'Apple Watch Series 3' rumored to boast all-new form factor [u]

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  • Reply 81 of 94
    melgrossmelgross Posts: 33,510member

    Soli said:
    melgross said:
    jonagold said:
    I agree Mike1, everyone jumps to that conclusion that the strap connections would get redesigned.  I imagine Apple mapped the Watch several iterations into the future and I would highly doubt it includes shapeshifting it so soon. I'm sure the first question they beat to death was "what shape should it be and why?"  If anything I imagine it would be wider/rectangular, eventually turning into a cuff-like device way down the road. 
    It’s not an assumption, it’s a concern. It’s very important to maintain consistency with strap lugs. I’ve got 6 watch bands, including the black SS bracelet. I would hate it if Apple did something that would obsolete those, or made some adapter cluster that would be clumsy, or fugly.
    Do you think this is a major concern? Eventually I expect them to better the design which will make it incompatible with current bands, but I'd think we have at least a couple years before that happens. I find Apple frustratingly slow to act on such changes. How long did the ODD last? How long did the 30pin iPod dock connector last? I think you'll fine this year.
    It should be a concern, yes. Apple was smart to do what they did, rather than just have standard lugs. But once they did that, and sold a lot of watches, with Apple putting so much attention on the number of bands, and on how people can now buy a bunch of them because they’re so easy to change, they can’t really obsolete that method. Well, they can, but they shouldn’t.

    i’m not worried particularly about this year, as I’m not planning to get new watch each year as I do with iPads, or even every other year, as I do with iPhones. I’m worried about long term. If Apple has 50 million Apple Watch users in say, three years, and they change the mounting, what will these 50 million users think? I think they will all be really ticked. I will be. What will I do with the hundreds of dollars in bands I’ve bought, including the $550 black SS one that I bought with my watch? Should I throw them all away when I get a new watch that can’t use them? Will I need to buy some horrible adapter that I won’t want, or like? Should I not buy the new model watch?

    A big reason why the watch industry has been successful for 120 years is because the same lugs that were used then are used now. Yes, it’s true that some high end watches have bracelets that aren’t removable. I have one of those, or use a proprietary method, and I have one of those too. But those are designed so that they are an integral part of the design, and people aren’t going to go and buy a different bracelet for these watches. I can’t even imagine that anyone (I don’t) with a $32,000 Gold Rolex President would be changing that bracelet.

    but changing bands is a major selling point for Apple. So whatever change in design they do, MUST incorporate the current attachment method. Is there a concern it won’t? Yes, because it’s Apple, and we never know what they will do. I hope that with a fashion product, which all watches are, even the cheapest, that Apple will understand that there are indeed some constraints on what they can do.
    edited August 2017
  • Reply 82 of 94
    melgrossmelgross Posts: 33,510member
    Soli said:
    melgross said:
    Apple will not make a round Watch. They just won't. They've chosen the form, for very good reasons, and they will not change that decision.

    I could see them going a bit thinner as technical advancements allow, and there's one more change that I haven't seen anyone mention, but seems fairly obvious to me.  Apple may be taking a hard look at the Digital Crown.  It was a cool innovation, but it takes a lot of space and is a mechanical component that represents both the potential for failure and potentially makes it more difficult to waterproof the watch, thought that latter issue has been addressed.

    Sidenote:  I had the problem of the display on my first generation Watch coming loose.  I'm here in the Philippines, so had few options for getting an Apple-authorized repair, and the Watch face had gotten pretty roughed up in the 2+ years I've worn it, so I figured I'd implement a simple repair while waiting for a Series 2 to arrive with a friend who had traveled back to the states for a one-month visit (I ordered my Series 2 and had it delivered to his stateside home for him to bring back with him when he returned to the Philippines).  To continue using the Series 1 I simply superglued the display back in place, but I used a bit too much glue and some must have gotten into the Digital Crown housing,  the crown still rotates, but pressing it no longer worked as a button.  Maybe some glue got on the contact so no electricity will flow.  In addition, the superglued display no longer moves under a force touch, so that functionally was gone too.
    -----

