iMore's editors on the relevancy and results of wearing Apple Watch — one year later.
Twelve months ago Apple released the Watch, the company's first new product category since the iPad and the first ever with Tim Cook at the helm. It was also one of the earliest entries for Apple into any product category, absent a decade or more of "smartwatches" to learn from. That cast Apple in an unusual role — instead of solving problems and driving the wave of mainstream adoption, they've been part of the grand experiment to get computing onto the wrist.
And we've been experimenting right along with them. So, 365 days post-launch, what have we figured out?
Which Apple Watch do you have and how long have you had it?
Ren:
I have the 38mm silver Apple Watch Sport and a review unit of the 38mm gold Apple Watch Sport. (Confession: I wear the gold a lot more than the silver.) I got the silver on launch day; I go back and forth on whether or not I'll pick up the steel casing when the next version of the Watch comes out. After testing the Hermes Apple Watch Double Tour a few months back, I fell in love with the sapphire screen; the Sport's Ion-X screen is good, but scratches too easily. I do love the Sport's gold color, though. And I'm not a girl who usually likes jewelry or gold!
Daniel:
I transitioned from a 42mm Silver Apple Watch Sport to an identically-sized stainless steel model around six months in. The two materials, aluminum and stainless steel, could not feel more different, and the price difference, though substantial, feels justified to me. Paired with a simple leather buckle, the Apple Watch is both elegant and technology-forward.
I recently picked up a Space Black Apple Watch with matching Milanese Loop, and find it to be a little easier to pair with my casual style.
Lory:
I own a Space Grey Sport Apple Watch with a black band, but I also have the black Milanese loop, which I wear all of the time now. I may invest in a stainless steel one next time because it seems like there are more band options for that model.
I ordered my Apple Watch the very moment it went on sale, but it didn't arrive for two weeks after the first shipping date. It was the longest two weeks of my life.
Mikah:
As soon as I saw the space gray sport, I knew I had to have it. Miraculously, I was able to get my space gray sport on day one — I've been wearing mine since April 24, 2015. There are days I wish I'd snagged the stainless steel model instead.
Gartenberg:
I'm a stainless steel guy, been wearing mine since January '15 :) If I were buying today I'd probably go aluminium in one of the new colors.
Georgia:
I got my Watch right when it came out. The first Apple Watch I got was the sport in silver. I really loved the sport band as I found it very comfortable to wear and easy to keep clean. I soon grew tired of silver though, as I found that I wouldn't use my silver apple watch when I had gold jewelry on. So, five months in I decided to get get the space grey which I now wear with the black milanese band and I really love it. I find that I can wear it with most of my suits and dresses as well. It is very comfortable and easy to put on and off.
Rene:
Apple Watch Steel. Originally a stainless steel review unit with Milanese band, then the Space Black with link bracelet I ordered the day they went on sale. For the last six months, though, I've been wearing the Hermes cuff.
How often do you wear your Apple Watch? How often do the people you know with Apple Watch wear it?
Ren:
Since picking up the Watch on launch day, I'd wager it's been on my wrist 350/365 days (save for an awful week-long period where I was trying not to wear the watch for an experiment). It's such a small, strange little gadget, but one I hate to leave behind. My health, my reliance on my smartphone, and my timeliness have all improved since picking up the Apple Watch, and I love discovering new things about it.
On the "other people" side... Most of the folks I know in tech love theirs, though a couple had brief dalliances with mechanical watches which turned into permanent affairs. As for my non-tech friends, both my mother and fiancé have watches: My mom uses hers a ton, but my fiancé is still in the "It's useful when I have it on, but I keep forgetting to grab it off the nightstand" phase. To me, it makes sense: The watch is a highly personal device, and it's really what you make of it. If you don't have a must-use reason to put it on in the morning, you're not going to wear it.
Daniel:
I'm certainly not alone in saying that the Apple Watch has become an indispensable part of my life. I've probably forgotten to wear it a handful of days in the past year, which is significantly better than I can say for any wearable -- fitness-related or otherwise -- of the past two years. Prior to the Apple Watch, I'd worn a number of Android Wear and Pebble varieties, but found all of them lacking the right combination of style, battery life and functionality to justify ongoing use.
