Ever since Tim Cook unveiled the Apple Watch last September, it’s been one disappointment after another as far as I’m concerned. Apple’s first wearable won’t come in the minimalist form factor of the fitness bracelets I love. Worse yet, the launch version of the fashion-forward device will lack GPS, suffer from underwhelming battery life and fail to offer truly native third-party apps.
For the first time, I realized I would not be buying an Apple product when it first hit the market. “It’s not worth lining up for,” I told my dad when he asked what I thought after the Apple Watch’s big reveal.
But a funny thing happened on the way to Apple Watch’s launch day, which is coming sometime this spring. And I’m not talking about the previously unthinkable — an Apple fan calling the Microsoft Band the best smartwatch on the planet. No, I’m talking about wading through an ungodly sea of really bad smartwatches at International CES earlier this month and seeing indisputable proof of just how innovative and disruptive Apple Watch actually will be.
The Apple Watch is the most divisive product Apple’s launched since the iPhone, with plenty of detractors saying it’s not even going to be an iPod-size hit. “It’s a niche techie device that normal people aren’t going to want to wear,” is the general complaint I’ve heard.
But after roaming the fitness and wearables section at CES, I’m certain Apple Watch is going to destroy half the companies battling in this space within the next two to three years. It’s not even going to be a close fight.
Apple Watch isn’t just a fitness band. It’s not just a fashion accessory either. But those are really the only two things the competition is making: accelerometers wrapped in a fitness bracelet, or fashionable watches that kind of talk to your phone. Apple Watch is both of these and much, much more.
“I saw nothing that stood out,” Apple analyst Ben Bajarin told Cult of Mac after checking out the wearables at CES. “Apple will likely define the category and their developers will hopefully help flesh out the use cases for not only the Apple Watch but the smartwatch category.”
At CES, it became immediately clear that the rest of the industry still has no idea what regular people might want to use wearables for, other than tracking movement and footsteps. And even though Apple shined a bright light on the future of wearables in September, most of the industry hasn’t caught on to what makes Apple Watch special. There are four big points all the other major players seem to be missing.
Apple Watch is a great two-way communication device
Plenty of smartwatches let you answer phone calls from your wristwatch, but none offer the power of Apple Watch’s Digital Touch communication features. My initial reaction to Digital Touch — which lets a simple tap on your Apple Watch be felt on another Apple Watch wearer’s wrist, among other things — was that it’s a silly gimmick. But the more I’ve thought about how frequently I ignore text messages and important reminders, the more obvious it becomes that Digital Touch will likely become the foremost way my family gets my attention. And with voice-to-text right on my wrist, I’ll be quicker to respond to text messages or send off a quick audio message.
All the other smartwatches at CES do nothing more than relay communication from your smartphone to your wrist (texts, emails, phone calls, etc), without offering a compelling way to create and send messages. And let’s be honest: Only someone the size of Thumbelina will be able to easily type out a message on the tiny Galaxy S keyboard.
Weathering a welter of new alerts on your wrist telling you to grab your smartphone seems like the exact opposite of what people want. Who needs more maddening notifications without a meaningful way to act upon them? Apple Watch solves this by making interactions only seconds long — and not just for things you can do on your iPhone.
Apple Watch puts your wallet on your wrist
Of the 3,200 booths at CES, no one was selling a wearable that lets you wave your wrist to pay with Bitcoin or your debit card. Not even Samsung or Sony have copied the powerful combination of Apple Pay on Apple Watch yet. The two hottest payments startups at CES were LoopPay, which Samsung is supposedly eyeing, and Plastc. Both are decent payment solutions, but they’re really just stopgaps.
Most analysts underestimate how important a role Apple Watch will play in the future of Apple Pay. Pulling your iPhone out of your pocket to pay is nearly the same as reaching for your wallet. Having Apple Pay right on your wrist — just double-click and you’re done — is going to be even easier. When Apple’s payment system comes to everyone’s wrists, it’s really going to take off.
Apple Watch is truly ‘smart’ — and truly fashionable
In the race to catch up with Apple Watch, fashion watchmakers are adding crappy features to their watch faces while unfashionable fitness brands are trying to be hip by bedezzaling their accelerometers in Swarovski crystals. On almost every Apple Watch competitor I saw at CES, these misguided “upgrades” look bad and function even worse.
Nobody’s firing on all cylinders. Microsoft Band is killing it in the features department, but doesn’t have a fashionable bone in its body. Samsung and Sony’s smartwatch offerings look too nerdy for a normal person to wear. Withings’ new Activité Pop was the only smartwatch we’d actually want to wear — it’s minimalist, like a Swatch, gets eight months of battery life and looks great — but it’s not really that smart.
Meanwhile, I wore a fake Apple Watch around for two days, and I felt fashionable as hell. Unlike the bulky Moto 360 and Samsung smartwatches, the Apple Watch felt understated and a lot less bulky than I anticipated. It doesn’t look like you have a TV screen taped to wrist, like some other smartwatches. Jony Ive killed it on the Apple Watch design by balancing high tech with high fashion.