    Most assuredly Apple will, in the future, try to eliminate these mechanical components.  Not sure how a virtual digital crown might work, but perhaps Apple will simply eliminate the crown altogether.  These are the types of innovations I'll be watching for.  
    The Digital Crown is great. A very good idea. And despite the hate for it I would read around the internet from those who are obviously Google fans, now that Android Wear 2 has incorporated it, that hate has died down out of necessity.
    Now it’s obvious and Apple didn’t think of anything new¡

    PS: I like the round, mechanical dial around the display. In and of itself it’s a good utility, but it’s simply not an ideal design since the display also needs to be round when you’re displaying the amount of text that makes the Apple Watch a great product.
    I’m now so used to my Apple Watch that occasionally going back to one of my mechanical ones feels odd. Just as when I’m showing someone something on a computer when I’m standing next to them, and I reach out to touch the screen, I find myself tapping the cover of my mechanical model without thinking.

    i use one of the analog displays on my Apple Watch with complications, most of the time. But I also use others depending on what I’m doing. I often use the timer face too, plus a couple of others, though I’ve got a lot of faces in the lineup - just in case.
  • Reply 83 of 94
    SoliSoli Posts: 10,035member
    melgross said:

    Soli said:
    melgross said:
    jonagold said:
    I agree Mike1, everyone jumps to that conclusion that the strap connections would get redesigned.  I imagine Apple mapped the Watch several iterations into the future and I would highly doubt it includes shapeshifting it so soon. I'm sure the first question they beat to death was "what shape should it be and why?"  If anything I imagine it would be wider/rectangular, eventually turning into a cuff-like device way down the road. 
    It’s not an assumption, it’s a concern. It’s very important to maintain consistency with strap lugs. I’ve got 6 watch bands, including the black SS bracelet. I would hate it if Apple did something that would obsolete those, or made some adapter cluster that would be clumsy, or fugly.
    Do you think this is a major concern? Eventually I expect them to better the design which will make it incompatible with current bands, but I'd think we have at least a couple years before that happens. I find Apple frustratingly slow to act on such changes. How long did the ODD last? How long did the 30pin iPod dock connector last? I think you'll fine this year.
    It should be a concern, yes. Apple was smart to do what they did, rather than just have standard lugs. But once they did that, and sold a lot of watches, with Apple putting so much attention on the number of bands, and on how people can now buy a bunch of them because they’re so easy to change, they can’t really obsolete that method. Well, they can, but they shouldn’t.

    i’m not worried particularly about this year, as I’m not planning to get new watch each year as I do with iPads, or even every other year, as I do with iPhones. I’m worried about long term. If Apple has 50 million Apple Watch users in say, three years, and they change the mounting, what will these 50 million users think? I think they will all be really ticked. I will be. What will I do with the hundreds of dollars in bands I’ve bought, including the $550 black SS one that I bought with my watch? Should I throw them all away when I get a new watch that can’t use them? Will I need to buy some horrible adapter that I won’t want, or like? Should I not buy the new model watch?

    A big reason why the watch industry has been successful for 120 years is because the same lugs that were used then are used now. Yes, it’s true that some high end watches have bracelets that aren’t removable. I have one of those, or use a proprietary method, and I have one of those too. But those are designed so that they are an integral part of the design, and people aren’t going to go and buy a different bracelet for these watches. I can’t even imagine that anyone (I don’t) with a $32,000 Gold Rolex President would be changing that bracelet.

    but changing bands is a major selling point for Apple. So whatever change in design they do, MUST incorporate the current attachment method. Is there a concern it won’t? Yes, because it’s Apple, and we never know what they will do. I hope that with a fashion product, which all watches are, even the cheapest, that Apple will understand that there are indeed some constraints on what they can do.
    When someone says they’re concerned I read that as actively worrying about something. For example, I wouldn’t say I’m concerned about chromium-6 or lead in my drinking water even though I did buy a filter that can remove it. It’s just a precaution that involved a simple replacement of my current water filter; kind of like wearing a seatbelt when I drive, even though I’m not expecting to get in a car accident—if I did, I wouldn’t be on the road.

