Resolved Looking for honest opinion/review

[HansumKingtut]

So I am looking for an honest opinion/review of the Watch. I know the capabilities, I have read the reviews (by all the major tech websites), and watched all the reviews on YouTube. But none of these really answer the questions (and maybe problems) I have about the Watch. Let me start off with a short story that sort explains why I am even asking.

So, my best friend was hanging out with one of his friends who bought an Watch. Well my friend loved it, and bought one. Well now, my best friend is trying to get me to buy one. I told him, If he could 'Sell it to me' I would buy one. For the most part, everyone I have talked to loves it. However, the only reason my best friend gave me was, 'Because I like it, and its cool'....sigh.... So the problems/questions I have with the Watch.

First, and the hardest selling point to me has to do with comfort. I personally I am not really a fan of watches, for multiple reasons, but the biggest is that I really don't like wearing things on my hands or wrists (I am little weird in this regard). Even if I am wearing a sweatshirt or long sleeve shirt I always roll up the sleeves. So 1) is the Watch comfortable?

The next question on my mind is fitness, in particular playing drums (only drummers with an Watch need answer). I am not the most fitness conscious person, however I do walk my dog 5 miles everyday, and play drums almost daily (when I have time). So, 2) is it okay/comfortable to play drums with an Watch on? (EI. Will it damage it, is it to heavy, will it track fitness)

The final question, it is kind of open ended. So my second issue with watches, is that I am kind of a minimalist, so I see watches as doing nothing my phone can't. I challenge you with my final question to change my mind on that. So, 3) what value does the Watch add to the iPhone? (EI. what do it do the iPhone can't, what does it add to the iPhone experience)

I have already thought (If I decide) of which one I would get, and even found where I would buy it from. I would get a Watch Sport Space Grey. I would also buy an orange (my favorite color) Watch sport band, and do a sort of mismatch, where I keep one side black and the other orange. And would probably use the X-Large face (I am a minimalist) in orange to match the band.



So do your best, and try to convince me (you can also try to dissuade me but I am already kind of there). If anything please answer the three questions I have. Also I know the Watch2 is around the corner, so don't try to convince me to wait.

 

[StarkCity]

So I am looking for an honest opinion/review of the Watch. I know the capabilities, I have read the reviews (by all the major tech websites), and watched all the reviews on YouTube. But none of these really answer the questions (and maybe problems) I have about the Watch. Let me start off with a short story that sort explains why I am even asking.

So, my best friend was hanging out with one of his friends who bought an Watch. Well my friend loved it, and bought one. Well now, my best friend is trying to get me to buy one. I told him, If he could 'Sell it to me' I would buy one. For the most part, everyone I have talked to loves it. However, the only reason my best friend gave me was, 'Because I like it, and its cool'....sigh.... So the problems/questions I have with the Watch.

First, and the hardest selling point to me has to do with comfort. I personally I am not really a fan of watches, for multiple reasons, but the biggest is that I really don't like wearing things on my hands or wrists (I am little weird in this regard). Even if I am wearing a sweatshirt or long sleeve shirt I always roll up the sleeves. So 1) is the Watch comfortable?

The next question on my mind is fitness, in particular playing drums (only drummers with an Watch need answer). I am not the most fitness conscious person, however I do walk my dog 5 miles everyday, and play drums almost daily (when I have time). So, 2) is it okay/comfortable to play drums with an Watch on? (EI. Will it damage it, is it to heavy, will it track fitness)

The final question, it is kind of open ended. So my second issue with watches, is that I am kind of a minimalist, so I see watches as doing nothing my phone can't. I challenge you with my final question to change my mind on that. So, 3) what value does the Watch add to the iPhone? (EI. what do it do the iPhone can't, what does it add to the iPhone experience)

I have already thought (If I decide) of which one I would get, and even found where I would buy it from. I would get a Watch Sport Space Grey. I would also buy an orange (my favorite color) Watch sport band, and do a sort of mismatch, where I keep one side black and the other orange. And would probably use the X-Large face (I am a minimalist) in orange to match the band.