A lot of tech nerds still don’t understand how Apple will get away with charging a premium for the gold Apple Watch Edition, but I think it’s going to be huge among fashionistas. People don’t shell out $90,000 for a Hermes Birkin bag because ostrich hide is so much better at holding stuff than whatever material Jansport backpacks are made of. They’re buying a fashion statement. Apple Watch is the only wearable that can score you points with both the fashion crowd and the nerds.
Apple Watch is a wrist-size hub for all your devices
By 2018, Apple Watch isn’t going to be the only wearable you own. There will be smart socks to go with your smart yoga mat. Basketballs and soccer balls will come with built-in sensors. Your kid will don a smart mouth guard that alerts you to concussions, and your health data will stream from HealthKit-enabled medical devices. And don’t forget about all the home-automation devices that will connect via Apple’s HomeKit.
Thanks to WatchKit, the framework that connects the Apple Watch to the wider Apple ecosystem, your wrist will quickly become the most convenient access point for all these smart devices. It’s going to be an easy-to-use gadget that constantly enhances, and could even save, your life. Why wouldn’t you wear it?
While Apple didn’t buy a booth at CES, you couldn’t walk the show floor without feeling like the entire trade show was dedicated to all the devices that interact with your iPhone and iPad. In five years, we’ll be going to CES and ogling all the crazy stuff that interfaces with Apple Watch.
The most exciting wearables I saw at CES weren’t the ones designed to compete with Apple Watch. The truly innovative ones were designed to complement Apple’s upcoming wearable. App developers and third-party accessory makers who figure out clever ways to extend the usefulness of Apple Watch will play as big a role in the device’s future as Apple itself.
Remember that the original iPhone shipped with only 15 apps, and was touted as a touchscreen iPod, a phone and an Internet communicator. Now, it’s hard to really classify what the iPhone is because its skill set is so diverse.
Apple Watch will experience the same sort of growth. New sensors and new features will come online over the next few years. And once WatchKit lets developers fully tap into the power of the growing Apple ecosystem, Apple Watch will become far more magical than anything Tim Cook or Jony Ive could have imagined.
Buster Hein is a freelance writer who lives in Phoenix, Arizona. Twitter: @bst3r.
86 responses to “Apple Watch wins the wrist war before it starts”
You do realize a Watch of this calibre normally cost upwards of $1000
yeah, and you can get in on the cheap end for $350. The Sport price sounds like a decent deal to me. I don’t think it’ll have interchangeable bands though.
it will, apple said that all apple watches will have interchangeable bands.
You choose the band you want to customize the Apple Watch when you purchase it.
No.
You can buy bands separately and exchange with just a click.
All bands work with all watches too. As long as the size matches.
I think you are wrong. Jameskatt is correct. Did you notice the digital crown has coloration? This coordinates with the band that comes with the watch. Of course, you may then swap in any other band, thought it may not coordinate then but would be useful as a backup (e.g. rubber/plastic band for temporary exercise use).
You’re wrong.
Apple clearly states that, clearly shows it.
You can take any band, and put in any watch, as long as it matches the size.
And yes, some EDITION watches come with a small dot on the crown. But that’s it.
Dude get your facts straight, Apple Watch gonna have 3 different editions (in short): gold, matte aluminium, shiny aluminium. Each will have probably entirely different price point.
“Shiny aluminum” lol
I don’t know how to describe it better (or if it’s really aluminium, or steel), but one is shiny gold, one is shiny metal and one is brushed/matte aluminium. That’s what there is on Apple’s website :D
Polished stainless steel.
Ah cool, I didn’t catch that it’s steel, cool cool :-)
Nice things cost money.
Yes, thanks for pointing that out. I had noticed.
And a Rolex containing the same amount of gold as a gold Apple watch will cost $30,000+. Against this competition, the Apple watch is inexpensive.
So? A watch with a platinum body costs even more.
Did you just go full fanboy? Almost everything you said made no sense. The apple watch does exactly the same most watches do (Google now anyone?) . The only “ground breaking ” feature so far is apple pay, and that’s debatable thanks to the recent security breach they had, which I’m not too sure people will soon forget and allow apple to have their credit card numbers.
As for fashion advice, watches, unlike smartphones, have a wider audience which requires a lot more diversity for the people seeking timeless classic looking devices, and this is were apple’s one design fits all philosophy might be its own downfall. Personally I’ve hated almost every android, Microsoft and apple watch so far, but the Asus Zen watch might just have the classic watch feeling I need
Maybe, just maybe apple isn’t the center of th planet, even if it is for you. Try thinking outside the box for once and get off Cook’s dick
Buster, it has the same interchangeable band system as all the Apple Watches :)
Leander, I 100% agree with you. It’s by far the most advanced smart watch out there, but I don’t think Apple has done a great job communicating it to people. They went straight into UI, 50 ms accuracy, and 15 random features but didn’t do the compelling Jobs thing of “here’s the need we’re filling better than everyone else”. Hopefully a follow up keynote in late February and Super Bowl/Academy Award marketing blitz will set things straight. Seeing tons of Beats-affiliated athletes and rock stars wearing it would be huge too.
