The Apple Watch was released about this time last year. I personally received one as a gift for Christmas, and after using it for months, I don’t agree with a lot of the narrative about the product. While many are saying it is a flop and isn’t worth wearing, the fact is that it has sold double the amount of units as the original iPhone in the first year (I read somewhere that they sold as many watches in the first year as the first three years of the iPhone). I also consider it worth wearing on a daily basis and I will discuss some of the reasons I like wearing it.
Notifications
The watch is fantastic for notifications. I have an iPhone 6s Plus and because of the size, I don't always want to carry it around the house or get it in and out of a pocket every time I get a notification.
With the watch, I can simply turn my wrist and see any notifications as they are received. This is nice for when I get a text, or a motion sensor on one of my security cameras goes off (one security app even sends a photo to the watch), when a major news event happens, etc. If it isn’t important, I can just put my wrist back down and get back to work. If it is something important, then I can then get my phone or iPad out and respond. In other words, it is much more useful to get immediate information and decide how or if to respond to it.
If it only did notifications, I would still happily wear the watch.
With the watch, I can simply turn my wrist and see any notifications as they are received. This is nice for when I get a text, or a motion sensor on one of my security cameras goes off (one security app even sends a photo to the watch), when a major news event happens, etc. If it isn’t important, I can just put my wrist back down and get back to work. If it is something important, then I can then get my phone or iPad out and respond. In other words, it is much more useful to get immediate information and decide how or if to respond to it.
If it only did notifications, I would still happily wear the watch.
Bands
I want to discuss the straps and bands for the watch since they are major reason I like wearing the watch every day. From a strictly fashion stand point, the ability to easily switch in and out bands means you can wear a stainless steel band to dress up, a nylon band to dress it down, and pretty much have options for anything in between. Of course, you can change out bands on most watches, but it can be extremely difficult and requires tools. With the Apple Watch, you simply hold down a button and slide out the band. It only takes a few seconds.
Taking fashion out of the equation, the ability to easily change bands can be very convenient. I rarely ever wore my analog watch to work because it has a heavy stainless steel band and it would bang on my keyboard as I typed during the day. The magnetic design of some of the Apple Watch bands (including third party) means that the watch fits tightly against the wrist and their is not a large clasp holding one end of the band to the other. This means I can wear it comfortably every single day and it never gets in the way.
Taking fashion out of the equation, the ability to easily change bands can be very convenient. I rarely ever wore my analog watch to work because it has a heavy stainless steel band and it would bang on my keyboard as I typed during the day. The magnetic design of some of the Apple Watch bands (including third party) means that the watch fits tightly against the wrist and their is not a large clasp holding one end of the band to the other. This means I can wear it comfortably every single day and it never gets in the way.
Remote Apps
For me, the remote apps are one of the best features of the watch and yet it rarely ever comes up in other reviews. I am not here to bash other reviewers, but readers have to realize that some of the reviewers get review samples to use for a specific amount of time and never really get a chance to live day to day with the product. Also, many are testing the weekly release of the new Android phone that hits the market and are simply carrying an iPhone to test the watch. In other words, they don't really have day to day relevant experience. My guess is that this is the reason you see so many articles that take the exact same viewpoints on products and services. It is much easier to read about someone else's experience and then use their experience in framing your own opinion. If you question that, look at some of the past Apple Music reviews, many reviewers quoted one guy's negative experience rather talking about their own experiences.
Anyway, now that I got that rant out of the way, it is an amazingly convenient remote control for many different things. For example, let's say you are in the kitchen and your phone is docked in the living room. If you have an AirPlay speaker in the room, you can open Apple Music on the watch, send the audio via AirPlay to the kitchen speaker, and tell Siri to play whatever you want to hear. I spend a lot of time grilling on the deck outside and use this feature to send music to where I am. The great thing is that once you select the speaker, you can then using any audio app on the watch to send audio to where you are. I use Pandora, Overcast, and Downcast this way all the time. It also provides volume control, in addition to features like skip, back, play, and pause, which is great to have on the wrist.
The remote features don't stop there if you have compatible devices or apps. Let's say you want to start a video recording. You can open the Filmic Pro app on the iPhone, get a live view right on the watch face, and start recording at the push of a button on the watch. It works the same way with the camera app and other photo/video apps.
I have lamps around the house plugged into iDevice plugs. I can tell Siri on the watch to "turn on lamp" and the iDevice will turn on and the lamp hooked to it will then also turn on. I also have a Wemo plug in the house. It doesn't work with Siri, but I have a "Do button" on the watch that can turn it on and off. First generation Phillips Hue Bulbs work the same way, but you can setup "scenes" so different lights come on and different colors can be selected. Second generation Hue bulbs are reportedly able to work with Siri on the watch (I plan to get second generation bulbs at some point, so I will write a review on them later in the
year).
Of course, the remote features don't stop there. You can also control an entire entertainment center right from the watch with the SimpleRemote app. It is a third party app that takes a little longer to load, but it works great. I have my entertainment center feeding two rooms. I can sit in my office and control every feature of every component right from the watch. Also, you don't have to have SimpleRemote to get some of the features. You can use Apple's Remote app for controlling the AppleTV or the Directv app for controlling just Directv. The remote features go on and on depnding on the electronics you own.
