# The Apple Watch impact



## Sextant (Oct 27, 2012)

Most of us already know the news - the Apple Watch is almost here with all the electronic bells and whistles. I am still weighting the pros and cons and there are so many of them on both sides. The major dilemma however is: would this significantly change the game for the Swiss watch industry or be complimentary to it? The Swiss survived the Japanese quartz onslaught and they certainly improved the game over time, but the lower end of the value spectrum could be severely impacted as Apple offering is very price competitive. Also, am I going to be miserable with my favourite automatics on my left wrist and Apple Watch on my right one just to be part of the game? 

Could you please share your thoughts? Will you be considering Apple Watch or not? And why?


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## Memphis1 (Feb 19, 2011)

did you go to the "smart watch" forum first???


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## T1meout (Sep 27, 2013)

I certainly won't. Because I already have a smartphone with a larger screen that does all that and more.


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## eddiea (Mar 26, 2006)

The Apple _"watch"_...in my book is not really a watch, but an electronic device designed to among other things, tell time (like my cell phone)...
Aside from that, if you feel the need to be _"part of the game"_ (any game) there is a very good chance you always be _"miserable" _for different reasons_._


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## Sextant (Oct 27, 2012)

Memphis1 said:


> did you go to the "smart watch" forum first???


Of course, but not all of us that prefer mechanical watches are visiting smart watch section. The Apple Watch could influence us all in so many different ways, I guess.


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## RyanPatrick (Feb 27, 2014)

I won't be using one and neither will people who don't have an iPhone 6. The capabilities of the watch are severely limited if you don't have the newest phone. I think they are doing some really cool things with the watch, with the multitude of dial and strap options you can configure the watch over 2 million ways. I just can't see a tech gadget that becomes obsolete every 12-24 months unseating watches from the big players. I think fashion brands and companies like Seiko, Casio, Citizen, etc. are going to feel the effects of this.


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## camb66 (Jan 25, 2010)

Think of it like this, millions who do not wear a watch will get one, when everyone else has one, many will want to be better than everyone else, then they start buying Omegas etc. This can be seen as an opportunty NOT a disaster.


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## DustinC (Aug 21, 2013)

Greatest impact on my wallet. Could afford the Apple Watch, but I'm happy with my Android phone... And watches.


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## clarken (Nov 30, 2013)

What is the cost of Apple watch?


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## Arthur M (Nov 9, 2013)

clarken said:


> What is the cost of Apple watch?
> 
> Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk


 "Starting at" $350.


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## DustinC (Aug 21, 2013)

clarken said:


> What is the cost of Apple watch?
> 
> Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk


Starting at 349 USD. That's probably for the 38mm one with rubber band. Expect a significant increase in price when opting for stainless steel bracelet.


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## mew88 (Jun 1, 2010)

No plans to buy one. I don't own a single Apple product these days and certainly am not buying into the entire ecosystem just for the Apple Watch.

As for impact to the Swiss? It shouldn't hurt the upper echelons of the industry, your average JLC buyer isnt the target market Apple is after. Fashion watches in the same price category as the Apple Watch should worry though.


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## robi516 (Dec 30, 2012)

RyanPatrick said:


> I won't be using one and neither will people who don't have an iPhone 6. The capabilities of the watch are severely limited if you don't have the newest phone. I think they are doing some really cool things with the watch, with the multitude of dial and strap options you can configure the watch over 2 million ways. I just can't see a tech gadget that becomes obsolete every 12-24 months unseating watches from the big players. I think fashion brands and companies like Seiko, Casio, Citizen, etc. are going to feel the effects of this.



With regard to smart watches I think you hit on the key point above, and that is that they are first and foremost computer technology, not really watches at all, and as such will be become obsolete every 12-24 months. Yes they tell time, like my iPhone does, and with the high resolution screen they can "simulate" the look and feel of a real watch with incredibly accurate detail. But it is all a mirage. I know that my Rolex Explorer and my Omega Speedmaster are classics that will never go obsolete.


