Is the display permanently on? Or does it go to sleep

[Tycho24]

Again that wouldn't be as descrete as simply taking a peek at your watch face. It's no biggie as the jailbreak will fix all the issues it will have.

Sure, buddy.... a jailbreak will address the fundamental fact that if the screen stays on all the time, the battery drains more rapidly??
Lol, it's already been pointed out to you that the Watch can be activated by pressing a button. If that is too difficult for you, what is it that you think jailbreakers can come up with that would not involve the motion of lifting it to glance, nor need a button press... beyond having the screen be always on??
I feel like you're describing an impossible feature.

 

[BvizioN]

I think we should be honest and admit this is a technical limitation that we just automatically accept.

I don't think that's the case. I would not call it a technology limitation a watch screen being OFF while it is buried under my sleeves or while I am not looking at it. Just as I would not call it a technology limitation when my my phone, while in my pocket have got it's screen OFF. I mean, name one single reason why would you want it ON when not using it?

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The "New 3DS" models from Nintendo do this... They use it for better 3D on the screen. The original model required that you look at the screen from a certain angle (straight on) for the 3D to work. The New 3DS uses the inner camera to track your face so that as your eyes move, it adjusts the way the 3D effect is displayed so that you can see it from any angle. The New 3DS XL sells in the US for $200. So its definitely possible.

Never used them but curious to know what happen when 2 people look at it from 2 or more different angles!!

 

[luke lau]

Never used them but curious to know what happen when 2 people look at it from 2 or more different angles!!

You die

 

[BvizioN]

You die

Does that happen only when playing Zombie games or always?

 

[Piggie]

I don't think that's the case. I would not call it a technology limitation a watch screen being OFF while it is buried under my sleeves or while I am not looking at it. Just as I would not call it a technology limitation when my my phone, while in my pocket have got it's screen OFF. I mean, name one single reason why would you want it ON when not using it?

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Never used them but curious to know what happen when 2 people look at it from 2 or more different angles!!

Mainly because the watch does not know when you are looking at it.
The only way to do that is eye tracking

 

[iBreatheApple]

Thank you! These questions (I want the screen to be on when I'm using it, I want to shower/swim with it, I want it to transport me to Mars, etc.) are so tedious. Do you only want these things because you can't have them? It's a first gen smartwatch, are we even sure this is what smartwatches will be in a few years? I thought that Blackberry was the peak of smartphones, then iPhone came out, and smartphones are still evolving. What I'm trying to say is accept Watch for what it is, that goes for all smartwatches right now. Give it support and that will show tech companies that there is public interest, they'll invest more money into it, and one day, your personal request may come true.

When I'm assessing my patients (ie. respirations, apical pulse, et cetera) I don't want my watch going to sleep. Just because you can't rationalize the need for something doesn't mean others can't either. We all have different needs, wants, and expectations from our devices.

 

[TheAppleFairy]

You can always use the sun to find out what's the time

Tried that at night and it didn't work out too well.

 

[Mildredop]

it's a limitation, we all have to live with, no matter what make.

Or, is it a limitation that could be solved some other way?

Smartphone screens don't stay on all the time either for the same reason. But a notification light or Motorola's smart notifications gets around it. That way, glancing over at the phone doesn't mean you're always just met with a black screen - you can see there's a missed call or something.

In the case of the watch, maybe there's an alternative solution there. I'm no engineer, but some sort of e-ink hybrid display, or just good ol' analogue hands.

But I agree with a lot of other people. A watch is something that sits on your wrist because you glance at it numerous times a day. If you need to press a button or flick your wrist to wake the screen, I can see that'd get tedious.

 

[KauaiBruce]

As a pebble watch user I TOTALLY understand and like the feature that tells the display not to light if I get an email. Getting a little vibration is great for me to raise my arm and look.

I am sure one or two of you out there get an occasional spam message or two a day. Just imagine some of them appearing when you are not paying attention and that spam has content you don't really want the world to automatically see. This happens all the time with my pebble. It is not a huge problem with quick black and white text but I can only imagine some of the pictures popping up on my wrist when I least expect it or am with a client.

HAVING THE SCREEN BLACK UNTIL YOU LOOK IS A GREAT FEATURE. THANKS APPLE!

Oh, and I want to say I have loved my pebble. Having it for the past year has shown me I will really love the Apple Watch. It is great not pulling out your phone to check stuff. In my business it is not rude to check your watch but IS rude to pull out your phone.

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And I want add that if anyone is not sure whether they want notifications on their wrist, try a Pebble for $100. I get texts, emails, AND the time. It may be enough for some, make you know you will not use the Apple Watch, or make you crave more and the big color display. It would not be hard to sell or give to someone when you are done with it.

 

[dc52nv]

Sure, buddy.... a jailbreak will address the fundamental fact that if the screen stays on all the time, the battery drains more rapidly??
Lol, it's already been pointed out to you that the Watch can be activated by pressing a button. If that is too difficult for you, what is it that you think jailbreakers can come up with that would not involve the motion of lifting it to glance, nor need a button press... beyond having the screen be always on??
I feel like you're describing an impossible feature.

I don't think you read the part when I wrote that a jailbreak tweek can be easily made to have the screen on at all times with the screen blank and simple white or grey numbers to display the time.

 

[lirn8]

Tried that at night and it didn't work out too well.

Rest my case..

