QOTW: Are you buying an Apple Watch?

[Otherhand]

No, I won't buy any smartwatch (unless we get to a position with technology in which nobody has a smartphone and the watch has replaced them, but let's hope that day never comes).

I was at a restaurant for my sister's birthday today, which means my phone went in my pocket and stayed there until I'd said goodbye to everyone and headed off home. The kids kept having to be told to put their phones away. I'm not sure how we'd all handle that if the phones were effectively never put away.

When I was out on a dinner date a couple of months ago, we had a lovely time, talking and laughing. I'll remember that for a long time to come. I'm glad neither of us had notifications blinking from our wrists as we were holding hands across the table.

There's a trade-off with phones that we've sacrificed a little of our private time in exchange for the convenience they bring. It's sometimes annoying that we've become more contactable, but we've all had times where the same factor has been a lifesaver, so it's acceptable. I think a smartwatch crosses a line into communication technology owning you, and depending on what kind of job you have, your boss owning you too. There's that little bit of plausible deniability with a phone where you can give yourself another hour to call someone back or respond to an urgent email, and I'd like to preserve that.

[peterb]

I also dont have to charge it at the end of every day (if your iwatch gets that far)

Mockery, the last weapon in a lost argument!

Ironically, there are probably more Android and Windows users here, so I ask again, which is the bigger flock?

[TheAnimus]

Mockery, the last weapon in a lost argument!

Ironically, there are probably more Android and Windows users here, so I ask again, which is the bigger flock?

Not at all. You just need to look at the advertisement, Apple's is far better, it's premium, it's shot on iPhone and such. Despite having one of the lower end cameras (unless you listen to the verge lol) it's their ad campaign.

The thing is, look at the watch, it's very poor as a watch, it won't keep better time than a £5 casio, it will fall over after hours, unlike my glorious automatic, it's ugly too, and poorly made. Sure the circular slide rule on the navitimer currently adorning me is primitive and hard to use, but I know it will work if ever I need it.

The iWatch is just a failure of a concept. The best thing is the pictographic messaging, but that price is high, a bit too high. The apps and the like are immature, battery life is poor, it's a difficult sell. The only, and I mean only people who will buy it right now are fan boys of the highest order, those who have iPhones because nothing else something, something for them.

For someone like me Fitbit, Garmin and Microsoft are making better offerings. Much cheaper, but longer lasting battery, more useful functionalities. That I think is the issue with the current apple watch, it's an empty platform at a premium price. It might be better in the future, but you know their early adopters are the worst treated in history in so, so many ways.

As a result, coming into an already mature market place, claiming nothing exists already, is rather irksome, but this is what their marketing does.

[peterb]

But what you say is true about most other smart watches too! As I said earlier, I wouldn't buy any smart watch.

I just find these comments such as isheep, crapple etc rather childish, as are comments such as Windoze and micro$oft when referring to those products.

[Unique]

Not at all. You just need to look at the advertisement, Apple's is far better, it's premium, it's shot on iPhone and such. Despite having one of the lower end cameras (unless you listen to the verge lol) it's their ad campaign.

The thing is, look at the watch, it's very poor as a watch, it won't keep better time than a £5 casio, it will fall over after hours, unlike my glorious automatic, it's ugly too, and poorly made. Sure the circular slide rule on the navitimer currently adorning me is primitive and hard to use, but I know it will work if ever I need it.

The iWatch is just a failure of a concept. The best thing is the pictographic messaging, but that price is high, a bit too high. The apps and the like are immature, battery life is poor, it's a difficult sell. The only, and I mean only people who will buy it right now are fan boys of the highest order, those who have iPhones because nothing else something, something for them.

For someone like me Fitbit, Garmin and Microsoft are making better offerings. Much cheaper, but longer lasting battery, more useful functionalities. That I think is the issue with the current apple watch, it's an empty platform at a premium price. It might be better in the future, but you know their early adopters are the worst treated in history in so, so many ways.

