Review: A Week With the Apple Watch

Summary

The Apple Watch marks a significant milestone for Apple as its first new product post-iPad and the leadership of Tim Cook. While it boasts a sleek design and advanced features like Force Touch and the Taptic Engine, the watch faces usability challenges, particularly with time display reliability and overwhelming notifications. It serves as a powerful extension of the iPhone, tracking fitness and providing essential notifications. However, it doesn’t fundamentally change users’ lives or interactions, making it a beautiful accessory rather than a life-altering device.

Takeaways

• 😀 The Apple Watch is Apple's first new product since the iPad and Steve Jobs's passing.
• 🕒 It features advanced technology and a sleek design but has mixed reviews on practicality.
• 🔍 The watch has a pressure-sensitive display called Force Touch for enhanced interaction.
• 🔔 Notifications provide nuanced vibrations through the Taptic Engine, simulating gentle taps.
• ⌚ The Digital Crown allows for intuitive navigation, similar to traditional watch crowns.
• ⏰ The watch sometimes fails to activate the display when checking the time, causing frustration.
• 📱 It syncs notifications from the iPhone, which can be overwhelming without proper management.
• 🏃 The activity app promotes low-pressure tracking of daily exercise and health metrics.
• 🖼️ Widgets, known as complications, provide quick access to useful information on the display.
• ❤️ Unique features like sending heartbeats and sketching messages are seen as less practical.
• 🔄 The Glances feature provides quick information but can be slow to load and inconvenient.

Q & A

What significance does the Apple Watch hold for Apple as a company?

The Apple Watch is significant as it is the first new product released under CEO Tim Cook, following the iPad and the death of Steve Jobs.

How does the design of the Apple Watch compare to traditional luxury watches?

The design of the Apple Watch is described as beautiful and futuristic but may not stand out against luxury brands like Omega or Rolex in a jeweler's case.

What is Force Touch, and how does it enhance user interaction?

Force Touch is a new type of pressure sensitivity in the display that responds not just to where you press but also how hard you press, allowing for more nuanced interactions.

What features does the taptic engine provide?

The taptic engine provides intense buzzing and a tapping sensation for notifications, enhancing the user experience by making alerts more tactile.

What challenges did the reviewer face while using the Apple Watch?

The reviewer experienced challenges with the watch's screen not turning on when raised to check the time and felt overwhelmed by the volume of notifications.

How does the Apple Watch handle notifications compared to the iPhone?

The Apple Watch receives the same notifications as the iPhone, which can lead to an overwhelming experience if not managed, prompting the reviewer to prioritize which notifications appear on the watch.

What new features does the Apple Watch offer for fitness tracking?

The Apple Watch features an activity app that allows users to track their exercise levels throughout the day in a low-pressure manner.

What are complications on the Apple Watch, and why are they useful?

Complications are small widgets on the watch display that provide quick access to information like the weather and appointments, which the reviewer found particularly useful.

What limitations did the reviewer find with the Apple Watch's features?

The reviewer found limitations with features such as sending heartbeats, which seemed unnecessary outside of intimate relationships, and the glances feature, which was deemed inconvenient.

What is the overall assessment of the Apple Watch by the reviewer?

The overall assessment is that while the Apple Watch is a beautifully designed and effective accessory for Apple users, it is not life-changing or revolutionary.