Anyway, now that I got that rant out of the way, it is an amazingly convenient remote control for many different things. For example, let's say you are in the kitchen and your phone is docked in the living room. If you have an AirPlay speaker in the room, you can open Apple Music on the watch, send the audio via AirPlay to the kitchen speaker, and tell Siri to play whatever you want to hear. I spend a lot of time grilling on the deck outside and use this feature to send music to where I am. The great thing is that once you select the speaker, you can then using any audio app on the watch to send audio to where you are. I use Pandora, Overcast, and Downcast this way all the time. It also provides volume control, in addition to features like skip, back, play, and pause, which is great to have on the wrist.
The remote features don't stop there if you have compatible devices or apps. Let's say you want to start a video recording. You can open the Filmic Pro app on the iPhone, get a live view right on the watch face, and start recording at the push of a button on the watch. It works the same way with the camera app and other photo/video apps.
I have lamps around the house plugged into iDevice plugs. I can tell Siri on the watch to "turn on lamp" and the iDevice will turn on and the lamp hooked to it will then also turn on. I also have a Wemo plug in the house. It doesn't work with Siri, but I have a "Do button" on the watch that can turn it on and off. First generation Phillips Hue Bulbs work the same way, but you can setup "scenes" so different lights come on and different colors can be selected. Second generation Hue bulbs are reportedly able to work with Siri on the watch (I plan to get second generation bulbs at some point, so I will write a review on them later in the
year).
Of course, the remote features don't stop there. You can also control an entire entertainment center right from the watch with the SimpleRemote app. It is a third party app that takes a little longer to load, but it works great. I have my entertainment center feeding two rooms. I can sit in my office and control every feature of every component right from the watch. Also, you don't have to have SimpleRemote to get some of the features. You can use Apple's Remote app for controlling the AppleTV or the Directv app for controlling just Directv. The remote features go on and on depnding on the electronics you own.
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Third Party apps
This is probably the most controversial thing about the watch. Some third party apps aren't efficient to use on the watch. That doesn't mean we should just throw out the baby with the bath water. Just like on the iPhone, there are good and bad apps for the watch. The number of great apps do not and will never approach the number of great apps on the iPhone. This seems obvious since the screen is so small.
That doesn't mean that every third party watch app is awful. There are decent apps like Carrot Weather, Fantastical Calendar, Reminders Nano, Wunderlist, CNN, A Tiny Game of Pong, Find Near Me, and others I mentioned above.
That doesn't mean that every third party watch app is awful. There are decent apps like Carrot Weather, Fantastical Calendar, Reminders Nano, Wunderlist, CNN, A Tiny Game of Pong, Find Near Me, and others I mentioned above.
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Fitness
I have read that there are better fitness devices for the fitness fanatics. However, the Apple Watch is great for those that just need the nudge to get going and to progress.
The Watch has a heart rate monitor. It has activity rings that help you keep track of daily activities and it lets you set individual goals. There is a workout app and third party apps for running. There are also apps like Weight Watchers Mobile that lets you see you daily points at a glance, add to you daily points from favorites or by search, and much more. It also keeps track of activity points and weekly points. There is also the popular MyFitnessPal app and more. I could write all day about the numerous fitness apps, but the point is that plenty of people get motivated only after getting the watch.
The Watch has a heart rate monitor. It has activity rings that help you keep track of daily activities and it lets you set individual goals. There is a workout app and third party apps for running. There are also apps like Weight Watchers Mobile that lets you see you daily points at a glance, add to you daily points from favorites or by search, and much more. It also keeps track of activity points and weekly points. There is also the popular MyFitnessPal app and more. I could write all day about the numerous fitness apps, but the point is that plenty of people get motivated only after getting the watch.
Siri
I have mentioned some of the Siri functions: Apple Music and iDevices. However, it goes far beyond that. You can set reminders and alarms. Send messages.
My favorite is using Siri to add items to the Grocery list in the reminders app. With voice control, you can add items to a Wunderlist or search for items in the Consumer Reports app. You can also add entries to DayOne's journaling app or Evernote.
My favorite is using Siri to add items to the Grocery list in the reminders app. With voice control, you can add items to a Wunderlist or search for items in the Consumer Reports app. You can also add entries to DayOne's journaling app or Evernote.
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Apple Pay and Maps
Nothing beats Apple Pay on the watch. Every time I use it , I am always surprised by just how quick and easy it is to use. It beats taking out a wallet or phone. There is also the cool map feature with taps on get wrist. The different faces are also neat. You can pic your own photo or use one of Apple's faces and customize it with compatible apps. My favorite day to day face is the modular face with my calendar in one corner and Carrot Weather in the center.
Final thoughts
Anyone saying that the watch is useless is unimaginative or just stupid. Yes, I realize that not everyone wants to wear a watch, they might prefer keeping their phone in their hand all day or they could simply be a Ludite. Also, the watch isn't exactly cheap, either. As a result, it, like every other product on the market, it isn't for everyone.
However, for me, it saves tons of time and makes life easier. Time is my most important commodity, so anything that saves time and effort is worth something to me. Also, some have said that it is for people that are data addicted. For me, it is contrary to that. If I wanted more time with tech, I would pick up my iPhone instead since it is a much better product to serve that type of addiction. A tiny screen is about quickly getting things done (adding stuff to grocery lists, pausing a movie, sending a quick text, etc.) rather than spending lots of time interacting with it.
However, for me, it saves tons of time and makes life easier. Time is my most important commodity, so anything that saves time and effort is worth something to me. Also, some have said that it is for people that are data addicted. For me, it is contrary to that. If I wanted more time with tech, I would pick up my iPhone instead since it is a much better product to serve that type of addiction. A tiny screen is about quickly getting things done (adding stuff to grocery lists, pausing a movie, sending a quick text, etc.) rather than spending lots of time interacting with it.
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