As a result, coming into an already mature market place, claiming nothing exists already, is rather irksome, but this is what their marketing does.

i don't think many will buy the apple watch just to tell the time, but for the functionality it can offer. other watches may be more suitable for you, so i'd suggest you consider buying one that's suitable for you, as others will buy what they think is suitable for them. you may think it's ugly, but others don't. have a look at some clothes stores and you will see things you like and things you don't, and people will wear different things. some may think what you wear is ugly. it's far from a failure of concept. i'm sure it will make apple lots of money, and that's the primary objective of a commercial business. apple have so much money if the first one isn't that great, they can learn from it and improve future models and make even more money

[crossy]

But what you say is true about most other smart watches too! As I said earlier, I wouldn't buy any smart watch.

Fair enough - I bought an early one and haven't seen anything new that screams "must have". Certainly not at the £200+ that the decent ones seem to be going for. Big minus is daily charging - when we get to weekly charges then I'll revisit this category.

I just find these comments such as isheep, crapple etc rather childish, as are comments such as Windoze and micro$oft when referring to those products.

To leap (arthritically?) to defence, in this case we'd long been promised an "iWatch" that was going to be a game-changer and make all others tremble in fear. What was actually delivered was something that's probably passable for a "mark 1" device, but the market via Pebble etc has moved on. That said, they wouldn't be the first large con-glom to make that kind of mistake - I remember the (justified) slagging that Samsung got for their first (lacklustre) device. Actually there's the problem imho - you can't just deliver a shrunken phone screen and expect people to be impressed.

My problem is that there's a segment (thankfully not represented on Hexus to date) who are claiming that the A Watch IS the second coming. "iSheep" seems childish, yes - but arguably appropriate. Then again, I'd be similarly dismissive of similar behaviour from Samsingers, LG, HTC, etc.

What - at this point - I'd be interested in is hearing from an A Watch buyer why they're doing this. After all, with so many good models from others (as TheAnimus points out) why choose the Apple model - what is the USP, or is it purely because of that Apple logo? Only justification I've heard so far is that an Apple Watch will (obviously?) get access to iPhone/iPad internals that others won't - but isn't that a "jam tomorrow" promise?

[Stringent]

Not buying this generations watch. Depending on what they do for Apple Watch 2 or 3, maybe. But skipping it for now.

[shaithis]

Not a chance I will be buying ANY smartwatch. At least until one make me go "Yes, that's what I need!"

As for the iSheep comments.......they are understandable. When so many millions go out and buy something that costs more but does less (and costs less to make!) then the competitors, then you have to question the "sheep like" mentality behind it.

It's like people are happy queueing up to be fleeced.

[Smudger]

Short answer: No.

Long answer: Noooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooo.

I'm not having any smart watch. The watch my wife bought me for Christmas is staying where it is, on pain of death. And even if it wasn't, I prefer a normal, analogue 'dumb' watch. I'm not Michael Knight.

[tonyd223]

No. Got bought an Omega Seamaster a few years ago... if I don't wear that she'll kill me.

[Rad77]

While I can see there could be some benefit in having the ring/vibrate part of the phone on your wrist (which can be achieved with a cheap generic bluetooth thing) the rest of the "smart" features of the watch seem completely superfluous.
So that's "no" to buying a smartwatch and an even bigger "no" to buying Apple's stupidly expensive one.

[whatif]

I don't own an iPhone for so makes it completely pointless buying it.... would I buy it otherwise... still no.

It looks ugly, from a usability perspective it looks dreadful to me and I don't see a reason to pay as much as they're asking for a smartwatch.

Besides I've got a nice watch that doesn't need charging (it's citizen ecodrive) watch that shows me the time and date without needing to 'turn it on' or charge it up...

No, for one no iphone (besides, how smart is it in this version without the iphone?).
Two, it is a outdated piece of tech because apple will already have it's successors organised for future releases. Just like the ipad came out with no camera but had the hardware ready for a camera for the upcoming ipad 2 release.
three, it is another unneeded piece of tech, as it does not replace anything.
four, the cost factor for what you get, no value for money
finally, I to have a Eco-drive for everyday use. If I go formal, I have a nice 1880's (133 years old) pocket watch (with a second hand - so it to can be used to accurately take a pulse) which tells the time just fine (even it does not need winding every day) and it has not gone out of date Let's see how long before this apple watch goes out of date.
Not to mention resale value, my 133 years old watch is not depreciating in value like this smart watch will.

