Apple Watch usage is dropping off as the novelty factors fades away, according to a new study. While Apple’s wearable has found a place in many owners’ gadget ecosystems, the device is still viewed as distinctly nonessential.
However, the new report includes a list of users’ desired features for Apple Watch 2 — and many of them are things Apple is supposedly working on already.
The need to tether the first-gen Apple Watch is a major gripe about the wearable, according to the study, which was conducted by MBLM, a “brand intimacy agency” that has been running regular reports on Apple Watch during its first year.
Users are constantly, and perhaps unfairly, comparing the Apple Watch to the more than six generations of iPhone evolution.
Apple Watch owners also say they mainly use the device for one specific function, like notifications or activity tracking, and that the device’s lack of responsiveness makes switching apps cumbersome. Most admit they do not use Siri regularly, in what is possibly the clearest example of how the device’s sluggishness frustrates users and creates unnecessary friction.
“It’s surprising that even when we forced our panel to separate from the watch for an extended period, most of them didn’t miss the device,” said Mario Natarelli, MBLM’s managing partner. “We have seen our panel change its behaviors and attitudes over the past six months and identified a clear sense of the limitations, barriers and opportunities wearable technology is creating.”
MBLM’s ethnography study is a year-long examination of Apple Watch users aged 13 to 65 years. Overall, findings comprise approximately 1,500 open-ended responses and 45 hours of video footage. You can check out more information about the study here.
Fortunately, a lot of these issues seem to be things Apple is working on for the Apple Watch 2. Previous rumors suggest that the wearable sequel will retain the same size, shape and resolution as its predecessor, but will feature a larger battery, added FaceTime camera and greater independence from the iPhone. Additional high-end models costing $1,000-plus are also supposedly in the pipeline.
Do you agree with the conclusions drawn by MBLM? Leave your comments below.
Luke Dormehl is a U.K.-based journalist and author, with a background working in documentary film for Channel 4 and the BBC. He is the author of The Apple Revolution and The Formula: How Algorithms Solve All Our Problems … and Create More, both published by Penguin/Random House. His tech writing has also appeared in Wired, Fast Company, Techmeme and other publications.
15 responses to “Enthusiasm is cooling for Apple Watch (and what Apple can do about it)”
* Apple should focus more on stock apps. The fitness rings are a great example. This would give Apple Watch an edge over competing smart watches. Fast stock apps also raise the bar for developers. I’m looking forward for an Apple news app, for example.
* The Apple Watch should be a standalone in every possible way. GPS for fitness. Apple could make the Apple Watch a full Bluetooth iPod.
* The interface should be better. The Pebble timeline is a great example.
Totally agree on the GPS for fitness. I will buy an Apple Watch as soon as it can track my runs accurately without needing to carry a bulky phone along.
I’ve had one for over 6mths and wear it every day. I’m finding lots of little things that don’t really work that should. I’m a little more disappointed with it as time goes on, as the things is should do well, it doesn’t start to grate. Long list of little annoying things take away from what is a pretty cool bit of tech. Expected a little better out of the box from apple.
I eagerly bought an Apple Watch on release day, and sold it right before Christmas. I gave it the opportunity to impress me, but the watch was so sluggish getting information – say, weather updates – from my iPhone, that I stopped checking the watch and just grabbed my phone. The last couple of months I wore it, I only used it to check the time. And, after half a year of wearing it, I didn’t miss it after the first day. I still don’t.
The only thing that holds me back is that it’s not waterproof. That’s an expensive band that isn’t water proof. It’s largely why I haven’t adopted and stuck with my fitbit.
I’ve had mine since November and have been wearing it everyday. Didn’t particularly find having to charge it every night a cumbersome as I would have took it off (or any watch) before bed. The watch have so far survive the whole day and have not died on me yet. A few things I would definitely like to see for the next version is faster app loading time and less if not completely independent from the iPhone. That would also mean it’s own GPS.
I stopped buying the 1st generation of anything. I’ve been burned too many times.
Using it with Siri is a big advantage. Voice recognition is great. I am using it more than my iPhone now. If I have to be tethered to my iPhone, and I understand that it may be necessary for now, then I’d like my phone to be smaller.
I have Samsung Galaxy Gear watch. I got it free at the Tizen conference two years ago. It’s certainly not something I would pay $300 for. The two functions I use on it on a regular basis are the camera and the IR blaster. Apple forgot both of these functions on their first smart watch product.
Everyone knows that it takes Apple time to copy competitors’ products, but they had time to included those features on their first watch. Now they apparently are adding the camera, not sure about the IR Blaster. IR Blaster is also very useful on phones, and many Android phones have it built in, but for the iPhone you need to use an adapter that plugs into the headphone jack (which may be going away on the iPhone 7).
It’s really annoying to see all the functions in some Android phones that Apple won’t provide on the iPhone.
I don’t get why anyone would want a camera on the Apple Watch. The top priority for Apple should be fixing the app loading problem, and the UI. For example, I hate the circle layout as it’s difficult to find apps. Also, the side button next to the crown to bring up the shortcut to contacts…does anyone use that? I wish you could program that button to do something else more useful.
First, as an actual watch, it’s wonderful. The face is customizable. It’s always on time, I don’t have to mess with that analog date thing every month, and I really enjoy the notifications.
As an information appliance that checks weather and reads emails, it sucks. And every watch with a small screen is going to suck at these things. Getting notifications with just enough info to help me decide if I need to look at an email or text on my phone right now, or whether I can wait is wonderful, and that’s pretty much there now.
But the real killer app for the AppleWatch is ApplePay.
I had thought it was going to be silly to use my watch rather than my phone, but I was wrong. It makes the whole thing much easier and more efficient. At first the only places I could use my ApplePay was Whole Foods and a drug store or two. Now it’s showing up at more and more places. Just the other day I found out that Best Buy now supports ApplePay. And everyone will be soon enough. This transition is happening now.
In fact, the idea of using your watch as ID will be big over the next few years. I’ve noticed a number of hotels, for example, that have already gone to NFC for their room locks. In a year or two you’ll be able to skip the front desk and just go right to your room. Concerts, work,…,you watch is going to be your ID.
The reason more people haven’t caught on is that this transition is just starting. Within 3-4 years just about everything that requires a credit card, a key, or a ticket, will be able to be accessed from your watch.
That’s the killer app and the Apple Watch is perfectly positioned. By the time most people realize that the world has changed, the Apple Watch will be on their second or third version with a lot of the early kinks worked out.
i bought 5 apple watches for my family for christmas, but immediately took them back. can you say underwhelming? moreover, if i have to keep the darn thing close by my i phone, what is the use of carrying both, when i can just use my i phone? this #applehead was not too impressed. hopefully, apple will figure out how to unpair the two, have gps and facetime on it, and really make it be just like an i phone, except for the wearing part. i know apple is afraid people will ditch the i phone for it, but i won’t. i will gladly own both.
How can this be the results of a “year long study” when the Apple watch was only delivered to users beginning on about the first week in May? I believe this is a bit premature.
1. Waterproof, 2. Phone Free, 3. iPhone-like app load up and response time (iOS really spoiled us).
I would really wish “Hey, Siri” command works more efficiently and pick up my voice more often, especially when I go to places with ambient noises louder than an office cubicle.
One feature I don’t understand but people keep wanting is a camera on the watch. It will be very likely that the camera sensor will be of bad quality, being so small. And I don’t know anyone around me who’d like that. It’s also a bit creepy.
apple can only do one thing to make it exciting again and thats drop the prices