Lory:
My Apple Watch is on my wrist from the moment I wake up until the moment I go to sleep (except for showers). Just like when I wore a Swatch Watch in high school, I quickly got used to the idea of putting on the Apple Watch the same way I'd put on a pair of socks. It is part of my everyday routine.
Other than my cohorts at iMore, my mom is the only person I know with an Apple Watch. She lives in a different state, so I don't know if she wears hers everyday, but she and I send each other sketches and heartbeats fairly regularly. It's pretty cute.
Mikah:
I wear mine nearly every day. There have been a few weekends where I've slept in and then left the house without remembering to put it on. I feel naked without my watch on my wrist!
Of the people I personally know who own an Apple Watch, I'm certainly the most consistent wearer — gotta fill those doggone fitness rings!
Gartenberg:
Pretty much every day, although sometimes I just like the feel of a good mechanical watch. I've also taken to wearing mine to sleep using Sleep++. Anecdotally, I see a lot of folks I know who bought still wearing it (new easily, swapped bands help) but very few tell me they use any apps. Most common complaint is that they're just too slow or unreliable. A surprising number say they make, and receive calls on their watch all the time.
Georgia:
Well, almost everyone I know is an Apple writer or videographer so this is probably biased. I wear my Apple watch almost every day and if I don't wear it I feel the horrible necessity to check my phone in my purse which I can't stand. If I am wearing a very fancy dress that might be when I would not wear my watch as it still isn't sleek and fashionable enough to match all my outfits, but it is something that I hope will change as new bands come out. My husband uses his watch all the time as well. He loves that he never has to worry to miss messages from his children's school or from his most fabulous (hehe) wife. Then there is Rene, he has almost every band and watch you can imagine, pretty hard shoes to fill.
Rene:
Every day. I pick it up off the flying saucer disk in the morning, strap it on, and wear it until I take it off to go to sleep at night. It's the only thing with me more often than my iPhone or, you know, pants.
My mother and my sister both have Apple Watches and both wear them every day as well. So does my best friend. I'm most likely infectious to some degree, but all of them say — while far from perfect — it's been invaluable.
Which Watch bands do you have and which do you wear most?
Ren:
We'll be here all day if I list all of them, so I'll go with the general categories: I have a ton of Sport bands, none of which get much use now; several Modern Buckles, which were until very recently my daily-wear items; a Pad and Quill blue Classic Leather Band, which I love for special occasions; a few Fauxmes Double Tours and Cuffs from Amazon; and a huge array of Woven Nylon bands.
The Nylon bands have very quickly become daily-wear items for me -- which shocked me, given how much I love my Modern Buckle collection. But the Nylon bands are everything I wanted from the Sport: They're sweat-wicking and stylish, but also effortlessly comfortable. I don't even notice I'm wearing them most days. I know a lot of folks don't like the look of them, but I guarantee that photos don't do the bands justice: They're so much nicer in person, and those colored lugs make them even nicer paired with Sport models. (I do wish you could buy Nylon bands with buckles the color of your Sport model, but sadly, that's not an option.)
Daniel:
Since pairing the stainless Apple Watch with a Saddle Brown Classic Buckle in September, I've been loathe to wear anything else -- until the aforementioned all-black combination was unveiled this past March. I have some Sport bands, a Leather Loop, and even one of the new Woven Nylon straps, but I can't get over the truly timeless pairing of brown leather and stainless steel. There's a reason people have been combining the two for hundreds of years. Having inherited a number of analog watches with high-quality leather bands, I can safely say Apple's sourcing lives up to its claims. Through sweat, oil, water and anything else the average day produces, the Classic Buckle has aged beautifully, picking up only the slightest hint of wear without dulling or cracking.
Lory:
I have the sport band in black and the space black Milanese loop. I also own a third-party leather band, which is surprisingly well made, but it is stainless steel and looks a bit odd with my space gray case. I'm going to buy at least one woven nylon band as soon as I get the time to go to my local Apple retail store.