I’m looking forward to discreet, instant notifications, wrist-borne directions, remote control of iTunes/Apple TV, encouraging fitness, Apple Pay, and customizing the bands and face to suit my mood.
@acslater017 I think Leander asked them at the keynote if it did and they said they hadn’t made up their minds yet. Would make more sense for them if it didn’t. Good way to sell the regular $500ish model.
That’s a good point. The “decoy” price makes the one below it look much more attractive comparatively.
Thanks for the info, I didn’t know that! All the mock ups show the same release mechanism on the back as the rest. That seems like a pretty artificial way to cripple the entry level model – removing a cheap design feature. They make 5 colors of fluouoelastomer bands, you’d think they would at least let people switch between black, white, blue, etc.
PS – Sorry I thought the article was written by Leander. Must have mixed it up with the photo credit. Great article, Buster!
just poured over the pictures and the Sport images do have the removable band locks on the bottom, so they probably will be interchangeable.
Of course they will be interchangeable.
Do you think Apple would miss the opportunity to sell more of their proprietary bands at an insanely inflated price?
What would you do if your plastic watch band breaks? you have to trash the watch?
It seemed like, since they were going to miss the 2014 holidays, they had the double-edged task of both freezing the market and not tipping their hand. So they showed enough to do the former while keeping hidden as much as they could.
Agreed. Every wearable at CES is being compared to the Apple Watch. Also, it probably needed to be revealed internally to The rest of Apple, so they can get to work on software, marketing, etc. Hopefully this year the devs will have also been given enough time.
Although considering the sort of boring October event, I wish they had polished the keynote better and rolled it into that one.
I would consider myself an Apple fan and a technology early adopter but for me this article still fundamentally misses the point regarding the wearables category. Apple could crush every competitor product that was on display at CES, but at the same time still only sell 1 million of the Apple Watch worldwide. The industry has decided that they are the “next-big thing” but as you said: no one (including Apple) has really figured out what people want from these devices or why they would want one. In my daily life I don’t encounter people clamouring for devices in this category or encounter problems that can be solved by it. Do people really need another communication device? I actually encounter more people who feel we need to move back in the other direction, a reduction in noise so that we can get back to living/enjoying life more. I am just not convinced that Apple Pay is an important selling point, when has someone ever said “I wish I could spend money slightly faster”. The importance of HealthKit and lifestyle tracking in general are massively over-egged. It’s a neat idea for a certain kind of person but we already have devices that do it. What is really achieved from the tracking medically? For the majority of people their health outcomes are more likely to be improved by spending the $500 on better food or gym membership. Have any healthcare systems indicated that they would find the data useful/worthwhile? I cant imagine an NHS GP being remotely interested in it. HomeKit has potential but lets be honest, it’s a niche area, and despite all the IOT hype, it’s going to remain niche for years to come. People just don’t replace the big ticket items/systems in their home that frequently. They usually wait until they break and then buy the “cheapest”/best value replacement.
Yep, EPIC and MAYO Clinic are already involved with Apple in the Health Kit arena and with all the medical related people that they have hired, this is the tip of a massive change in how health care will be monitored and delivered as well.
I’ve seen them mentioned in press releases but I’m from the UK so I don’t know exactly what their role is in the provision of healthcare. Given the limited sensors available I’m genuinely interested what they plan to do with the data beyond the basics. Do you have any links with more information about how they are going to use it to revolutionise health provision? The cynic in me just sees a couple of names that Apple has paid to include in the press release.
All the medical implications of the watch at this point is just hype.
HealthKit would be useful if you buy a compatible scale or blood pressure or glucose monitor.
The real disrupter is to the personal training industry. Won’t take long before they become obsolete and you have a virtual personal trainer on your wrist coaching you through activity.
1) 95% of consumers don’t clamor for the next big thing because they can’t imagine it. Who wanted 3.5 touchscreen phones or the failed tablet device?
2) Even if only 10% of iPhone 5/s/6/Plus owners bought one, it would be 20 million, on par with the iPad and far better than the 1st-gen iPhone.
3) The Apple Watch, if done correctly, has the potential to be LESS distracting. A glance at the wrist for messages, triaging, directions, etc. Less occupying of the eyes, hands, and mind.
4) Yes, plenty of people would like credit card payments to be faster and easier, especially when there’s 10 people in line. One less reason to dig for the wallet, card, ID, and signature stylus. Not to mention it’s more secure.
5) IF Apple can convince people to keep at it, simple reminders to move around for 20-30 minutes and stand up at the office could be huge. It’s low-hanging fruit and 90% mental.
