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Will AW2 be the last one?

Der Keyser

Der Keyser

macrumors 6502
Original poster
Aug 18, 2016
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Considering the lackluster (at best) developer support for AW, do you think apple may decide to discontinue it as a product? Or will the watch just live on with just the features Apple delivers along with a few fitness apps?

While they did a great job with WatchOS3 (considering OS1 and OS2) it is still a very restricted OS with lots of basic features missing. So in my opinion apple are responsible for having killed the interest in the product when it was at it's highest - and when it needed all the traction it could get - that is: at initial release.
Dev's were due to restrictions unable to create any really interestings apps at that time, and now when the OS allows more of the needed featureset all the devs and most of the public interest has faded to a worringly low level.

I own a AW2 and I think it's a great product. But it still needs lots of features - and I just don't se devs delivering this now. Interest in the AW is gone - almost no apps are updated to OS3, and if you look at the Watch APP forum I think that Nike is basically the only developer of a major app that is active.

Any chance the interest will rebound and come back? Can apple help this along in any way now?
 
I've owned my Apple Watch for over a year, and I don't use a single 3rd party app, myself. I see the Watch as an accessory to my phone that's really useful for a handful of core features, but there aren't really any apps I can think of that need to be added. Of course, I'm sure some minds more brilliant than mine may think of something I need in the future, but I guess my point is that I'm fine if we only see improvements/refinements to what the Watch already has and does.

I do wonder if we'll see longer upgrade cycles in the future.
 
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douglasf13 said:
I've owned my Apple Watch for over a year, and I don't use a single 3rd party app, myself. I see the Watch as an accessory to my phone that's really useful for a handful of core features, but there aren't really any apps I can think of that need to be added. Of course, I'm sure some minds more brilliant than mine may think of something I need in the future, but I guess my point is that I'm fine if we only see improvements/refinements to what the Watch already has and does.

I do wonder if we'll see longer upgrade cycles in the future.
Click to expand...

I agree with this. At the end of the day, only so much you can do with such a tiny screen. It's an expensive phone accessory, but as smartphones now do so much, it's one that can make a case for itself. It's hard for me to see wanting or needing the watch to be a complete, stand-alone device (i.e., cellular connectivity, etc.), but continued refinements would be good.

All that said, as somebody who owned three Newtons, it would be terrible if Apple abandoned the Watch if it doesn't prove to be a blockbuster device. I like it more than I did my Newtons!
 
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I am sure AW Series 3 will release. Hoping the bands being used now will continue to be compatible with new series 3 in the future.
 
I'd put the chances at precisely zero that this is the last AW. We'll see more sensors added, more accurate sensors added, better battery life, etc. etc. etc. etc.
 
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With the profit margin on each Watch being as high as it is, why would Apple stop even if they sell 5mm a year. :) they may make a billion in profit with the Watch and accessories per year. Apple TV and Beats probably can't touch that.
 
So most of you think it will stand on it's own and continue on without much developer support?

I know the sales numbers are not public, but i'm baffled so many people just use it as is. That must be the case since there's very little app sales and dev interest in the device.
For me several 3'rd party apps was necessary to justify the price, but unfortunately these app are less than stellar and are no longer being actively developed
Maybe the major smart watch marked/thought is just a pipe dream because of the restrictions posed by the very small user interface.
 
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Der Keyser said:
So most of you think it will stand on it's own and continue on without much developer support?

I know the sales numbers are not public, but i'm baffled so many people just use it as is. That must be the case since there's very little app sales and dev interest in the device.
For me several 3'rd party apps was necessary to justify the price, but unfortunately these app are less than stellar and are no longer being actively developed
Maybe the major smart watch marked/thought is just a pipe dream because of the restrictions posed by the very small user interface.
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I look at the Apple Watch the same as I did a year ago, and likely the same as I will a year from now, so it never had the potential to disappoint me. For me, it's just a convenient little window into my phone. It's relatively inexpensive compared to the embarrassing amounts I've spent on mechanical watches, and now that we have a couple of generations out there, they're becoming more affordable for everyone.

I don't really see the Watch as a major source of growth for Apple, but, if they're making money on them, I'm sure they'll keep making them.
 
Even android wear has not much developer support. However, Apple Watch being late in the market has managed to do so well till now.
 
OP, you write you like the AW "But it still needs lots of features" – do you have some examples of features that you miss?
 
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I really can't think of anything I'd like for my S2 to do that it don't already do. I did buy a calculator app off one of our members, installed it and it works great, I have used it 0 times so far. I am on mine a lot during the day but I use it to track walks, runs and bike rides. I guess if I didn't exercise it would be a lot less useful to me. I even use Apple Pay a lot on it. Like the look of the cashier when I use it lol. Most don't even know what just happened.
 