Mikah:
I have the sport band in three colors: black, fog, and orange. I also have the black leather loop and the black nylon band. I've technically worn the leather loop most, but I foresee the nylon band being my go-to band.
That said, if you start to see me sharing more band purchases on Instagram or Twitter, please have Georgia check on me — I'm trying to avoid a Rene-level band obsession.
Gartenberg:
Milanese loop, Leather loop in blue, black sport, and black link. I go back and forth between the black link, and leather loop. I love the new bands but c'mon, prices are just too high for nylon.
Georgia:
I have the sport band in black and white and the silver and black milanese bands, which are some of the most comfortable and easy to wear bands I feel Apple has made. I love that I can always adjust it in a moment and it's still lightweight and form-fitted. I have the nylon band in black, which is quite comfortable and light but I don't love the look so I didn't wear it for long. The Hermes double tour is my latest acquisition, it is pretty comfortable and very soft.
Rene:
Hi, my name is Rene and I have an Apple Watch band problem. I must own over a dozen now, not include any review samples Apple has been gracious enough to lend me. I have a couple of sport, the Milanese loop in stainless and space black, several woven nylons and leather loops, a couple of classic buckles, and the Hermes cuff and Feu single tour.
I change it up frequently, because that's the fun of Apple Watch, but most of the time I wear the Hermes cuff. I've always wanted one and the Apple Watch version is the most affordable Hermes has made.
Plus, it's totally badass.
How comfortable and durable has Apple Watch been?
Ren:
I have yet to dent, shatter, or otherwise grievously injure an Apple Watch, despite having it on my wrist while playing roller derby, so I count that a win! I've collected my fair share of tiny and deep scratches on the Ion-X glass, however. They don't directly interfere with using the watch, but I'm not thrilled with how it looks; it's one of the big reasons I'm considering going Steel for my next purchase.
Scratches aside, the watch is one of the most comfortable things I've ever had on my wrist. In part, that's due to Apple's smartly-designed bands, all of which breathe properly and sit lightly on your arm, but it's also just the general aerodynamics of the watch. I barely notice I have it on unless I accidentally rap it against a wall.
Daniel:
In six months, the Apple Watch Sport picked up a number of noticeable scratches, both on its aluminum chassis and X-Ion glass face. While none detracted from my enjoyment of the Watch, it wasn't without some relief I got to start from, uh, scratch with the stainless steel Watch in September. Hairline scratches are visible on the exterior, certainly, but the reflective nature of the steel helps them blend in. The sapphire crystal covering the OLED panel, though: what a miracle substance. I've accidentally shaved metal, concrete and wood across its surface, and looking at it you'd never be able to tell. It looks brand new.
Most straps are extremely comfortable, though I find the Milanese Loop and Leather Loop -- anything without a discrete buckle -- to slowly loosen over the course of the day, forcing me to readjust it every couple of hours. That's why I prefer the Classic Buckle or Woven Nylon, especially when doing vigorous activity. Yes, you can exercise while wearing the leather bands. Don't even worry about it.
Like my colleagues, I barely notice it's on, even when typing. I attribute that to Apple's conservative sizing -- 38mm and 42mm is small compared to most Android Wear watches.
Lory:
It is definitely the most comfortable smartwatch I've ever worn, but as just a watch, it isn't quite as nice as some of the more popular brands. I got used to having it on my wrist fairly quickly, but it sticks to my skin when I'm hot, which is really annoying. The Milanese loop tends to cut into my wrist a little. I've noticed that it tends to tighten up, like those lap seat belts in the back seat of a car. I have to adjust it about a dozen times per day.
As for durability, I'm very happy. I don't have a single scratch, scuff, or dent on my case, screen, or bands. I was a little concerned at first because I purchased the least durable model, the Sport model, but it looks as good as the day I bought it.
Mikah:
It's an incredibly comfortable watch. I've worn watches for a lot of my life. In fact, if you've ever questioned my commitment to nerdery, get this: My first watch was a Casio Calculator Watch and I was damn proud of it, but I digress. Apple Watch is super comfy, good-looking, and the aluminum has held up over the last year. I wish there were a few less scratches on the glass (or crystal as watch-lovers are wont to say), but I didn't get the sapphire model so ¯_(ツ)_/¯.
