So is this the "sensor craze"?

[emir]

With the watch getting no leaks whatsoever and the hype train becoming gigantic I was expecting yesterday's watch unveiling to be all about sensors and with incredible accuracy of them, making great use of the data collected using Apple ecosystem etc. I wasn't expecting it to be this focused on notifications and doing things you can essentially do with your iPhone.

I think the design isn't bad. It looks good in the promo pics and vids but then again those are made to look good. Also, there's a long time till they hit shelves and displays so it will change a lot. However, I just don't get why they focused on notifications so much. I mean, why would I want to look at twitter form my phone? or go sightseeing around the solar system like they showed in the demo, or call someone from my watch, text them or even send heartbeats? I don't want to look at maps from a tiny screen on my watch while I have a giant 4.7" screen in my pocket. Can anyone also explain to me why I would require a speaker on my watch? How is this innovation and not following Android wear's footsteps. I too want to believe Apple still leads and doesn't follow android but obviously Android discovered the bigger screen phablet potential earlier and Apple followed. Same with android wear watches, I don't see a great difference and innovation like the first iPhone and Palm, Blackberry at the time.

I was expecting this thing to monitor my sleep, my entire activities (does it already but the only sensor is heartbeat), where are the alleged blood oxygen saturation sensors, blood pressure, blood sugar etc? I was also expecting wireless charging so despite the battery lasting a day I wouldn't worry about battery because it would charge if I was home. It would charge while I was sleeping and wake me up with vibrations knowing when I was in non-REM sleep so I could start the day great.

Instead it shows me who wants to be my friend on Facebook? I want to take a break from social media and don't want to get more involved with it. I just don't see the widespread use of this thing while it had the potential if focused on the sensors thing and become more like a daily pal than a notification device (a fancy modern day pager I should say?)

I was very excited about this watch and I still think it's great for some don't get me wrong, the design is good and there will be people whom the watch appeals to but it just didn't do it for me. I don't think I'll buy it looking at things from September 10th, 2014.

 

[RayDonovan]

With the watch getting no leaks whatsoever and the hype train becoming gigantic I was expecting yesterday's watch unveiling to be all about sensors and with incredible accuracy of them, making great use of the data collected using Apple ecosystem etc. I wasn't expecting it to be this focused on notifications and doing things you can essentially do with your iPhone.

I think the design isn't bad. It looks good in the promo pics and vids but then again those are made to look good. Also, there's a long time till they hit shelves and displays so it will change a lot. However, I just don't get why they focused on notifications so much. I mean, why would I want to look at twitter form my phone? or go sightseeing around the solar system like they showed in the demo, or call someone from my watch, text them or even send heartbeats? I don't want to look at maps from a tiny screen on my watch while I have a giant 4.7" screen in my pocket. Can anyone also explain to me why I would require a speaker on my watch? How is this innovation and not following Android wear's footsteps. I too want to believe Apple still leads and doesn't follow android but obviously Android discovered the bigger screen phablet potential earlier and Apple followed. Same with android wear watches, I don't see a great difference and innovation like the first iPhone and Palm, Blackberry at the time.

I was expecting this thing to monitor my sleep, my entire activities (does it already but the only sensor is heartbeat), where are the alleged blood oxygen saturation sensors, blood pressure, blood sugar etc? I was also expecting wireless charging so despite the battery lasting a day I wouldn't worry about battery because it would charge if I was home. It would charge while I was sleeping and wake me up with vibrations knowing when I was in non-REM sleep so I could start the day great.

Instead it shows me who wants to be my friend on Facebook? I want to take a break from social media and don't want to get more involved with it. I just don't see the widespread use of this thing while it had the potential if focused on the sensors thing and become more like a daily pal than a notification device (a fancy modern day pager I should say?)

I was very excited about this watch and I still think it's great for some don't get me wrong, the design is good and there will be people whom the watch appeals to but it just didn't do it for me. I don't think I'll buy it looking at things from September 10th, 2014.

These were my thoughts exactly. Where are all the sensors? Im almost better of sticking to my fitbit flex. At least it can track my sleep and has decent battery life

 

[robgendreau]

A watch was just an interface for a chronometer; indeed, for many even that use is secondary and the main function is bling.

As I noted in another post, wristwatches only got popular for time keeping for situations where pocket watches were a fail. So RayDonovan is following the trend of previous history: the iPhone is a pocket watch, and you leave it at home when you go kite surfing or whatever and take your fitness/gps wristwatch. Then take that off, put your pocketwatch in your suit, and go to work.

The Apple Watch is rather a fail in the bling dept (a rather colorful 1980's Casio calendar digital watch). The (real? concept?) Samsung Gear S that was curved was much more stylish; why a flat face?

If there's a trend around it's the internet of things; I wanted Apple to come up with wearable tech that's innovative, not a Dick Tracy watch that has to be tethered to an iPhone and runs out of juice every day.

 

[Maxerl]

Can anyone also explain to me why I would require a speaker on my watch?

Tim Cook hinted about a the watch being used as a walkie-talkie.
When you have your phone in your pocket, what's wrong with getting the possibility to hear voice guidance, use as a speakerphone, have custom alarm sounds etc etc.

Like you, I was hoping Apple would have focused more on sensors (GPS, camera etc) and less on design. But I think it's good that they at least release _something_ now to the market. Together with developers and the customers they will get help finding which areas needs to be improved upon.

 

[robgendreau]

Tim Cook hinted about a the watch being used as a walkie-talkie.
When you have your phone in your pocket, what's wrong with getting the possibility to hear voice guidance, use as a speakerphone, have custom alarm sounds etc etc.

Maybe you just go around short-sleeved, but I have trouble even hearing my existing watch's alarm at times under long sleeved stuff. My phone is just as audible in my pocket.

And really, you're gonna talk into the back of your wrist when you have a phone in your pocket? or a bluetooth headset? If they had come out with an Apple Earring, now THAT with a speaker/mic would have been awesome. And maybe a sensor on the back, so it could do health monitoring. Or even something in-ear.

 

[mattopotamus]

Their demo focus was strange. The solar system demo was extremely weird. But hey, at least the guy showing it off was very proud of that feature.