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## clarken (Nov 30, 2013)

I wonder if the millennials will be purchasing high end watches in the future we baby boomers like mechanical and some quartz watches . I hated digital watches even though I owned a few when they stopped three away and got another that's technology 


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## AAMC (May 25, 2011)

Nop, not considering one at all but I give almost zero attention towards techy stuff/gadgets. Have an iPhone but it's provided by the company I work for and this Nexus 7 tablet was a gift from my wife for surfing WUS, mostly. I was using a laptop, well...on my lap but according to her it has an adverse effect on men's health 

I just prefer other kind of products like handmade shoes instead of something tech related.

I can see lots of smart watches being sold during a phase, it's a new thing, maybe fun, but in the end just don't know how long this will it last...and what market segments will wear it.


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## John MS (Mar 17, 2006)

Sextant said:


> Of course, but not all of us that prefer mechanical watches are visiting smart watch section. *The Apple Watch could influence us all in so many different ways, I guess*.


I think you are right.


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## bigvatch (Sep 25, 2007)

Memphis1 said:


> did you go to the "smart watch" forum first???


Been a member of WUS since 2007 and just found out about that forum yesterday. I personally see Apple watch discussion more a general discussion thing myself....it's a hot interesting topic, if anything warrants a sticky.... as the discussion is not specific to just smart watches.....yet anyways. just my .02.


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## Avo (Mar 1, 2010)

robi516 said:


> I know that my Rolex Explorer and my Omega Speedmaster are classics that will never go obsolete.


Do you feel the same way about your pocketwatches?

What's that? You don't own a pocketwatch?

Someday it may be very uncool to have to take a phone out of your pocket just to (say) read a text. Then that wrist real estate where we WISs put our mechanicals may need to be occupied by a smartwatch. If that happens, then even the highest-end mechanical watch makers could be in trouble.


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## Roller.959 (Nov 29, 2011)

Sextant said:


> Most of us already know the news - the Apple Watch is almost here with all the electronic bells and whistles. I am still weighting the pros and cons and there are so many of them on both sides. The major dilemma however is: would this significantly change the game for the Swiss watch industry or be complimentary to it? The Swiss survived the Japanese quartz onslaught and they certainly improved the game over time, but the lower end of the value spectrum could be severely impacted as Apple offering is very price competitive. Also, am I going to be miserable with my favourite automatics on my left wrist and Apple Watch on my right one just to be part of the game?
> 
> Could you please share your thoughts? Will you be considering Apple Watch or not? And why?


Read this recently. You might find it interesting.

The Swiss Aren't Worried About Apple's Watch | Business Insider

No interest at this time for me. Still doesn't look too different than the square Nano on a strap, except that the integration is a bit better.


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## monza06 (Mar 30, 2009)

The only reason this trinket ever came to existence is to make an impact on Apple's revenue and earnings, whether it will make an impact on anything else is rather unlikely....


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## dannorama (Jun 13, 2014)

I can't imagine it hurting the high end swiss watch industry, but it certainly might make a dent in the low/mid-range watch space. No one who wants a rolex is going to buy one of these instead... but they might buy both. How many of you guys have more than one watch? ;P

More broadly speaking I don't get why there is so much negativity on these forums about the apple watch. Why are there so many luddites around here? 

I for one think its a great idea. If it works as advertised, I would add it to my watch collection in a heartbeat. 

Will it replace my mechanicals? No way in hell. Neither did my pebble. But will I enjoy it on days when I want to be a little bit more connected? Hell yeah. Does that make me weird? Maybe around WUS it does


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## BarracksSi (Feb 13, 2013)

I'm reminded of Carlin's line, "I will not say _'impacted'_ when I mean _'affected'_..." 

Anyway, try this: Go to the top of this page and click "New Posts" below "Forums".

Go through the first two or three pages of threads. Ignore the FS/FT posts and others like that.

You'll see that the single most mentioned object is Apple's new watch. They're even talking about it in the G-Shock subforum.

That's how the Apple Watch is affecting WUS.