Gartenberg:
Compared to my "other" watches, it's pretty comfortable, I don't even notice it. What's more, because it's Apple, people know what it is, and it's socially acceptable to wear one without looking like a total geek. Mine's been pretty solid, no scratches or dings but the crowns degrade over time, and lose friction (pro tip, rinse crown carefully under warm water, use some dental floss gently, and it's good as new). Battery life is also still holding up, but I wonder how long that's going to be the case. (Probably until Watch Air comes out)
Georgia:
I am very tough on my technology. I am clumsy and often leap before I look. So, I need to purchase items which will be able to survive my activities. My Apple Watch is almost in perfect condition. I have dropped it multiple times and knocked it against most of the walls and doorways in my house. It has made it through roughhousing with my children and attacks from my puppy. I do notice that that the glass surface has slightly more wear in the areas that I swipe over a lot. The battery life still lasts over a day and all the buttons still work... though I almost never use them.
Rene:
I remain convinced the space black Apple Watch is made of material from Krypton. Or Wayne Industries. Either way, the diamond-like carbon (DLC) coating is dragon-scale tough. I can't count the number of times I've looked down in horror, thinking I'd scratched it, only to discover the DLC took some concrete or metal off something else. Likewise the sapphire crystal.
I haven't worn the aluminum sport version long enough to really judge, though I find it lighter and even more comfortable than the already comfortable stainless steel.
It's comfortable enough that I never take it off, even while typing, which for me is high, high praise.
The bands, especially the Hermes cuff, have also worn well. Aged might be a better term. It's gone from its original Fauvre to a deep Indiana Jones brown. And I love it.
Which watch faces do you use most often and how well do they work?
Ren:
Modular or bust. I love Utility, but complications are a big part of why I enjoy using my watch -- and while Modular may not be as well-organized or good-looking as the other faces, it lets me see the most information at a glance. I wish you could add more complications to the photo faces: I love the idea of having a photo on my watch, but again -- complications make my watch-wearing experience, and without them, the watch takes a major usability hit. I do have several iterations of the Modular face, all for slightly different tasks. (I have a bright yellow Modular face with all my roller derby coaching-related complications, for instance.)
Daniel:
I spend the majority of my life on Utility. It's the analog facsimile I prefer, though I really don't love any of Apple's watch faces, and wish there were more options, perhaps even from third party designers. Pared to just numbers and a few simple complications, Utility does the trick most of the time. When I need all the density, I switch to Modular and load up on complications.
Lory:
I switch the watch faces pretty regularly. If I'm going somewhere fancy, I'll use the Motion face with the flower customization. If I'm going to a party, I'll use the Photos face so I can show off pictures of friends to friends. If I'm going to a work-related event, I'll switch over to the Modular face and use the complications that I need for the day. A trip to Disneyland requires the Mickey Mouse face. I also like using the Simple face, because minimalism, and my nephew gets a kick out of the Astronomy face, so I switch to that when I visit him.
Mikah:
I almost exclusively use the Modular face, adjusting the color to suit my outfit. It features the time, the date, my fitness rings, and a Carrot Weather complication.
When I'm feeling fancy, I'll switch to the Utility face — same complications.
Gartenberg:
I've gone totally minimal. Modular with just time in the right, date in lower left. At night, it's red with Sleep++ in lower left. For formal, it's simple with just the hands. Earth, and Solar are cool to demo but never use. Photos are just fun, just wish there were more options to crop or place.
Georgia:
I only use Modular. Is there really any other watch face that anyone uses? It has the most complicationd and I love being able to see my schedule as well as date and time at a flick of the wrist. Please tell me no one has said that they use the Mickey Mouse watch face...
Rene:
If I'm wearing Hermes I'm using the Hermes face because its design is just so great. Otherwise I switch to Modular for work, because all the complications, or Photos for fun. I used the Photo face to make Superman, Batman, and other fun watch faces. If they had proper complication support, I'd keep them on.
How has the Watch been as a timepiece?
