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.
When will Apple make a watch that can last forever?
- Thread starter projoseph
- Start date
- Sort by reaction score
I had the first AW and it was a good device for that time 5 years ago I believe?
I decided I didn’t need another one because flipping my iPhone every year is enough for as far as mobile devices go.
The latest AW is great from most accounts but it’s just not something I need in my day to day.
I bought a Fossil Hybird Watch that has minimal smart features and I stopped using those features. So it’s just a regular watch with Bluetooth and I’m ok with that.
I decided I didn’t need another one because flipping my iPhone every year is enough for as far as mobile devices go.
The latest AW is great from most accounts but it’s just not something I need in my day to day.
I bought a Fossil Hybird Watch that has minimal smart features and I stopped using those features. So it’s just a regular watch with Bluetooth and I’m ok with that.
As much as I agree with you on the general sentiment of the SE over the S3 when purchasing new it still doesn't answer my question: Keeping in mind that I am not willing to sink another dollar into this experiment as-is and only really use the watch for the most basic tasks how would spending $309 on a 44mm SE benefit me over using the S0? If I find the S0 useless, would that judgement be any different had I used an S3/SE instead?
Last edited:
No need to carbon-copy your question, as I wasn’t answering your question, nor did I intend to. I gave you a perspective, that’s why I put that as a header.
That said,
If you can accept the fact the S3 will have extremely limited support moving forward [as in, this will probably be the last year for support], and you’re using your watch for ‘basic tasks‘, yes, it will accomplish basic task. I still consider it a ‘bad purchase’ regardless of your experiment, especially when you’re limited with support, thus will affect the performance of the watch. However, if you’re somebody that doesn’t care about performance, then sure, you can still accomplish the same task on the first GEN Apple Watch, but that would be an entirely different segment with battery degradation for a watch of that age.
It seems that no matter what we purchase, the item has a useful lifespan. Some items last longer than others. For example, buildings can last for centuries, while other items, such as electronic technology, evolve at a faster rate which can shorten their lifespan.
A mechanical watch should last "forever" with proper maintenance. However, watch brands are continually pushing out new designs to attract buyers. It's just part of keeping a brand alive and relevant with the consumer. Watch enthusiasts are always looking for the latest purchase. It should also be noted that some brands, e.g. Rolex, Seiko, are known to stop manufacturing replacement parts for their watches after 20-30 years. Therefore, if a watchmaker cannot source the replacement part(s), it's very well possible that the watch will no longer run.
A device made from circuit boards and using a consumable power source (batteries), probably will have a shorter life span than something made from springs and gears.
A mechanical watch should last "forever" with proper maintenance. However, watch brands are continually pushing out new designs to attract buyers. It's just part of keeping a brand alive and relevant with the consumer. Watch enthusiasts are always looking for the latest purchase. It should also be noted that some brands, e.g. Rolex, Seiko, are known to stop manufacturing replacement parts for their watches after 20-30 years. Therefore, if a watchmaker cannot source the replacement part(s), it's very well possible that the watch will no longer run.
A device made from circuit boards and using a consumable power source (batteries), probably will have a shorter life span than something made from springs and gears.
Things that improved in later generations over the S0.
- better battery life
- better sensors / more types of sensors
- better app performance
My main use for the Apple Watch is as an activity tracker and motivator. For which the S0 worked very nicely. The later generations are smoother to use, but if the activity tracking functions of the S0 don't win you over, it's not like the later generations have completely new functions the S0 doesn't. If the sensors on the newer models, like compass, altimeter, etc. doesn't grab you as something you want, then I'd say the S0 is sufficient for evaluating the activity tracking functions of the watch.
Now, if you are trying to use an app, such as podcast, on the S0, and finding it unusable, you might want to try it on a later generation watch, because it's likely performance would have improved.
But basically, the watch is best as an activity tracker. That's the only reason I can think of that makes the watch a must-have, rather than a nice-to-have. For all other functions, you can do them just with the iPhone, although with some functions/situations, they can be more convenient on the watch. Like the timer.
Notifications and trip directions are the other things that come to mind as being more convenient on the watch in some circumstances.I do suspect a lot of people have the Apple Watch, even though they don't use its activity tracking functions, because they like having a watch, and they enjoy its fashion aspects, like being able to swap bands and faces. But you seem to be asking what makes the watch useful to people -- and the only thing I find really useful is the activity tracking. And the timer.