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## balzebub (May 30, 2010)

So many threads on the Apple watch...But nope not interested. Just duplicates what an iPhone does on a smaller scale but lacks the ability to function without an iPhone? Meh..waste of money and I am perfectly happy fishing my phone out of my pocket to check my messages or take/reject calls. 

Sent via carrier pigeons


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## OSUMBA2003 (Jan 1, 2012)

Zero interest whatsoever. My phone works just fine as is, and I don't want anything on my wrist that doesn't have a mainspring. 

Sent via Shetland Pony.


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## petethegreek (Sep 21, 2008)

I already have a beater. No thks. Phone works fine...


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## Buellrider (Mar 31, 2014)

I remember when calculator watches were awesome too. I don't see those in many current collections much though. There are some exceptions as there will be with anything but the calc watch is not an awesome piece of machinery (though it may have been revered as such when new) I predict the iWatch won't be either, it will be outdated as soon as it arrives. Such is tech.

Nothing will replace a mechanical or automatic watch. Except when all the WIS's are long gong I guess.


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## DustinS (Nov 3, 2013)

Well they did make it embarrassingly ugly, sized it too large to wear and too small to serve a purpose...and it will have a 12 month useful life. So...what was the question again?


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## D1JBS (Jun 1, 2010)

Here's why Apple's Smart Watch is a flawed concept.

1) On account of it's size they have limited its appeal mostly to men, so they've already lost up to 50% of the available market.

2) Because the Apple Watch isn't waterproof, it further reduces its usefulness to the 50% of the available market it might have sold to.

3) If its anything like an other Apple product, battery life will be a issue. Not a problem associated with most other watches.

4) At $350+ above the cost of an iPhone (and it has to be an iPhone 5 or above, by the way) this is more than just a trinket and would have to add significant value to anyone outside the the 'it's a new Apple product I must own it' geek brigade.

But here's the real problem. For most men a wristwatch its more than just a practical way of telling the time. It's pretty much the only piece of 'jewelry' we own and therefore our choice of watch is an emotional choice driven by a combination of indulgence, individualism, taste, our hobbies and (in the case of most of us on this forum) passion. A digital quartz is the easiest way of telling the time accurately, but how many of those are being sold even today?

Not to mention that Apple weren't first with this idea, Samsung were. Could be a sign the the post-Jobs Apple is losing its ability to innovate and if that happens, they also lose the 'cool factor'.

Will I buy one? Might do, for running etc. but in ten years time it will be a laughable anachronism in a desk draw, whereas a normal $350 watch I'll still take out and use for many years.


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## StufflerMike (Mar 23, 2010)

Sextant said:


> Of course, but not all of us that prefer mechanical watches are visiting smart watch section.....


But they could if they would......thread moved.


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## BarracksSi (Feb 13, 2013)

Buellrider said:


> I remember when calculator watches were awesome too. I don't see those in many current collections much though. There are some exceptions as there will be with anything but the calc watch is not an awesome piece of machinery (though it may have been revered as such when new) I predict the iWatch won't be either, it will be outdated as soon as it arrives. Such is tech.


Calculator watches lost out when the same tech nerds started doing email and stored all their contacts and calendars on computers.

A smartwatch's ability to sync all that info isn't going to be dropped anytime soon, though. They'll stay relevant much longer than calculator watches did.


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## Rachdanon (Jan 30, 2012)

Always think the smart watch is gimmicky and will die off, no matter how many articles I read that say otherwise.


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## dannorama (Jun 13, 2014)

Wow, everyone is so negative, it's like you all feel threatened by the apple watch or something ;P


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## itsajobar (Jun 23, 2012)

I don't think it will hurt mechanical watch sales at all. Mechanical watches are timeless and can be passed down generations. I do think however that it will impact gshock sales...not the sales from people who need tough watches, but the sales from younger tech savvy folks that usually wear those colorful, shiny style G's. 


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## John MS (Mar 17, 2006)

BarracksSi said:


> Calculator watches lost out when the same tech nerds started doing email and stored all their contacts and calendars on computers.
> 
> A smartwatch's ability to sync all that info isn't going to be dropped anytime soon, though. They'll stay relevant much longer than calculator watches did.