Ren:
It makes me wonder why I stopped wearing a watch in the first place. SO USEFUL. I do wish the watch had an always-on display, but it's easy enough to tap the screen and view it quickly. (I turned off raise-to-wake in the first month, because I kept accidentally triggering it while driving.)
Daniel:
Perfect.
But as a seat belt gets jammed when you need it most, Apple Watch forces you to lift your arm like a mad person when you're in a room with a bunch of people just to get the screen to turn on. Yes, accelerometers are not the most sensitive of sensors, but there must be a better way. (Hint: it involves an always-on display and a forgiving refresh rate.)
Lory:
It's the feature I use the most on my Apple Watch. I've never been worried about accuracy with time. As long as I'm within a few minutes, I'm good. A small part of me wishes for an analog timepiece instead of a digital one, but I'm not afraid of the future, so I don't mind having a virtual watch face.
Mikah:
It is hands-down (GET IT?!) the most accurate timepiece I've owned. That said, sometimes I find myself having to wave my hand around violently to view said accurate time — that's no good. I find myself wishing I could glance down at my watch instead of having to move it up toward my face.
It can also be tough to see in bright sunlight no matter how many times I polish the screen and turn up the brightness.
Gartenberg:
It's the best watch ever. Period. Nothing else even comes close.
Georgia:
Well here is where I would give the Apple Watch a failing grade. Though completely accurate and helpful, I find it endlessly tiring to have to flick my wrist or tap the screen in order to see the time. This is where a regular analogue watch will beat out the Apple Watch. In my therapy sessions or during a meeting I find it very difficult to discreetly ensure that I am running on time and that bothers me.
You would think that if a feature is in the name of the product that Apple would ensure that it is effortless and better than what is already on the market. Hoping that this will be fixed in future versions.
Rene:
It's both great and terrible. It's totally accurate, all the time, everywhere. Which is fantastic. There's no ambient time display, though, which means no matter how accurate it is, I can't always see it when I want it.
Everything else is aces, though, from timers to world clocks to Mickey stamping out the seconds in unison across the globe.
How has health and fitness tracking worked for you?
Ren:
This was one of the primary reasons I purchased an Apple Watch, and it's (mostly) done me very well. Stand reminders and water notifications from third-party apps keep me from crouching over my laptop all day without moving, but Apple still has some work to do when it comes to Activity data. Skating sports, yoga, and weight-lifting (my three primary forms of exercise) aren't Workout options on the Watch, which means I'm often logging wildly-inaccurate "Other" workouts.
Daniel:
I use the health tracking to keep tabs on the number of steps I take every day, but don't take the data too seriously. When I run, the frequency of which ebbs and flows throughout the year, I use the Watch to track my distance, speed, calorie burn and heart rate, and find the data to be arrayed both intelligently and, when synced to the iPhone, comprehensively.
I think Apple believed that the third-party app ecosystem would supplement many of the shortcomings of the native fitness tracking, but due to performance issues associated with those apps, that never really happened.
Lory:
In short, not at all. For the first six months, I was standing up when Apple Watch told me to, taking walks, and even working out every morning. Having the notifications and achievements of the Activity app motivated me. But, as usual, the novelty wore off and I stopped exercising, stopped taking as many walks, and only stand up when I'm told to about half of the time.
If I were more self-motivated to get up and move, Apple Watch would be the best device for keeping track of my health and fitness data, but it is not much of a personal trainer. Maybe if it sent electricity to my pain receptors when I didn't achieve my goals, I'd actually exercise more.
Mikah:
Health and fitness tracking is EVERYTHING. I love being able to keep track of my activity, being reminded to stand up every once in awhile, and looking at how my ridiculous caffeine intake affects my heart rate.
I love seeing those fitness rings fill up throughout the day and understanding how an intense workout affects my body.
Gartenberg:
It's not perfect but puts a lot of data in one place. I found adding Pedometer++ increases step count accuracy quite a bit (no more undercounting), Activity++ far better than native rings, and sleep++ cool for what it does. Stand reminder more annoying than useful to me. It was fun to be in longer meetings where exactly at ten of the hour everyone stood up.
