Apple Watch - pros/cons

[MeridaAndAngus]

I'm considering an Apple Watch (actually, DH is considering getting me one for Christmas). I'm hoping to use it primarily for fitness/activity & heart rate tracking while running and taking various workout classes, and also as a replacement for my all-day fitness tracking bracelet. I've read that the Apple Watch doesn't have built in GPS like many running watches, but I'm fine with that as I always run with my phone for safety and use running apps to track my mileage & time. I also need something that I can wear daily in a professional setting, and I haven't been able to find any running watches that fit that bill and also have activity tracking options.

The Apple Watch would replace the combo of my Mio HR watch and a Jawbone fitness/sleep tracking bracelet. I also use the Jawbone app to track my daily calories as compared to my activities to keep my weight loss goals on target. I try to track my HR each time I workout, but the Mio HR watch won't store info if my phone isn't within bluetooth distance. Since I can't take my cell phone into all of my workout classes, I generally loose this info, which is frustrating.

I'm looking for tips, pros/cons of the Apple Watch for its fitness, activity tracking, and running functions. Any advice or insights would be great!

 

[IamTrike]

I think they did a Mickey Miles podcast on this a while back. In general they had very positive things to say about it.

I have similar requirements, but am looking at the Garmin 235 as I want an integrated GPS too. I find my phone gets wonky if I wear it in a fuel belt and not on my arm.

 

[wilkeliza]

I have an apple watch and i'll be honest after the first month it has sat unused.

I could never get accurate reading for my running. It will say GPS enabled and record a whole quarter of a mile when I do 6.

It drains your phone battery! No way you are making a good long distance with it if you use your phone for music while running.

Apps were lack luster (this is 1.0 could be better now).

If was uncomfortable. You have to wear it pretty tight to get an accurate heart rate reading. The beveled shape of the back piece always leave a mark on my wrist and I always sweat like crazy because of the light pulses and general lack of airflow.


I also have a Garmin 220 and I love it. It is hardly ever wrong and has been pretty easy to use and lasts awhile.

 

[rteetz]

I have an Apple Watch and wear it daily. I say the pros outweigh the cons.

I wear it when I'm running but I also carry my photo with me while I run.

I have used the built in exercise app, runkeeper, and mapmyrun. Personally I like runkeeper the best because it allows me to see a good amount on one screen rather than having to swipe to see other things.

My biggest con is with the band on the watch. I have the blue sport band and it gets dirty easy,my would recommend the black band if you get one.

I have not experienced any battery issues with the watch or with my phone (iPhone 6 Plus).

The software is now at 2.0 which is better than 1.0 and I'd expect a 3.0 early to mid next year.

To me it's comfortable and I wear it all the time except for in the shower and while I'm sleeping. It is water resistant but not water proof.

I've had it since July. I've never had it go completely dead but I have had it go to 10%. It's simple to use and I have the Mickey Mouse watch face on it.

Any other questions?

 

[ziravan]

Have one, don't use it.

There just didn't end up being enough to it to make it worth the hassle. It's an iPhone aid, turns out, I don't need that kind of help to maximize my iPhone use.

 

[flvy]

I think this choice is so personal. Personally I'd go with a fitness watch/product over a smart watch any day if your main use is going to be fitness related. Aside from wanting a stylish watch to wear at work what you're asking for fits something like a garmin more than a smart watch. Smart watches are like someone said to aid in the function of your phone firstly. So you'll be getting texts, emails, and calls on your watch while you're working out (though I believe you can put yourself in do not disturb). You mentioned bluetooth distance as an issue with your current product. Not all apps will work and track properly if the phone is not connected to the watch. It works off the phones wifi, or 4G connection, so if you're looking to track through some apps you'll still run into some issues.

As far as battery life goes it depends on your gen of iphone, watch, and what operating systems you're working off of so there's no quick answer there.

If you're set on an apple watch, and are going to use all its features I'd hold off for the second gen which should be out in the spring. Apple just started with their smart watch technology and Samsung and Motorola have much better watches that they've been working on longer. Apple will vastly improve their watch from first to second gen. They're very good at taking what works with other brands and implementing it. Beyond that you'll be getting a product that will be out of date for the new operating update that's bound to come out in the spring and will run into more issues sooner.

Full disclosure I sell phones and smart watches for a living so I'd stress the last part of what I said. There is no headache like that of an older product on a newer OS. I anticipate big changes with their 3.0 on the watches, and would advise getting the newer watch with it. I'd hope it wouldn't cause the same issues as iOS updates do on the phones, but I don't have that much faith haha.

 

[Ariel484]

I agreewith @flvy that it's a really personal choice. For some people it'll work out well, for others, not so much.

