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Comment by playcache | Hacker News Reader

I just don't see any appeal in a smart watch, I already have my phone pinging me all the time wanting my attention why would I want a second source of that as a wearable. The only thing I can think of is health monitoring / fitness and I would rather have a Garmin there where the sensors are far better.

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That's what I thought when it came out initially, but after the series 4 release, I decided to get one, and I use it many many times a day:

* Apple Pay on the watch is the fastest way to pay on any NFC enabled POS; now works on Caltrain as well. * Silent haptic alarm, which doesn't wake up your partner * Passwordless macbook unlock * Automatic phone unlock when using a facemask * Overnight HR measurement, if you want to track how overtrained/rested you are * I use it to open my front door and garage door via siri when coming back from a bike ride or run (I don't need to carry my phone for this). I don't carry keys with me. * Listen to music/podcast while on a run without my phone. * Control media without taking out my phone. * Vectorized maps and gps tracking for running/cycling and uploading to strava (workoutdoors app) * Strava app * Interval timers when at the gym * Easy continuous visibility of air-quality/UV/temp-range/hours-of-sunlight-remaining on my main watch face. Useful information when planning outdoor exercise. * I occasionally do high altitude climbs, and hikes, so I'm looking forward to upgrading to a newer model with continuous elevation readouts and SpO2 readings. * Use it to ping my lost phone * Flashlight when you're in a bind * Navigation while cycling * Pick up calls when you're hands are full and you're phone isn't nearby.

etc etc etc

Also, a quick way to check the time.

That’s a bit tongue in cheek. Then again, I didn’t wear watches before; time alone didn’t seem a good enough reason. But that, combined with other benefits, works for me.

In the first months after starting to wear a watch (smart Apple or any other kind, really), I kept forgetting that it also tells the time. The habit of looking up the time on the phone was so deeply ingrained, if I tried to find out the time while in a bit of autopilot mode, I'd always reach for the phone, instead of looking at the wrist.

Yep. I didn't think I needed the always on screen, but once I upgraded checking the time is something I do all the...time.

Add to this - it's a more convenient approve button for my 2FA app, and Audible app.

> I occasionally do high altitude climbs, and hikes, so I'm looking forward to upgrading to a newer model with continuous elevation readouts and SpO2 readings.

I also use it for this reason, but I've found that these activities can often be much longer than my the battery can last on my S6 in airplane mode with an activity running (~6 hours).

For this reason I'm considering a watch with better battery life built for this purpose such as Garmin or Coros. The recently announced Coros Vertix 2 has a mind-blowing 140 hours battery life with full GPS tracking [1].

I don't foresee Apple reaching this level of battery performance anytime soon, specifically because of the other reasons you list why the Apple Watch is useful. I wonder if we'll see a trend of people owning multiple wearables for specific reasons, with the Apple Watch being a daily driver.

- [1]: https://mobile.coros.com/vertix2/

It’s not a second source, it becomes the only source as it turns off your phone notifications. It also leads in shorter distractions as you can quickly check if a message is important without pulling out and unlocking your phone.

It also does a billion “nice to have” things like card payments which work with your mask on, walking directions with convenient and easy to read arrows, and so much more.

It’s certainly not essential but I have worn mine every single day as it certainly provides value.

When properly integrated with your phone, the smart watch is not a "second source" of notifications, it's the "primary source", and, being on your wrist, it's easier to check/dismiss those notifications.

I've been watching videos of the watch recently because I'm considering getting one, seems the overall improvement besides its use for fitness it's not needing to reach out for your phone as often as you'd do without the watch to check notifications etc. which could lead to distractions (e.g. I might as well check Instagram now since I unlocked the phone already).

So it helps reducing the use of the phone which also gives you more battery for it, the worse thing of the watch though is battery life which I hope the 2021 model improves upon.

> it's not needing to reach out for your phone as often as you'd do without the watch to check notifications etc

I bought my first AW for the fitness aspects, but the above has become just as important. I'm not in a position where I can turn off all notifications, but I can glance at my AW mid conversation when I get a notification w/o missing a beat. If it's something I need to handle, I can excuse myself. Otherwise, it is way less of an interruption.

Garmin make great fitness watches but they’re not a replacement for an Apple watch if someone is looking for a smart watch.

The multiple days-long battery life sure is nice though.

What are the capabilities of the Apple Watch beyond Garmin Vivoactive? Especially for people not already in the Apple ecosystem

Better smartwatch features, generally. So stuff like support for contactless payment, phone unlocking, etc.

Both of those work with the Vivoactive 4.

Garmin Pay has very poor support in the UK. I bank with Barclays and that's still not supported.

If you are only interested a device that can display the time, you may want to check out one of these bad boys. No charging required for seven years.

https://www.casio-europe.com/de/produkte/uhren/vintage/a168w...

Cool. Any thoughts on the Apple Watch production being delayed as engineers wrestle with quality issues?

Same here. I got a Garmin watch several months ago, and so many people have asked "why didn't you just get an apple watch?" Then I have to give them my whole spiel about hating the constant distractions and oh by the way, have you ever tried turning off notifications on your phone...

> have you ever tried turning off notifications on your phone...

Yes. I have them turned off. Could you please expand on what you mean there? Thank you.

> Then I have to give them my whole spiel about hating the constant distractions and oh by the way, have you ever tried turning off notifications on your phone

oh by the way, have you ever tried turning off notifications on your watch? It's as easy as on your phone.

Have had an Apple Watch since 2015. Took me about 30 seconds to permanently disable all unwanted sounds and notifications then, when I first got one. It's been six years now. They're all still disabled.

So frankly? This isn't a real issue.

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