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Comment by sfjailbird | Hacker News Reader

Am I really the only one to think that the Apple Watch is just ugly?

A big clunky square box with a rubber strap. Some dim electronic display on top. That's what it looks like at a distance. Honestly it looks like something Samsung or Sony might turn out.

Most of the guesswork 'prototypes' were far more compelling: https://www.google.com/search?q=iwatch+prototype&tbm=isch

Even the Samsung offering looks better - we can finally do curved displays, and is there a better place to put them than in a wristwatch? http://www.samsung.com/global/microsite/gears/

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I have played with a prototype of the new samsung watch. I think it already gave a good idea of where they wanted to go. Considering their phone designs, it is not bad, but not a work of art either. Samsung watches are plasticky things.

I have conflicted thoughts on Apple Watch. On one hand, I can see that Apple has put a LOT of thought on its appearance (as with most of their products) and on the little details. On the other hand, I don't think the final design look good. I would need to try it first hand to confirm it but my first impression is that I don't want that big rectangular clunky thing on my hand.

And a circular watchface in a rectangular frame with a lot of whitespace (well blackspace actually) ? I just can't get over it.

If I had to guess what Apple Watch would look like before its reveal, I would have bet on something very similar to the Moto360.

I agree with the initial impression of a "big rectangular clunky thing", but thankfully the smaller version of the Apple Watch looks more reasonable. That along with the what-seem-like-great strap choices might make it a bit more palatable than the other watches out right now (Samsung, LG, etc.).

The Moto360 is initially easier to accept due to its familiar "normal" watch appearance, but I think the software and "experience" on devices like the Apple Watch will prevail.

That remains to be seen :) . Apple Watch is far from its release and Wear is near its second iteration. I honestly think it is not possible to know where the wearable landscape will be in 6 months or one year. Wear's contextual way of displaying card is hit or miss but I am not necessarily convinced that the zooming crown is the right solution.

I agree that the Moto 360 and the Apple Watch are in a class of their own at the moment (or would be if the Apple Watch was more than an ad at that point). Samsung and LG have delivered gadgets targeted at geeks whereas Motorola and Apple are making jewelry pieces that are also smart-watches.

Also, whatever the quality of product, Apple marketing machine is a juggernaut that will create sales.

My main gripe with all this is that I really, really, don't want two wearable ecosystems that are tied to their parent OSes.

I've got to say, this picture makes it look pretty good:

http://static.squarespace.com/static/4fa14d3ce4b08a53fa26468...

I think as with most watches, it's a piece of your outfit. It doesn't look good on its own, and it's not supposed to.

I guess it's in the eye of the beholder - when I saw that picture, it was the one I liked the least. But, hey, that's why people buy/wear different things.

This article gave me more insight into why someone might actually buy this watch. But in reality I just don't see people clamoring for something like this. Although I never thought Steve Jobs was really a visionary, I did always recognize that he did have enough understanding of the market to see what people were looking for and provide it better than anyone else. I mean, digital music, smart phones, etc. all existed before Apple produced iTunes and the iPhone, but nobody marketed it correctly or provided exactly what people were looking for like Jobs and Apple. I just don't think people who can pull that off come along very often, and I don't think Apple has anyone (at least not facing the public) that can match what Steve did.

I'm not sure Jobs would be trying to produce a watch...I might consider what Jobs did and think he might have moved over into self driving cars or something like that. People would buy a self driving car from Apple, and it seems the market is starting to build momentum.

People would buy a self driving car from Apple, and it seems the market is starting to build momentum.

User interfaces and industrial design is what Apple excels at. I'm not sure I'd trust a self driving car from them.

> But, hey, that's why people buy/wear different things.

I often wonder if the motto let's have our own tastes and buy different things is not just some recent invention intended to help us spend more money. I wonder if in the past, e.g.in the middle age, people were that much obsessed by external differentiating assets like clothes, perfumes, shoes and so on. Maybe, just maybe, this is a vast scam. And maybe without ads and tv we would be very happy to wear similar clothes, and let other things, more important things like intelligence or knowledge, differentiate us from the crowd.

In the past when new fashions were introduced, it really sucked if you didn't like them, because suddenly that's all you could buy. People didn't like it. They just didn't have much choice.