    So when you say I should be concerned about Apple eventually evolving their brilliant Watch band attachment design I’m not concerned. I only have half the bands as you, but even your number of extra bands is, what, $300 in accessories over 3 years? BTW, my favorite are the woven bands.

    I can’t imagine that they won’t evolve the band attachment, but I’m not expecting it to happen until the wearbale market evolves to a point to where the width of the display will need to increase to support greater usability which will force an increase in the Watch band size—at least for aesthetic purposes. By then, 42mm might be new 38mm so perhaps the current 42mm bands will fit perfectly.

    I’m sure they have ideas to make it thinner with a more secure attachment, but I think they planned ahead well. We may even get Smart Bands without a change to the attachment design.
  • Reply 84 of 94
    melgrossmelgross Posts: 33,510member
    Soli said:
    melgross said:

    Soli said:
    melgross said:
    jonagold said:
    I agree Mike1, everyone jumps to that conclusion that the strap connections would get redesigned.  I imagine Apple mapped the Watch several iterations into the future and I would highly doubt it includes shapeshifting it so soon. I'm sure the first question they beat to death was "what shape should it be and why?"  If anything I imagine it would be wider/rectangular, eventually turning into a cuff-like device way down the road. 
    It’s not an assumption, it’s a concern. It’s very important to maintain consistency with strap lugs. I’ve got 6 watch bands, including the black SS bracelet. I would hate it if Apple did something that would obsolete those, or made some adapter cluster that would be clumsy, or fugly.
    Do you think this is a major concern? Eventually I expect them to better the design which will make it incompatible with current bands, but I'd think we have at least a couple years before that happens. I find Apple frustratingly slow to act on such changes. How long did the ODD last? How long did the 30pin iPod dock connector last? I think you'll fine this year.
    It should be a concern, yes. Apple was smart to do what they did, rather than just have standard lugs. But once they did that, and sold a lot of watches, with Apple putting so much attention on the number of bands, and on how people can now buy a bunch of them because they’re so easy to change, they can’t really obsolete that method. Well, they can, but they shouldn’t.

    i’m not worried particularly about this year, as I’m not planning to get new watch each year as I do with iPads, or even every other year, as I do with iPhones. I’m worried about long term. If Apple has 50 million Apple Watch users in say, three years, and they change the mounting, what will these 50 million users think? I think they will all be really ticked. I will be. What will I do with the hundreds of dollars in bands I’ve bought, including the $550 black SS one that I bought with my watch? Should I throw them all away when I get a new watch that can’t use them? Will I need to buy some horrible adapter that I won’t want, or like? Should I not buy the new model watch?

    A big reason why the watch industry has been successful for 120 years is because the same lugs that were used then are used now. Yes, it’s true that some high end watches have bracelets that aren’t removable. I have one of those, or use a proprietary method, and I have one of those too. But those are designed so that they are an integral part of the design, and people aren’t going to go and buy a different bracelet for these watches. I can’t even imagine that anyone (I don’t) with a $32,000 Gold Rolex President would be changing that bracelet.

    but changing bands is a major selling point for Apple. So whatever change in design they do, MUST incorporate the current attachment method. Is there a concern it won’t? Yes, because it’s Apple, and we never know what they will do. I hope that with a fashion product, which all watches are, even the cheapest, that Apple will understand that there are indeed some constraints on what they can do.
    When someone says they’re concerned I read that as actively worrying about something. For example, I wouldn’t say I’m concerned about chromium-6 or lead in my drinking water even though I did buy a filter that can remove it. It’s just a precaution that involved a simple replacement of my current water filter; kind of like wearing a seatbelt when I drive, even though I’m not expecting to get in a car accident—if I did, I wouldn’t be on the road.