6) I’m looking forward to the iTunes/Apple TV remote. HomeKit possibilities are endless, though that will probably take years to realize.
Allot of this is already available with Android wear.
I am a tech geek, I have a Moto 360 and as cool and convenient as it is, it is going to be a hard sell to the average consumer, there just isn’t any compelling feature.
You think you want one, till you have one. Its not as big of a deal as you might think.
I personally agree with you. The thing is no body care if something is on Android. But it is different story on Apple logo.
Having played briefly with my friend’s Moto 360, there’s several differentiating factors that will make the Apple Watch more successful: 1) The Apple Watch looks classy and has myriad size, material, and band options. The 360 is conspicuously techy and large. The round screen doesn’t display anything except backgrounds and analog watch hands. To be blunt the 360 seems made solely for large, nerdy men.
2) The Apple Watch seems more discreet and respectful of the user’s attention and privacy. It gently taps you and generically displays”Text Message” at which point it will show more content if you continue to hold your wrist up. Calls can be ignored by covering the watch. Turn-by-turn Morse Codes you when a turn comes up and you don’t even have to take your eyes off the sidewalk. The Digital Crown is a clever way to use an existing watch feature to do precise adjustments. IMO the 360’s menus resembled a smartphone’s too closely, with far too much swiping and scrolling.
3) Could be mistaken, but I don’t think the 360’s fitness features are as deep and integrated into Android as Health is on the Apple side. Fitness goals, specific workouts, standing reminders, etc.
4) I think Apple, like it has in the past, will be the one to bring the smartwatch mainstream. It has a compelling product with beautiful designs. A year from now, people getting their iPhone screens fixed at the Apple Store will say, “Isn’t that the watch I saw on Kobe Bryant and Ellen DeGeneres?” and take a peek on their way out.
5) A lot of neat little things on the Apple Watch, e.g. Apple Pay, iTunes/Apple TV remote, iPhone viewfinder. The combo of Apple Pay, MP3 player (w onboard storage), and running tracker is a killer lightweight option for runners who want to pick up a drink when they’re done.
Sorry for the numbered lists.
The main factor that will make the Apple watch more successful is brand loyalty and exceptional marketing. Case in point, you seem to know a lot about a watch and its functionality but it’s not even out yet but you seem to prefer it over something you only spent a short time with, certainly not long enough to make adequate assumptions about its abilities. To be honest from what I have personally experienced there really is not that much differentiating Android Wear and Apple Watch.
1.. Looks are subjective but most people agree (80% in polls) that round looks better.
The Moto 360 is large but not overly so, but it is a mans watch. If you desire though there are other shapes and sizes of Android Wear watches to be found. The Asus ZenWatch is square, thin and looks even classier than the Apple Watch, it actually looks like a time piece and not a tech gadget and it is a lot more affordable to boot.
The Moto 360 has standard interchangeable “real” watch bands, so the design options available are greater than those that Apple can offer with their costly proprietary bands.
Android watch faces are fully customizable and there is even an app (WatchMaker) that lets you create your own designs, something I doubt Apple will allow.
I have to agree, swiping and scrolling is not as elegant as it should be on a watch face but I’m not certain the digital crown is the solution either, we will see.
2.. Android Wear has vibration notifications too.. all this stuff has been out for months and will be refined along the way. I personally have mine set to minimal with priority notifications only. Getting buzzed for every little thing is a little annoying.
3.. Google Fit and other 3rd party apps have all the fitness features you could ever want or need. Apple Health Kit like Google Fit is mostly a database and is not going to be nearly as impressive as the Apps developed to integrate with it.
4.. I’s a sad world were simple minded peoples buying decisions are swayed by what celebrities own. Wasn’t it Ellen that was given a samsung phone to take selfies at the Oscars, and backstage was using her personal iPhone? You can’t trust celebrities, half of what they own is given to them with endorsement deals.
5.. Android is lacking a watch payment system, but the onboard mp3, viewfinder, remotes, all that is there. 3rd party apps is where the magic of these watches really come to play.
Bs “because it’s apple” argument over and over again.
Yes, it’s because it’s Apple, and it’s “Apple”, because the brand keeps satisfying costumers and giving them more than they would have expected.
Why it is “because it’s Apple” and not “because it’s Google”?
As Google is full of fanboys too.
Despite the company not doing anything right, or at least, without buying a company to fix their inability to do anything at all?
Apple is great for the average consumer who has no expectations or doesn’t demand more from their products than “it just works”.
Most Apple users have no idea what they are missing.
Except that costumers that are really demanding, lide Google employees, NASA engineers, most journalists at this State of the Union, are all using Apple, disproving your baseless argument.
Apple is for people that know what it matters, and what is secondary. People who need reliability.
If not, why would IBM be ignoring all other mobile platforms and only developing for Apple now?