Georgia:
These were the first things that I turned off on my Apple Watch. I found that the fitness tracking was inaccurate and I didn't like being constantly reminded to stand up. I wish I found it more motivating and inspiring but so far it misses the mark for me.
Rene:
Like Gartenberg, David Smith has added a ton of value to the already impressive fitness features. Basically I've gone from not knowing anything about how much I stood, walked, and worked out to knowing how little I stand, walk, and work out.
I'm not intrinsically motivated when it comes to this stuff, though, so I really hope Apple adds a social aspect to Activities in the very near future. Being able to see Serenity killing me on steps would be a huge motivator to get me moving in an attempt not to lose by so much every time...
What about notifications? Have they proven important?
Ren:
Notifications are my life and love on the Apple Watch, especially with interactive third-party apps. A great example: Via notification, you can automatically approve two-factor requests via a push from authentication app Duo. Stuff like that makes the Apple Watch feel like the future. I do wish it were slightly easier to customize what notifications push to your phone, or have selective Do Not Disturb settings for each app (I like Twitter notifications, for example, but not all the time).
Daniel:
Notifications continue to be why I put on the Apple Watch every morning. There is something precise and correct about the beautifully-calibrated Taptic Engine gently reminding me about a notification, keeping the screen off until I lift the Watch towards my face. It's dance so elegant it's almost musical.
Lory:
Absolutely. Apple Watch has been indispensable for my productivity. I'm always connected to things that are important to me, like messages from the writing team in Slack, or reminders that I have deadlines coming up in Trello. With apps like Dark Sky and Weather Live, I get alerts about upcoming rainstorms. When I get a text message, I don't have to stop a conversation in order to check it. I can simply glance down at my wrist and decide if it is something I need to address immediately, or can wait until later.
When people ask me why Apple Watch is such a big deal, I point out the notifications as one of the best features of the device. No matter what amount of technology you are into, smartwatch notifications are useful.
Mikah:
Notifications are -- for me -- the single most important Apple Watch feature. I can keep my iPhone 6s Plus stashed away in my pocket or bag and use the watch to help me decide whether its larger, cumbersome counterpart should come out.
I also use notifications for a pretty specific, but oh-so-important use-case: Not looking like a dork. Let me explain … See, I have an August Smart Lock and it has this nifty feature where it combines GPS fences and accelerometer monitoring to unlock the door as you approach your home. Problem is, it doesn't always work. I used to walk up to the door all cool-like, only to find myself running into it as I tried to push open a still-locked door in one smooth move. Now my Apple Watch buzzes me on my wrist as I approach, letting me know the auto-unlock has been triggered. If it doesn't buzz I know I shouldn't try to smoothly glide through the door. Yes, I'm ridiculous.
Gartenberg:
Messages are great, especially with animated emoji. Love seeming incoming calls I can quickly reject with a nice canned message. I'm also pretty fond of Quartz, CNN, and Dark Sky.
Georgia:
Notifications have been life-changing for me. It allows me to quickly know if one of my clients is in distress or if I am needed back home. Even out shopping it will allow me to know if I should get something extra or answer the phone quickly without having to search through my purse for my phone. I find that always being able to be reached is a bit of a nuisance but it is worth the trade off.
Rene:
Notifications on Apple Watch are the "killer app". I can quickly see messages, mail, tweets, and other alerts come in, triage them, and either go on about my business or stop and make sure something important isn't missed.
The amount of stress Apple Watch notifications have taken out of my life is remarkable, and the best thing about it for me.
Do you still send sketches, heartbeats, and taps? How useful has the Friends button and hub been?
Ren:
I wish I did. I loved the concept of sketches when Apple announced it… and so far I have not used it much at all. Sigh. In part, I worry that the send-and-notification process is a little buggy -- I can't send time-sensitive sketches without worrying my recipient may not get it for hours.
Also, I wear my watch on my left wrist (my dominant hand), so I suck at drawing with my right index finger.
Daniel:
Nope.