I really wanted an Apple Watch, but ended up not getting one because it didn't fulfill two of my big requirements...
1. I track steps for work (have been using a FitBit Charge to do this)...they have a program where if we track a certain number of steps each month, we get a big break on our health insurance premiums. They accept a few devices for step tracking, but the Apple Watch isn't one of them. When I was running I'd wear both my FitBit Charge and Garmin Forerunner 220, which was annoying, so I was really hoping to get one device that could be both GPS and step tracker
2. I wanted the watch to have stand-alone GPS usage, and with Apple Watch I'd need my phone (which you said you're okay with)

Later on I learned that the Apple Watch isn't water resistant...also a con as I know I'd constantly fear ruining it.
EDIT: This is wrong, it's water resistant but not water PROOF.

Yesterday I received a Garmin vivoactive in the mail. This is Garmin's version of a smartwatch, and I bought it because...
1. My employer has it on the list of compatible step tracking devices
2. It has stand-along GPS...which is HUGE for me
3. It's water-resistant, so I know I can sweat or take it out for a run in the rain and it'll be okay
4. What made me finally decide to pull the trigger after thinking about it for weeks...I got the watch for $149 (regular price $249)

Unexpected bonus: I was able to download a Homer Simpson watch face.

I've only been wearing the watch since last night, and it's pretty lightweight and comfortable so far. It gives me all of my phone notifications (one just popped up from eBay): text notifications, email, phone calls, etc. I'm taking it out for an outdoor run on Friday and it it works well then, I'll be very pleased with it.

 

[rteetz]

I agreewith @flvy that it's a really personal choice. For some people it'll work out well, for others, not so much.

I really wanted an Apple Watch, but ended up not getting one because it didn't fulfill two of my big requirements...
1. I track steps for work (have been using a FitBit Charge to do this)...they have a program where if we track a certain number of steps each month, we get a big break on our health insurance premiums. They accept a few devices for step tracking, but the Apple Watch isn't one of them. When I was running I'd wear both my FitBit Charge and Garmin Forerunner 220, which was annoying, so I was really hoping to get one device that could be both GPS and step tracker
2. I wanted the watch to have stand-alone GPS usage, and with Apple Watch I'd need my phone (which you said you're okay with)

Later on I learned that the Apple Watch isn't water resistant...also a con as I know I'd constantly fear ruining it.

Yesterday I received a Garmin vivoactive in the mail. This is Garmin's version of a smartwatch, and I bought it because...
1. My employer has it on the list of compatible step tracking devices
2. It has stand-along GPS...which is HUGE for me
3. It's water-resistant, so I know I can sweat or take it out for a run in the rain and it'll be okay
4. What made me finally decide to pull the trigger after thinking about it for weeks...I got the watch for $149 (regular price $249)

Unexpected bonus: I was able to download a Homer Simpson watch face.

I've only been wearing the watch since last night, and it's pretty lightweight and comfortable so far. It gives me all of my phone notifications (one just popped up from eBay): text notifications, email, phone calls, etc. I'm taking it out for an outdoor run on Friday and it it works well then, I'll be very pleased with it.

Apple Watch is water resistant. It's just not water proof so don't go swimming with it. But you can definitely run in the rain with it.

 

[Ariel484]

Apple Watch is water resistant. It's just not water proof so don't go swimming with it. But you can definitely run in the rain with it.

Oh! My bad, I'll edit my post.

 

[ced140]

I have one and would generally call it a waste of money. I've had a hard time remembering to use it and integrating it into my routine. TBH, I would sell you mine

The running functionality has improved A LOT since an update they released a few months ago. It seems to be very accurate now.

 

[rteetz]

You know I find it interesting that those of you who have it don't where it or use it. Why spend the money if you're not going to use it. I am a huge tech guy so a smart watch was only a matter of time for me. I waited a few months before buying it but I currently don't regret it.

 

[Keels]

You know I find it interesting that those of you who have it don't where it or use it. Why spend the money if you're not going to use it. I am a huge tech guy so a smart watch was only a matter of time for me. I waited a few months before buying it but I currently don't regret it.

Totally understandable - but PLEASE don't think I mean anything untoward when I say this, but you're in high school - where school is your job! ... most of us here are adults with full-time jobs and completely different levels of disposable income that comes with the unfun things about being an adult.

Personally, every tech piece I own is Apple - I mean, we even have some little white tower thing that I'm not really sure what we need it for, but I'm told it's important. That said - we have NEVER early-adopted anything, not even Apple TV or the iPad or the iPhone. The iWatch was never going to be a purchase for us until we either 1) waited until it fit what we needed or 2) we tried something similar with limitations that we felt we were holding us back from what we needed.

We got the Vivoactive from Garmin and we haven't talked about the Apple Watch since. That said, the two are not the same - but they do a lot of the same things, and that's all we honestly needed.