View attachment 625680

So do your best, and try to convince me (you can also try to dissuade me but I am already kind of there). If anything please answer the three questions I have. Also I know the Watch2 is around the corner, so don't try to convince me to wait.

In my opinion my Watch is more comfortable than any of my real metal watches. Second, I'm not a drummer, but I teach and study martial arts. I was skeptical about leaving it on when I hit a training apparatus like my wooden dummy, similar to drumming the constant abrupt movement concerned me, will the band suffer, will it monitor movement correctly etc, I don't feel like it records that type of movement correctly, and I doubt it will when drumming, but it hasn't incurred any negative damage while wearing it. Third, and this will vary by user, it has added to my experience as far as convenience. I no longer need to pull out my phone to check a message. Which means my phone stays in my pocket 80% more, which is leading to better battery life. Just pulling it out to check a text or a 'like' on some social media app lead to browsing..... Which I no longer do ( as much ) I say get one..... I also don't feel like pushing you into waiting to get an Watch2..... I'm not getting one because this one is great. I also own the model you are thinking about getting. That's my 2 cents... And again, just my own opinion based on my own experience.

 

[douglasf13]

Essentially, the Watch is as comfortable as any watch I've owned, and it's lightweight. I'm a guitar player, but I play a little drums, and I'm sure it would be fine.

As far as the function of the Watch, it's essentially a product that reduces the amount of times you take your phone out of your pants/bag per day. For some people that matters little, for others it matters a lot. If you expect a lot more out of it, you may be disappointed.

 

[xraydoc]

I can at least answer the drums part. I too play and, aside from getting sweaty, the watch hasn't had any issues when I've warn it while playing.

 

[gigaguy]

No way possible for me to tell you what you might like, but it sounds like you kinda like styling the watch already. I've had mine for less than 2 weeks, (ebay, mint with lots of warranty for half price). I like the bluetooth music from the watch directly to my headphones, no phone needed, for exercise. I like the instant email/text notifications, don't have to keep phone out at work. Heartbeat monitor and exercise tracking helps motivate me and gives good feedback. Do a lot of ebay tracking of my buys and sells too. I put a lot of my fav art and pix in the photo album clock. That's all I've used so far but for the price I paid I'm happy..
oh and one day I was out for exercise in the neighborhood with just the watch and thought I had locked my keys in the house. I was able to call a friend with just the watch from outside my locked house with the phone locked inside.

 

[Hankkk]

First, and the hardest selling point to me has to do with comfort. I personally I am not really a fan of watches, for multiple reasons, but the biggest is that I really don't like wearing things on my hands or wrists (I am little weird in this regard). Even if I am wearing a sweatshirt or long sleeve shirt I always roll up the sleeves. So 1) is the Watch comfortable?

The Apple Watch is as comfortable as it gets when it comes to watches. Especially the Sport is really lightweight and you won't notice it after a few days of wearing it. The sport bands are also really soft and not as sticky as other rubber bands and you could also consider the woven nylon bands which will further reduce the weight of the watch. Another pro is that there are several bands (such as the leather loop) that can be seamlessly adjusted in their size so it will fit your wrist perfectly.

That said, you're still wearing a watch. So if you're super sensitive about things on your wrist, you will still notice it - especially during the first days if you're not used to wearing a watch. I think this also depends on yourself. If you keep on thinking about the thing on your wrist and how uncomfortable it is, you will most likely not be able to oversee it and always be somehow aware of it. But if you give it a chance, it shouldn't bother you too much. I believe this is just a thing you have to try for a few days or weeks to figure out.

The next question on my mind is fitness, in particular playing drums (only drummers with an Watch need answer). I am not the most fitness conscious person, however I do walk my dog 5 miles everyday, and play drums almost daily (when I have time). So, 2) is it okay/comfortable to play drums with an Watch on? (EI. Will it damage it, is it to heavy, will it track fitness)

I am a drummer myself and when I had an Apple Watch, I would always wear it when playing the drums. I did not have any problems with comfort of the watch but you should be aware that the watch will count your hits as steps, so your step count will most likely be off for the day. Keeping that in mind, you should not have any problems.

