The Apple Watch

AgamVark

Heisenberg1 wrote: »

I have the watch 2 weeks now and I'm not overly impressed with it I know it's only the first version of the OS but it is extremely buggie and the lag on it at times is annoying. I have treated the watch with the up most care but there are tiny scratches on it already very annoying.

The software should be much better with the new OS that'll be available soon.

Sucks to hear about all the scratches.

I ordered via Parcel Motel today. Hopefully it'll arrive before the end of the week.

The Ayatolla

Ive been using WatchOS Beta (whatever the latest one is) and don't see much improvement in its use to be honest.

All depends on the 3rd party devs tailoring their apps for it.

Fleawuss

Bought mine in London recently. They had it in stock. Very happy with it. Key features are what I wanted: a watch and calendar. It's elegant. Haven't experienced any bugs. It's a great device that will only improve further. The extras are very useful too.

BobbyT28

Heisenberg1 wrote: »

I have the watch 2 weeks now and I'm not overly impressed with it I know it's only the first version of the OS but it is extremely buggie and the lag on it at times is annoying. I have treated the watch with the up most care but there are tiny scratches on it already very annoying.

Heisenberg1,

Have a look at this:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=cqb8LFt4MI0

BobbyT28

Heisenberg1

BobbyT28 wrote: »

Heisenberg1,

Have a look at this:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=cqb8LFt4MI0

BobbyT28

Thanks for that but unfortunately the scratches are on the screen and not the casing.

baby and crumble

Perhaps a bit off topic but does anyone have a 38mm m/l sportsband in any colour other than white they want to swap for a white s/m? I don't see the point in hanging onto it. Might be kinda fun to have a different colour half too.

whiterebel

Had a look at them in Apple White City yesterday. Very nice, I must admit, I'll hold out for 2nd or 3rd gen, I think.

OU812

^ It's unlikely there'll be a 2nd or 3rd gen for a number of years though. I think the watch is going to follow the ATV pattern & only be refreshed every 3-4 years.

FourFourRED

If I was a betting man, I would imagine Apple Watch 2 would arrive in September/October 2016.

DubDJ

This isn't one of Apple's "Hobby Projects". There will most likely be a new Apple Watch 2 in the next 6 months or so. They spent a lot of money on developing this and advertising it, it will almost 100% be on a yearly update cycle and have the same focus as the iPhone and iPad.

squonk

I doubt it. There is a primery concern here about the cost of the device and the nature of the device itself. If we were only dealing with Sport models then I might be inclined to agree with you. The Apple Watch however is a €500-€600 item while the Edition is priced in the thousands.

An iOS device or an MBP is something you expect to wear out and expect to be come obsolete within a timeframe. A watch however is different. If I've paid €600 for my Apple Watch I'd kind of want to get a few years out of it. After all it's just a remote for my iOS device which is far more capable and powerful.

Right now I don't think there's the kind of demand for the Apple Watch to justify quick changes and, even if there was, once somebody buys a watch it'll do them for a while. I'll upgrade my phone for a faster processor, better screen, better camera etc. I'm not going to be as pushed about dropping hundreds on a replacement watch. Even if they sold a watch to everybody who has an iPhone today, the market for people upgrading their watches down the line will be relatively small and static.

FourFourRED

squonk wrote: »

An iOS device or an MBP is something you expect to wear out and expect to be come obsolete within a timeframe. A watch however is different. If I've paid €600 for my Apple Watch I'd kind of want to get a few years out of it. After all it's just a remote for my iOS device which is far more capable and powerful.

What you're saying doesn't really add up. Anyone buying a MacBook Pro or iPhone expects to get "a few years out of it" as well yet they are both updated annually. In fact the life cycle of a Mac would be longer. Probably 5 years before needing an upgrade. Why would the watch be any different? The annual cycle isn't there to wait for the first adopters to be ready for a new one. That's not how it works. I do think however that version 2 won't be a year after 1st gen. I think it will fall into September slot of 2016 and yearly updates after that.

Sad Professor

I'd say late 2016 for the first refresh as well, but it will probably a follow a 12-18 month cycle after that.

I don't think Apple is serious about the Edition model. It's just there for the people who can afford it. They are positioning the Apple Watch as a traditional watch because they have to in order to break into that market. Once they have a foothold and have established the watch as a functional device rather than fashion accessory they can dispense with all that nonsense. People will just have to get over having to replace their watch every couple of years instead of once or twice a lifetime, the same way they got over not having physical buttons and week long battery life on smartphones. It's not a watch, it's a smartwatch. If you want the benefits of one you'll have to upgrade every few years.