Actually calculator watches came into being when portable calculators were getting cheaper. They appealed mostly as a techy looking gadget because the owners learned that they were really difficult to use. It's unusual to find a vintage calculator watch with a worn out key pad.

Data base watches like the early Casio DB series were popular for storing phone numbers and simple schedules but they were supplanted by those early pda's and then laptops. Seiko had what was probably the most advanced data base watch at the time but it never took off because of a cumbersome procedure for uploading. Interestingly Casio is still successfully selling retro-styled DB watches with the now outdated telephone number database.

The smart watches we see today are really just another step toward having a useful and attractive wrist borne communications device that does a lot of things including telling time. It's inevitable that the way we track time, communicate with one another and interact with businesses will continue to evolve. And a willingness to change is what will allow the watchmaking business that we know today to thrive in the future. Whether the industry is up to the task is at least open to question according to an article in the Washington post. Shares of Swatch who is one of the more innovative watch makers have lost 17% of their value since January of this year. So I would expect that the stand-alone unconnected watches we all enjoy today will at some point become as quaint and unworn as the pocket watch is today. I'm looking forward to the changes.


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## lorsban (Nov 20, 2009)

The iWatch will likely just affect the fashion watch brands like CK, Kenneth Cole, Anne Klein etc...

It won't even affect swiss watches in the same range like Steinhart. Or the Micros. 

People have this false notion that Anything apple does will be HUGE. Guess what? Not since Jobs died. 

Right now, they're swimming in a big pond with a lot of other big fish. 

They won't even affect android. Because android users will likely buy android products. And as you may have noticed, they had smartwatches since last year and there are now about a dozen available.


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## ManMachine (Jan 31, 2012)

I think the Apple Watch will have major impact. It's competing for wrist time, and with lots of people with iPhones, the Apple watch will absolutely take over those naked wrists, or the wrists currently occupied by fashion watches.

Apple may have a more difficult time with WIS, but if it proves easy and delightful to use, it'll erode that sector too.


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## Ipromise (Jan 14, 2013)

It will have an impact, absolutely, but not quite the quartz crisis era. Actually, I think the biggest impact will be to quartz watches. The majority of people who really spend the money in the watch industry are interested in mechanical watches and all that comes with them. The fact a mechanical watch can meet COSC standards is the alure, otherwise why would anyone spend $5k on a watch when a $20 quartz will likely do the job better?

Certainly there will be others that are drawn to the fun/coolness of smart watches, which will take a noticeable chunk across all but the high end. A previous poster said this well though - they are not watches, per say, but more wrist worn device. The fact they tell time is not exactly their selling feature. 

In the end, this actually could be a good thing for us WIS's. It may drive down prices in order to stay more competitive in an industry, which as much as I love it so, has gotten quite ridiculous. The number of companies pumping out $10k watches amazes me. That's a LOT of money for a watch, and many of these are pretty questionable. I'm not talking about Pateks and Langes, but micro and not so micro brands. 

Either way, it will be interesting to see. For me, I'm in love with the mechanics, the history, and the beauty of a mechanical watch. I have no need for a wrist worn device that is less useful than my phone. When it comes, I can't see myself wanting a phone on my wrist either. Not to mention you need an iPhone as well! In North America this may seem moot, but there's markets where Android is king (China). We will see...


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## gringosteve (Jan 18, 2014)

Siri on your wrist.. Hmm can I really get away with taking to my wrist in public without looking a complete tool? I will be buying one with a Milanese loop


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## HEADCASE (Jun 28, 2014)

I think the problem will be that smart watches will be extremely popular with teenagers and younger people in general.

If you grow up with a smart watch on your wrist it will become the norm. For that reason I disagree with the argument that it will get more people wearing watches again and then mature into traditional mechanical watches. People who have grown up with a smart watch will not contemplate moving to a mechanical because of the loss of functionality that you're used to.

It's just like with smartphones, I don't personally know anyone who could live without one now, despite what they thought when they first came out.

Btw for the record I'm 24 and heavily invested in the apple "ecosystem" but won't be getting a smart watch if I can help it! I've just bought a Tag so am now sticking with it out of principle!