Another thing about this topic that does not really have to do with your question but might be helpful: I am also a moderately active person and, nevertheless, the fitness function was one of my favorite features. It is such an easy and convenient way to keep track of your activity. I don't need any super complex fitness data as I don't have any athletic ambitions, but it's still nice to see how active I am and to be motivated to reach my daily goals. It clearly didn't turn me into an athlet, but it really helped me to stay active and that was quite rewarding.

The final question, it is kind of open ended. So my second issue with watches, is that I am kind of a minimalist, so I see watches as doing nothing my phone can't. I challenge you with my final question to change my mind on that. So, 3) what value does the Watch add to the iPhone? (EI. what do it do the iPhone can't, what does it add to the iPhone experience)

I think it's wrong to look at the Apple Watch that way. If you're looking for the one killer feature that your iPhone doesn't have and that makes the device worth buying, you probably shouldn't invest the money. Simply because it doesn't have such a feature. It doesn't do anything that you could not somehow do with your phone as well.

That doesn't mean that it has nothing to offer though because it really does. And that is convenience. Getting notifications to your wrist to quickly check on them while on the run, accessing Siri in a more easy way when you've got no spare hand to handle your phone, keeping track of your activity, get an overview of the most important information at a glance. All these functions are really great and make the watch a valuable product. But you really have to value it.

If you're looking for new features instead, spend your money on something else. If you're looking for a nice, fashionable watch that can show you a little more than just the time and make some of your daily tasks more convenient, then go for it.

 

[AFEPPL]

I had one and returned it.

There were a few reasons i did this, but for me the watch simply didn't do enough. The apps were really slow and limited so i found my self reaching for other devices all the time which kinda defeats the point. The battery wasn't great if i tried using it (i get a lot of emails). Voice replies to txt were hit and miss, the pre-canned responses didn't fit my needs and i found i was having to create lots of them. The back caused irritation and the sports/fitness part of it wasn't good either.

It just didn't feel ready for market and not the usual apple finished product.

 

[Newtons Apple]

Only way to really know is buy one and try it. You got two weeks to decide. Words can not tell, only wearing can.

The AW is not for everyone but is a nice piece of hardware.

 

[HansumKingtut]

Thank you all for replying and sharing your opinions.

In my opinion my Watch is more comfortable than any of my real metal watches. Second, I'm not a drummer, but I teach and study martial arts. I was skeptical about leaving it on when I hit a training apparatus like my wooden dummy, similar to drumming the constant abrupt movement concerned me, will the band suffer, will it monitor movement correctly etc, I don't feel like it records that type of movement correctly, and I doubt it will when drumming, but it hasn't incurred any negative damage while wearing it. Third, and this will vary by user, it has added to my experience as far as convenience. I no longer need to pull out my phone to check a message. Which means my phone stays in my pocket 80% more, which is leading to better battery life. Just pulling it out to check a text or a 'like' on some social media app lead to browsing..... Which I no longer do ( as much ) I say get one..... I also don't feel like pushing you into waiting to get an Watch2..... I'm not getting one because this one is great. I also own the model you are thinking about getting. That's my 2 cents... And again, just my own opinion based on my own experience.

Battery life isn't the biggest concern for me. I have an iPhone 6S Plus and I am happy as long as it gets through a day. Would you say the Watch gets through a day? Thank you for your 2 cents.

Essentially, the Watch is as comfortable as any watch I've owned, and it's lightweight. I'm a guitar player, but I play a little drums, and I'm sure it would be fine.

As far as the function of the Watch, it's essentially a product that reduces the amount of times you take your phone out of your pants/bag per day. For some people that matters little, for others it matters a lot. If you expect a lot more out of it, you may be disappointed.

Would you say that 'convenience' is its biggest selling point? Thanks for the reply.

I can at least answer the drums part. I too play and, aside from getting sweaty, the watch hasn't had any issues when I've warn it while playing.

