On MacBreak Weekly they interviewed Andy Ihnatko who was at the event and got to see the watches close up. He's been wearing a Moto Almost 360 for the past week and he really likes that device but he said he thought the Apple watch looked nicer (top notch fit and finish) and he was surprised he liked the square display. Surprisingly Leo Laporte was also impressed, especially with the bands.
Found this on Instagram. I guess these are some of the people who worked on the watch. More evidence of the Tim a Cook era. I can't imagine Steve Jobs ever allowing a photo like this.
How does Samsung manage to put out a new smartwatch or two every month and yet it takes Apple over a year to do two variants of the same AppleWatch. I'm not complaining. I simply don't understand why there's such a huge difference in manufacturing time. Maybe it's not the hardware but all the software and partnerships that's behind it.
You truly cannot understand why it took longer to bring Apple Watch to market than any/all of the Samsung products? Can you observe any difference in features or performance between the product lines? There might be an answer there...
Nice! An iPhone is a modern-day pocket watch really.
This is almost how I see it. It's a bit jarring in a way, because I think a lot of people expected some kind of ultra-futuristic thing (I was certainly initially hoping we'd see more than "a watch"). But on reflection, and looking at what Apple have actually shown, I can see the angle they are going for. A watch is a fashion accessory, in a way that a phone isn't - and I think that's a key point.
I think the dilemma for me at the moment is still about the overall need for such a device. I'm seeing a lot of people arguing that unless a watch replicates all the functions of a smart phone, then it's essentially useless.
But I'm finding myself disagreeing with this. I remember Steve Jobs once talking about the idea that even when trucks became less and less relevant for most people (i.e. cars, hatchbacks, and other models began gaining prevalence), there was still a need for trucks. It's just that the balance shifted as more options became available.
I'm starting to think that the smart watch is another example of this. That is, smart watches, phones, tablets, laptops, and desktops all have overlapping functionality. But the different form factors and specific capabilities relate directly to the end user experience - there are many times where you want certain functions but you don't need a full desktop, or even a full tablet.
Also as a side note to this - if smart watches help people to avoid staring down at their phones all the time (hunting to find information) - then this may in itself be of value. Smart watches seem to be seeking to quickly bring relevant tidbits to the surface for a quick check, and that's it. This alone could have more value than we may first think.
The whole smart watch concept is just a curiosity. its really a product you do not need. No one will be using one in 5 years, its the Edsel of the tech industry. I think Apple made one just because everyone said they should. All the other watches on the markets have been duds. its a lame product idea.
Some people call it doing too much, some people call it options. I think in the end, the Apple watch is going to be what you make of it, along with what developers do for us, as opposed to what you think Apple's intention was for you.
It blows my mind how many SKU's Apple has for a gen 1 product. Three different models. Light and dark stainless steel and aluminum. Yellow gold and rose gold. Stainless steel, leather and colored rubberized bands. Tons of combinations. All the fanboys on the tech sites are hating on the design but Apple blew everyone else away in terns of combinations/customization out of the gate.
The only thing about the product that I'm not sold on is FOCUS. It seems to me that it does too much, almost like a smartphone on your wrist. Almost like Apple went that route because of the price they wanted to charge. Hard to charge $349 for something that only does one or two things well. Can't wait to get hands on reviews though.
I think one of the benefits of this watch is it doesn't have too strong focus. From the way Apple is positioning it, with the buy-in of developers, the watch has the potential to become the personal device that the individual needs. Not a one size cookie-cutter device that Apple thinks everybody should have.
Not what I actually said. I simply said that Apple put a lot of effort into developing this kind of thing. I'm not going to try and second guess why they made the design decisions they did, because they're people are better at that kind of thing than I am.
They haven't screwed me in any sense. I currently don't have an AppleWatch, and no-one is forcing me to buy one against my will. So, I'm not screwed.
And despite this, people have been asserting that it will include this feature that Apple itself has not mentioned.
Yes, you're quite right. I'm threatening Apple that if they don't fix the problem for left handers I won't buy their watch. Clearly this will work, because they couldn't possibly survive without my personal purchase of this product.
I don't see any grounds for a class action lawsuit, nor do I see anyone threatening any kind of legal action against Apple. What I do see is a few people (myself included) who are disappointed that the Watch, as currently presented, doesn't seem to
Just to add another perspective to this: I've been in the market for a watch for a few months now. Just a regular ol' watch. Current "smart watch" designs haven't really done anything for me; in fact, I've been looking at some of the simpler, brighter Swatch models.
Previously I'd had a couple of mid-range watches (a silver JAG, and then a silver and black Rip Curl with an ultra-minimal face), but I haven't worn watches in a couple of years now. So I was eager to see how I'd react to Apple's interpretation.
So far? Well, I'm mixed, leaning on the positive side.