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## STEVIE (May 13, 2006)

Has Apple told us how long the the watch runs between charging? 
Will it continue to work on extended operational use?
How long does it take to charge it?
Battery life?
What is the range of the watches link with the iPhone?
Will it require viral protection software?

Smart phones, smart watches and all technological devices rely on the infrastructure of our society to operate. If you have a power outage in your area for any extended time, you are stuffed.

I have a couple of Eco-Drive watches and a good old automatic self winding watch. I will stick with them for a few years.


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## bluedevils (Apr 30, 2009)

I think many posts are very short sighted and do not look at the big picture. The iphone did not go directly for the blackberry business people. It went for everyone else. It captured the teenagers and the middle income families. The ecosystem kept you in and drew more people. Eventually execs wanted one and were trying to find ways to get them into the company. It gave apple time to improve their business solutions.

The apple watch is not directly for the high end mechanical watches. It is for everyone else. The teenagers and 20 somethings. The ecosystem will draw more people in as they want to share heartbeats or other interactive apps (eventually facetime). Paying by holding your wrist out will become ubiquitous. This will give them time to improve battery life and add features. The watch will get thinner. Maybe samsung will start a large watch screen war (gear note?). Eventually people who wear mechanical watches will have smartwatches and it will compete for wrist time and reduce the amount of mechanicals you buy.

It's not black and white that absolutely everyone will do this. I'm sure many who come to this site will not bend, but it will impact the swiss (high and low end). It just won't hit them directly or all at once. RIM (blackberry) is still around and people still use them, but they are just a shadow of the dominance they once had.

I will most likely get a second gen apple watch. I'm very keen to see how apple pay works out before I get one. That is key to its success. I will still have my other watches because I believe there are still times when the smartwatch should not be used. Going to a nice place for dinner or party (use the nfc on the phone instead because the smart watch is not classy enough), swimming, as a beater watch or hanging out at home when the watch is charging. I will also try the two wrist approach though I'm unsure how that will work out.


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## BarracksSi (Feb 13, 2013)

Large-sized "Gear Note"... Heh, maybe. It really wouldn't surprise me if a competitor made a serious attempt at a bigger smartwatch.

I think it's a terrible idea, though. Try as we might to gain weight, our wrists aren't going to get that much bigger, especially if all these smartwatches succeed in helping us track our fitness. 

Laptops were able to get bigger because owners would just carry them in backpacks and luggage. Phones could afford to get bigger because people can carry them in purses or h4ndbags (which is where my wife always carries hers).

But a wristwatch? It's not going to get appreciably bigger. One of the Moto360 reviewers remarked how huge it felt on her wrist, so that'll likely be the size limit.


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## lorsban (Nov 20, 2009)

BarracksSi said:


> Large-sized "Gear Note"... Heh, maybe. It really wouldn't surprise me if a competitor made a serious attempt at a bigger smartwatch.
> 
> I think it's a terrible idea, though. Try as we might to gain weight, our wrists aren't going to get that much bigger, especially if all these smartwatches succeed in helping us track our fitness.
> 
> ...




















Galaxy Gear S. It's a standalone smartwatch with 3G/Wifi/GPS. It's got a sim slot to make and receive calls/texts.

But I think it's too big at more than 56mm end to end. It'll wrap around the whole top of my wrist haha


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## shnjb (May 12, 2009)

lorsban said:


> Galaxy Gear S. It's a standalone smartwatch with 3G/Wifi/GPS. It's got a sim slot to make and receive calls/texts.
> 
> But I think it's too big at more than 56mm end to end. It'll wrap around the whole top of my wrist haha


gross


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## BarracksSi (Feb 13, 2013)

3G and GPS are still battery hogs -- will the Gear S at least run a full day?


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## unpleasantness (Jun 13, 2014)

STEVIE said:


> Has Apple told us how long the the watch runs between charging?
> Will it continue to work on extended operational use?
> How long does it take to charge it?
> Battery life?
> ...


