How many are getting an Apple watch?

[zerogear]

Different situation.

The 'quartz moment' hit the cheapy, crap mechanical watches hard. Suddenly you could have a ridiculously accurate watch at the fraction of the price of an accurate mechanical one.

There isn't a cheap mechanical watch market to hit any more and the expensive mechanical watch market is a different market to the smartwatch market.

Now I'm not saying that smartwatches won't take off, they might well do very well. I just don't think that they'll have a massive impact on the watch market. I think that that's suffering more from watches going out of fashion in general.
If smartwatches do well it might very well give the traditional watch market a boost as people get back into the idea of wearing something on their wrist.

They probably won't. The people who want quality watches and the people who would like smartwatches are very different markets. For the most part, smartphones and cellphones already took out a majority of the market who didn't particularly liked watches, but needed a time telling device -- and that's the market smartwatches are catering to, the mass people who don't care about quality watches.

In general, the quality watch market is going to be fine.

 

[zerogear]

I Doubt your phone has a barometer, the first iPhone with one is the iPhone 6. S6 has one I think. Are you suggesting that by carrying your phone in your bag, that the accelerometer tells you anything compared to an apple watch on your wrist?


The whole point is that it's attatched to you, it goes where you go in a way the phone never could.

Galaxy series has had barometer since S3....

 

[openwheel]

Most Android Wear watches aren't waterproof, either. Take that G Watch R or Moto 360 swimming and you're going to kill it.

That doesn't mean Apple shouldn't try for true waterproofing, but it's disingenuous to attack Apple when the alternative you'd buy would probably have the same level of water resistance. Sport is a fine description -- you can still get it sweaty or run in the rain.

It's not a Apple vs Android debate. Please don't go down that road.
Apparently Pebble is waterproof for 5ATM. That's fantastic. Everything else that isn't waterproof is simply paper weight OTB, especially as a "sport" accessory.

If I can run in the ran with my sweaty balls, it must be the Apple Boxer Sport Edition.

A: "hey let's dive in for a swim"
B: "wait I need to take off my Apple Watch Sport Edition, it may be low on battery but I don't want to kill it".

 

[theeedude]

It would be semi-interesting if it replaced the smartphone (with a BT headset for voice) instead of requiring you to carry one anyways. Other than that, I don't see the point of it, aside from looking like Dick Tracy.

 

[Commodus]

It's not a Apple vs Android debate. Please don't go down that road.
Apparently Pebble is waterproof for 5ATM. That's fantastic. Everything else that isn't waterproof is simply paper weight OTB, especially as a "sport" accessory.

If I can run in the ran with my sweaty balls, it must be the Apple Boxer Sport Edition.

A: "hey let's dive in for a swim"
B: "wait I need to take off my Apple Watch Sport Edition, it may be low on battery but I don't want to kill it".

Wasn't trying to frame it that way -- I just find that a lot of people are seemingly trying to single Apple out, as if it's the only one who does this. The issue is that smartwatches with speakers and microphones are typically not waterproof using current technology.

 

[ControlD]

I actually have the same problem with the Galaxy Gear Fit as I do with the Apple Watch Sport. I believe these companies are intentionally trying to take away part of the fitness tracking market with their clever naming. Seems like a sweet idea. Why not get a fitness tracking device and a smart watch all in one? Like the Gear Fit, the Apple Watch Sport is not fit for swimming. I know from experience that touch screen devices pretty much suck for running companions. I guess I have to wonder if people are really going to exercise at all with these expensive gadgets anyhow. Probably not. People's idea of a fitness tracker seems to be counting steps, tracking sleep and having something to remind you to stand up every once in awhile. And don't forget about a heart rate monitor. That's important .. somehow.

 

[drbrock]

How about the Fenix 3? Can last a month without Bluetooth. Waterproof high end parts for the same price as iwatch. Can last a few days with bluetooth on.

 

[ControlD]

How about the Fenix 3? Can last a month without Bluetooth. Waterproof high end parts for the same price as iwatch. Can last a few days with bluetooth on.

You can go even cheaper if that's the type of device you are looking for. My Forerunner 220 is waterproof up to 50m, lasts me for a solid week of running (that's with bluetooth and GPS active). If it is in low power mode the battery lasts for weeks.

The Fenix is nicer looking though.

Still, neither one is "smart".

 

[Ramses]

I believe the Gear S is ip67, and it has everything but a kitchen sink as the saying goes.

 

[ControlD]

I believe the Gear S is ip67, and it has everything but a kitchen sink as the saying goes.

You aren't going to swim with a IP67 watch (unless you don't like it very much). The Apple Watch has the exact same water proof rating, just no dust rating thus the IPX7 rating.

 

[stlc8tr]

You aren't going to swim with a IP67 watch (unless you don't like it very much). The Apple Watch has the exact same water proof rating, just no dust rating thus the IPX7 rating.

What's the IPX rating on the Pebble?

I know they said that it's rated for 5ATM but how does that translate to an IPX rating? Is that IPX9?

http://help.getpebble.com/customer/portal/articles/1850071-water-resistance

 

[ControlD]

The Pebble rating would most likely be IPX8. It might have a dust rating I just haven't seen any mention of that. I do believe Pebble has recommended against high pressure water so it wouldn't have a IPX9 rating.