    So when you say I should be concerned about Apple eventually evolving their brilliant Watch band attachment design I’m not concerned. I only have half the bands as you, but even your number of extra bands is, what, $300 in accessories over 3 years? BTW, my favorite are the woven bands.

    I can’t imagine that they won’t evolve the band attachment, but I’m not expecting it to happen until the wearbale market evolves to a point to where the width of the display will need to increase to support greater usability which will force an increase in the Watch band size—at least for aesthetic purposes. By then, 42mm might be new 38mm so perhaps the current 42mm bands will fit perfectly.

    I’m sure they have ideas to make it thinner with a more secure attachment, but I think they planned ahead well. We may even get Smart Bands without a change to the attachment design.
    I’m concerned for several reasons. One is that as a fairly well invested shareholder, I can see this causing some problems financially, if people stop buying Apple Watches because they don’t trust Apple to maintain their collection, or wished for, band collection. And yes, that’s a thing.

    i’m concerned for my own growing collection.

    but being concerned is not being worried. Those are two different things, which is why they are two different words with two different definitions.

    well maybe $300 without the $550 black SS model bracelet. So that’s about $900. I like getting them, so when I see one I like, and it doesn’t have to be Apple’s, as they have licensed other manufacturers, I buy it.

    i see no reason why the attachments need to get wider. They’re already wide enough to accommodate pretty much any band now. The widest strap lug width is 32mm. In measuring the width of the outside of the Apple band connector, I find that it can accommodate a 32mm wide band, easily. So I can’t think of a reason why it would need to be wider.

    there are no 42mm bands, just 42mm cases. The bands are much narrower.

    this attachment can work with much thinner cases, no problem.
    edited August 2017
  • Reply 85 of 94
    SoliSoli Posts: 10,035member
    melgross said:
    there are no 42mm bands, just 42mm cases. The bands are much narrower.
    Was my comment so confusing as to assume that I meant the bands themselves had some physical measurement of 38 or 42mm, as opposed to referencing the Watches in which the different size bands are designed around?
  • Reply 86 of 94
    melgrossmelgross Posts: 33,510member
    Soli said:
    melgross said:
    there are no 42mm bands, just 42mm cases. The bands are much narrower.
    Was my comment so confusing as to assume that I meant the bands themselves had some physical measurement of 38 or 42mm, as opposed to referencing the Watches in which the different size bands are designed around?
    Maybe it’s just me. You said “the current 42mm bands”. I assumed that’s what you meant, as 42mm dia. watches can have bands from 8mm to 32mm, which is the widest available.

    when I just reread it I realized that you were just referring to Apple Watch. Earlier I thought you were talking about bands in general.
    edited August 2017
  • Reply 87 of 94
    GeorgeBMacGeorgeBMac Posts: 11,421member
    mnbob1 said:
    dougd said:
    Daily charging makes this product something I'd never want. Certainly don't need it with an iPhone in my pocket.
    I've worn a watch on my wrist for over 35 years. I've never worn one to bed. Placing my Apple Watch on the charger overnight isn't really a problem for me. In fact when you place it on your night stand on its side it becomes a bedside clock with an alarm. Using a Bluetooth speaker it can even be a beside music player. If I haven't had my charger available I often get about 2 days because I take it off at night. When you don't wear it the Apple Watch uses less battery just as the iPhone uses less battery when it's laying on the desk or just in your pocket. (especially with iOS 11)

    Here's a good reason for owning and wearing an Apple Watch; I take blood thinners for a hereditary condition. Last week I started to severely bleed internally and was home by myself. I used the Apple Watch's emergency call feature since I had left my iPhone in another room on my desk. My watch call 911 and I was able to communicate with an operator and the paramedics were there in less than 10 minutes. After I hung up with 911 my Watch automatically called my wife's iPhone while she was at work and I told her what was happening and meet me at the hospital. (the paramedics pounded on me, pinched me, slapped me to keep me awake) The paramedics told me I was close to going into shock from loss of blood. My wife wouldn't have been home for another 6 hours. Without my Apple Watch it's possible that I could have passed out on the bathroom floor and maybe died.

