If the Watch had a lightning port, would upgrading watchOS be faster?

[Just_Me_D]

As stated in the thread title, if Apple had included a lightning port on the Watch, do you think upgrading watchOS would be faster, in your opinion? I think it would be.

 

[thedonp]

I think the processor has something to do with it

 

[metllicamilitia]

I think the main problem is the Apple Watch doesn’t have wifi of its own. Sure updating would be still be better with a lightning cable since you could download the update to your computer first. Same goes for AppleTV though, if it had a web browser or a way to install a beta profile, updates would be much faster there as well.

 

[Tartarus]

As stated in the thread title, if Apple had included a lightning port on the Watch, do you think upgrading watchOS would be faster, in your opinion? I think it would be.

It would be significantly faster.
The 2.4GHz connection for wifi and the current Bluetooth speeds are not sufficient to allow faster upgrades.

I don’t think Apple will ever include a lightning port in the watch because this will only add to the thickness.

Hopefully the series 3 will provide a much faster upgrade experience.

 

[Just_Me_D]

It would be significantly faster.
The 2.4GHz connection for wifi and the current Bluetooth speeds are not sufficient to allow faster upgrades.

I don’t think Apple will ever include a lightning port in the watch because this will only add to the thickness.

Hopefully the series 3 will provide a much faster upgrade experience.

Let’s hope so. The current upgrade mechanism is abysmal, in my opinion.

 

[scruffypig]

I think the main problem is the Apple Watch doesn’t have wifi of its own. Sure updating would be still be better with a lightning cable since you could download the update to your computer first. Same goes for AppleTV though, if it had a web browser or a way to install a beta profile, updates would be much faster there asspeaker well.

I thought my Apple Watch series 2 had Wi-Fi. I may be misunderstanding of the way it works, though the tech specs say:

Wi-Fi. 802.11b/g/n 2.4 GHz
Bluetooth. Bluetooth 4.0
NFC. NFC (all) FeliCa (Japan)
Location. Built‑in GPS
Audio In. Direct fire microphone
Audio Out. Direct fire

 

[Tartarus]

I think the main problem is the Apple Watch doesn’t have wifi of its own. Sure updating would be still be better with a lightning cable since you could download the update to your computer first. Same goes for AppleTV though, if it had a web browser or a way to install a beta profile, updates would be much faster there as well.

It sure does have wifi of its own.
I once forgot my phone at home and still could get iMessages and FaceTime calls.

https://support.apple.com/kb/sp736?locale=en_US

 

[metllicamilitia]

It sure does have wifi of its own.
I once forgot my phone at home and still could get iMessages and FaceTime calls.

https://support.apple.com/kb/sp736?locale=en_US
//uploads.tapatalk-cdn.com/20170725/dbb20490e9da44eeadae64029b951458.png

Pseudo-wifi. It will default to a 2.4Ghz band your iPhone has been connected to before if it can’t connect via Bluetooth. I just looked it up after this. You can’t go into any settings on your watch to connect to wifi. Even if you could, it still poses the same problem as AppleTV. Which is that there is no web browser to download the profile from and update. Again, yes, having a lightning cable and downloading to your computer is still faster than the current offering.

 

[Tartarus]

Pseudo-wifi. It will default to a 2.4Ghz band your iPhone has been connected to before if it can’t connect via Bluetooth. I just looked it up after this. You can’t go into any settings on your watch to connect to wifi. Even if you could, it still poses the same problem as AppleTV. Which is that there is no web browser to download the profile from and update. Again, yes, having a lightning cable and downloading to your computer is still faster than the current offering.

You would only need the profile once. And then initiate an update from the watch itself. But this is only hypothetical as it’s not possible yet.
watchOS 4 and the built-in GPS on series 2 made the watch a little more a stand-alone device, but only for workouts and hikes.

But if you consider the fact that the Apple Watch is originally designed as an extension of the iPhone, it’s pretty good at what it’s supposed to do.
Save for battery life and a little slowness of the first gen Watch, the series 2 didn’t have much added value.
I’m holding off until series 3.

Given the fact that official updates for the watch only get released with long intervals, a 2 hours for an update is actually manageable, albeit not convenient, but regardless, manageable.

 

[scruffypig]

It sure does have wifi of its own.
I once forgot my phone at home and still could get iMessages and FaceTime calls.

https://support.apple.com/kb/sp736?locale=en_US
//uploads.tapatalk-cdn.com/20170725/dbb20490e9da44eeadae64029b951458.png

I am pretty sure this has happened to me also. I am going to give this a trial tonight.

Would love to see a lightning port too, like the Beats headphones, but maybe Apple is figuring out water resistance.

 

[doogald]

A lightning port would take up a lot of internal space. I can't believe that will happen anytime soon. There is already a proprietary (though unusable) port on the watch, just under the bottom strap holder with the buttons to the right, for apple's use.

https://9to5mac.com/2015/05/04/opin...tch-port-should-probably-stay-hidden-for-now/

 

[Just_Me_D]

A lightning port would take up a lot of internal space. I can't believe that will happen anytime soon. There is already a proprietary (though unusable) port on the watch, just under the bottom strap holder with the buttons to the right, for apple's use.

https://9to5mac.com/2015/05/04/opin...tch-port-should-probably-stay-hidden-for-now/

I recall reading about that not long after getting my watch.

 

[Quis89]

The download of the update itself would be faster, sure. But the installation time wouldn't change much, I don't think. The processor controls that. I personally wouldn't want a lightning port. I imagine it would take up space that could be used for something else. I like the flexibility of the current update options not having to be tethered to anything. If there were an option of the current update option, and Apple adding a lightning port, I'd rather them leave it as is.

 

[newtoios]

Why doesn’t Apple use WiFi direct?

When I had a Samsung gear, it used WiFi direct and it was much much faster downloading updates and music.

Downloading music to the Apple Watch is beyond painfully slow.

 

[ItnStln]

Why doesn’t Apple use WiFi direct?

When I had a Samsung gear, it used WiFi direct and it was much much faster downloading updates and music.

Downloading music to the Apple Watch is beyond painfully slow.

Great question