oh no no I don't want or need biosensors, I'm healthy', problem is, it's likely they aren't 'healthy' they just don't know, or care that they aren't. This is a wearable, Apple's vision was/is biosensors above all else. Iphone can't do biosensors, I hope I don't need to explain to people why.

 

[Blakjack]

If you don't see the point, then the product is probably not for you.

Usually the way it works is if they don't see the point, their exactly who iOS devices are meant for. It's typical naysers who a tear later do a 360 and fall in love with apples devices like everyone else.

 

[EthanLMT]

Receiving Calls! Much like Tim Cook, I have always dreamed of calling people from a watch, it's like THE coolest feature.

 

[Arran]

A study was done and it showed that the average person reaches for their smart phone 5 times in 2 minutes to check to see if they missed anything. (main reason why I'm getting the Apple watch as well)

That's the average person? Wow. Got any links to that study?

If what you say is true, I think the real problem to be solved is helping the "average" person reduce their distractions. Constant context-shifting can be quite debilitating. Giving them a means to feed their addiction is like giving an alcoholic a hip-flask. Not helping.

 

[x-evil-x]

Is a Bluetooth headset a life changing device? No. Is it more convenient than holding your phone up to your face? yes.

That's the Apple watch. It makes the things you do on a daily basis with your phone easier and more convenient.

it is for people that are in the gym or doing some kind of fitness 5-6 times a week. I won't ever look back to corded headphones after going bluetooth for the last year. No cables that get in the way is a huge deal to me.

 

[sulpfiction]

The watch is pretty much what u say it is. But that means a lot to me. I'm really looking forward to being able to get notifications and basic info without touching my phone. Right now (for me) it is really inconvenient to take my phone out of my pocket multiple times an hour just to check what's going on. My hands are rarely free at work. So having the ability to check messages and notifications from my wrist will be a game changer..for me anyway.

 

[StophMac24]

I currently own a Pebble Watch and am eagerly awaiting the Apple Watch.

When I first got the smartwatch, I didn't think of it as a need, it was more of a cool idea that I wanted to try and see if it fit.

Fast forward a year and I always have my Pebble on me. Does it do everything I want it to do? No, but I will say I have gotten very much used to not having to respond to texts, not missing those quick texts that need answers asap, holding my daughter and being able to quickly glance at my wrist to see an incoming text, having 20 mins to grab groceries and my wife texting me the list straight to my watch, listening to music in the shower and changing songs from my watch, changing songs in the car without touching the phone or radio, tracking my pace/miles/calories when I run, knowing the weather before I leave the house, adjusting my Nest Thermostat from my wrist, leaving my phone in the house and doing work outside and receiving texts without my phone on me (granted, this is where the apple watch trumps in functionality, allowing you to interact with your notifications).

The above is just a list of stuff I have found convenient and useful for myself personally.

Should you get it? Quite honestly up to you, but I will say that a smartwatch for myself went from being a cool product, to a convenience, to now being a need, but that was only after spending time with it and adapting to it, like I did with the iPad and iPhone before it, but that's just me.

 

[ToroidalZeus]

the killer feature of the apple watch is emptying your wallet.

 

[brig2221]

Like they said, if you don't see a point there probably isn't for you. I'm getting it for a bunch of reasons.
1. Can't always have my phone out so I can still see and respond to messages.
2. Apple pay. I find stuggling to pull out my phone is pretty much the same as pulling out a credit card half the time.
3. For the time, seeing as it is a watch
4. Easy control of my home automation.
5. Half the time I miss my phone going off or vibrating. That would be pretty hard to miss my wrists vibrating.
6. I'm sure developers will bring great apps to it in the future as well.
7. Heart rate and activity monitor. It will help keep me motivated to move and make sure I stand up once in a while.

Fantastic list, and I really agree on the bolded above. I can't tell you how often I miss calls and texts because I don't hear the ring in my pocket (I am hard of hearing), and don't feel the vibrate either. Having the notification come up on my watch honestly will be worth the price of admission for me. I also completely agree with your comments on Apple Pay. I like using it, but by the time I pull my phone out of my pocket, out of it's sleeve, unlock the phone, pull up the Passbook App, and then put my fingerprint on the reader, I could have just as easily have whipped out my credit card. Hopefully the Apple Watch will make this a more seamless process.

I also like the idea of wearing a stylish watch, which I think the Apple Watch is. I have decided to go in at the entry level Sport model (Space Grey Aluminum/Black Band) for the first iteration myself, and will see about getting a more expensive model in the future if:

A) I find I like and use the device
B) They start to add more features in future iterations to make it less dependent on your iPhone, a good example would be adding GPS

 

[Armen]

That's the average person? Wow. Got any links to that study?

If what you say is true, I think the real problem to be solved is helping the "average" person reduce their distractions. Constant context-shifting can be quite debilitating. Giving them a means to feed their addiction is like giving an alcoholic a hip-flask. Not helping.

It's too late. Look around you. People go out to eat and yet they sit in front of each other glued to their smartphone screens. It reminds me of Wall-E where all the people on the ship were just oblivious to others and absorbing all the garbage from the screens in front of them.

Some Articles

http://abcnews.go.com/blogs/technology/2013/05/cellphone-users-check-phones-150xday-and-other-internet-fun-facts/

http://www.myfoxdetroit.com/story/26733151/the-average-person-picks-up-their-phone-1500-times-a-day

http://www.tomshardware.com/news/Smartphones-Phones-Handsets-User-Cell,20645.html

 

[caligurl]

because i WANT one!

if asked, the first thing i usually say is for the notification that i'm getting a call or text. every stinking time we go shopping and i get "lost" in the store, and hubby calls or texts me to ask where the hell i am.... i don't hear my phone when it's in my purse..... (seriously.... i'm not ignoring him cuz i'm shopping!)

so with the watch, i'll get a notification that my phone is ringing or that he has texted me.

additionally i like the idea of it telling me to get up to move (although when i had alarms on my fitbit every hour i just ignored them); i like the idea of apple pay if discover ever gets on board, i want onstar so i can remote start my car in the summer to cool it off, and nest to make apps so i can set my a/c to come on from my watch instead of my phone when i'm on my way home.