Resqu2 said:
I really can't think of anything I'd like for my S2 to do that it don't already do. I did buy a calculator app off one of our members, installed it and it works great, I have used it 0 times so far. I am on mine a lot during the day but I use it to track walks, runs and bike rides. I guess if I didn't exercise it would be a lot less useful to me. I even use Apple Pay a lot on it. Like the look of the cashier when I use it lol. Most don't even know what just happened.
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I honestly don't even use any of the fitness features. I simply use the Watch as...a watch, but with a few added conveniences that keep me from constantly taking my phone out of my pocket. For anything that requires a larger screen and/or a bit more time, I just use my phone, and I don't see that changing anytime soon.
 
the future said:
OP, you write you like the AW "But it still needs lots of features" – do you have some examples of features that you miss?
Click to expand...

Sure. I - like most other fitness people - use headphones when doing workout's. But I still have to bring my iPhone along unless I start using iTunes Music. I need app's that can sync music to the watch wirelessly (like plex, spotify, and such)
Likewise, i'm a podcast man, and there's no podcast support at all on the device unless you bring your iphone.
And then there's all the small usability things - like a need for a "dark mode", user configurable "screen on" time, homemade watchfaces (I know that will never come due to the nike/hermes situation) and so forth.
 
Der Keyser said:
Likewise, i'm a podcast man, and there's no podcast support at all on the device unless you bring your iphone.
me due to the nike/hermes situation) and so forth.
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I agree on the features you suggest, particularly podcast. It's crazy that the apple, the father of podcasting, doesn't support them

I also agree there is a limit to the what this format of product can do and we may not be too far off that.
However there will be a 3. It will be thinner faster etc. And if they allow 3rd party faces that's an app that people will pay for. Thus the watch should continue to be a solid if unspectacular addition to apple's bottom line.
 
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Der Keyser said:
Sure. I - like most other fitness people - use headphones when doing workout's. But I still have to bring my iPhone along unless I start using iTunes Music. I need app's that can sync music to the watch wirelessly (like plex, spotify, and such)
Click to expand...

I workout everyday without my phone and just sync my workout playlist to my watch. The watch itself can hold 250 songs or 2GB of music, which is plenty for a workout playlist.
 
Vihzel said:
I workout everyday without my phone and just sync my workout playlist to my watch. The watch itself can hold 250 songs or 2GB of music, which is plenty for a workout playlist.
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That works if you have your own MP3 files, or use Apple Music. It doesn't work if you want to use another streaming service.
 
Vihzel said:
I workout everyday without my phone and just sync my workout playlist to my watch. The watch itself can hold 250 songs or 2GB of music, which is plenty for a workout playlist.
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Yes i know, and it probably works just fine. So i can't really fault apple for that - it's on the 3'rd party devs (the ones that are missing ;-))

It's just that i Loathe iTunes - in my opinion an absolutely horrible application, so I use other apps (plex and spotify). And apple has until OS3 blocked all other ways of getting music on the watch. With OS3 it should be possible with just easy wireless sync to a native app. But now the devs's are gone so .... catch 22
 
1. Apple should allow any app to be be use as the watch face.
2. Or at least we should be able to add any app(most app) to the complication. For example, i can have at latest 2,3 different stock quotes showing on my watch face. and dont restrict to use only its native stock app(which has delay in price).
 
julesme said:
Editing for clarity: No, there is zero chance Apple will discontinue the Watch anytime soon. There will be a Series 3 in the next 12-18 months.
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Likely a refresh by March 2018. If they follow the timeline calendar.
 
Dude...even if the watch didn't do a damn thing besides be a watch, it would be worth it to a lot of people and bring in a billion dollars for apple.

But adding the notifications, fitness tracking, apps and ways to use it with my home like unlocking my door, it's a must have accessory for some of us.

I forgot to charge mine and left home with a dead watch and my day didn't feel the same. Looking down at my wrist has become such habit now to see glanceable information that when I can't do it, I don't like it lol even just something as simple as checking my bank balance. Swipe up and boom. There it is. No unlocking my phone and finding the right app and logging in. Just swipe up. Or being able to control my music. Or my Apple TV. Or a bunch of other things.

I think some people just don't "get it" and that's cool. It's not for everybody. But I also think some people hype it up too much to be some revolutionary product. Look at it for what it is. A watch and a fitness tracker that does a few cool things.
 
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Apple Watch is full of potential.

I want my kids to be able to walk to and from school and to be able to track them, see them and talk to them without buying them a phone. Cellular radio is just not medically safe as an always-on feature but an on-demand or emergency function would be good.

My other most-wanted features:

Blood pressure monitor band.
Independence from iPhone and tethering to iPad and Mac.
Camera accessory to turn your old watch into a nice little security camera.
FaceTime calling.
Improved Siri.
Joining new Wi-Fi networks.

I got a Series 1, loved it; scratched it, returned it, didn't miss it at all, got a Series 2, and still do not feel it is particularly useful but it's a nice watch with some bonus features.
 
Has Apple ever killed a product off without offering an alternative? Besides the LG screen, of course, where one could argue that it's hard to make your mark on a rectangular monitor that does nothing else whatsoever...

Besides, the wearable fitness industry is on its way up up up. It would be stupid for Apple not to try to strike gold.
 
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