The biggest minus for me at the moment is that I have a slight sense that Apple doesn't yet have a clear direction for this product in terms of functionality. In some respects, Android Wear is the more consistently-focused platform. However, Apple have chosen to focus on some concepts that make absolute sense - for instance, some have knocked Apple for putting focus on "silly" things like the ability to hand-draw little messages and stuff, but I think those critics are missing the point that the device is intended to feel personal. I like this personal touch, and I think Apple understand this point well. But more broadly, we can see that there are a ton of app icons on the home screen and I just wonder how all of these things will work on a watch face - i.e. mail and that sort of thing. I hope Apple will do more than just shoehorn iOS down onto a phone (again, so far, their initial demo does look promising - time will tell).
What impresses me - more than I expected - are the watch and strap designs themselves. I really thought that a fairly standard square-ish watch face would be boring. But honestly, I'm impressed, and I think I'm impressed because (as some here have pointed out), there does seem to be a really strong focus on detail, fit and finish, in true Apple style. It's this aspect that I think a lot of people miss, or don't place high value on.
That is to say, if you place high value on functionality itself and you aren't as interested in the interface or the fit and finish - then sure, Apple Watch may not be for you. But I think Apple are really catering to those who care about such things, and who appreciate subtlety. I know they've always done this, but in some ways, Apple Watch is a very strong statement of this idea in practice.
So, does this bring me any closer to moving to a smart watch versus a regular watch?
Well, possibly. Like many people, I'll need to know more - one of my biggest concerns is battery life. If battery life is solid, then I could justify this a little more. I don't like the idea of having to regularly charge a watch, and I'm sure many others don't either.
In any case, the next year or so will be fascinating. I think Samsung and others have tried to rush themselves out in front, because they knew that Apple was coming. Well, now Apple's here. It'll be really interesting to see which approach succeeds in the market.
Interestingly, I'm starting to feel that the smart watch market could become broad enough to fit multiple levels of product. That is, I can see Samsung going for the cheaper models and Apple going for the mid-to-high end of town, with each being successful in their relative spheres.
More than anything, now that Apple is engaged in this space, I'm really interested to see how this product category as a whole evolves over coming years. It's now moving from being a fad to something far more serious, and Apple's involvement lends enormous weight to the category. So, game on. :-)
The whole smart watch concept is just a curiosity. its really a product you do not need. No one will be using one in 5 years, its the Edsel of the tech industry. I think Apple made one just because everyone said they should. All the other watches on the markets have been duds. its a lame product idea.
Oh, really? Care to make it interesting?
In five years, the watch may be able to replace the phone for some people. You have no idea what roadmap Apple has planned.
In five years, the watch may be able to replace the phone for some people. You have no idea what roadmap Apple has planned.
Yes, and, it's also worth pointing out that this was not a fly-by-night thing for Apple. We know that Apple were considering wearables for a very long time - several years, in fact.
Apple vocalised their interest in wearable technology well before Samsung and others came out with smart watches. If anything, I think the industry has tried to pre-empt Apple when they knew that Apple was considering this category - the problem, though, is that many companies (particularly Samsung) were acting without a strategic interest in this category. So in a sense, they were trying to anticipate what Apple might do and then pre-emptively respond.
The problem with this approach, of course, is that we get a mish-mash of "let's throw everything at the wall and hope it sticks".
Whatever you choose to say about Apple, it's always worth remembering that they have thoughtfully considered this entire category of products well before many others. That they took so long to reveal a product shows, I think, that they did not want to just throw something out there - they wanted to seriously consider the purpose of such a device.
I think there are still many open questions about what smart watches can be. But this is not terribly different than what happened when the original iPad came out - it was seen as a "big iPhone" (a bit like how some see Apple Watch as a "small iPhone"). The point was that Apple believed in the validity of the form factor, and it took some time to deliver the applications that uniquely supported that factor in a compelling way. I think the same will be true here, except that I think Apple will mobilise faster with Apple Watch.
I have always been critical about smart watches, but I must say, I'm quite impressed with Apple's offering. Samsung beat Apple to the punch by releasing 6 watches so far. Apple has just delivered the knockout blow to Samsung.
Sammy will most likely rip off the taptics and messaging, 2 of the killer features I think are of any significance. Lets just see how long it takes for them to do it
Found this on Instagram. I guess these are some of the people who worked on the watch. More evidence of the Tim a Cook era. I can't imagine Steve Jobs ever allowing a photo like this.
You have a poor imagination.
Steve had us all stand around each other for every release of NeXTSTEP/Openstep and more.
Sammy will most likely rip off the taptics and messaging, 2 of the killer features I think are of any significance. Lets just see how long it takes for them to do it
Considering Android Wear already supports haptic feedback and messaging, I'd say Samsung ripped off Apple months before the watch even debuted. It might be a record.
that is really ugly, it looks so boring. i dont understand, why they hired that expert from LVHM. so my summary from today is that nothing innovative introduced, so now it will be real test, whether customers will buy this.