Even Linus has bought a MacBook Air with his own money despite being forced to use Linux, because, you know… He’s the Linux boss.
You’re right, without a doubt a lot of average ordinary people who don’t know any better are perfectly happy with Apple. There are even some smart people willing to accept Apples inadequacies because they place a higher value other things like simplicity, looks and build quality.
You have NFC at android?
No, you don’t.
Neither a silent vibrations motor, or force touch, or a scroll wheel, pr a constellation of apps, or magnetic coupling, or click-on straps (only on one model, and with no choice), or choice between 3 materials, and 6 finishes, etc…
Also, you’l need to hand over all your data (email, Eric.) to google for it to work.
And you’ll be on android phones for ever.
Apple doesn’t even have a watch to market yet so all these magical things it supposedly does means nothing to the people who have been wearing smart watches for years.
Okay
There’s too much troll in that comment to address all of it but let me try:
– as @acslater017:disqus and Steve Jobs have said, consumers don’t really know what they want next.
– wearables haven’t become ‘the next big thing’ yet because they’ve only had niche uses. I think Apple Watch and Microsoft Band are the first werables that add value to your life. But Apple Watch is way more stylish and in some ways has better features.
– Apple’s got a better hold on what ppl want from a wearable than 95% of the companies that are just making another pretty pedometer/sleep tracker. No one is going to wear a jawbone up or fitbit AND and Apple Watch. Those companies are toast, unless they look at putting their sensors in places other than your wrist.
– Apple Watch is a step toward reducing the digital clutter in your life. You’re always looking down at your iPhone screen. Apple Watch gives you the most important info at a glance. I think our iPhone are soon going to be more like portable computers than do all the power processing in the back ground. You go to it for involved tasks, but most of your life becomes more automated because of Apple Watch and other accessories.
– Spending $500 on an annual gym membership is less likely to get you in shape than a device that reminds you every day that you need to get your ass up and exercise.
– Tons of HealthKit companies I talked to at CES said sync data with your doctor is huge for preventative care.
– I don’t think Apple Watch will be a huge hit out of the gate like the iPad or even the iPhone. I think it’ll be more like the iPod and take a few years before people really catch onto it.
One person’s troll is another’s objective look at the situation from outside the tech bubble and from outside the US. Your own comment looks like trolling to me but I’ll respond to the main points:
I’m aware that Steve Jobs said that, you think it’s gospel, I don’t. Despite what he said, companies (including Apple) ultimately spend money on R&D and release products to meet market demands. It’s a complete rewrite of history to suggest that no-one wanted an iPhone or an iPad type device before they were released. There were multiple precursor products in both categories, there was demand, but the technologies weren’t there to hit the sweet spot. Apple knows what pent-up demand it is trying to address, like others who have commented though, I don’t think they have successfully communicated that to us yet. I’m saying that from what has been disclosed thus far, the watch does not have a truly compelling use case. Maybe there is going to be another presentation event that is going to make us go wow. Style is a very personal thing, I don’t currently wear a watch, the stye doesn’t really do anything for me but it’s not particularly ugly. The fact that it’s slightly customisable is a big plus.
Regarding distractions: Defining distraction is important, for me, looking at the screen of any device is a distraction. Two of you have said that you think it might reduce distractions if done right. I don’t deny that is possible. Another possibility is that people will continue to use the iPhone/iPad screen as much as before and that the Apple Watch adds even more distraction/screen time. Real-world technology usage often does not follow the best-case scenarios that are put forward by technology sellers, there are often unintended consequences.
We all already have devices that can remind us to “get your ass up and exercise”, the iPhone/iPad can do it, any reminder/calendaring software can do it, a Post-it note or wall poster can do it. A slightly different kind of reminder is not likely to make any more impact than any of the other methods, ultimately we all need to just get on with actually doing the exercise.
Re: HealthKit, the companies would say that wouldn’t they? What do the doctors say, the ones who aren’t on the companies payroll? When exactly are doctors going to find time to look at this data? From a UK perspective that is just a pipe dream. Every time the NHS tries to get smart with data and medical records the general public goes nuts due to privacy fears.
I’m not saying it won’t eventually catch on in the future but it is definitely going to take a few versions I think. Essentially I don’t think the technology is ready yet.
Steve Jobs didn’t just say it, he proved it, repeatedly. Try to stay abreast of events.
Lol, now that is trolling.
Most consumers are clueless and they don’t know what they want till you give it to them, but not everyone lacks such imagination. The iPhone was not an original idea and the smart Watch isn’t either. Apple just refined the idea and pushed it into market because most other companies at the time lacked imagination and the will to do something different.
Those days are gone though and it is Apple that is playing catch up in the innovation department, they are just lucky to have a cult of clueless consumers unwilling to look outside of what they are given. So yeah, Steve was right and its paying off big for Apple.