    Also those who don't pay attention to Apple Heath on their iPhone, get familiar with it! I had my wife come home and pick up my iPhone from home before heading to the ER. Why? My clinic allows me to download my health record in XML and I had recently downloaded it to my iPhone as shown in an AI article from July 17,17. I was able to provide the information to the ER personnel to help them with my care.
    First of all... Good lord, man. I hope you're going to be alright.

    Second... It's never been clear to me what steps to take to get my medical records into the Health app. Are there any detailed explainers available that you know of which may be turned over to ones doctors office to inform the staff?
    While the Health App is very far from perfect, I don't think the fault lies there.   The healthcare industry commonly believes that those records are their own private property and, for legal as well as professional reasons believe that they belong to them rather than you.   In short:  those records are about you, but they are not yours....

    This article from CNBC about an exchange between Biden and the CEO of the major Electronic Medical Records vendor EPIC explains a lot:
    https://www.cnbc.com/2017/08/07/joe-biden-vs-judy-faulkner-epic-systems-ceo-its-complicated.html

  • Reply 88 of 94
    GeorgeBMacGeorgeBMac Posts: 11,421member
    melgross said:
    jonagold said:
    I agree Mike1, everyone jumps to that conclusion that the strap connections would get redesigned.  I imagine Apple mapped the Watch several iterations into the future and I would highly doubt it includes shapeshifting it so soon. I'm sure the first question they beat to death was "what shape should it be and why?"  If anything I imagine it would be wider/rectangular, eventually turning into a cuff-like device way down the road. 
    It’s not an assumption, it’s a concern. It’s very important to maintain consistency with strap lugs. I’ve got 6 watch bands, including the black SS bracelet. I would hate it if Apple did something that would obsolete those, or made some adapter cluster that would be clumsy, or fugly.
    My bet is that your bands will become obsolete because all they do is look good rather than provide additional functionality to the watch rather than no longer fit the newer watches.
  • Reply 89 of 94
    GeorgeBMacGeorgeBMac Posts: 11,421member
    melgross said:
    Apple will not make a round Watch. They just won't. They've chosen the form, for very good reasons, and they will not change that decision.

    I could see them going a bit thinner as technical advancements allow, and there's one more change that I haven't seen anyone mention, but seems fairly obvious to me.  Apple may be taking a hard look at the Digital Crown.  It was a cool innovation, but it takes a lot of space and is a mechanical component that represents both the potential for failure and potentially makes it more difficult to waterproof the watch, thought that latter issue has been addressed.

    Sidenote:  I had the problem of the display on my first generation Watch coming loose.  I'm here in the Philippines, so had few options for getting an Apple-authorized repair, and the Watch face had gotten pretty roughed up in the 2+ years I've worn it, so I figured I'd implement a simple repair while waiting for a Series 2 to arrive with a friend who had traveled back to the states for a one-month visit (I ordered my Series 2 and had it delivered to his stateside home for him to bring back with him when he returned to the Philippines).  To continue using the Series 1 I simply superglued the display back in place, but I used a bit too much glue and some must have gotten into the Digital Crown housing,  the crown still rotates, but pressing it no longer worked as a button.  Maybe some glue got on the contact so no electricity will flow.  In addition, the superglued display no longer moves under a force touch, so that functionally was gone too.
    -----