This is nice to hear. How do you find 'fitness/activity' tracking while playing? I am sure and as others have said, it tracks it hits as steps, but can it still track your heart rate? Thank you for the reply.

No way possible for me to tell you what you might like, but it sounds like you kinda like styling the watch already. I've had mine for less than 2 weeks, (ebay, mint with lots of warranty for half price). I like the bluetooth music from the watch directly to my headphones, no phone needed, for exercise. I like the instant email/text notifications, don't have to keep phone out at work. Heartbeat monitor and exercise tracking helps motivate me and gives good feedback. Do a lot of ebay tracking of my buys and sells too. I put a lot of my fav art and pix in the photo album clock. That's all I've used so far but for the price I paid I'm happy..
oh and one day I was out for exercise in the neighborhood with just the watch and thought I had locked my keys in the house. I was able to call a friend with just the watch from outside my locked house with the phone locked inside.

I understand everyone is different, but your opinion is what I am looking for. There is no situation, for me at least, that I won't have my iPhone with me. Also I don't own, and don't plan to own wireless headphones, If I am on a walk, I use my iPhone to play my music, and if I am playing drums I use my iPhone to listen to music I am playing.

The Apple Watch is as comfortable as it gets when it comes to watches. Especially the Sport is really lightweight and you won't notice it after a few days of wearing it. The sport bands are also really soft and not as sticky as other rubber bands and you could also consider the woven nylon bands which will further reduce the weight of the watch. Another pro is that there are several bands (such as the leather loop) that can be seamlessly adjusted in their size so it will fit your wrist perfectly.

That said, you're still wearing a watch. So if you're super sensitive about things on your wrist, you will still notice it - especially during the first days if you're not used to wearing a watch. I think this also depends on yourself. If you keep on thinking about the thing on your wrist and how uncomfortable it is, you will most likely not be able to oversee it and always be somehow aware of it. But if you give it a chance, it shouldn't bother you too much. I believe this is just a thing you have to try for a few days or weeks to figure out.

I am a drummer myself and when I had an Apple Watch, I would always wear it when playing the drums. I did not have any problems with comfort of the watch but you should be aware that the watch will count your hits as steps, so your step count will most likely be off for the day. Keeping that in mind, you should not have any problems.

Another thing about this topic that does not really have to do with your question but might be helpful: I am also a moderately active person and, nevertheless, the fitness function was one of my favorite features. It is such an easy and convenient way to keep track of your activity. I don't need any super complex fitness data as I don't have any athletic ambitions, but it's still nice to see how active I am and to be motivated to reach my daily goals. It clearly didn't turn me into an athlet, but it really helped me to stay active and that was quite rewarding.

I think it's wrong to look at the Apple Watch that way. If you're looking for the one killer feature that your iPhone doesn't have and that makes the device worth buying, you probably shouldn't invest the money. Simply because it doesn't have such a feature. It doesn't do anything that you could not somehow do with your phone as well.

That doesn't mean that it has nothing to offer though because it really does. And that is convenience. Getting notifications to your wrist to quickly check on them while on the run, accessing Siri in a more easy way when you've got no spare hand to handle your phone, keeping track of your activity, get an overview of the most important information at a glance. All these functions are really great and make the watch a valuable product. But you really have to value it.

If you're looking for new features instead, spend your money on something else. If you're looking for a nice, fashionable watch that can show you a little more than just the time and make some of your daily tasks more convenient, then go for it.

So like above, would you say that 'convenience' is the biggest selling point? Also, you said you 'had an Watch' can you elaborate on why you got rid of it? Thank you for your reply.

I had one and returned it.

There were a few reasons i did this, but for me the watch simply didn't do enough. The apps were really slow and limited so i found my self reaching for other devices all the time which kinda defeats the point. The battery wasn't great if i tried using it (i get a lot of emails). Voice replies to txt were hit and miss, the pre-canned responses didn't fit my needs and i found i was having to create lots of them. The back caused irritation and the sports/fitness part of it wasn't good either.

It just didn't feel ready for market and not the usual apple finished product.

What was your biggest reason for returning it? Also what was your biggest reason for buying it in the first place? Thank you for the reply.