Apple has proven over and over that you can’t ask consumers what they want when it comes to new categories. The “faster horse” quip, true or not, comes to mind. In 2006, smartphones were niche. They were mostly for hardcore business people and terrible multimedia devices. No one, not even Apple’s competitors, imagined and executed the iPhone, much less something you could derive from a focus group of consumers.
Apple is successful because they CREATE market demand. They tell people what to want. It doesn’t mean they are the first company ever to enter the category. But they take nascent categories (’84: personal computers, ’91 laptops, ’99: Wi-Fi, ’01: MP3 players, ’07: smartphones, ’10: tablets, ’15: wearables), make them beautiful and compelling and easy to use, and market them as approachable objects of desire. Consumer data is better served to determine SKU mix, demand, etc. but NOT for new categories.
I’m not talking about asking consumers either. I’m talking about the in-depth, systematic analysis of the underlying trends in human behaviour and the development of hardware components. Apple has been particularly good at matching/using these to create breakout products over the last fifteen years. My question is: do you really feel like they have created that market demand this time around, have they really tapped into the zeitgeist? I’m not so sure, talk about it has been very mixed in the press and mostly negative amongst my friends. It’s too early to tell, we don’t know enough about the device yet, that’s why I find these kinds of articles to be rather hyperbolic.
I disagree, the “creating” demand thing is wrong. Apple doesn’t invent the category, (i.e. smart phones), they just make the products polished enough and usable enough that people see the value in actually using them.
This remains true today. Focusing on usability is Apple’s trick and although it seems like a simple one, it isn’t.
The shiny devices (iPhone,watch etc.) get all the focus, but in reality it’s the software that makes the magic work.
The Watch may fly, it may not, but it will all come down to the software.
Totally agree.
The iWatch is a solution looking for a problem
“A slightly different kind of reminder is not likely to make any more impact than any of the other methods”
C’mon guy. Human nature is stupid. We’re a bunch of apes. Rationally, yes, these things should not matter, but they do. Let’s be practical. People are lazy and minor changes from checking your wrist versus your pocket can actually matter.
Should most people exercise? Sure. Do they? Not usually. Lack of motivation, forgetfulness are not “good” excuses, but that’s how people are in practice, not in some ideal world. Appearances matter. Deny all you want, but women taken out on dates know this, interviewers know this. It shouldn’t be, but it is.
Troll ? Where ?
Seemed well argued and balanced to me, Buster.
Apple will not be able to exceed the sheer joy of wearing self-winding chronometers. In the electro-market, sure, but that is cheapness defined.
i am an admitted Apple-Whore, but I really doubted the Watch thing. It is remarkable, and remarkable looking, but I originally walked away from the keynote saying to myself that I really don’t need this thing.
Sadly, for the last few weeks, i keep finding myself on the Apple site oogling the videos and imagining different scenarios in which i would use this. I’m still not 100% convinced i need this thing, but right now I am going to buy two of them and several bands at launch.
I have a problem. What’s wrong with me?
Daniel: “ No one (including Apple) has really figured out what people want from these devices or why they would want one. In my daily life I don’t encounter people clamouring for devices in this category or encounter problems that can be solved by it.”
I can’t see any reason why I would want need or want an Apple Watch, but I remember using the arguments in your quote above to justify why I didn’t need an iPhone when they were released. Then I tried one.
The rest, as they say, is history, and I reckon it stands a good chance of repeating itself with the Apple Watch. I think it’s going to integrate itself into Apple’s product line in ways as yet unannounced, and may even have a few surprise features Apple won’t release till nearer launch (and a quick update to the SDK).
My chief bugbear is bulk. We all know that the second or third iteration will be smarter, have more/better features, but most importantly be slimmer. Beautiful though it is, the current design would be like having a can of beans strapped to your wrist.
Maybe. I “got” the iPhone from the beginning though. I was crying out for a device like it. I tried a few before it, they sucked. I wanted it when I saw it (waited until the 3G though to buy one, couldn’t go back to 2G!) Likewise with the iPad, I could see the potential. It doesn’t feel that way this time though. Perhaps it’s just because I’m not in my early twenties anymore!
I’m closer to my 60s (avid Apple user since ’85, never owned a Windows PC), and received the first iPad the day it was released – after the iPhone it was an no-brainer, and within an hour of using it I realised Apple would conquer the world with the device.
But the iPhone was far, far greater than the sum of its parts. The Watch is by no means as clear a proposition: I’m not a health nut, I don’t want to talk into my sleeve like a 1980s Secret Service officer, I don’t need to see notifications the second they ping up and – most importantly – I don’t want a slab on my wrist (I would much rather wear my slender minimalist Grus watch than the chunky Rolex my wife bought me).
No doubt Apple will sell squillions, and be the best smart watch in town, but I have no lust for this device. Maybe it’s because the GUI will necessarily be tiny (this becomes an issue when the user becomes a sad old fart who can’t see without specs), maybe because Apple’s copy looks like a page of Vogue – all glossy supersize photos and little real info.