Lory:
I use Digital Touch somewhat regularly with my mom. She and I send each other silly little sketches just as a way to say "Hi" and "I love you." It's pretty great because I can let my mom know I'm thinking about her without having to stop everything and make a phone call. If I knew more people with an Apple Watch, I'd probably use it more. I tried sending Serenity and Rene sketches on Apple Watch once, but they didn't respond. It kinda made me sad. FYI: If someone sends you a Digital Touch, send one back.
I don't really use the Friends hub at all, mostly because I usually use Apple Watch to react to communications, not start them. I'm not a fan of phone calls or voice dictation on Apple Watch. It still feels a little too Dick Tracy to me. So, I'm more likely to start a call or text message from my iPhone, which is when looking up a contact would be most relevant.
Mikah:
Short answer: No. Long answer: No way. I think I've sent a few sketches, heartbeats, and taps, but those were mostly during the first few weeks of owning the device.
I find the sketches don't quite respond to exactly what my finger is doing; I just end up frustrated with a pile of digital spaghetti on my screen that was supposed to be a drawing of my dog. The heartbeat thing was always a little creepy to me, especially given that my significant other doesn't own an Apple Watch (he's lucky I haven't fired him).
I know these communication features were supposed to really drive home the point that the watch is the most personal device Apple makes, but the features ended up being a little more gimmicky in practice than I think was intended.
Gartenberg:
I don't think I've ever sent a sketch, heartbeat or tap to anyone except when at Apple to other Apple folks. Even then, only once. Friends button, and hub is one of those things that probably were thought to be really important in development, and far less useful in practice. In general, leading the behavior of the crown, and button has a learning curve. I also find a lot of unwanted screenshots that come from trying to use Apple Pay with a very unintuitable double click.
Georgia:
No, I have completely given up on all sketches and heartbeats. They were cute ideas but in the end not really useful or helpful. The screen is too small to properly sketch on (plus Rene's sketches always put me to shame) and the tapping seemed more pushy than informative. I pretty much forgot that any of these features were even on my watch.
Rene:
I used Digital Touch but, over time, fewer and fewer people returned them. Now, desert. Sad, lonely desert.
How about for triaging messages and mail?
Ren:
Messages, sure: I love the dictation feature. (When it works.) But email almost never. I have most email notifications turned off, honestly.
Daniel:
I use Outlook, which allows me to Archive or Delete incoming emails from my Focused Inbox, deluding me into thinking I can approach Inbox Zero. I love being able to whitelist only the important apps, so that if my iPhone vibrates in my pocket I can take for granted it's nothing important and I can ignore it -- until my will breaks and I'm back, phone out, scrolling once again through Instagram.
And while I occasionally use Siri to respond to Messages, I prefer to read them and use my iPhone to type, which is (unfortunately) usually faster and a lot more accurate. Maybe it's my thick Canadian accent that keeps tripping up poor Siri. Gosh knows she tries.
Lory:
I definitely use my Apple Watch to triage messages. If I'm in the middle of a conversation, it is much less intrusive to glance at my wrist than pull out my iPhone. I prefer checking texts on Apple Watch because I can easily see if it is something I want to drop everything and respond to, or if it is something that can wait until a more convenient time.
As for triaging mail, not really. I use the Outlook app on Apple Watch, which is great because it only notifies me of emails sent to my Focused inbox. But, I'm not likely to check or respond to emails from my wrist. It might be due to the fact that I don't like using voice dictation and the pre-made responses seem so impersonal, even though I've customized them with my own words. I'm more likely to just pull out my iPhone and swipe-to-delete a bunch of emails at once instead of reacting to them individually on my Apple Watch.
Mikah:
I don't have email notifications turned on anywhere; it's the one bit of stress-reduction I've allowed myself. As for messages, however, the Apple Watch is an invaluable tool for deciding what does and doesn't need my attention immediately.
Heck, I often use the dictation features to reply directly from my watch.
Gartenberg:
I love both. Often respond to messages, and mail triage is faster than taking out the phone.
Georgia:
I have turned off receiving notifications from my email messages, such stress relief as they were mostly spam. I will use my Apple Watch to triage messages and respond using dictation or a quick reply.
