Will You Be Returning Your Watch?

[Witness]

I've got a 42mm Sport and despite the convenience of seeing my notifications or the occasional Hey Siri, I'm beginning to think about returning it. Both my Pebble Steel and Microsoft Band will provide me with the information and notifications I'm accustomed to having with a wearable, but I haven't seen anything in the Watch apps side of things that really makes it all that useful and it's slow loading enough that I may as well pull out the phone. The interface itself makes finding a specific app difficult as well.

The screen and graphics do look great though, but I'm not sure if it's worth the $400 right now. There's some promising things coming along with iOS 9, so I'm thinking about returning it for now. It seems a bit half-baked and it bugs me that despite turning notification alerts volume up, there is not a peep from the watch - I just have to rely on the fairly light bump for my alert.

Has the Watch delivered its value for you?

 

[kch50428]

Has the Watch delivered its value for you?

Yes.

 

[xtremeled]

I borrowed one for a week. Not very impressed for a few reasons. Kinda slow, kinda busy looking with the info on the screen, sounds are too low and the taps? I thought it was nerve damage because I could hardly feel most of the tap notifications. I had a friend give me his opinion just to make sure it wasn't me. It's cool looking but I'll take a pass on this product. hopefully they will have some big upgrades in the works for this

 

[Scatabrain]

No way. Love my watch. (Duplicate thread).

 

[Just_Me_D]

Will you be returning your Watch?

Heck No!

Has the Watch delivered its value for you?

Definitely!

 

[Witness]

Yes.

No way. Love my watch. (Duplicate thread).

Heck No!

Definitely!

Is the Apple Watch your first smartwatch, or have you owned others?
Thanks!

 

[Just_Me_D]

Is the Apple Watch your first smartwatch, or have you owned others?
Thanks!

This is my first and only smart watch. I honestly hadn't been interested in them, including the Watch.

 

[sunnysideup22125]

I've got a 42mm Sport and despite the convenience of seeing my notifications or the occasional Hey Siri, I'm beginning to think about returning it. Both my Pebble Steel and Microsoft Band will provide me with the information and notifications I'm accustomed to having with a wearable, but I haven't seen anything in the Watch apps side of things that really makes it all that useful and it's slow loading enough that I may as well pull out the phone. The interface itself makes finding a specific app difficult as well.

The screen and graphics do look great though, but I'm not sure if it's worth the $400 right now. There's some promising things coming along with iOS 9, so I'm thinking about returning it for now. It seems a bit half-baked and it bugs me that despite turning notification alerts volume up, there is not a peep from the watch - I just have to rely on the fairly light bump for my alert.

Has the Watch delivered its value for you?

Honestly, I still haven't decided if I'm keeping my watch yet. I'm just not sure that it's really worth the $600 for notifications and tracking my steps. There are aspects I like. Setting the timer and being able to respond to messages while I cook is nice. But I hate the bubble icons. I've rearranged them but even that wasn't as easy as I would've liked. Also today I decided to take a walk while at work and it took so long for maps to load that I ended up digging out my phone and just pulling up the directions. I'm thinking I've worn it everyday for a solid week that maybe I should do one week without it to see if I miss it.

I'm normally really decisive and like to try new things but I'm just not sure with this watch.

Maybe you have the right idea return for now and rebuy after the iOS updates.

 

[joker256]

I've actually been debating this as well. I love the watch but I just can't say I love it $400 worth

 

[zerog46]

I love mine. Does everything I want. I've also had a Fitbit. Jawbone up. And a pebble. This works for me.


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

 

[RobtRoma]

Keeping mine. I really like the notifications and the integration with the health apps. Is it perfect? No. But it is still better than my MS Band and I do expect it to get better with time. Hoping I'll eventually be able to sell it and upgrade but that won't likely happen until Watch v3.

 

[Adnams]

This is my first smartwatch and it's going nowhere. I have a chequered history with it - when they were first announced at WWDC 2014, I was thinking "Oooo, I'd love one of those", but that feeling soon turned into complete indifference bordering on cynicism.