This is such an important point. The more technology moves forward, the more dependent you become on more potential areas of failure. The Apple Watch has to have the iPhone working and connected to the web to do most of its higher functions. All along the way everything has to work properly (and there's still plenty of places where internet access is utter crap). It is said it will soon become independent of the phone, but you'll still have to charge it periodically. And then what? It will take the place of your phone, and you'll have to do everything in this tiny screen? Didn't Apple just introduce two new phones, because people supposedly complained the 4" screen was too small on the iPhone 5/5s?

This is a case were marketing has shot way past functionality, which is sad but expected. The tech boom is about to slow down considerably, when people realize the latest gadget doesn't do anything for them that justifies its purchase.


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## BarracksSi (Feb 13, 2013)

unpleasantness said:


> It is said it will soon become independent of the phone, but you'll still have to charge it periodically. And then what? It will take the place of your phone, and you'll have to do everything in this tiny screen? Didn't Apple just introduce two new phones, because people supposedly complained the 4" screen was too small on the iPhone 5/5s?


(IMO, nobody was complaining about the iPhone's smaller screen until other manufacturers started their own race for bigger screens, partly because those others had nothing new to contribute to smartphones)

I read an op/ed piece a few months ago about the computer interface in the movie _Her_ (remember, the one where a guy starts to fall for the artificial intelligence program in his phone and desktop?).

The point was made that there was almost no "gadget" to carry around, no UI to flash on the movie screen and make ticking, chirping noises. It wasn't like the swooping gestures in _Minority Report_ or the transparent screens in most sci-fi movies these days. The main character didn't even have a keyboard for his home computer. Everything was done by dictation.

Why Her Will Dominate UI Design Even More Than Minority Report | WIRED
An Interview with Geoff McFetridge on the Interfaces from Her

Going watch -> phone -> tablet -> laptop -> desktop, each layer upwards is capable of another step in functionality. You'll be able to send short replies from the watch and dictate some messages, but to send links, compose emails, or do slightly more complicated things, you'll pull out the phone (and you'll likely have time to stop whatever else you're doing, too). An iPad can do more than an iPhone (multi-track recording and editing, if you wish), then you'd progress to a laptop and finally a desktop.

The horsepower afforded by most desktops is, frankly, a lot more than most of us actually _needs_. Unless you're handling multiple video streams or doing really big calculations on huge amounts of data, you just don't need something like a Mac Pro. At the same time, smaller devices are getting more and more capable-the iPhone 5S introduced a 64-bit mobile processor, for example-and will be able to handle harder and harder tasks.

One task that's always been difficult is voice recognition. Previous attempts only recognized certain words or phrases; sometimes, you'd recite words on a list to "teach" the system what to recognize. It's finally getting to the point where it's good enough for everyday use, using everyday language without having to "teach" the device.

The next step, then, is to not need the screen at all, or at least when you're not at home. Apple's Watch is getting pretty close. It'll give you navigation directions via different vibrations so you won't even need to look at it while walking. I'm assuming it will speak messages to you just like Siri does now. Or, if you prefer, it can record and send an audio response.

So, no, the tiny screen isn't going to matter, because it's not doing things the same way. First, here's a screenshot of the slide that Tim Cook showed as he began explaining that merely shrinking down the iPhone interface would be a terrible idea. The second screenshot shows what it would look like if you replied to a text message by recording your voice.


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## lorsban (Nov 20, 2009)

BarracksSi said:


> 3G and GPS are still battery hogs -- will the Gear S at least run a full day?


Who knows? Even cellphones can go from less than 8 hours to 48 hours depending on how you use it.

With watches maybe 8-18 hours?


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## Gibsons (Aug 3, 2014)

No offense to Apple lovers or any tech people, but I think this Apple Watch will flop just like every other smartwatch offering from others. Very few bought them and I rarely see one. I don't expect this one to make much of a splash when the public doesn't seem to want them in great numbers. My smartphone is always accessible to me and I don't need one on my wrist to replace my Breitling, Hamilton's or Fortis.

*Do I want one? No. Will this effect the Swiss watch industry? Not at all.
*
{Just my opinion}.


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