 

[wilkeliza]

You know I find it interesting that those of you who have it don't where it or use it. Why spend the money if you're not going to use it. I am a huge tech guy so a smart watch was only a matter of time for me. I waited a few months before buying it but I currently don't regret it.

I'm an early adopter. I have a ton of Mac stuff and to be honest for the first month I enjoyed it. Then I realized I got bothing extra from it. I already have a high end watch that fits my day to day wardrobe fine and I have a smart phone. I felt like I ended up realizing I don't need something that combines the 2 but still requires one of them.

To be honest I think smart watches are going to go the way of 3D t.v. as in they will be there but 90% of consumers won't use or purchase it.

 

[Keels]

I already have a high end watch that fits my day to day wardrobe fine and I have a smart phone. I felt like I ended up realizing I don't need something that combines the 2 but still requires one of them.

That's a REALLY great point, and the reason why my husband was in on the Garmin Vivoactive - because he could swap the band out for leather instead of rubber. So he wears that with the leather band as an everyday watch and then wears his nice watches when occasion or his mood calls for it.

He also works from home and wears the same thing for like four days in a row, and goes to CrossFit every day, so there's that.

 

[wilkeliza]

That's a REALLY great point, and the reason why my husband was in on the Garmin Vivoactive - because he could swap the band out for leather instead of rubber. So he wears that with the leather band as an everyday watch and then wears his nice watches when occasion or his mood calls for it.

He also works from home and wears the same thing for like four days in a row, and goes to CrossFit every day, so there's that.

I have the mid level watch and two bands but I still never felt like it was as nice as my other watches.

My fiance got one as well and doesn't use it. He is a watch and tech guy and realized he likes switchig up his watches too much. He has about 15 watches ranging from day to day fossils up to his higher end Breitling. There is a brand he is obsessed with that just made a smart watch so he is thinking of getting that. He really only wants a watch that will scroll through his baseball scores and his twitter.

 

[Keels]

I have the mid level watch and two bands but I still never felt like it was as nice as my other watches.

My fiance got one as well and doesn't use it. He is a watch and tech guy and realized he likes switchig up his watches too much. He has about 15 watches ranging from day to day fossils up to his higher end Breitling. There is a brand he is obsessed with that just made a smart watch so he is thinking of getting that. He really only wants a watch that will scroll through his baseball scores and his twitter.

Yup. That's exactly it for my husband - he has a fleet of Omega watches (shhh ... don't tell him I got him another Constellation for Christmas). But when his FitBit died, he decided he needed something to work out with that would track stuff when he rides his bike to CrossFit and works out, but he could still get his emails and txts from writers, along with Twitter and score alerts. He also loves the silent alarm from the Vivoactive (he liked that on his FitBit too), and the Apple Watch didn't offer that.

 

[IamTrike]

He is a watch and tech guy and realized he likes switchig up his watches too much. He has about 15 watches ranging from day to day fossils up to his higher end Breitling. There is a brand he is obsessed with that just made a smart watch so he is thinking of getting that. He really only wants a watch that will scroll through his baseball scores and his twitter.

Are you talking about the Tag Heuer Connected? A buddy of mine just got one to replace his apple watch. It's a really nice looking watch.

 

[wilkeliza]

Yup. That's exactly it for my husband - he has a fleet of Omega watches (shhh ... don't tell him I got him another Constellation for Christmas). But when his FitBit died, he decided he needed something to work out with that would track stuff when he rides his bike to CrossFit and works out, but he could still get his emails and txts from writers, along with Twitter and score alerts. He also loves the silent alarm from the Vivoactive (he liked that on his FitBit too), and the Apple Watch didn't offer that.

Will have to check out the vivioactive. I have a lot of running friends that use them since it works with their Garmin account.

Fiance wants an Omega but always wants the most expensive ones . I wish I could afford to get him the one he wants for a wedding gift but my price rang is about 1/3 of what the one he is waiting for costs.

 

[wilkeliza]

Are you talking about the Tag Heuer Connected? A buddy of mine just got one to replace his apple watch. It's a really nice looking watch.

Yes, I think that is it! It was either Tag Heuer or Omega as those are his brands. He also was looking at the Fossil one since he loves Fossils as his "affordable" watches for when he doesn't want to come off as flashy.

 

[Keels]

Will have to check out the vivioactive. I have a lot of running friends that use them since it works with their Garmin account.

Fiance wants an Omega but always wants the most expensive ones . I wish I could afford to get him the one he wants for a wedding gift but my price rang is about 1/3 of what the one he is waiting for costs.

Honestly? Set an Amazon Alert. That's how I got this one for less than $1k when it's normally $3k.

On top of that, of all the watches he's bought in the 15 years I've known him, the Omegas have held up better than anything else he's had - including a Rolex.