Only way to really know is buy one and try it. You got two weeks to decide. Words can not tell, only wearing can.

The AW is not for everyone but is a nice piece of hardware.

I have thought about that, but looking for opinions/experiences people have had, that possibly I can relate to. Thank you for your opinion

 

[PaladinGuy]

I agree with AFEPPL. It's nice to have, when it works. I've personally started to wear it less and less because of how inconsistent it is at basic things. To me, the big selling point is being able to act on notifications and messages, not just see them. That's what separates it from other, cheaper products that are compatible with the iPhone. Personally, I find that I never really know when Siri is going to work or not, and I get really annoyed with attempting to use it over and over again, in order to get t to understand or just work.

Secondly, I think Apple failed to understand the current market, as it relates to fitness hardware/software. Most serious and sophisticated companies desire to tap into the growing profit to be had in the area of fitness hardware. That said, they're not interested in allowing their software to work with other companies' hardware (i.e. The Apple Watch). What they should have done is focus on making their own killer fitness software to go with the watch and not attempt to push it as a platform for third party apps. In my opinion, that was a big mistake.

 

[douglasf13]

Yep, outside of fitness tracking, it's simply about convenience. The Watch is essentially an external monitor for your phone.

It's not unlike the first wristwatches, which caught on because people wanted to quickly glance at their wrists for time, rather than pulling out their pocketwatch.

 

[sean000]

You can read past reviews and threads all day long, but the takeaway will be that there are those who will say it is slow and/or useless and those who say it is fantastic and has changed the way they interact with technology for the better. Most opinions will land on a spectrum somewhere in between, so the best thing to do is to try it yourself and return it to Apple within 14 days if you don't care for it.

I have had mine since July, and it was kind of slow and apps would often fail to load or refresh. Every update has improved performance for me, and I now have no complaints about speed. You do have to select apps carefully though, as some perform much better than others.

Comfort probably comes down to the band more than anything else. The Sport band is very soft and comfortable, but tricky to put on at first. I have a couple of third party leather bands I like, and I hear the new nylon band is very comfortable and light. I wouldn't worry about drumming. Mine has endured some intense vibration from bicycling over rough roads and gravel paths. That doesn't even interfere with the heart monitor for me, but anatomy plays a role and wrist-based monitors work for some better than others.

As far as whether or not there is much point in wearing a watch that is an extension of your iPhone: I tell people that they will probably enjoy the watch if they are annoyed by a frequent need to pull out their iPhone just to glance at the time, calendar, notifications, weather, etc. Or if they are annoyed by iPhone notifications and alarms that they wish could be silent (yes you can silence an iPhone's notifications but good luck feeling it vibrate unless it's in a pocket where it probably won't be comfortable). For me the value of the watch has to do mostly with silent notifications and lots of little conveniences that add up throughout the day. My iPhone spends a lot more time zipped up inside my bag where it is less distracting, but it's still there when I need it. Don't get me wrong... I think my iPhone 6 is great, but the watch has improved the way I interact with it. There are dozens of times per day when the watch provides the information I need at a glance. I also value the fitness tracking features, but if all someone wants is a fitness tracker then there are other options worth comparison shopping.

Give it a try for the 14 day trial period if you think you will like it, but if your still more on the skeptical side ask your friends to let you play with theirs for 15 minutes or so. Ask them what they get out of it.

Sean

 

[BlueMoon63]

You can read past reviews and threads all day long, but the takeaway will be that there are those who will say it is slow and/or useless and those who say it is fantastic and has changed the way they interact with technology for the better. Most opinions will land on a spectrum somewhere in between, so the best thing to do is to try it yourself and return it to Apple within 14 days if you don't care for it.

I have had mine since July, and it was kind of slow and apps would often fail to load or refresh. Every update has improved performance for me, and I now have no complaints about speed. You do have to select apps carefully though, as some perform much better than others.

