# When to buy a ceramic?



## ronalddheld (May 5, 2005)

I have a Series 3. Was not going to upgrade this year, but wonder when is a good time to go for the ceramic version? When 5G model is out?


----------



## BarracksSi (Feb 13, 2013)

Sure. That's when I'd go for it.

Even if you buy a Series 3 today, it'll run the latest watchOS for at least another three years (if the first-gen's watchOS support is a good barometer), and it should keep working with future iOS versions for a few years after that. The battery will start to wear out before its software stops being functional.

Can you wait another four months? I mean, you've waited this long...


----------



## ronalddheld (May 5, 2005)

BarracksSi said:


> Sure. That's when I'd go for it.
> 
> Even if you buy a Series 3 today, it'll run the latest watchOS for at least another three years (if the first-gen's watchOS support is a good barometer), and it should keep working with future iOS versions for a few years after that. The battery will start to wear out before its software stops being functional.
> 
> Can you wait another four months? I mean, you've waited this long...


I am missing something. Series 4 is unlikely to support 5G, I thought 2019.


----------



## BarracksSi (Feb 13, 2013)

ronalddheld said:


> I am missing something. Series 4 is unlikely to support 5G, I thought 2019.


I'm talking about software and OS support. 3G/4G/5G/whatever doesn't matter to me at all since, as a user, they're all the same -- just cellular radio stuff.


----------



## ronalddheld (May 5, 2005)

Hardware wise no 5G iPhones until 2019, if the rumors are correct. Probably later of AWs.
You are recommending getting the ceramic this year?


----------



## BarracksSi (Feb 13, 2013)

ronalddheld said:


> Hardware wise no 5G iPhones until 2019, if the rumors are correct. Probably later of AWs.
> You are recommending getting the ceramic this year?


Sure. If you like it, buy it.

This is the same recommendation I always make for tech stuff: If you keep waiting for the latest and greatest, you'll never buy anything.

However, I'd also suggest waiting through at least one or two revisions before upgrading. Whatever you have now will keep working fine for another few years, and waiting to upgrade will give you a bigger jump in features.


----------



## ronalddheld (May 5, 2005)

Likely upgrade the IPhone and not the AW this year.


----------



## BarracksSi (Feb 13, 2013)

ronalddheld said:


> Likely upgrade the IPhone and not the AW this year.


Pretty much. It's hard for me to justify laying out the cash for every incremental nudge in specifications when what I've got still runs pretty good.

My iPad 2, for example, is finally on its last legs - but since it's seven years old now, that's kind of expected (mainly, its Home button started wearing out this week).


----------



## ronalddheld (May 5, 2005)

BarracksSi said:


> Pretty much. It's hard for me to justify laying out the cash for every incremental nudge in specifications when what I've got still runs pretty good.
> 
> My iPad 2, for example, is finally on its last legs - but since it's seven years old now, that's kind of expected (mainly, its Home button started wearing out this week).


I hear you. Intrigued by a 6.5" iPhone.


----------



## orbitalheel (Jan 26, 2018)

Buy when they begin offering them without that hideous red dot on the crown 🤮

Sent from my Pixel 2 XL using Tapatalk


----------



## ronalddheld (May 5, 2005)

orbitalheel said:


> Buy when they begin offering them without that hideous red dot on the crown &#55358;&#56622;
> 
> Sent from my Pixel 2 XL using Tapatalk


Might not happen soon for the cellular models.


----------



## BarracksSi (Feb 13, 2013)

ronalddheld said:


> I hear you. Intrigued by a 6.5" iPhone.


I'm not. That's too damned big for my pockets.


----------



## BarracksSi (Feb 13, 2013)

orbitalheel said:


> Buy when they begin offering them without that hideous red dot on the crown ?


What I think is hilarious is, after Cook was spotted wearing an AW with a red dot (later assumed to be a prototype LTE model), you could buy sticker kits to change the color of the crown; but later, after the LTE's launch, you could buy black stickers instead.

Can't please everyone, as usual.


----------



## ronalddheld (May 5, 2005)

BarracksSi said:


> I'm not. That's too damned big for my pockets.


Likely true, but going to try. Can always return it within a week.


----------



## scentedlead (May 11, 2015)

BarracksSi said:


> I'm not. That's too damned big for my pockets.


If you have extra fabric and can work a sewing machine, you can sew in front pocket extenders. I wonder if YouTube has tutorials.

Does the big phone support the Apple Pencil? If not, I'm not interested; it's not worth it sewing in pocket extenders without that Pencil support.


----------



## ronalddheld (May 5, 2005)

scentedlead said:


> If you have extra fabric and can work a sewing machine, you can sew in front pocket extenders. I wonder if YouTube has tutorials.
> 
> Does the big phone support the Apple Pencil? If not, I'm not interested; it's not worth it sewing in pocket extenders without that Pencil support.


That is a good question. Does IOS 12 support that for the IPad?


----------



## BarracksSi (Feb 13, 2013)

ronalddheld said:


> That is a good question. Does IOS 12 support that for the IPad?


I think iOS 11 does.

And I'm not going to carry a pencil around with my phone. Being able to go without a stylus is why I use a phone and not a notepad-and-pen.


----------



## ronalddheld (May 5, 2005)

YMMV for the use of a stylus. Do not need one.


----------



## scentedlead (May 11, 2015)

As a doodler, i wish iPhones and iPad minis supported the Pencil, but I’m a niche case for stylus on small device..

That said, when Adonit announced Snap, their iPhone stylus with camera shutter button, I thought, “But the Apple Watch has a camera viewfinder and shutter button.”


----------



## pamfan (Apr 12, 2018)

I would wait for the newest one


----------



## pamfan (Apr 12, 2018)

We should have waited


----------



## pamfan (Apr 12, 2018)

My wife made us get the old model


----------



## deediver (Oct 10, 2010)

I was going to get the ceramic AW3 but the watch was a lighter color grey than the photos showed. I opted for the black stainless series 3 after my stainless series 2 was stolen. I usually wear it with a Nike fabric sports band on my right hand. I like the solar watch face, the one with sine curve, to keep track of sunrise and sunset. The apps I use the most are text, heart rate, and barometer/elevation.


----------



## cashmonee (Jul 13, 2015)

To be honest, for me the answer is never. After having owned and sold two different stainless steel Apple Watches, the depreciation on them is just too steep to justify the purchase. S3 Ceramics are going for about half their initial value according to some of the Apple forums I frequent, and my S3 SS just sold for $375 on eBay after sitting on it for a while. I just can't see paying double or triple the cost of the aluminum when the devices function identically and the pricier ones do not hold their value at all.

On a side note, there are rumors that the Edition will no longer exist after tomorrow. So you may not have a chance anyway.


----------



## ronalddheld (May 5, 2005)

I will find out this afternoon,ET.


----------



## robmellor (Feb 16, 2006)

I am so glad they don’t do the S4 in ceramic I am daft enough to buy one, shorly it’s when you have more money than sense. It can’t be worth the extra over the stainless version can it ?.


----------