DubDJ

What I was going to say summed up in the above two posts. I do think that maybe the second gen might take a little longer to come, maybe 15 months. Second gen usually is a big step in all Apple devices, so I'd say it'll be a bit longer coming and then on a yearly cycle from then.

baby and crumble

Sad Professor wrote: »

It's not a watch, it's a smartwatch. If you want the benefits of one you'll have to upgrade every few years.

That's the thing. I love mine now that I have it, but it's not like I'll only ever wear that. I'll be keeping my normal watches and more than likely expanding to get a nice dress watch to have for weddings and events etc. when I really don't need to be kept up to date with everything, or track what I'm doing.

I mean it's really a completely frivolous bit of tech, and until my GF got one for her samsung a while ago I though they were stupid. But I see what they can do now.

Fleawuss

The renewal cycle will be different. As it is it's a great watch replacement. It's a good filter for your phone and software upgrades will make it even better. The NFC payment roll out will make it a preferred payment option. Additions or improvements to health fitness? Another reason to have it. But it won't be a yearly thing. There has to be a product map in place: too much invested in the marketing and the detail of it. But is there a market to sustain it given its smaller base than the phones? Apple might need a lower end version to secure it. It's one to watch. Pun intended. I think it's a brilliant thing.

naasrd

Ulster Bank have just updated their app to the watch.

OU812

naasrd wrote: »

Ulster Bank have just updated their app to the watch.

They still don't support Apple Pay in ROI, they do in NI

Clem H Fandango

OU812 wrote: »

They still don't support Apple Pay in ROI, they do in NI

The Ulster bank iOS app now supports the Apple Watch (just tried it, works great), he never said they added Apple Pay.

The Ayatolla

Apple Pay won't reach ROI until 2016 at earliest.

Creamy Goodness

can't imagine what I'd want a banking app on my watch for that Apple Pay doesn't already solve.

Clem H Fandango

The Ayatolla wrote: »

Apple Pay won't reach ROI until 2016 at earliest.

2020 minimum. Many shops don't even have terminals for wireless payments yet.

Clem H Fandango

Creamy Goodness wrote: »

can't imagine what I'd want a banking app on my watch for that Apple Pay doesn't already solve.

You can send money to contacts with one tap on the watch.

Creamy Goodness

Clem H Fandango wrote: »

2020 minimum. Many shops don't even have terminals for wireless payments yet.

Doubt it will be that long, 80% of my transactions that I do with my debit card are done through contactless. You really only have to cover Dublin/Cork/Galway to obtain critical mass in this country (and even then, i'm not sure about Cork/Galway).

Clem H Fandango wrote: »

You can send money to contacts with one tap on the watch.

How often would you do that though? let alone on your watch? I can count the amount of times I've borrowed money off someone in the last year on two fingers. Sure it's nice to be able to do it but I think the wrist is the wrong place to do it.

The Ayatolla

We have contactless in our canteen in work, bit of a pain having to put the pin in on the 4th go each time but I imagine Apple Pay will solve that.

First world problems

Creamy Goodness

The Ayatolla wrote: »

We have contactless in our canteen in work, bit of a pain having to put the pin in on the 4th go each time but I imagine Apple Pay will solve that.

First world problems

you've to put a pin in on the 4th transaction? that's weird

naasrd

Creamy Goodness wrote: »

How often would you do that though? let alone on your watch? I can count the amount of times I've borrowed money off someone in the last year on two fingers. Sure it's nice to be able to do it but I think the wrist is the wrong place to do it.

I've two teenagers, am constantly putting cash in their accounts. Also top up the missus and vica versa when needs be. Also pay my Esb, gas and mortgage via the app.

Clem H Fandango

Creamy Goodness wrote: »

How often would you do that though? let alone on your watch?

Maybe it's just me and my circle of friends/family but easily once or twice a week. The watch app will now just make it easier.

The Ayatolla

Creamy Goodness wrote: »

you've to put a pin in on the 4th transaction? that's weird

Yeah it's a security thing for contactless, no? Or is it just Permanent TSB?

If you interupt the cycle by using an ATM or putting in the PIN for a large transaction it's fine, but it's not possible to do 10 five euro transactions in a row in the space of a week.

OU812

Smart Bands to expand the functionality of the watch. Would be a good move. Would mean they don't have to refresh the hardware for longer & can also keep the price lower.