Here's a comprehensive list of questions you want answers to but are too shy to ask:
1. Does it feel heavy?
It's not heavy and sits on the wrist quite comfortably- but that's if you're already used to wearing a watch - and preferably a heavier metal version at that.
2. Looks?
Fairly fashionable. While the Milanese loop is a great looking popular band I personally favor the White or pink sport - or the modern buckle bands if you're not averse to leather. I'm staunchly anti animal-products - but I do wish apple made the modern buckle in more earth friendly materials. And yes - the bands are interchangeable. ANY 38mm Apple Watch band can be paired with ANY 38mm Apple watch - and similarly for the 42mm. Not all combinations necessarily look good - but yes - they are all possible - and band switching can be done with literally 2 buttons.
3. Pairing process with the phone?
The Watch App doesn't have the typical Apple polish, but the pairing process is really smooth and slick.
4. How do I download apps?
The watch works exclusively with the iPhone and cannot be paired with a Mac or an iPad - though I wish it did - atleast for the Watch OS and automatic app updates. It can be annoying that the update process uses 2 single tasking devices - both - the phone and the watch.
5. Is the software buggy or slow?
Nope. Its really really fluid. Despite online reviews of users having to flick their wrists really hard - I have yet to experience that glitch. Can be a bit of a steep learning curve for "switchers" or not-too-geeky.
6. Too many distraction?
Not really. Depends on how well you control your apps and your notifications.
7. Battery life?
Great actually. Again - depends on how well you've setup your apps and notifications.
8. Does it have a heart rate monitor and does it offer continuous heart rate monitoring? Yes - and Yes. And it's surprisingly accurate. How do I know? I've tested it and compared the numbers with a Polar heart rate monitor.
9. Can it monitor sleep?
No and that's a huge negative - I believe that's going to keep the FitBits and the Jawbones around for a bit. But then again who really sleeps wearing a big bulky wrist watch?
10. Have I used "sketch" or Heartbeat yet?
Another big disappointment - since you can only use it with users who have a watch - or keep getting message send failures. I wish I wasn't allowed to send emoji messages to an ID that hasn't been paired with a watch - only to be told that the message cannot be sent.
11. How long does it take to charge?
Charging is fairly quick - though faster earlier on and slower later (After 96% - rate of charging seems to slow down.).
12. Cons?
Very few apps available. No separate section on the app store. While the iTunes store has a separate section dedicated to iPhone apps and iPad apps - they've made it surprisingly difficult to identify the watch apps.
13. Surprising finds?
Different language lists for Siri when compared to the iPhone and the iPad. Siri on the Watch OS supports a selective list of languages. Surprising considering one would think that a Siri input would be processed on the phone and not the watch. The Watch does have a Wi-Fi address and therefore seems to have a WiFi connection but inexplicably chooses to communicate with the phone over Bluetooth even when both devices are on the same network.
14. Find my watch?
No Find my watch feature. While not many people are likely to misplace a 350$ watch that needs daily charging it would be nice to be able to track using the iCloud. Specially useful feature for tracking lost or stolen watches.
15. Top app recommendations?
History Here! and CityMapper - Especially recommended for traveling to new cities and for exploring your current city.
16. Least talked about feature?
Custom watch faces. Can be surprisingly functional.
What do I really want to see on the watch up next?
And now the Big question: Should you buy it? The Apple Watch is a great device for those looking to get away from their phone screens without actually missing out on the action in their digital life while paying attention to the real world. I love not having to unlock my phone and check my email, messages and other digital properties but instead being alerted with small summaries with an option to continue on the phone if I have to. I've spent a lot less screen time since I began using the watch. It is a device with great potential future applications and rewards of long term usage of the health and activity features. What can be achieved by high-potential platforms like the Health app and ResearchKit remains to be seen but with software updates and many more features to come I'm sure this a device with great potential and a dream come true for developers.
1. Does it feel heavy?
It's not heavy and sits on the wrist quite comfortably- but that's if you're already used to wearing a watch - and preferably a heavier metal version at that.
2. Looks?
Fairly fashionable. While the Milanese loop is a great looking popular band I personally favor the White or pink sport - or the modern buckle bands if you're not averse to leather. I'm staunchly anti animal-products - but I do wish apple made the modern buckle in more earth friendly materials. And yes - the bands are interchangeable. ANY 38mm Apple Watch band can be paired with ANY 38mm Apple watch - and similarly for the 42mm. Not all combinations necessarily look good - but yes - they are all possible - and band switching can be done with literally 2 buttons.