    Most assuredly Apple will, in the future, try to eliminate these mechanical components.  Not sure how a virtual digital crown might work, but perhaps Apple will simply eliminate the crown altogether.  These are the types of innovations I'll be watching for.  
    The Digital Crown is great. A very good idea. And despite the hate for it I would read around the internet from those who are obviously Google fans, now that Android Wear 2 has incorporated it, that hate has died down out of necessity. There is no mechanical linkage between the crown and the rest of the watch. It’s a tiny optical encoder. I’ve designed with OECs for years. They are often the most reliable part of the design. All they are is a spin component, which is very reliable and the read function. Pretty much nothing to break. OECs can be sealed off very easily.
    A major -- perhaps the largest -- function of the AW is becoming a sports & exercise tracker which is an area that Garmin dominates in.   And there, the physical button rather than a touch screen is feature that make the Garmin more popular than the AW because it's just easier to deal with while outside running or biking, etc...
  • Reply 90 of 94
    melgrossmelgross Posts: 33,510member
    melgross said:
    jonagold said:
    I agree Mike1, everyone jumps to that conclusion that the strap connections would get redesigned.  I imagine Apple mapped the Watch several iterations into the future and I would highly doubt it includes shapeshifting it so soon. I'm sure the first question they beat to death was "what shape should it be and why?"  If anything I imagine it would be wider/rectangular, eventually turning into a cuff-like device way down the road. 
    It’s not an assumption, it’s a concern. It’s very important to maintain consistency with strap lugs. I’ve got 6 watch bands, including the black SS bracelet. I would hate it if Apple did something that would obsolete those, or made some adapter cluster that would be clumsy, or fugly.
    My bet is that your bands will become obsolete because all they do is look good rather than provide additional functionality to the watch rather than no longer fit the newer watches.
    There’s a good reason why the pin and lug design has lasted for about 120 years. First of all the width can be anywhere between 8mm and 32mm moving up in size in 1mm steps. So it’s versatile. Apple currently just has two sizes. I wouldn’t mind if they cane out with an additional size Watch with an additional size attachment. But as I showed earlier, it’s not necessary.

    the only time where Apple will need to get creative is if they come out with a real round case that’s round all around, including where the attachment is. But even there I can easily see how they can use the same attachments as they have now.

    as for your assertion that it’s only for looks, well, you have no understanding of what this is all about.
  • Reply 91 of 94
    melgrossmelgross Posts: 33,510member

    melgross said:
    Apple will not make a round Watch. They just won't. They've chosen the form, for very good reasons, and they will not change that decision.

    I could see them going a bit thinner as technical advancements allow, and there's one more change that I haven't seen anyone mention, but seems fairly obvious to me.  Apple may be taking a hard look at the Digital Crown.  It was a cool innovation, but it takes a lot of space and is a mechanical component that represents both the potential for failure and potentially makes it more difficult to waterproof the watch, thought that latter issue has been addressed.

    Sidenote:  I had the problem of the display on my first generation Watch coming loose.  I'm here in the Philippines, so had few options for getting an Apple-authorized repair, and the Watch face had gotten pretty roughed up in the 2+ years I've worn it, so I figured I'd implement a simple repair while waiting for a Series 2 to arrive with a friend who had traveled back to the states for a one-month visit (I ordered my Series 2 and had it delivered to his stateside home for him to bring back with him when he returned to the Philippines).  To continue using the Series 1 I simply superglued the display back in place, but I used a bit too much glue and some must have gotten into the Digital Crown housing,  the crown still rotates, but pressing it no longer worked as a button.  Maybe some glue got on the contact so no electricity will flow.  In addition, the superglued display no longer moves under a force touch, so that functionally was gone too.
    -----