Don’t get me wrong, I •want• it to be a game changer but I can see no compelling case for buying one. Yet.
Ask me in a year or so’s time when v.2 is out, and half as thick…
It looks nice for a square watch. But I must say, the moto 360 or lg g R watch look much better, and no matter how much you love apple you can’t ignore that fact. Android wear is only doing 1 day right now and the moto 360 isn’t a complete circle. But, No matter what you say about it, you are going to be wearing a square watch with a day of battery! Can you imagine recharging daily! Also, at about the time gen 2 android wear devices are going to be coming out most likely with 2 or more days of battery! By this time, you are going to regret having spent 350-500 on something that looks like that and can’t hold a charge. It is best to wait until gen 2,3 maybe apple will come out with a round watch with a few days of battery. Its best to wait wait wait, nobody wants to be buying watches every year. People don’t even like spending $200 on a subsidized phone! A $350+ watch that will be out of style in 12 months is what they are trying to sale.
Your right, round it better.
Nightly charging is simple, you take off your watch before bed and set it on its cradle with the bonus of it acting as your clock.
It charges so quickly you could throw it on the charger before taking a shower and by the time you are dressed and ready to go it would have juiced up enough to make it through the average day.
Thats true you could LEARN to live with it. I just know (and i know many other people know) how it feels to have a your iphone run out of battery before the day is over. a few years ago that was acceptable but now I expect my phone to last and if it doesnt well then i’ve chosen the wrong phone. For 350-500 $ thats a hassle i dont want to have to worry about. My point is, by the time (or within a few months) the apple watch comes out, there MAY be smartwatches available without this hassle, and then you will feel a gen behind and will be out 350 $ waiting till next year to catch up. Also I love running so it must have gps built in! if gen 2 has round looks, good battery, + gps then im sold!
The Moto 360 had some battery issues initially, but I can get through an 18 hour active notifications day with 50% battery left.
Even by some chance you pushed an all nighter, like I said you can throw it on the cradle and go from dead to fully charged in an hour.
Honestly of ALL the reasons not to own a smart watch, battery life is at the bottom.
Are people forgetting that Apple is the king of standby time? As long as you’re not constantly staring at your wrist, you’ll most likely get 2 days usage.
Wow, absolutely no bias in this article for a watch that hasn’t even hit the market.
Personally, I think the watch that wins is the one that is “self contained” requiring no tethering to a phone and one that has a long battery life. So far, that isn’t Android Wearables or Apple’s Watch. My eyes are currently fixated on Garmin’s Fenix 3 with 6 week battery life in smart watch mode and built-in GPS.
Really the only thing that compares to what the apple watch will be like is android wear. I think the author is saying the apple watch wins because it really has no competition. What other smartwatch are iPhone users going to use? Android wear doesn’t support ios at the moment and so the only other competition is a fitbit like device or other random watch like pebble, or the watch you mention garmin
I think what the author is saying is that that the Apple watch is going to kill the fitness wearables space. Those fitness trackers are dead in the water when they are charging half the price of the watches and have such limited functionality.
Honestly though the whole watch wearables thing is blown waay out of proportion. Ask anyone with a Moto 360. Awesome watch, really cool to get notifications and such, but the initial excitement wanes shortly after.
People that think this is the next coming are going to be be disappointed.
Apple is pushing this as fashion accessory because as this point even those with the most active imaginations of what this could be cannot think of anything compelling.
I wrote a little over a year ago that I believe wearables is the next big thing. I still believe it. But you’re absolutely right, it’s what happens after the “initial excitement wanes shortly after” that will determine it’s success. More importantly it has to be something that goes “unnoticed”. Here is the just of what I wrote:
Consumers are tired of lugging their smartphones around in their pockets or dropping them just as they step on the elevator. Once the right company with the right design comes along, this new market will take off just as fast as when Apple introduced the first iPad.
But here is the kicker, while something like a smartwatch or smart glasses is disruptive innovation it’s success as a product is fully dependent on it being non-disruptive technology. No one in their right mind wants to talk to someone that looks like a half finished Borg character out of Star Trek. No one wants to distract the boss by carrying Big Ben around on their wrist. Technology is more powerful when you don’t know it’s there. Disruptive technology is no longer cool because non-disruption is the new black. If indeed what I am saying is true, the implications for industries that have relied on disruption to make a buck is staggering.
I understand the lower end Apple watch, but why shell out for the gold one when it will be obsolete in a year or less, when Apple Watch S comes out??
To be realistic, it is just going to be gold plated at a small premium.
If the gold watch is actually gold then they will be worn by the elites who will probably be given one by Apple for free, it is not meant to be a consumer device but a status symbol the plebs can drool over.
Wealthy people who could afford an actual gold Apple Watch didn’t get rich by being stupid, they invest and an expensive watch that needs to be replaced every 2 years is a bad investment.