I remained that way until the promotional campaign leading up to the launch this April - by that time, I'd started trying to be more active and watching what I eat etc - and began to see the Watch as another weapon in my armoury. That and a return of blind techno-lust, of course ...

And now here we are and I have the device on my wrist - it does all I want it to and more besides and will only improve with watchOS 2 later this year. It's very much a 'gadget' and will suit some people's lives more than others - I'll have had it a week this coming Friday, and it has slotted very neatly into mine.

Can't understand those saying they might send their Watches back and then buy another when watchOS 2 is released - keep the one you have and install the update when it's made available!

 

[viewfly]

I like it. And as far as digging out your phone instead, just wait to freezing winter and thick winter clothes and jackets and gloves.

You may like seeing a junk message on your watch instead of digging out the phone for each ding. Or walking directions.

Unless you live in warmer weather...but even then, water sports whatever occur. The watch is IXP7 rated. 30 minutes fully immersed in water down to 1 meter (3 ft).


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

 

[Witness]

And now here we are and I have the device on my wrist - it does all I want it to and more besides and will only improve with watchOS 2 later this year. It's very much a 'gadget' and will suit some people's lives more than others - I'll have had it a week this coming Friday, and it has slotted very neatly into mine.

Can't understand those saying they might send their Watches back and then buy another when watchOS 2 is released - keep the one you have and install the update when it's made available!

So goes the brave early adopter consumers-heh.

As for returning it, my reasoning is that I have a small window of time to actually use it. Having a couple wearables on hand already, I compare the value to cost and of course the redundancy of gadgets on hand. The apps on Watch aren't all that useful - I've tried a bunch of them, so it comes down to the main functions such as telling time, checking schedule, text notifications, fitness and alerts. The advantage that Watch has being an Apple product is that it has full access to the iPhone's APIs, so I can actually reply to text notifications and a few other things. Apple does not allow Pebble nor Band to such APIs, so it's an unfair playing field, but hey Apple owns that field so it doesn't want to compete then it doesn't have to compete at the expense of consumer choice.

Anyways, if I return it now I do benefit by resetting the warranty time if/when I repurchase in store. The Watch isn't too useful now and I can wear the MS Band/Pebble until then or when there is a rumors of what Watch2 will offer. If this is your only smartwatch, I can see how returning doesn't make sense. I have choices, so it's easy to think about it.

 

[Bigeric23]

So goes the brave early adopter consumers-heh.

As for returning it, my reasoning is that I have a small window of time to actually use it. Having a couple wearables on hand already, I compare the value to cost and of course the redundancy of gadgets on hand. The apps on Watch aren't all that useful - I've tried a bunch of them, so it comes down to the main functions such as telling time, checking schedule, text notifications, fitness and alerts. The advantage that Watch has being an Apple product is that it has full access to the iPhone's APIs, so I can actually reply to text notifications and a few other things. Apple does not allow Pebble nor Band to such APIs, so it's an unfair playing field, but hey Apple owns that field so it doesn't want to compete then it doesn't have to compete at the expense of consumer choice.

Anyways, if I return it now I do benefit by resetting the warranty time if/when I repurchase in store. The Watch isn't too useful now and I can wear the MS Band/Pebble until then or when there is a rumors of what Watch2 will offer. If this is your only smartwatch, I can see how returning doesn't make sense. I have choices, so it's easy to think about it.

I really like my Apple Watch, but I do understand and value your position. Thank you for taking the time to share this.

 

[Witness]

Some thoughts and experiences about the Watch after a week of use.

Telling Time: I like the different watch faces. I used to wear the iPod Nano as a watch and having configurable complications is nice. What I didn't like (but can be tweaked in future updates) is activating the Watch screen to come on. I often have to raise my arm twice to get the screen to turn on.

Text/Calls: This is where it shines. Voice dictation works well and the speaker for calls is very usable. There is a sometimes ridiculous delay when the text comes in on the phone and when it finally arrives on the Watch. On average, it's around 15-20 seconds which is a little too long.