Rene:
I need to learn to read ahead. Yes. This. Just like my iPhone makes it so I don't have to run back to my Mac nearly as often, Apple Watch makes it so I don't have to reach for my iPhone nearly as often. It's the natural progression of personal computing.
Apple Watch as a remote control, how's that worked out?
Ren:
I love it for controlling music in the car via Siri, or glance. (It's the only glance I use apart from Find My iPhone.) Not so much for Apple TV.
Daniel:
Never used it that way, to be honest. Remote is an app, and I just don't use apps on the Watch.
Lory:
I tend to use the Apple Watch Remote app more as a novelty than anything else. I like that I can control playback on Apple TV and iTunes on my computer from my wrist, but it's not totally comfortable to keep my wrist turned sideways while I tap, tap, tap to the next song or show. The Siri Remote just works better for me on Apple TV, which is where I stream most of my audio and video content.
I don't own any Apple Watch connected lights, but I have a feeling I'd be all up in that business if I did. I don't even like reaching over from the couch to turn on the lights. I'd be so happy if all of my fixtures were fitted with Philips Hue bulbs that I could turn on and off with just a tap on the wrist.
Mikah:
Meh. I'm sorry, Siri, but with Alexa in my house I don't really need your help with the Philips Hue lights.
I've used the Apple Watch a couple times to change the channel on my Apple TV, but I much prefer the remote. Miraculously, I've somehow avoided losing my 3rd- and 4th-gen. Apple TV remotes for longer than a few minutes.
All in all, I just like to have my watch do what it's really good at -- for me, that doesn't include remote control functionality.
Gartenberg:
It's a great substitute for Apple TV remote when it's lost somewhere in the couch cushions. I've also used it for HomeKit features but frankly find Alexa more adept than Siri for doing what I want done. "Hey Siri" works for me about half the time, I find Serenity's trick of using it "push to talk" to make it a lot more reliable.
Georgia:
No
Rene:
Being able to lift my wrist and say "Hey Siri, turn on the studio lights", or "make the lights purple" is everything I wanted from the future. Even manual remote control, like the Apple TV remote, is great for when you can't find the physical Siri remote.
I wish there was more I could control right now, but my car isn't compatible and home automation is still in its nascency.
What about Apple Pay and Wallet on your Apple Watch?
Ren:
I love the idea, but I wish it were easier to trigger the NFC without having to scratch your screen up against the terminal. In airports, this should be perfect, but most of the scanners are designed to fit phones underneath them -- not so much wrists + Apple Watches.
Daniel:
In theory, sure. In practice, my phone is just a superior conduit. Maybe it's my short T-Rex arms, but I never find it comfortable to contort my wrist towards the merchant terminal. Same with boarding passes. I always end up with my iPhone in hand.
Lory:
I've actually only used Apple Pay once and it was at an Apple Store. None of the retail shops that I patronize support Apple Pay, so I've never really had the opportunity to see how easy or difficult it is to use.
Mikah:
There aren't enough places in my town that offer Apple Pay support, sadly, so I've never used it on my wrist. That said, goodness gracious do I wish I could. It seems super simple, super intuitive, and also friggin' cool. I, for one, welcome our wrist-based payment overlords.
Gartenberg:
I use both all the time. Nothing more 21st century than paying for stuff with your watch. Downside? Still having to click, input loyalty numbers, and sign for stuff makes it less useful. Oddly, airplane boarding would be great except Watch doesn't fit under a lot of scanners, taking it off locks it, which then needs to be unlocked. Not a time saver. Fun using it the first time before people knew what it was, and just saying "magic" to bewildered gate agents.
Georgia:
I hope it comes to Canada soon with a card that I use, but until then I will just be jealous of all my friends who get to show off using it.
Rene:
A couple flights ago I scanned into the airport using the boarding pass on my watch then went to Starbucks, ordered, paid, and left while the person beside me was still digging for change.
It's still rare enough that when I use Apple Pay at a drive through or pick up tickets at the cinema, the person behind the counter inevitably frowns, then freaks at how cool it is. And I smile along with them, every time.
Did I say notifications were the killer app? I meant convenience, and this is part and parcel with that.
Do you use Apple Watch apps, and which ones?
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