Getting my first Apple watch

[Katsmeow]

I would say to be clear as to how you will use the watch. Do you want to be able to use it for calls when not close to your phone? If so, you want the cellular model and will need to pay your phone carrier monthly for that. I do have the cellular version. Usually I am near my phone but there have been a few instances when I wasn't and it was helpful. Particularly when I left my phone at a friend's house and could use my watch to call her.

For fitness, I honestly think the Apple Watch is mostly terrible. If you want to know heart rate it does not often check your heart rate unless you are in a formal workout.

Apple uses it owns method of determining metabolic rate and calorie burn rather than use well accepted methods of doing it. The result is that the Apple Watch consistently overestimates my calorie burn by about 300 calories a day. FWIW, my Fitbit is best on calorie burn (but has other problems). I have a Garmin Venu3 that also overestimates calorie burn by about 100 calories a day which is a lot better than the Apple watch.

Right now I wear a Garmin on my left arm and the Apple Watch on my right. I do use the Apple Watch for things other than fitness. I read texts on it regularly. I use it to set my alarm each day. The Apple Watch apps are... OK on sleep. Fitbit is honestly better than anyone for sleep. I also get reminders from my reminder app on my watch which is nice.

The one Fitness thing that it is helpful for is Apple Fitness+ although you no longer have to have the watch to use it.

Oh, yes, Apple Watch battery life is truly awful. Right now it is sitting on my charger. Both the Fitbit and Garmin give me about 4 days before I need to recharge. I have to recharge the Apple each day.

Right now I own it so I do wear it. I really wish my Garmin could answer my phone calls but it can't (would need an Android phone for that)..

 

[Teacher Terry]

I don’t have cellular and can answer my watch from anywhere in my condo no matter where my phone is located. I wear my Fitbit in my sock and my Apple Watch greatly under estimates my steps. According to my research the Fitbit is more accurate for steps but less accurate for the health features. It’s important to me to know how many steps I take a day.

 

[JBTX]

I bought one of the cheaper versions of Apple Watch. I’ve yet to be able to pair it with my iPhone.

 

[Ronstar]

I have a 6. Great watch. Keeps track of hikes, bike rides, when my heart rate goes below 40, when I fall.

 

[COcheesehead]

I don’t have cellular and can answer my watch from anywhere in my condo no matter where my phone is located. I wear my Fitbit in my sock and my Apple Watch greatly under estimates my steps. According to my research the Fitbit is more accurate for steps but less accurate for the health features. It’s important to me to know how many steps I take a day.

My older Apple Watches never matched my wife’s Garmin for distance or steps accuracy. Some say Garmin has a superior GPS system. All that changed when I got my Apple Ultra with improved GPS tracking. Now our watches match almost precisely.

 

[Crewer]

I'm like chuckanut and got mine after DH died because I now live alone. I've also used the find my phone, which is useful but every time I've done that it just saved me from looking around the house more. I got the SE (cheapest model) and like it much more than I thought I would. As a watch it's bigger than I'd like to wear and the battery is only good for a couple days. I like getting texts on it and being able to respond by voice but sometimes it doesn't seem to get the text - I think it becomes unlinked to my phone and wonder if I've wandered too far from the phone. It annoys me when it tells me it's time to stand when that would be very inappropriate. Like alot of technology it's kind of smart but not really.

 

[Sue J]

I like getting texts on it and being able to respond by voice but sometimes it doesn't seem to get the text - I think it becomes unlinked to my phone and wonder if I've wandered too far from the phone. It annoys me when it tells me it's time to stand when that would be very inappropriate. Like alot of technology it's kind of smart but not really.

When I'm at home mine will use the home WiFi if my phone is off or too far away.

You can turn off the prompt to stand or do a breathing session.

When my old watch came out in 2016 many of the settings and options had to be done through the watch app on the phone. Through the many OS upgrades (OS 3.0 to OS 6.3) most things can now be accomplished through the watch instead of the phone app. Makes more sense.

I really like the haptics on the Apple Watch. The hourly chime is a bell and a tap. The new message alert is a chime and tap. You can put 2 fingers on the watch face and it will tap out the time.

Yesterday I was in the laundry room in the basement and my phone was upstairs. I got a junk call and my watch rang and showed the caller ID. I could dismiss the call or answer it from the watch. Easy to dismiss it so I didn't have to run upstairs to the phone.

 

[Teacher Terry]

My older Apple Watches never matched my wife’s Garmin for distance or steps accuracy. Some say Garmin has a superior GPS system. All that changed when I got my Apple Ultra with improved GPS tracking. Now our watches match almost precisely.