Schedule: Download Sunrise - much better than the default app. The future update will allow you to "timetravel" from the clock and see upcoming schedules in the complication. This would be helpful.

Siri: I didn't use it at first because I forgot about Hey Siri. It works 70% of the time on the first shot and is somewhat useful. I've been spoiled by Cortana on Windows Phone which was used heavily particularly with geofencing alerts. Here's a screenshot redacted transcript shortly after my friend asked me about the Hey Siri function.

Hey Siri oh (bleep) you actually work.... Your language!

Interface: As mentioned before, it is inefficient. Hard to find anything with those little bubbles and not visually appealing. I don't expect much to change here in future updates, much like the dated icon based launcher that is iOS.

Apps: There's a lot of it for sure and maybe developers will find better use for utilizing the Watch, but for now it's mostly slow loading or with incomplete information that you will almost pull out the phone. The camera app is really cool though, but even then I didn't use it much.

Battery: I wasn't expecting much here, but I'm pretty impressed that it went a full work day under regular use and still had half the charge left.

Fitness: I run with my Nike GPS watch, so I tried the Nike app. Launching it only activates the app on the phone since the Watch doesn't have GPS (Band did) and it took forever for a GPS lock without notification on the Watch app. Didn't bother with it. Looking at the data however, I'm a bit disturbed at its inaccuracy. Looking at Tuesday's Caloric burn data, it said I only burned around 650 calories. That can't be right. I average closer to 1,800 when I look at Band data. I will be wearing the Band side by side with the Watch just to compare them, but right now I think the Watch is just plain wrong.

All in all, it is a nice device. If this is your first and only wearable, I can see why you'd think it's great and would never think about returning it. It pairs well with your iPhone (and only iPhones). For me, I'm on the fence, but leaning on returning it. I have other wearables that can handle most of what the Watch offers. It is exciting to see the wearable space grow though!

 

[bamf-hacker]

Not I

I have been a smart watch user since the original kickstarter Pebble. While not perfect the Watch is the best smartwatch for Apple devices. As appleOS gets updated it will improve. Having actionable notifications is huge for me. Anything you can act on from Notification Center on the phone can be done from the watch. My main use of that is the 2Do app. I am a heavy user of that app and being able mark a 2do completed or snooze the alert from my wrist is AWESOME!!!! Quick replies to texts are a bonus and controlling Overcast, including selecting the podcast to listen to is great!!!

So not going back for sure

 

[Millbrook]

I'm an unusual case -- I've had my Watch for about 5 weeks now, but I got my first smartphone (an iPhone, of course) just about 5 weeks before that.

I certainly like the Watch-and-iPhone combination better than I liked the iPhone alone. Notifications with a tap on the wrist are so much more civilized than having a buzzing, chirping phone go off in my purse or hand. And the tendency I was just beginning to develop to walk around looking at the iPhone was nipped in the bud by the arrival of my Watch. Now I can check my Watch to tell the time, the weather, when the next subway train is coming, etc. and the iPhone stays in my purse. I also like the Watch's fitness tracker better than the one I was previously using -- it gives me "credit" for bike riding as well as walking and running. I'm keeping my Watch for sure.

 

[rlacrossjr]

Hope apple don't release a watch every year. It would be why spend $400 and out of date in a year.


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

 

[sunnysideup22125]

So tonight I had my apple watch epiphany. Since it arrived I've been on the fence but tonight I went out for a work happy hour and normally I put my phone on the table and periodically if not incessantly I check it. For emails, for texts, for notifications in general. But tonight I kept my phone in my purse and I relied on my watch to notify me and as a result I was more engaged and less distracted. So weird that adding another piece of technology has actually gotten me to engage more but I felt like I was more present and less distracted be my phone. I didn't take my phone out at all and only looked at my watch when it notified me and that wasn't too frequently. I think I finally love my watch and "get" it!