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A skeptic’s Apple Watch diary: Day 1, first impressions

applewatch-unbox-07

I’m a self-confessed smartwatch skeptic. The first one I ever tried, the original Pebble, struck me as an extremely ugly solution in search of a problem. The Apple Watch, when it was finally announced, looked like a rather attractive (if too thick) solution in search of a problem.

Which raises the question: why was I up at the crack of 8 am (time zones can be useful things on occasion …) to order one? Three reasons … 

First, although I can’t see an actual problem I need the watch to solve, that’s not the same as considering it a useless device. I can see potential applications for it, I’m just not sure they amount to a sufficient reason to own one.

Second, it’s a gadget. I like gadgets, and the Apple Watch is undeniably a very clever piece of kit. Even if I can’t find a good reason to own one, perhaps I can figure out a reasonable-sounding excuse.

Third, I have been known to be wrong about these things. Specifically, I was wrong about the iPad, which I initially bought expecting to use it only as a movie version of a Kindle and which now goes everywhere with me. I’m using it, in fact, to write the opening to this piece while on a train. The one thing I think may sell the Apple Watch to me is the convenience of glancing at notifications on my wrist when cycling, rather than wondering whether that bleep from the iPhone in my pocket can be safely ignored until I reach my destination.

So, I’m trying one. I’m going to keep a diary of my experiences and impressions, and we’ll find out at the end of the week whether or not I decide to keep it. Right now, your guess is as good as mine.

Packaging

Apple has to strike a balance with packaging. Too basic, and it wouldn’t feel sufficiently special; too extensive and it would feel wasteful, at odds with the company’s environmental stance. With orders online-only for quite some time, the packaging also has to offer sufficient protection. I think Apple manages a decent balance here.

I’m sure Dom will do a fantastic unboxing video later (update: he did indeed), and I’m not even going to attempt to compete with that, so here are a few photos.

Look & feel

My first impressions of the Apple Watch were at a try-on appointment at Apple’s Regent Street store in London. I wrote about that experience, and what I think it might mean for Apple’s longer-term retail future, at the time. But I didn’t write much about the watch itself, so let’s correct that here.

Looks-wise, it’s cute. The stainless steel model looks good in a classic way, though I did note that the shiny surface was easily marked by fingerprints. I’d expected this to be my preferred model. The Sport looked far better in reality than it did in photos – perhaps because it’s  good match for a standard MacBook finish. Even the Edition had a surprisingly understated look.

It is, though, thick. You don’t notice that when you’re using it, but typing on a keyboard, for example, when you have a side view, you can’t help but be struck by the fact that it looks chunky rather than sleek.

applewatch-unbox-07

The Sport band was a big surprise to me. I’d expected it to look and feel cheap, but it really doesn’t. It looks fine, if unremarkable, and it feels lovely. It was by far the most comfortable of the four straps I tried on (Sport, Classic Leather, Milanese Loop, Link Bracelet).

I was initially fairly sure I wasn’t going to keep it, but there was that element of doubt. Since I generally aim to avoid investing too much in first-generation products, I decided to hedge my bets and order the cheapest option: Sport Watch with elastomer band. I have large hands, so the 42mm was the only option for me – the 38mm would look silly on my wrist.

I wasn’t a fan of the white, so ordered a black one, but ordered it separately just in case: I didn’t want my watch delivery held up by a shortage of black straps. This seems to have been a sensible decision as the black strap is still shown as Processing. For now, then, I’m stuck with the white.

The white plastic charger you get with the Sport model is inoffensive. The UK plug is really neat!

User-interface

I spent a total of around 40 minutes using the watch in-store, split between an Apple Store and Selfridges. It wasn’t yet intuitive, but it was making sense. I’m expecting the UI to be second-nature within a day or two.

One thing I couldn’t try in the store (because the try-on models are running video) is how reliably the watch switches on when you raise your wrist to glance at it. So that was my first test. The answer is reliably, though not perfectly. It does require a fairly deliberate flick of the wrist, rather than a more relaxed one, and occasionally comes on when reaching across to pick something up, for example, but in general it works well.