3. Pairing process with the phone?
The Watch App doesn't have the typical Apple polish, but the pairing process is really smooth and slick.
4. How do I download apps?
The watch works exclusively with the iPhone and cannot be paired with a Mac or an iPad - though I wish it did - atleast for the Watch OS and automatic app updates. It can be annoying that the update process uses 2 single tasking devices - both - the phone and the watch.
5. Is the software buggy or slow?
Nope. Its really really fluid. Despite online reviews of users having to flick their wrists really hard - I have yet to experience that glitch. Can be a bit of a steep learning curve for "switchers" or not-too-geeky.
6. Too many distraction?
Not really. Depends on how well you control your apps and your notifications.
7. Battery life?
Great actually. Again - depends on how well you've setup your apps and notifications.
8. Does it have a heart rate monitor and does it offer continuous heart rate monitoring? Yes - and Yes. And it's surprisingly accurate. How do I know? I've tested it and compared the numbers with a Polar heart rate monitor.
9. Can it monitor sleep?
No and that's a huge negative - I believe that's going to keep the FitBits and the Jawbones around for a bit. But then again who really sleeps wearing a big bulky wrist watch?
10. Have I used "sketch" or Heartbeat yet?
Another big disappointment - since you can only use it with users who have a watch - or keep getting message send failures. I wish I wasn't allowed to send emoji messages to an ID that hasn't been paired with a watch - only to be told that the message cannot be sent.
11. How long does it take to charge?
Charging is fairly quick - though faster earlier on and slower later (After 96% - rate of charging seems to slow down.).
12. Cons?
Very few apps available. No separate section on the app store. While the iTunes store has a separate section dedicated to iPhone apps and iPad apps - they've made it surprisingly difficult to identify the watch apps.
13. Surprising finds?
Different language lists for Siri when compared to the iPhone and the iPad. Siri on the Watch OS supports a selective list of languages. Surprising considering one would think that a Siri input would be processed on the phone and not the watch. The Watch does have a Wi-Fi address and therefore seems to have a WiFi connection but inexplicably chooses to communicate with the phone over Bluetooth even when both devices are on the same network.
14. Find my watch?
No Find my watch feature. While not many people are likely to misplace a 350$ watch that needs daily charging it would be nice to be able to track using the iCloud. Specially useful feature for tracking lost or stolen watches.
15. Top app recommendations?
History Here! and CityMapper - Especially recommended for traveling to new cities and for exploring your current city.
16. Least talked about feature?
Custom watch faces. Can be surprisingly functional.
What do I really want to see on the watch up next?
- Proximity Car unlocking and find my car using Carplay integration.
- Friends Circle management : Currently has to be done on the phone.
- Added Health paramaters from other devices. I have a weighing scale that analyzes bone density, muscle mass and water weight along with the other mundane stuff like my weight and BMI. I want to be able to graph that data in the health App.
- Custom WatchFace configurations on the phone. Quite painful to do on the watch - and very limited colors offered. A lot could be done with Watchfaces if they just wrote an app for it.
- IFTTT integration would be a very powerful feature for personal IoT device power users.
- A must have is selective Bluetooth pairing for the iPhone. Between pairing with my MBP, Car, Jawbone UP and now the watch - its a miracle the phone was left with enough battery life to receive phone calls. I know it is a Bluetooth spec violation - but I believe this is a must have for better battery life and user experience.
- Personalization - It's a bit strange that Apple's most personal device ever does not offer engraving. I would prefer a beautiful timeless engraved message instead of the device specifications. Just a serial number should have been enough. Much like traditional luxury watches.
- I definitely want to see more sport band colors: Sport Red, Sunshine Yellow, Tangerine.
- Apps - apps and more apps! It's going to be very exciting to see what developers come up with.
- A steel crown instead of the black one. That's the only thing that makes the sport band(s) look not so cool with the steel watch.
- Multiple phone pairing: Yes some of us have to carry 2 devices - work phones and personal phones.
And now the Big question: Should you buy it? The Apple Watch is a great device for those looking to get away from their phone screens without actually missing out on the action in their digital life while paying attention to the real world. I love not having to unlock my phone and check my email, messages and other digital properties but instead being alerted with small summaries with an option to continue on the phone if I have to. I've spent a lot less screen time since I began using the watch. It is a device with great potential future applications and rewards of long term usage of the health and activity features. What can be achieved by high-potential platforms like the Health app and ResearchKit remains to be seen but with software updates and many more features to come I'm sure this a device with great potential and a dream come true for developers.