As far as a 'recent' invention, humans have been building completely unique building, architecture and paintings for our entire known history.

1/3 of the width is black, if you count from grey edge to grey edge. I agree that it doesn't look bad or bulky on this image, but the bevel size still strikes me as odd, considering how little room you've got on a watch like this.

People said Apple would be mocking Motorola for the black area in the bottom of their watch. I don't personally have a preference in the square/circle debate, but I really thought Apple would be able to get rid of more of the bevel.

>Am I really the only one to think that the Apple Watch is just ugly?

If you think it's ugly, it's ugly. I'd prefer a round watch, personally, but to each his own. However, the watch looks really well made and the straps look great. Two downsides for me: iPhone-only (I'm not going leave Android) and (potentially) battery life.

>Most of the guesswork 'prototypes' were far more compelling

Really? Most of them aren't possible with current technology (or ever). I'm also not a big bracelet guy.

>If you think it's ugly, it's ugly.

I like your attitude on this.

It's subjective - there's a reason if you go to a regular watch shop they have as many different watches as they do.

Apple have made a start on trying to work with different preferences with the interchangable straps and clasps and so on but something like this is never going to please everyone.

Personally I wouldn't go as far as ugly but I'm certainly not wow-ed by it in terms of how it looks. It seems to be well designed and well made but lots of things are and it doesn't mean I want to strap them to my wrist.

And would you prefer this other big ugly rectangular watch instead: http://www.independentjewellers.com/blog/2012/04/the-most-co...

Only 2.7 _million_ dollars...

"The Most Complicated Watch In The World"

How many people have ever walked into a jewelers and, when asked what they wanted from a watch, replied "I want it to be as complicated as possible - the more complicated the better".

A watch at that price does one thing and one thing only - it says loud and clear that the wearer is almost certainly richer than you.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Complication_(horology)

That's an interesting clarification but I'm not sure it changes much.

After all, a 1000 year calendar is impressive, but who really has ever gone, "hold on is it the 20th century or the 21st"? That might have been an issue for a few of us who were a bit drunk on New Year's Eve 14 years ago but it's not going to be a problem again for at least 86 years.

I still think a $2.7m dollar watch has one purpose - to allow the owner to say they have a $2.7m watch.

I should point out, I'm not against expensive, mechanical watches (I own one and love it), I just think there are limits and for me they probably kick in around the point a sixth digit gets added to the price.

I just think there are limits and for me they probably kick in around the point a sixth digit gets added to the price.

To clarify, 6 digits including or excluding cents?

I'm being open minded to the idea that my definition of value here isn't everyone's so I'm excluding cents. My own watch is expensive (by my thinking) would meet either criteria but I could see myself maybe one day buying a watch that topped $10,000.

Maybe.

> Am I really the only one to think that the Apple Watch is just ugly?

I think build quality will really make or break it here. On paper, it's not that attractive, but if--as an object--it's machined very precisely and out of attractive materials, I think it can overcome that. It certainly seems to be what they're hoping for.

I think the litmus test will be how the face feels (without strap) just in your hand. Does it feel like a premium object or not?

> Honestly it looks like something Samsung or Sony might turn out.

As does the iPhone 6

edit: and this is coming from quite the apple fanboy

I doubt you're alone, but i think the apple watches look good, especially worn (vs. on their own). The smaller size also makes them look elegant, even compared to the Moto 360 (which I otherwise prefer as a physical object). After seeing Ars Technica's side-by-side comparison of screenshots, the round screen of the 360 seems both ridiculous and poorly used (although the Apple UI designers might have done better with a round display).

That said, I don't find the device compelling. One more gadget to charge.

http://i.imgur.com/aL7ogTS.png?1

http://i.imgur.com/qGvqIqK.png

Would you still call those ugly? Either way it's definitely not just some dim display with a rubber strap.

> "Even the Samsung offering looks better - we can finally do curved displays, and is there a better place to put them than in a wristwatch?"

1. The Samsung offering looks huge on that men's wrist, never mind women's wrist.

2. Why would you put a curved watch on a wrist, if the top part of the wrist is flat?

> Am I really the only one to think that the Apple Watch is just ugly?

On the internet you are never the only one. I don't like it either, but it's just subjective opinion. I'm sure a lot of people will like it.

> rubber strap

I think you missed something.

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