Next up was choosing my watch face. I’m not much sold on the idea of trying to make a smartwatch look like a real one, so skipped the analogue faces. I already knew from playing with it in the store that Solar was my preferred face:

applewatch-unbox-12

But it doesn’t allow complications (info fields), so I opted instead for the Modular one:

applewatch-unbox-13

Deciding which complications to add was interesting as it needed me to have some idea of what it might be useful for, and what was something I was only going to discover by using it. Calendar seemed obvious. Activity was going to be kind of pointless on a day when I’m working from home, so I skipped that. Weather is always useful, and I suspected battery-life would be an important indicator during the novelty phase.

A second time-zone would be very useful given that I live in the UK and write for a US website, but this was when I hit my first snag: it’s not at all obvious how you choose the zone. Force Touch the complication? No. Scroll using the digital crown? Nope. I made a note to consult the manual later.

I wanted to try the watch in its vanilla state before I did any further customizing, so for now I’ve left the notifications on their defaults. So far it has alerted me to calendar events and a DM on Twitter. We’ll see how that goes.

Wearing a watch again felt very strange: I haven’t worn one for around a decade. But, as I say, the elastomer strap is extremely comfortable, and I’m expecting to quickly get used to it. It looks fine on my wrist.

So, overall first impressions: it’s pretty, it’s too thick, I don’t think I’m going to keep it – but the convenience of wrist notifications may sell it to me. Watch this space …

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Comments

  1. snoman4096 - 9 years ago

    Spoiler… You’re going to keep it. Stop being a tool and just admit it. You like tech, it is a sweet piece of tech and looks cool, too. Pretty easy decision if you ask me.

    • Ben Lovejoy - 9 years ago

      It is a sweet piece of tech. It looks cool-ish (the thickness means that has to be qualified). My question is really whether I can be bothered to wear and charge an additional gadget for what I expect to be limited benefit. But all my friends have made the same bet you have, so …

      • snoman4096 - 9 years ago

        I’m glad we can both agree that you are in a bit of denial about the fact that you will quickly grow to love wearing it. Because we both know you will.

      • yuniverse7 - 9 years ago

        I wouldn’t bet on that ‘limited benefit’ statement. As you have already stated, iPad started that way and, though it may not be as extensive as in the case of the iPad, I’m certain more apps would make the watch way more useful than ‘limited’.

      • Ben Lovejoy - 9 years ago

        Yep, I fully recognize I may be proven wrong. Is going to be interesting …

      • Vincent Conroy - 9 years ago

        I myself am on the fence about an Apple Watch. I like it. it looks cool, but I have to justify the price. I can afford it, but is it worth it? I’m also anticipating being judged rather harshly by all of my anti-Apple friends for “buying in” and drinking the Apple Kool-Aid.

        I will definitely be watching this site to see how the Watch fares under the scrutiny of an skeptical Apple fan. So glad there are more out there!

      • Twitboydk (@Twitboydk) - 9 years ago

        Is your name really Lovejoy? :-D

      • Ben Lovejoy - 9 years ago

        It is – and I’ve heard all the antique dealer jokes already …

      • proudinfidelusmc - 9 years ago

        yeah you TOOL! Admit it, you LOVE it! lol

      • Ben Lovejoy - 9 years ago

        Not yet. :) So far, I like it, but am unsure it’s worth the hassle of on/off/charge daily regime …

      • x1prince - 9 years ago

        Make it sound like it’s such a problem for you

    • Ben Lovejoy - 9 years ago

      This is undoubtedly true, but neither are relevant comparisons for me personally. :-) However, I did compare it to a bunch of conventional watches yesterday, and you’re all right that the thickness is actually pretty typical.

  2. cameroncovington - 9 years ago

    I jumped on the wearable tech bandwagon with the original Pebble, and I have worn it every day since I’ve gotten it. I can honestly say that I feel strange without the watch on. And I know that the added features of the Watch (i.e. responding to notifications) will make it that much better for me. After you wear it for a few days, I think you’ll fall in love with it.