Comfort probably comes down to the band more than anything else. The Sport band is very soft and comfortable, but tricky to put on at first. I have a couple of third party leather bands I like, and I hear the new nylon band is very comfortable and light. I wouldn't worry about drumming. Mine has endured some intense vibration from bicycling over rough roads and gravel paths. That doesn't even interfere with the heart monitor for me, but anatomy plays a role and wrist-based monitors work for some better than others.

As far as whether or not there is much point in wearing a watch that is an extension of your iPhone: I tell people that they will probably enjoy the watch if they are annoyed by a frequent need to pull out their iPhone just to glance at the time, calendar, notifications, weather, etc. Or if they are annoyed by iPhone notifications and alarms that they wish could be silent (yes you can silence an iPhone's notifications but good luck feeling it vibrate unless it's in a pocket where it probably won't be comfortable). For me the value of the watch has to do mostly with silent notifications and lots of little conveniences that add up throughout the day. My iPhone spends a lot more time zipped up inside my bag where it is less distracting, but it's still there when I need it. Don't get me wrong... I think my iPhone 6 is great, but the watch has improved the way I interact with it. There are dozens of times per day when the watch provides the information I need at a glance. I also value the fitness tracking features, but if all someone wants is a fitness tracker then there are other options worth comparison shopping.

Give it a try for the 14 day trial period if you think you will like it, but if your still more on the skeptical side ask your friends to let you play with theirs for 15 minutes or so. Ask them what they get out of it.

Sean

You write long responses but I agree with everything you say. I love working with new technology and first gen products. To me, this is a great first gen product and definitely worth the price.

 

[sean000]

You write long responses but I agree with everything you say. I love working with new technology and first gen products. To me, this is a great first gen product and definitely worth the price.

Thanks... I'll admit that I need to work on editing things down a bit... Or at least provide a TLDR version

I think you're right about it being a great first gen product. Some of us are more patient with new tech and roll with the occasional frustration more easily than others. Even eight months ago I thought it worked quite well for a first gen product, but it works much better now. I'm sure it will improve even more within the next year.

 

[HansumKingtut]

Thanks... I'll admit that I need to work on editing things down a bit... Or at least provide a TLDR version

I think you're right about it being a great first gen product. Some of us are more patient with new tech and roll with the occasional frustration more easily than others. Even eight months ago I thought it worked quite well for a first gen product, but it works much better now. I'm sure it will improve even more within the next year.

I have no issues with first gen devices either. I am beta tester for IOS and Mac OS X. I also have no issues with the price of the device. Thank you for your response.

 

[BarracksSi]

The final question, it is kind of open ended. So my second issue with watches, is that I am kind of a minimalist, so I see watches as doing nothing my phone can't. I challenge you with my final question to change my mind on that. So, 3) what value does the Watch add to the iPhone? (EI. what do it do the iPhone can't, what does it add to the iPhone experience).

The Watch is like a minimalist phone.

I could say it enhances the phone by leaving the phone alone to do more complicated things (like posting on web forums) while giving you most of the basic functions we used to do on a phone.

How's that for a short answer?

 

[Newtons Apple]

I have no issues with first gen devices either. I am beta tester for IOS and Mac OS X. I also have no issues with the price of the device. Thank you for your response.

So after reading all of these replies, some quite long, has it helped make your choice?

I would never let the above make my choice, only trying it out would be useful for me.

 

[craigd]

I have a 42mm Apple Watch stainless steel with the sapphire glass.

I have 3 apple bands and a stainless steel link bracelet. I think it's awesome. Battery gets me through the day, I track a 10km run daily with it and have notifications for emails, calls and txt's which I get loads of during business hours.

I like the fitness capabilities and the only issue with it is that I have to disable wrist detection as I don't like wearing the watch too tight.

This means apple pay and standing tracking doesn't work.

 

[HansumKingtut]

So after reading all of these replies, some quite long, has it helped make your choice?

I would never let the above make my choice, only trying it out would be useful for me.

Thanks for asking, the answer is kind of conflicted. On one hand I made me want to buy and at least try, but on the other hand it sort of confirms my issues, and makes me not want to buy.

 

[npolly0212]

I had one and returned it.