[yeeeeman]

Simple answer is no

[peterb]

i don't think many will buy the apple watch just to tell the time, but for the functionality it can offer. other watches may be more suitable for you, so i'd suggest you consider buying one that's suitable for you, as others will buy what they think is suitable for them. you may think it's ugly, but others don't. have a look at some clothes stores and you will see things you like and things you don't, and people will wear different things. some may think what you wear is ugly. it's far from a failure of concept. i'm sure it will make apple lots of money, and that's the primary objective of a commercial business. apple have so much money if the first one isn't that great, they can learn from it and improve future models and make even more money

Stop being rational - you'll be labelled an ifansheeplambboy if you aren't careful!

Fair enough - I bought an early one and haven't seen anything new that screams "must have". Certainly not at the £200+ that the decent ones seem to be going for. Big minus is daily charging - when we get to weekly charges then I'll revisit this category.

To leap (arthritically?) to defence, in this case we'd long been promised an "iWatch" that was going to be a game-changer and make all others tremble in fear. What was actually delivered was something that's probably passable for a "mark 1" device, but the market via Pebble etc has moved on. That said, they wouldn't be the first large con-glom to make that kind of mistake - I remember the (justified) slagging that Samsung got for their first (lacklustre) device. Actually there's the problem imho - you can't just deliver a shrunken phone screen and expect people to be impressed.

My problem is that there's a segment (thankfully not represented on Hexus to date) who are claiming that the A Watch IS the second coming. "iSheep" seems childish, yes - but arguably appropriate. Then again, I'd be similarly dismissive of similar behaviour from Samsingers, LG, HTC, etc.

What - at this point - I'd be interested in is hearing from an A Watch buyer why they're doing this. After all, with so many good models from others (as TheAnimus points out) why choose the Apple model - what is the USP, or is it purely because of that Apple logo? Only justification I've heard so far is that an Apple Watch will (obviously?) get access to iPhone/iPad internals that others won't - but isn't that a "jam tomorrow" promise?

Yes, Id be interested to see who uses any smart watch - however you define it. I buy technology that fits my requirements - I have a 'smart' watch that tells me the rtime and measures my heart rate from a sensor when I'm exercising. Thats all I need it to do, and it does it very well.

[crossy]

Yes, Id be interested to see who uses any smart watch - however you define it. I buy technology that fits my requirements - I have a 'smart' watch that tells me the rtime and measures my heart rate from a sensor when I'm exercising. Thats all I need it to do, and it does it very well.

Hmm, that sounds eminently sensible if you don't mind me saying. I've got a Jawbone UP24 fitness band at the moment (2nd one, because the first one failed) and was quietly impressed with the Garmin vivoactive - £229 for the watch and the (separate!) heart rate monitor - which is still less than the Apple device but will do everything I'd want.
Trouble is that £229 is still a bit rich for me, so I think I'll be slumming it with the vivofit2 as an upgrade from the UP24 when the latter fails again. £129 for the band and HRM again, okay not GPS but a year between battery changes is something I can appreciate.

And yes, I know that these are fitness-oriented, but that's what I want - fitness data is essential (trying to lose the middle-age spread!) and notifications would be nice. I don't want to run apps or compose texts/emails on something the size of a watch. That's why I have a large screen phone!

So that's why I'm wanting someone to explain to me why the Apple device is "worth" a minimum of £300, never mind the "Edition" ones at up to £13,500!

[TheAnimus]

But what you say is true about most other smart watches too! As I said earlier, I wouldn't buy any smart watch.

Not so, many of the others are already established, that is to say you've been able to buy them for ages, you want something like that, have a benefit that can be brought, you could have used it for ages by now. You want battery life, it's available, some of the pebble ones have something measured in days rather than hours to boot!

I just find these comments such as isheep, crapple etc rather childish, as are comments such as Windoze and micro$oft when referring to those products.

Indeed, but it has to be acknowledged that Apple do have, shall we say an aggressive, stance on advertising.