    Most assuredly Apple will, in the future, try to eliminate these mechanical components.  Not sure how a virtual digital crown might work, but perhaps Apple will simply eliminate the crown altogether.  These are the types of innovations I'll be watching for.  
    The Digital Crown is great. A very good idea. And despite the hate for it I would read around the internet from those who are obviously Google fans, now that Android Wear 2 has incorporated it, that hate has died down out of necessity. There is no mechanical linkage between the crown and the rest of the watch. It’s a tiny optical encoder. I’ve designed with OECs for years. They are often the most reliable part of the design. All they are is a spin component, which is very reliable and the read function. Pretty much nothing to break. OECs can be sealed off very easily.
    A major -- perhaps the largest -- function of the AW is becoming a sports & exercise tracker which is an area that Garmin dominates in.   And there, the physical button rather than a touch screen is feature that make the Garmin more popular than the AW because it's just easier to deal with while outside running or biking, etc...
    Are you saying that you have extensive personal experience with this, because it’s not what I’m reading. The Garmin is almost entirely designed as a sports device. It does more than the Apple Watch in this area, both in software, and to a lesser extent, in the hardware. But it does much less as a smart watch. It certainly isn’t attractive in any way, and some models cost over $600. The cheaper models do less, no more than the Apple Watch, but also do less as a smart watch.
  • Reply 92 of 94
    GeorgeBMacGeorgeBMac Posts: 11,421member
    melgross said:
    melgross said:
    jonagold said:
    I agree Mike1, everyone jumps to that conclusion that the strap connections would get redesigned.  I imagine Apple mapped the Watch several iterations into the future and I would highly doubt it includes shapeshifting it so soon. I'm sure the first question they beat to death was "what shape should it be and why?"  If anything I imagine it would be wider/rectangular, eventually turning into a cuff-like device way down the road. 
    It’s not an assumption, it’s a concern. It’s very important to maintain consistency with strap lugs. I’ve got 6 watch bands, including the black SS bracelet. I would hate it if Apple did something that would obsolete those, or made some adapter cluster that would be clumsy, or fugly.
    My bet is that your bands will become obsolete because all they do is look good rather than provide additional functionality to the watch rather than no longer fit the newer watches.
    There’s a good reason why the pin and lug design has lasted for about 120 years. First of all the width can be anywhere between 8mm and 32mm moving up in size in 1mm steps. So it’s versatile. Apple currently just has two sizes. I wouldn’t mind if they cane out with an additional size Watch with an additional size attachment. But as I showed earlier, it’s not necessary.

    the only time where Apple will need to get creative is if they come out with a real round case that’s round all around, including where the attachment is. But even there I can easily see how they can use the same attachments as they have now.

    as for your assertion that it’s only for looks, well, you have no understanding of what this is all about.
    ?
    If not for looks, then why would anybody replace a functional band?  Especially with some of these that are (to me) incredibly expensive?  I find the standard sports band to be kind of blah --- but it gets the job done surprisingly well.

    Now if it was to add functionality (like a BP or glucose monitor) I would jump on it.
  • Reply 93 of 94
    melgrossmelgross Posts: 33,510member
    mnbob1 said:
    dougd said:
    Daily charging makes this product something I'd never want. Certainly don't need it with an iPhone in my pocket.
    I've worn a watch on my wrist for over 35 years. I've never worn one to bed. Placing my Apple Watch on the charger overnight isn't really a problem for me. In fact when you place it on your night stand on its side it becomes a bedside clock with an alarm. Using a Bluetooth speaker it can even be a beside music player. If I haven't had my charger available I often get about 2 days because I take it off at night. When you don't wear it the Apple Watch uses less battery just as the iPhone uses less battery when it's laying on the desk or just in your pocket. (especially with iOS 11)

    Here's a good reason for owning and wearing an Apple Watch; I take blood thinners for a hereditary condition. Last week I started to severely bleed internally and was home by myself. I used the Apple Watch's emergency call feature since I had left my iPhone in another room on my desk. My watch call 911 and I was able to communicate with an operator and the paramedics were there in less than 10 minutes. After I hung up with 911 my Watch automatically called my wife's iPhone while she was at work and I told her what was happening and meet me at the hospital. (the paramedics pounded on me, pinched me, slapped me to keep me awake) The paramedics told me I was close to going into shock from loss of blood. My wife wouldn't have been home for another 6 hours. Without my Apple Watch it's possible that I could have passed out on the bathroom floor and maybe died.

    Also those who don't pay attention to Apple Heath on their iPhone, get familiar with it! I had my wife come home and pick up my iPhone from home before heading to the ER. Why? My clinic allows me to download my health record in XML and I had recently downloaded it to my iPhone as shown in an AI article from July 17,17. I was able to provide the information to the ER personnel to help them with my care.
    First of all... Good lord, man. I hope you're going to be alright.