I guess some will never get it. Please buy from thieving SameShit
Comments
How does Samsung manage to put out a new smartwatch or two every month and yet it takes Apple over a year to do two variants of the same AppleWatch. I'm not complaining. I simply don't understand why there's such a huge difference in manufacturing time. Maybe it's not the hardware but all the software and partnerships that's behind it.
You truly cannot understand why it took longer to bring Apple Watch to market than any/all of the Samsung products? Can you observe any difference in features or performance between the product lines? There might be an answer there...
Nice! An iPhone is a modern-day pocket watch really.
This is almost how I see it. It's a bit jarring in a way, because I think a lot of people expected some kind of ultra-futuristic thing (I was certainly initially hoping we'd see more than "a watch"). But on reflection, and looking at what Apple have actually shown, I can see the angle they are going for. A watch is a fashion accessory, in a way that a phone isn't - and I think that's a key point.
I think the dilemma for me at the moment is still about the overall need for such a device. I'm seeing a lot of people arguing that unless a watch replicates all the functions of a smart phone, then it's essentially useless.
But I'm finding myself disagreeing with this. I remember Steve Jobs once talking about the idea that even when trucks became less and less relevant for most people (i.e. cars, hatchbacks, and other models began gaining prevalence), there was still a need for trucks. It's just that the balance shifted as more options became available.
I'm starting to think that the smart watch is another example of this. That is, smart watches, phones, tablets, laptops, and desktops all have overlapping functionality. But the different form factors and specific capabilities relate directly to the end user experience - there are many times where you want certain functions but you don't need a full desktop, or even a full tablet.
Also as a side note to this - if smart watches help people to avoid staring down at their phones all the time (hunting to find information) - then this may in itself be of value. Smart watches seem to be seeking to quickly bring relevant tidbits to the surface for a quick check, and that's it. This alone could have more value than we may first think.
Oh, really? Care to make it interesting?
In five years, the watch may be able to replace the phone for some people. You have no idea what roadmap Apple has planned.
Oh, really? Care to make it interesting?
In five years, the watch may be able to replace the phone for some people. You have no idea what roadmap Apple has planned.
Yes, and, it's also worth pointing out that this was not a fly-by-night thing for Apple. We know that Apple were considering wearables for a very long time - several years, in fact.
Apple vocalised their interest in wearable technology well before Samsung and others came out with smart watches. If anything, I think the industry has tried to pre-empt Apple when they knew that Apple was considering this category - the problem, though, is that many companies (particularly Samsung) were acting without a strategic interest in this category. So in a sense, they were trying to anticipate what Apple might do and then pre-emptively respond.
The problem with this approach, of course, is that we get a mish-mash of "let's throw everything at the wall and hope it sticks".
Whatever you choose to say about Apple, it's always worth remembering that they have thoughtfully considered this entire category of products well before many others. That they took so long to reveal a product shows, I think, that they did not want to just throw something out there - they wanted to seriously consider the purpose of such a device.
I think there are still many open questions about what smart watches can be. But this is not terribly different than what happened when the original iPad came out - it was seen as a "big iPhone" (a bit like how some see Apple Watch as a "small iPhone"). The point was that Apple believed in the validity of the form factor, and it took some time to deliver the applications that uniquely supported that factor in a compelling way. I think the same will be true here, except that I think Apple will mobilise faster with Apple Watch.
No one appreciates anything anymore. Sad world we live in.
I have always been critical about smart watches, but I must say, I'm quite impressed with Apple's offering. Samsung beat Apple to the punch by releasing 6 watches so far. Apple has just delivered the knockout blow to Samsung.
Sammy will most likely rip off the taptics and messaging, 2 of the killer features I think are of any significance. Lets just see how long it takes for them to do it
You have a poor imagination.
Steve had us all stand around each other for every release of NeXTSTEP/Openstep and more.
I can, too.
And a little tidbit here. I guess we all knew he’d been working on it already, but...
I think the era of the "i" is over. Silly prediction: The next refresh to the Apple desktop line will introduce the Mac Air.
"Apple Watch" sounds cheesy.
"Apple Watch" sounds cheesy.
Like Google Glass- another mockable product.
"Developers writing applications for iPhone and iPad and Mac and now, of course, as of today, the iWatch"
LOL! Force of habit maybe?
Steve Jobs, paraphrased, January 9, 2007:
Considering Android Wear already supports haptic feedback and messaging, I'd say Samsung ripped off Apple months before the watch even debuted. It might be a record.
"Apple Watch" sounds cheesy.
Cheese does go well with apples, especially when you add in just the right amount of whine.
that is really ugly, it looks so boring. i dont understand, why they hired that expert from LVHM. so my summary from today is that nothing innovative introduced, so now it will be real test, whether customers will buy this.
I guess some will never get it. Please buy from thieving SameShit