 

[WelshBloke]

Most Android Wear watches aren't waterproof, either. Take that G Watch R or Moto 360 swimming and you're going to kill it.

If it makes you feel any better those make crappy fitness bands as well.

 

[Ramses]

You aren't going to swim with a IP67 watch (unless you don't like it very much). The Apple Watch has the exact same water proof rating, just no dust rating thus the IPX7 rating.

Then they should both be fine for swimming laps and such normal pool stuff.
Odd you can be waterproof to that degree but not dustproof.

 

[ControlD]

Then they should both be fine for swimming laps and such normal pool stuff.
Odd you can be waterproof to that degree but not dustproof.

An IP67 device is really not made for swimming. You can try it if you want for short periods of time but something with that rating isn't made for that kind of duty. That rating means you can drop in in the toilet/pool or get rained on and everything should be fine. It is not meant for extended periods of being under water.

 

[WelshBloke]

Then they should both be fine for swimming laps and such normal pool stuff.
Odd you can be waterproof to that degree but not dustproof.

I wouldn't swim with either of them. I'd wear them in the pool and not worry about them getting wet like I use my S5 in the pool, but things on your wrist are going to be subjected to high water pressure when you're swimming.

It'll be dustproof if it's water resistant.

I'm surprised that it's water resistance isn't rated higher, it's a totally sealed unit isn't it?

 

[Ramses]

Seem to be lots of folks showing off getting away with it on youtube for whatever that's worth. I honor my progenitors that drug themselves out of the water long ago by not going back in it myself.

 

[drbrock]

You can go even cheaper if that's the type of device you are looking for. My Forerunner 220 is waterproof up to 50m, lasts me for a solid week of running (that's with bluetooth and GPS active). If it is in low power mode the battery lasts for weeks.

The Fenix is nicer looking though.

Still, neither one is "smart".

Maybe I am missing the full capabilities of this. What would make the watch smart? It gets the notifications and phone call/text alert/reading.

Do these watches have some killer apps that I am not a aware of? I know I can't use the fenix for talking like some other watches.

If the forerunner 220 does this and lasts for a solid week I would rather have that. Daily charging on a watch sucks. I get mad with I have to charge my fenix 2 if it has been shorter than 2 weeks.

Now if the iwatch had internal storage to stream music/podcasts to bluetooth headphones it would be an instant buy for me.

 

[WelshBloke]

Seem to be lots of folks showing off getting away with it on youtube for whatever that's worth.

That's fine until all of a sudden it's not and you have to spend another $700.

I honor my progenitors that drug themselves out of the water long ago by not going back in it myself.

:awe:

 

[Ramses]

That's fine until all of a sudden it's not and you have to spend another $700.

lol...

 

[ControlD]

Maybe I am missing the full capabilities of this. What would make the watch smart? It gets the notifications and phone call/text alert/reading.

Do these watches have some killer apps that I am not a aware of? I know I can't use the fenix for talking like some other watches.

If the forerunner 220 does this and lasts for a solid week I would rather have that. Daily charging on a watch sucks. I get mad with I have to charge my fenix 2 if it has been shorter than 2 weeks.

Now if the iwatch had internal storage to stream music/podcasts to bluetooth headphones it would be an instant buy for me.

Nope, you didn't miss anything but I did! My apologies.

I looked at the Fenix but somehow missed the notification capabilities. The Forerunner does not support any type of notifications. It will sync your data to a phone over bluetooth but that's as far as it goes.

I'll say one thing, Garmin just barely mentions the notification capabilities of that watch. I mean, it's like one bullet point on the entire web page!
http://fenix3.garmin.com/en-US/

At the bottom it mentions "smart notifications". That is pretty vague.

FWIW, I do believe the Apple Watch can stream music and podcasts to your BT headphones. You just won't have GPS without a phone attached to it.

 

[Commodus]

FWIW, I do believe the Apple Watch can stream music and podcasts to your BT headphones. You just won't have GPS without a phone attached to it.

Specifically, you can store 2GB of audio on the Watch itself, so you don't have to lug your phone with you just to get music during a run. I'm half-surprised that Apple didn't line up some new wireless earbuds from Beats to go with the Watch launch.

 

[ControlD]

Specifically, you can store 2GB of audio on the Watch itself, so you don't have to lug your phone with you just to get music during a run. I'm half-surprised that Apple didn't line up some new wireless earbuds from Beats to go with the Watch launch.

If it had GPS built in that would be perfect. As it is, most people will want GPS during their runs. That's part of my problem with the current generation of these devices regardless of manufacturer. They are sort of in between devices. They really need a phone connected to be of use but lots of people really are hoping for the perfect fitness device and they aren't even close to that.

 

[WelshBloke]

Specifically, you can store 2GB of audio on the Watch itself, so you don't have to lug your phone with you just to get music during a run.

So like a slightly worse ipod nano then?

 

[openwheel]

Specifically, you can store 2GB of audio on the Watch itself, so you don't have to lug your phone with you just to get music during a run. I'm half-surprised that Apple didn't line up some new wireless earbuds from Beats to go with the Watch launch.

What's the benefit of smart watch over a simple armband? You get more storage and you bring your phone with you in case of emergency. Would you go for a 1 hour jog on a city trail without a phone? What about a 4 hour bike ride?

iPhone 5S with armband, fitbit and a Casio G-Shock is better over this Apple Watch imo.