I bought the 8 in December but I guess that’s different than the ultra which I hadn’t heard of. I am keeping this watch until it’s toast considering it cost 500 by the time I bought the band and charger.

 

[otodd]

Love: Ultra 1 with WorkOutDoors iOS and Apple Watch app. YMMV, T Mobile Watch cellular add-on is $5./mo ($10. charge but then they post a $5. bill credit).

 

[indiajust]

I think the real advantage of this type gadget is going to be health monitor functions. It is a sensor platform that transfers data via the phone apps.

 

[braumeister]

Yes, Apple is pouring huge amounts of R&D money into their health sensors -- phones, watches, and even earbuds.

 

[athena53]

I have the series 8 that I got through the Heartline study for $70, good watch but doubt I would have paid full retail, the battery life is terrible, especially if you use GPS for anything. Have to say the heart rate monitor is excellent, the best of any watch I've used over the years.

So did I- supporting Braumeister's observation about the $$ they're pouring into research! Can't beat that price and accomplishing various goals, reading stuff, answering questions, etc. gave me enough credits to offset the price completely.

Battery life: not thrilled. I really need to charge it every 24 hours.

Fall detection: ditto. I'd love to see them improve their algorithms because an Apple Watch is far cooler than a "help-I've-fallen-and-I-can't-get-up" pendant. In the year I've had it I've had two genuine falls, both minor. It detected one, did not detect the other. OTOH, if I use my left hand to shake down the contents of, say, a ketchup bottle, it sometimes registers a fall. I do not have it set up to make emergency calls for obvious reasons.

Overall- I love it. It replaced a FitBit Luxe that wasn't good for tracking bike rides- I never could get it to play nicely with the GPS in my phone. I love being able to see texts and get calls on the watch but if a response is necessary I tend to use the phone. It reassures my hypochondriac brain that my hear rate patterns are consistent, my blood oxygen level is fine and I'm not falling apart. My 6-year old granddaughter showed me how to use the watch as a remote camera button- far easier to take selfies from a distance. She and her sister like the Noise function that measures decibels. (The noise level of my lawn mower git me started using ear protection.) I like the function that will make my phone emit sounds when I can't find it.

There are plenty of great straps on Etsy.

I was sufficiently convinced that I'm done with traditional watches that I took two very good ones to a We Buy Gold place and got money for them.

 

[COcheesehead]

So did I- supporting Braumeister's observation about the $$ they're pouring into research! Can't beat that price and accomplishing various goals, reading stuff, answering questions, etc. gave me enough credits to offset the price completely.

Battery life: not thrilled. I really need to charge it every 24 hours.

Fall detection: ditto. I'd love to see them improve their algorithms because an Apple Watch is far cooler than a "help-I've-fallen-and-I-can't-get-up" pendant. In the year I've had it I've had two genuine falls, both minor. It detected one, did not detect the other. OTOH, if I use my left hand to shake down the contents of, say, a ketchup bottle, it sometimes registers a fall. I do not have it set up to make emergency calls for obvious reasons.

Overall- I love it. It replaced a FitBit Luxe that wasn't good for tracking bike rides- I never could get it to play nicely with the GPS in my phone. I love being able to see texts and get calls on the watch but if a response is necessary I tend to use the phone. It reassures my hypochondriac brain that my hear rate patterns are consistent, my blood oxygen level is fine and I'm not falling apart. My 6-year old granddaughter showed me how to use the watch as a remote camera button- far easier to take selfies from a distance. She and her sister like the Noise function that measures decibels. (The noise level of my lawn mower git me started using ear protection.) I like the function that will make my phone emit sounds when I can't find it.

There are plenty of great straps on Etsy.

I was sufficiently convinced that I'm done with traditional watches that I took two very good ones to a We Buy Gold place and got money for them.

Battery life on an Apple Ultra is 3 days even with GPS use. One of the main reasons I bought an Ultra.

 

[athena53]

Battery life on an Apple Ultra is 3 days even with GPS use. One of the main reasons I bought an Ultra.

I may buy one when the study is over and sell the 8 on e-Bay- but the study goes on for another year and for an optional third year. Can't complain about what I got now for essentially nothing.

 

[ddoorn]

I Thought I Wouldn’t Like It…

My wife insisted on buying one for my birthday.

Being frugal as ever I’ve always been proud of my ancient Timex.

But…I’m a diehard fan of the iOS-sphere after being wooed over by my wife several years ago and love the seamlessness of going from my iPhone to iPad to iMac and at long last my iWatch. If you’re comfortable with other Apple products you’ll find the learning curve is a mere hiccup to get accustomed to the iWatch.

