Will basic fitness apps work 'forever'?

[satchmo]

I know at some point older AW's won't be able to run the latest watch OS.

But as a runner, I'm hoping that the basic distance, heart rate stuff will continue to work say 3 years down the road.

If one doesn't (or can't) upgrade to the latest watch OS because of hardware, will the AW still continue to 'work' for the basics?

How or would this be any different from something from Garmin's ecosystem?

 

[deeddawg]

Only issue might be if you've upgraded your phone OS and phone-side of the watch apps which was no longer compatible with the older device. So long as you stay at the supported level it should continue to work fine, although you wouldn't see further updates and it's also possible data connections out to websites (NikeRun or similar) might not work if the app author makes some substantive change.

 

[satchmo]

Only issue might be if you've upgraded your phone OS and phone-side of the watch apps which was no longer compatible with the older device. So long as you stay at the supported level it should continue to work fine, although you wouldn't see further updates and it's also possible data connections out to websites (NikeRun or similar) might not work if the app author makes some substantive change.

I assume you mean not upgrading the iPhone's OS?

Hmm...that might require keeping an older iPhone (6) always at iOS 10.3 just for the AW.

That's why I sometimes think a Garmin may have more longevity as a running watch...although their software updates could cause issues too, they're more of a fitness watch so I doubt they'd 'brick' core running features.

 

[deeddawg]

I assume you mean not upgrading the iPhone's OS?

Not to a level beyond which supports WatchOS on the old watch. Key is "beyond" and doesn't mean you sit there on 10.3 forever. Only becomes a concern when we start seeing a WatchOS version that won't support the oldest watches. So far we're good; original AW misses out on some new features of the OS but (AFAIK) core functions are still there.

That's why I sometimes think a Garmin may have more longevity as a running watch...although their software updates could cause issues too, they're more of a fitness watch so I doubt they'd 'brick' core running features.

No, they a good enough job of ***** stuff up in the first months of a new watch. Lived through some of those and swore off ever buying a Garmin that hadn't been on market at least four months.