  3. Tuvatech - 9 years ago

    Sure, it could be thinner, but then again… most wouldn’t notice. A lot of people wear those dumb watches that are as big (often even bigger).

    http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-R0ufM73QnBk/VEOfRS7uTUI/AAAAAAADt80/NsMvJcq2wz4/s1600/unnamed.png

    • Ben Lovejoy - 9 years ago

      Indeed. But we’re going to look back on this four or five years from now and laugh about the fact that we ever wore such things!

      • Arnold Ziffel - 9 years ago

        So, spare yourself the embarrassment and wait five years to get a smart watch. Problem solved.

      • Odys (@twittester10) - 9 years ago

        This is purely a fashion choice – some may like thicker Watch even when thin will be available. This is not like phone that you want to be thinner and lighter because you carry it in your pocket.

      • Tuvatech - 9 years ago

        Agreed! It’s kind of like looking back at the first iPhone or iPad. I still have both of them laying around, and I can’t believe I used something like this. But I guess they have to start somewhere, so it will be fine. In a meanwhile you can start laughing about ever wearing something that did only show time and date (i.e. dumb watches). I may not own an Apple Watch quite yet, but even I already find it hilarious when people still go out and spend a lot of money on some old school watch.

    • bellevueboy - 9 years ago

      I had thought 42 would be bigger and the watch thicker but on the try out appointment I figured it was thinner than my tissot.

  4. yuniverse7 - 9 years ago

    Thanks for the article. Excited to see how the watch perform. Will be ‘watching’ this space…

  5. bullgodmomma07 - 9 years ago

    Not that it matters I love this case.

  6. I’m an Apple fan for sure, but I just can’t quit comparing the real Apple watch with all the cool mockups I’ve seen before people knew what it’d look like. The design basically looks like a square iPhone on a wristband. Maybe it has to be that way for proper functionality… I just remember when I saw the first iPhone my thought was…wow. I just don’t get that with the watch.

    • vandiced - 9 years ago

      Me too :-/. I just don’t don’t get this thing. iPhone I knew it was something awesome. And even this guy who wrote arite just said it has “limited benefit”. Seem most reviews I read says “it’s nice but not needed”. Was that how iPhone reviews were when it first came out?

      • Odys (@twittester10) - 9 years ago

        In few years – you will be leaving your iPhone at home and question why you ever had to pull out 4 or 5 inch screen to pay for your latte

    • acslater017 - 9 years ago

      Correct me if I’m wrong, but I bet you haven’t tried one on in person :)

      The Apple Watch is one of those things that looks and feels FAR better in person than in photos. It looks smaller and less toyish than photos indicate. The fluoroelastomer is super comfy. Milanese and Link are amazing in person.

  7. thejuanald - 9 years ago

    “I was wrong about the iPad, which I initially bought expecting to use it only as a movie version of a Kindle and which now goes everywhere with me.”

    I had the complete opposite experience with the iPad. I expected to use it for everything from browsing the internet, to taking notes, to reading and editing journal articles. I use it for absolutely nothing now, because it does nothing better than other devices I have, and almost always does those tasks much worse.

  8. Nicolas De Montigny - 9 years ago

    Is it a 42 or a 38?

  9. lkrupp215 - 9 years ago

    “Which raises the question: why was I up at the crack of 8am (time zones can be useful things on occasion …) to order one?

    Reason 4

    My editor told me to write something about the Apple Watch so I did and here it is.

    • mortmer - 9 years ago

      That is pretty much the only reason I ordered one as well. I was asked to Tech Edit a book about the Apple Watch otherwise I’d never order a 1st release of a new Apple product.

      • Auction Ryan - 9 years ago

        Steve Jobs would die if he read that. It’s what he lived for. He wanted to knock our socks off at every turn. Today it’s just more of the same. The apple watch is just a shrunk down version of the original iPhone. Nothing to see here…

      • Eric Meek (@emeek77) - 9 years ago

        Auction Ryan, people said the same thing bout the iPad. It’s just a big iPod. In 3 years the apple watch will be making you wonder why u ever needed to pull a 5 inch device from your pocket to check the weather lol.

  10. jrox16 - 9 years ago

    It isn’t thick compared to most modern fashionable dumb-watches. I’m a watch guy and own about 8 watches that I alternate wearing, some fine Swiss watches. The Apple Watch has a very average thickness compared to all those except for a couple very thin ones. Then again, all of them only tell time and date.