 

[kasodd]

Mainly because the watch does not know when you are looking at it.
The only way to do that is eye tracking

From apple.com it says "Use the built-in speaker and microphone for quick chats, or seamlessly transfer calls to your iPhone for longer conversations. To mute an incoming call, just cover Apple Watch with your hand."

So i think there will be some kind of sensor that can tell if you're looking at the watch, or else it makes no sense that you Can cover the screen with your hand to mute an incoming call.

 

[Piggie]

Or, is it a limitation that could be solved some other way?

No, there is no other way.

Think about it for a moment.
You are sitting near someone, could be just the two of you, or in a room full of people, and lets say YOU are the watch.

Or even with you now as a human.

What is the ONLY way you know someone is looking directly at you?
There is only one way you can tell this. You see that their eyes are pointed at you.

You can't tell by their head position, you can't tell by their body position, the only way anyone knows if "That person" is looking at them is by seeing their eyes are pointed right at you.

Basically you are eye tracking.
You can build devices that do this, but means they have to be looking out for and scanning your eyes constantly.

 

[BvizioN]

Mainly because the watch does not know when you are looking at it.
The only way to do that is eye tracking

But you would have to raise your arm to see it and it is possible to use sensors to sense that. I understand that there are difficulties but it could be done right. I had a gear fit wrist band and rise to wake did not work to badly. There were plenty unintentional display wakes but it would rarely fail to wake if I turned my wrist and rised up.

 

[Piggie]

But you would have to raise your arm to see it and it is possible to use sensors to sense that. I understand that there are difficulties but it could be done right. I had a gear fit wrist band and rise to wake did not work to badly. There were plenty unintentional display wakes but it would rarely fail to wake if I turned my wrist and rised up.

What if you are laying down on your bed?
What is you are laying back on the sofa?
Perhaps you are carrying something and twist your arm, which is down low to see the time.

Sure, you could set up a "created" position and rotation where it will come on, but it's only going to be in a certain scenario where that will happen.

This is not aimed at the Apple watch, this is anything.

 

[VFC]

You can always use the sun to find out what's the time

Tried that at night and it didn't work out too well.

There are street lights in my neighborhood...

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I can see this being a problem for those of us that are in meetings and want to descretely check our watch for the time. With the iWatch that would be a problem since that wouldn't be possible without having the watch right in front of my face. Hopefully a jailbreak will be available for it soon after release to fix that problem.

You could always use your other hand and reach in your pocket to pull out the iPhone to check the time.

 

[DirtySocks85]

There are street lights in my neighborhood...

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You could always use your other hand and reach in your pocket to pull out the iPhone to check the time.

You can tell the time just by looking at a street light? I don't think we have those kinds of street lights here.

 

[VFC]

You can tell the time just by looking at a street light? I don't think we have those kinds of street lights here.

I don't have to push the back-light button on my FitBit Surge when I'm near the street lights.

 

[diamond.g]

I bet Apple will include a low power display always on mode, if they haven't already, in AW OS2. If battery life is a huge issue, they could do what the Moto 360 does, which is turn the display off when the watch face isn't horizontal, low power when horizontal, full on when angled to look at it.

 

[matrix07]

I bet Apple will include a low power display always on mode, if they haven't already, in AW OS2.

I have a feeling that will never happen.

 

[valleian]

When I'm assessing my patients (ie. respirations, apical pulse, et cetera) I don't want my watch going to sleep. Just because you can't rationalize the need for something doesn't mean others can't either. We all have different needs, wants, and expectations from our devices.

That's what I said at the bottom of my comment. If you simply support the device, they'll improve it, maybe it'll meet your personal wants and expectations. Heckling the watch won't make it better.

 

[luke lau]

That's what I said at the bottom of my comment. If you simply support the device, they'll improve it, maybe it'll meet your personal wants and expectations. Heckling the watch won't make it better.

I don't think apple are going to get sad and discouraged because some dude on a forum on the Internet said the display sleep was a bit crap

 

[valleian]

Well, there's the rub. People were hoping that Apple would redefine the smartwatch. They didn't.

Except perhaps for quickie wristband changes

I think they did redefine the category, the customization is a very important feature, the software may be its killer app though. It looks like they took their time with it. I've used Android Wear, and it's not even close to what I've seen with Watch OS, that goes for Tizen as well. iPhone was a success because of its breakthrough way of input and it's revolutionary OS. This is similarly true for the Watch: the two types of input, especially force touch are very inovative, but the OS is so simple, it's mind blowing. It reminds me of the early days of iPhone OS vs Android. You obviously wanted to use iPhone OS for its capabilities and stability. Will Android Wear get better, sure, but it looks like Apple hit it out of the park once again.

 

[valleian]

I don't think apple are going to get sad and discouraged because some dude on a forum on the Internet said the display sleep was a bit crap

I didn't mean it like that. I meant that they seem to think that they are the majority of potential buyers, so I attempted to show them that complaint isn't the answer, it won't make their watch wishes come true.

 

[Night Spring]

From apple.com it says "Use the built-in speaker and microphone for quick chats, or seamlessly transfer calls to your iPhone for longer conversations. To mute an incoming call, just cover Apple Watch with your hand."

So i think there will be some kind of sensor that can tell if you're looking at the watch, or else it makes no sense that you Can cover the screen with your hand to mute an incoming call.

Ambient light sensor. Same thing the iPhone uses to turn off the display when you hold it against your face. It just measures how much light there is. So covering the watch with your hand blocks the light. The sensor can't tell if someone is looking at the watch or not.