Plus, although I initially thought it was a silly annoyance, but I love the default nudges to move, exercise and stand up more and routinely stand while doing things that we’re sedentary activities in the past.

 

[Flyfish1]

https://www.forbes.com/sites/katiej...-in-the-us-what-happens-next/?sh=85257b2d1cc5

 

[More Cowbell]

When Apple watches are outlawed, only outlaws will wear Apple watches.

They will have to pry my Apple Watch off of my cold dead wrist.

This is my Apple Watch. There are many like it, but this one is mine. My Apple Watch is my best friend. It is my life. I must master it as I must master my life. My Apple Watch, without me, is useless. Without my Apple Watch, I am useless.

 

[audreyh1]

Love: Ultra 1 with WorkOutDoors iOS and Apple Watch app. YMMV, T Mobile Watch cellular add-on is $5./mo ($10. charge but then they post a $5. bill credit).

That’s interesting. I might have been willing to pay $5 per month, but $10 was too much. I ended up not getting cellular when I upgraded.

 

[tutan]

I haven’t been able to wear watches for years. It’s just too bulky and uncomfortable even just sleeping with one on. I’ll wait for the Apple Ring. Apparently Apple has been recently granted a patent for some type of pressure input mechanism for talking to a finger ring.

https://appleinsider.com/articles/2...-and-controlling-other-devices?utm_medium=rss

I’m sure they have other patents to deal with other features of a novel smart ring design.

 

[rwdflynavy]

I bought mine (Series 6 or 7) 2 years ago. It's been a fitness game changer for me. I've become addicted to finishing the rings for exercise, calories and standing each day. I've gone 441 days in a row closing my rings. Now it has become an obsession to complete them everyday no matter what.

Battery live is good for use during the day, but as others have said, you have to charge it every night, so I'm not able to use any of the sleep tracking stuff.

I may move up to an Ultra when this one starts to fail.

I do use it for reading short texts and stuff, but tend to turn off notifications in general.

 

[athena53]

https://www.forbes.com/sites/katiej...-in-the-us-what-happens-next/?sh=85257b2d1cc5

To add some content to this blind link (which you're not supposed to do without a summary): a company called Massimo claims that Apple poached their employees and their patented process for measuring blood oxygen levels. Until they resolve it, Apple may be banned from importing watches with the blood oxygen monitor. I'm happy to have one; early on when COVID hot, blood oxygen was a key indicator of whether you needed to go to the hospital. Blood oxygen monitors became scare very quickly.

Battery life is good for use during the day, but as others have said, you have to charge it every night, so I'm not able to use any of the sleep tracking stuff.

My series 8 takes about an hour to charge; I usually do that during the hour I take a bath and have dinner.

This is my Apple Watch. There are many like it, but this one is mine. My Apple Watch is my best friend. It is my life. I must master it as I must master my life. My Apple Watch, without me, is useless. Without my Apple Watch, I am useless.
��

As an Apple shareholder, I thank you.

 

[mpeirce]

Battery life: not thrilled. I really need to charge it every 24 hours.

Most people just charge it over night everyday. That's what I do. It's an easy habit and I don't really see it being useful to have to learn to charge it every OTHER day or every third day.

My DS, on the other hand, sleeps with his on. So he uses the fast charger twice a day when he's brushing his teeth/showering/etc.

On the rare occasions when I need it to hold a charge (e.g. long travel days) I just turn on low power mode and it lasts two days easy.

There there's the Ultra...

 

[Time2]

I sat an apple on the table to watch me work out. Turns out that didn't really work.
At 68 I go back and forth on being able to do a pull up, I did work my way up to 4, then if I lay off, I can't do one. Start again.

 

[Rustic23]

I set an alarm for 7 o'clock pm. We are usually "settled in" by that time, it reminds me to put the watch on the charger next to my hair. We usually start the "turn in" process around 9. The watch is fully charged and this works for full day. Having said thank the watch does not get much of a workout during a normal day. 1 hr walk, couple of phone calls, and maybe some Walkie talkie. By the way,the new iPhone. 15 find my friends works super for finding wife in grocery store. Worth the upgrade for that alone!

 

[COcheesehead]

A few comments on why an extended battery on Ultra could be beneficial.
The watch is made to be worn at night. There is an interesting sleep app which provides some nice health feedback.
If you use the GPS for extended times, the battery wears down faster. With my older Apple Watches after doing long hikes or bikes ride, the watch would die before bedtime and switching to low power mode eliminates some features which I did not like to do.
The new battery charges in about an hour so you can refresh it during the day.
There is also a handy battery indicator which you can pin on the face so you don’t have to guess on battery life.