    • Zac Hall - 9 years ago

      Seems much thicker in the photos than in person as my impression goes.

      • Ben Lovejoy - 9 years ago

        I’ll be interested to see if I get used to that, as it does feel a little clunky on day one.

    • Ben Lovejoy - 9 years ago

      Right – I never was much of a watch guy, and it’s been a decade or so since I last wore one, so I don’t have the same basis of comparison.

      • charismatron - 9 years ago

        This may go a long way to explaining why it feels a bit clunky/alien on the wrist, hey?

      • Ben Lovejoy - 9 years ago

        Could well be. 12 hours in, I haven’t yet quite gotten used to something on my wrist again after so long …

  11. Wait till it comes out for $20 bucks, then I’m in :)

  12. gymnastboatman - 9 years ago

    Did you figure out how to add a time zone? I believe you can only pick from time zones you have added in the world clock app. (or just clock app on the iPhone)

    • Ben Lovejoy - 9 years ago

      Yes, you’re correct. Once added to the Clock app on the iPhone, it works as you’d expect on the watch, the digital crown letting you scroll between them.

      • absarokasheriff - 9 years ago

        Time Zone Changes, Day Light Savings Time changes are the chief reasons I currently do not wear a watch. And I’m looking forward to the Apple Watch in this regard as one of its benefits.

        I have to consult the manual or do subtraction to figure out the proper 4 button sequence.

        Is there a GMT/ Zulu Time/ UCT option. I always want to know the time in Greenwich and with out of sequence DayLight Savings Time (I want that to go away) that would be especially useful.

      • Ben Lovejoy - 9 years ago

        Afraid not. Time zones are set in the Clock app on the iPhone, so you can see in that what is available. London (currently on daylight saving time) is the best you’re going to get.

  13. Oflife (@oflife) - 9 years ago

    What would be cool is if the watch faces could change style depending on where you are or what you’re doing. IE, enter a club, and it switches to a swanky analog face. Running? Sports readouts, music controls etc. Working? Tasks/Calendar/Time etc. Sleep? Like the Moto 360, a dim bedside clock mode with battery charge indicator. This would need GPS and/or beacons to work.

    • Ben Lovejoy - 9 years ago

      Yes, even timed changes – more work-oriented in the day, more fashion-oriented in the evening – would be a start.

  14. cob7 - 9 years ago

    Not sure if you got this far, but what is the relationship with the phone and the watch like? do they have to constantly be together or can they be used separately? e.g if the phone dies will the watch become useless? or can you go for a run an leave the phone at home? Also, is there a noticeable weight difference between the sport and the watch?

    • Ben Lovejoy - 9 years ago

      The iPhone is needed for most functionality. The weight difference isn’t perceptible, I would say.

  15. Toro Volt (@torovolt) - 9 years ago

    Any concerns about Electromagnetic Radiation exposure.
    I know there is yet to be a firm conclusive evidence if EMR (WiFi_BT) are actually harmful but most of the test done have been on cell phones not wearables that are attached to your body for so long.

  16. I’m sorry but a “watch” without a piezo electric module in it is a big big big fail…

  17. longtermsolutions - 9 years ago

    I read all the doubters and remember in 2007 when the first iPhone came out; there was no end to ridicule, derision and doubt that the iPhone would end up being a success for Apple. As we all know, it has changed everything.

    Having fiddled with the watch in the Apple Store on a couple of occasions, and having a tryon appointment, I can tell that this is going to be another runaway success. Within 2 years it will seem silly to pull a plastic card from your wallet, or to open a hotel door with a card key.

    I suspect that v2 of the watch will be thinner and have longer battery life, but iOS apps have already proven themselves–and this device is merely another way to use the same great apps that we already have.

    (My stainless-steel Milanese loop should be arriving any moment now.)

    • reactionsok - 9 years ago

      Do you feel a bit self conscious wearing the watch out?

      I have a Garmin fenix 3 and it looks like a normal watch but the apple watch doesn’t.

      • Ben Lovejoy - 9 years ago

        Slightly, but that’s largely the white band. It’ll be much more discreet with a black one.