    Second... It's never been clear to me what steps to take to get my medical records into the Health app. Are there any detailed explainers available that you know of which may be turned over to ones doctors office to inform the staff?
    While the Health App is very far from perfect, I don't think the fault lies there.   The healthcare industry commonly believes that those records are their own private property and, for legal as well as professional reasons believe that they belong to them rather than you.   In short:  those records are about you, but they are not yours....

    This article from CNBC about an exchange between Biden and the CEO of the major Electronic Medical Records vendor EPIC explains a lot:
    https://www.cnbc.com/2017/08/07/joe-biden-vs-judy-faulkner-epic-systems-ceo-its-complicated.html

    No, by law, the records are yours. The problem is getting releases for them in electronic form. The reason for that is medical privacy laws. Companies can get into big trouble over that. It’s like going into a hospital and asking how a friend is doing, and what the problem is, and being told that they can’t tell you because you’re not a relative.
  • Reply 94 of 94
    melgrossmelgross Posts: 33,510member
    melgross said:
    melgross said:
    jonagold said:
    I agree Mike1, everyone jumps to that conclusion that the strap connections would get redesigned.  I imagine Apple mapped the Watch several iterations into the future and I would highly doubt it includes shapeshifting it so soon. I'm sure the first question they beat to death was "what shape should it be and why?"  If anything I imagine it would be wider/rectangular, eventually turning into a cuff-like device way down the road. 
    It’s not an assumption, it’s a concern. It’s very important to maintain consistency with strap lugs. I’ve got 6 watch bands, including the black SS bracelet. I would hate it if Apple did something that would obsolete those, or made some adapter cluster that would be clumsy, or fugly.
    My bet is that your bands will become obsolete because all they do is look good rather than provide additional functionality to the watch rather than no longer fit the newer watches.
    There’s a good reason why the pin and lug design has lasted for about 120 years. First of all the width can be anywhere between 8mm and 32mm moving up in size in 1mm steps. So it’s versatile. Apple currently just has two sizes. I wouldn’t mind if they cane out with an additional size Watch with an additional size attachment. But as I showed earlier, it’s not necessary.

    the only time where Apple will need to get creative is if they come out with a real round case that’s round all around, including where the attachment is. But even there I can easily see how they can use the same attachments as they have now.

    as for your assertion that it’s only for looks, well, you have no understanding of what this is all about.
    ?
    If not for looks, then why would anybody replace a functional band?  Especially with some of these that are (to me) incredibly expensive?  I find the standard sports band to be kind of blah --- but it gets the job done surprisingly well.

    Now if it was to add functionality (like a BP or glucose monitor) I would jump on it.
    Because watches are fashion objects, with a very large portion of people wearing them just for the fashion aspect. Do you really think that people buy utilitarian watches? No, they buy them for the look. That’s true no matter what the watch is used for, except possibly for real military devices. And even there, people buy military watches because of that basic style. It’s also a “look”.

    the same thing is true for bands, but even more so. Why would Apple offer so many bands, and why would they discontinue even popular ones each season with different designs? It’s because people buy bands for the look. Why would someone buy bands for hundreds of dollars, or even over a thousand, for an Apple Watch that costs much less (except for the new ceramic model)? This is pretty basic stuff to understand. And if you don’t want them, it doesn’t change anything for the tens of millions of others who are buying these with enthusiasm, including hundreds of models on Amazon.

    the problem with the way you’re thinking is that you’re taking that thinking and trying to apply it to everyone else. That never works out well. Stop thinking about what you want, and start thinking about what’s actually happening. When you do that, you’ll understand why people who have been buying a number of bands are somewhat apprehensive about not being able to use them on a future watch. If Apple has an additional Watch, we all expect that the attachment MIGHT not work, though I’ve mentioned why it could, but if they simply discontinue the current models and replace them with models that can’t accept the current bands, we will be very unhappy.
    edited August 2017
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