There were a few reasons i did this, but for me the watch simply didn't do enough. The apps were really slow and limited so i found my self reaching for other devices all the time which kinda defeats the point. The battery wasn't great if i tried using it (i get a lot of emails). Voice replies to txt were hit and miss, the pre-canned responses didn't fit my needs and i found i was having to create lots of them. The back caused irritation and the sports/fitness part of it wasn't good either.

It just didn't feel ready for market and not the usual apple finished product.

I did the same exact thing. I don't feel like it is worth it until they speed up apps and make them so they won't crash the watch.

 

[BarracksSi]

craigd, which bracelet is in your pic?

 

[tom504]

I've only had the watch a day so this is coming from a limited capacity but from someone who also owned 4 android wear watches.

The reason for the switch from my huawei watch was my frustrations with my android phone that regardless of what I was using was pretty consistent. So I took it back to AT&T paid off the plan and bought a 6s+, which I love.

I won't go into great detail about android wear but the one thing it did a great job of was notifications. This was my main reason for using this watch was to glance down and see if I need to respond in some capacity. Internet alerts, app alerts, email, text, phone calls, etc.

I actually used this watch for awhile with the Iphone but without capabilities to respond from the watch I knew I needed to make a change.

On the the apple watch. I think the integration if it works will be very beneficial. I am still trying to figure things out and work what is most important to add the shortcuts for easy access.

It look me a little while last night to figure out the workflow for notifications for email and text and I don't like it, at least its not optimal. I would want the option for notification to go to both by phone and watch and control the interaction but in order to get notification on the watch it has to be on your wrist and the iphone turned off. For numerous reasons I don't like that. I know you can disable functionality to facilitate that but I am not a fan.

Also for other notifications, and maybe I am just not there yet, it does not seem to be consistent and I am not sure there is a layer of control that allows you to tweak outside of yes or no to get notifications and whether it mirrors the phone.

I was pleasantly surprised on the looks which was important to me. I got the SS and 4 bands and love the options depending on whether I am in a suite or shorts. I don't have huge wrists but its not as big which was a relief. Looking at pictures it skews the perception. very happy!

I am going to keep it. I think it may take some time but looking at the big picture and capabilities the how apple upgrades the IOS to bring more functionality I think I am set for now.

 

[xraydoc]

I find the watch very useful for checking notifications. I get a lot of texts and emails, and a quick glance is all I need. UPS, FedEx, Amazon notifications, etc. I like the turn-by-turn directions displayed on the watch (plus haptic & audio turn notifications) when using the iPhone for GPS. I can even just raise the watch and ask Siri to navigate me to my destination. My wife has one too, so I like to send taps very now and then. Makes a decent speakerphone. And I have an app for my home automation system so I can do things like turn on/off lights, lock/unlock doors and open/close my garage.

Don't think of it as a platform for apps. Full apps on a 1.5" screen is pointless. Even Apple knows this. Think of it as a second screen for your phone.

 

[Ludatyk]

I did the same exact thing. I don't feel like it is worth it until they speed up apps and make them so they won't crash the watch.

It's a first gen product.

In this current state of technology we have been spoiled. Have you all forgotten how the 1st gen iPhone was... It wasn't peaches and cream. It's best to take the Apple Watch for what it is... It's a watch first and foremost. The iPhone was pretty much a phone first and foremost.

What were you guys expecting? For it to read your mind from the wrist. I understand it has its limitation, it's only so much it can do in its current form. The 1st gen iPhone didn't even have a AppStore, heck... Safari was ridiculously slow.

 

[npolly0212]

It's a first gen product.

In this current state of technology we have been spoiled. Have you all forgotten how the 1st gen iPhone was... It wasn't peaches and cream. It's best to take the Apple Watch for what it is... It's a watch first and foremost. The iPhone was pretty much a phone first and foremost.

What were you guys expecting? For it to read your mind from the wrist. I understand it has its limitation, it's only so much it can do in its current form. The 1st gen iPhone didn't even have a AppStore, heck... Safari was ridiculously slow.

Never owned an iPhone before the 4s so no idea how that was