  18. charismatron - 9 years ago

    Nice article, and if I had ordered one I’d have the exact same attraction and misgivings about the Apple Watch.

    Moreover, I’m fairly certain in my circle of friends I’d be the only one wearing one, and my wife has zero interest.so this reduces the draw in terms of having fun with the cute drawing/communication/heartbeat biznizz.

    But overall, smart watches just don’t speak to me. Instead of simplifying my life, right now it adds something which–for the time being–I simply don’t need. I wouldn’t turn one down if I won it at the office or something, and I am also a gadget guy, but I’ll sit one out for the time being.

  19. J.P. (@JayPaulW) - 9 years ago

    i can’t imagine a cool person wearing an apple watch

    • houstonche - 9 years ago

      I’m cool and plan to wear one.

      • J.P. (@JayPaulW) - 9 years ago

        I doubt you’re cool then

      • I’m exceptionally cool and didn’t intend to wear one, but since reading J.P.’s post I think I will, just to teach him a lesson about logical fallacy (and for being a jerk).

      • Michael Hunt - 9 years ago

        I well sleep really well knowing that Jack is exceptionally cool, although referring to oneself that way would seem to indicate just the opposite.

      • Jon G. - 9 years ago

        Please, let’s not feed the trolls – it only encourages them ;)

        P.S. “Cool” is defined by each persons’ tastes, sense of style, and personality; it is not defined by you telling me what is or is not “cool”.

      • J.P. (@JayPaulW) - 9 years ago

        I guess pharrell was wearing one and he’s pretty cool.

        Jack seemed to prove my point though since he is cool and didn’t intend to wear one; but then I would also be pretty satisfied if Jack bought one because of me.

        My brother bought one and he’s sorta cool – he’s probably going to wear it primarily while he is wearing scrubs (he’s a dentist and he know that is already pretty uncool)

  20. Peter Smith - 9 years ago

    If Apple wants me to keep my watch, which should arrive in a couple of weeks, they had better get the software issues sorted quickly. I was first in line for the iPad Air 2 but after a replacement was still very buggy, with serious issues including Wi-Fi problems, I sent it in for a refund.
    Of course, six months on, many of the IOS bugs are now sorted, but there are still more bugs than seem reasonable and I am not sure I have the patience to wait six months for my expensive new watch to work well.

  21. gh0stpupp3t - 9 years ago

    I don’t think I will buy one. I’m getting a macbook pretty soon (like next Friday) It looks interesting. :)

  22. absarokasheriff - 9 years ago

    Another thing I would be curious about is how the fitness reminders feel. Are they inspiring, to fill the circles. Or are they annoying.

  23. Michael Hunt - 9 years ago

    I walked in an Apple store to get a MBP repair resolved, and took a look at these. I don’t see what problem this solves. Getting my credit card out of my wallet? Nah, I’m good with that 3-5 second process. Notifications? Yeah, I’ve got a phone with a great display that does that.

    There was nothing like the iPhone when it came out. Same with the iPod. A smartwatch is duplicating already existing tasks done better by already existing and efficient devices.

    • houstonche - 9 years ago

      The iPhone didn’t have a problem to solve when it was released. We already had cell phones.

      • philboogie - 9 years ago

        For me it did. The iPhone was the first phone that was a solid product, a joy to use if you will. It wasn’t an annoying thing to use. I don’t know a single person who liked their cellphone. Yes, they got smaller over time, a bit stylish even. But the software was such utter crap I cannot believe the engineers could’t see that themselves.

        No, the iPhone was the first cellphone that was useful. And I’m only touching the phone app here, never mind the multi-touch and all the stock apps it had as additional features.