Just because you don’t understand the market for a particular product doesn’t mean that one doesn’t exist. I don’t really “get” the need to buy high end handbags, but lots of companies are making insane money selling them. Hell, why buy expensive basketball shoes? They’re just going to wear out soon anyway, and they don’t provide much more utility than less expensive ones.
yup
I think the Gold Apple Watch will sell like crazy. Just wait until some movie star like Brad Pitt,or Jennifer Lawrence wears this thing on the Jimmy Kimmel show or something like that. This watch will be lusted for by everyone.
“Apple Pay right on your wrist — just double-click and you’re done — is going to be even easier. When Apple’s payment system comes to everyone’s wrists, it’s really going to take off.”
Hey Buster! There wont even be any clicks needed. Its supposed to work just like the phone. Place the witch next to the pay terminal, and boom! Your item is paid for. Crazy!
You still have to use the TouchID sensor with Apple Pay, it is an integral part of their system.
My guess is that if you will need to authenticate the watch with a fingerprint every time you remove it from your wrist. As long as the watch has contact with your skin that authentication will remain active and can be used for touch-less payments.
As a side benefit it will provide a degree of security from watch theft as once the skin connection is broken the watch can be locked down.
No you don’t. To use Apple Pay on Apple Watch you just click the lower button twice. No Touch Id needed
I’ll say it again. TouchID is integral to Apple’s Pay security system. The watch will have to authenticated with your phones TouchID in some way or it will not work. If the watch breaks contact with your skin or goes out of bluetooth range you will need to re-authenticate it again.
It should be seamless, as long as you are wearing your watch and press the home button (TouchID) it should automatically be authenticated but it still requires an iPhone 5s or better to work.
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No tech company thinks as deeply about the watch and how the consumer may benefit from wearing it like Apple. It is totally amazing how shallow they all think and design.
Obviously, they are simply waiting for something from Apple to copy.
Obviously, they won’t be able to copy some features like Apple Pay that will make Apple Watch a hit.
And their craftsmanship will be far below that of the Apple Watch.
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It’s still to early to even speculate what sales will be like. Even being an Apple shareholder that enjoys wearing watches and I don’t quite get the appeal, in a practical sense, of owning an AppleWatch. Yes, I’d buy one if it’s declared halfway useful and I’d like to have the privilege of owning one. However, I can’t believe the average consumer that owns an iPhone will plunk down $349 for one. In my case, except as a biometic sensor device, I can’t see why most consumers would want to buy one. I’m simply going to leave it up to Apple to figure out a way to make it appeal to mainstream consumers and I wish them all the luck in the world.
But yeah, Apple’s marketing team are at the top of their game, and the sales will go through the roof even thanks to Apple’s large customer base.
People need to quit looking at the watch as a stand alone device. It is required to be paired with an iPhone. So the watch is no longer limited to the features of the watch itself, but to the features of the iPhone it is paired with. So yes it has access to GPS, cellular data, lots of storage, and a powerful CPU. Who wants native watch apps when your iPhone can do the heavy lifting for your watch so much better. When people judge the watch for reasons of non-native apps and device features that the iPhone it is paired with has, it shows they have yet to make the paradigm shift.
exactly. You iPhone will now be in your pocket more doing all the power lifting for some stuff, and you watch is the quick portal to everything you’re connected to.
Is it just me, or does this watch look like absolute rubbish? The UI looks messy, and the shape of it is fugly as hell. The only smart watch that doesn’t look like it’s been thrown up into existance is the moto 360, and even that is confusing as heck to use.
I have a few friends with Moto 360s and I think they look ugly in real life. In the ads they look good, but on a real wrist, it’s gigantic. Apple Watch is much more understated. Didn’t feel bulky on my wrist at all.
I found the Moto 360 is really not much bigger than my current old-fashion watch. Far from bulky and I’m not that huge of a guy. What I don’t like about the Moto 360 is it feels too light and less sturdy compared to more fashionable watches that I’ve owned. But then again this is all personal opinion as those that want to wear it for fitness purposes perhaps prefer light.
I think it looked good in real life as well as in the ads, but that’s just opinions, really. What bugged me about it was that it was so fantastically difficult to understand. There was nothing intuitive about the GUI at all.
The watch that barely exists and you can’t buy is the best watch?
A Smartwatch that appears to have largely the same hardware as other smartwatches is going to have its most interesting software features adopted and improved on very quickly.. and the feature listed was a simple “vibrate on demand for someone” function.
Sorry, but I see nothing in this article other than “I thought the iwatch would be useless to me but I changed my mind”.
I feel differently. I bought a Pebble for $100. It does more than I’ve ever dreamed of and I can have it *now*.
iPod changed everything and put the thousands of “MP3 players” to shame, something Apple is good at doing, and I’m sure once I tasted their watch medicine, I’d feel similar too, but I wouldn’t count out the Pebble. It also looks better, but I have different tastes probably than those who are super excited about this.