  24. Nick Waldron - 9 years ago

    I hated wearing watches, and had never really kept one on my wrist for more than a few days. That’s changed a bit in the last couple of years. I have been sold on having a smartwatch for a while now. I had a Pebble, then got a Gear 2 Neo when I (mistakenly) tried out a Samsung phone for a few months, and then went back to a new Pebble when I switched to my iPhone 6 Plus. Being able to tell if I want to answer that call while I’m driving (my car has a separate glove box just for my phone) or being able to silence it and get back to my music is worth it alone. Being able to check texts and e-mail while working (I’m not supposed to be using my phone) and occasionally change the tracks when I need to are all amazing. Add to those things: touchless payments, Shazam (this can be something that has a limited window) without needing to grab my phone, and I can’t understand how someone *wouldn’t* want one. Not to mention all of the other apps that are already out or announced for it, and all of the cool apps that are undoubtedly on the way, in true Apple device fashion, and it’s a very useful tool that will keep my phone in my pocket for things that don’t warrant pulling it out and unlocking it all the time. I think you’re going to find that you feel the same about it after a couple of weeks… maybe less.

  25. krikaoli - 9 years ago

    I think someone is in love.

  26. Joerg Lobitz - 9 years ago

    i am very excited about the next days, thank you very much!

  27. I managed to get my order in on the 10th, delivery was estimated for 24/4-8/5 but i live in Norway, and was only in the UK for a family visit, with my flight leaving at 6pm, i needed to leave for the airport at 3pm, and the panic started to settle in around 11am that i would not be bringing it home…!

    So i got everything done i needed done, all packed last bits of shopping, then phoned UPS, Apple used the basic service, which meant no tracking outside of it is in transit, but i phoned anyway, got a lady in the USA, i can only assume that as her accent was american, but she was extremely polite, took all my details and after explaining the situation, she promised to message the local delivery centre in Newhaven Sussex. Well i got a return call about 15 minutes later, and they informed me that the driver had been contacted, but was not likely to be delivering until between 4-5pm. BUT that he was taking his lunch in ???? and if i wanted to meet him there at 12:30, that was no issue whatsoever…!

    I made it with no issues, picked up my parcel and raced back to get it open… ;)

    I love it, it is fantastic, it does everything i want, like tell the time… Haha

    Joking aside, it will take me a few days to work it all out, but i am getting there, the 1st snag i came across though was in the airport, everything was fine right up until the Gate, the boarding card in Passbook, worked well in security, instore shopping etc, but at the gate, the scanner was only an inch from the desk, and fixed, so unless i took the watch off, it didn’t work…! They had to enter me manually…

    I don’t think it will be long before the use the Apple Watch has shines through, it is intuitive and simple, the battery is better than i had seen written about from my 1st day experience, but only time will tell with that…!

    • Ben Lovejoy - 9 years ago

      Heh, great service by UPS there

      • It was extremely good service, but was very surprised, as he could of had a lot of Apple Watches on board, and the security risk (from being robbed) by giving his location knowing there are Watches there, could of been huge, i am assuming it was at the drivers discretion, and he was happy to do so, but when posting this i did think that it might not be a good idea to state location he took lunch as he might do that at the same place everyday… Haha

  28. Jeremy Lafary - 9 years ago

    I’m curious about the battery life… I know it’s only been a day or so but what is your experience so far?

    • Ben Lovejoy - 9 years ago

      8am to 6.30pm, including 4.5 hours running Workout for a cycle ride (which forces constant heart-rate monitoring), 32% remaining. A fair amount of use too as I was comparing Workout stats with Garmin (very close). Better battery-life than I expected, to be honest.

  29. DamoTheBrave - 9 years ago

    I find it really interesting that the home / screen on the watch sounds infinitely more customisable than the iPhone home. / lock screen.

    • Ben Lovejoy - 9 years ago

      Yeah, it really depends how you define the home screen. The apps screen – which would be the direct equivalent – is basically customisable in exactly the same as the iPhone. But the watch face, which is the default starting screen, is a lot more customisable.

  30. philboogie - 9 years ago

    Truly an excellent article. Straight from ‘a user perspective’ – straight from the heart. I will most definitely going to enjoy next weeks’ diary. Thanks Ben.

    (I do wonder what those jokes would be like. Certainly no “two lovejoys walk into a bar…” type of jokes I presume)

Author

Avatar for Ben Lovejoy Ben Lovejoy

Ben Lovejoy is a British technology writer and EU Editor for 9to5Mac. He’s known for his op-eds and diary pieces, exploring his experience of Apple products over time, for a more rounded review. He also writes fiction, with two technothriller novels, a couple of SF shorts and a rom-com!


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