“You may have read that some people are giving up on the Apple Watch,” Tim Bajarin writes for PC Magazine. “Some cite the lack of useful apps, while others point to frustrations that it has not lived up to their expectations.”
“I respect people’s decision to give up their Apple Watch, but I believe it’s very short-sighted, and I don’t think they understand how new technology is adopted,” Bajarin writes. “They are probably curious adopters versus early adopters, who understand that devices get better over time.”
“Many [curious adopters] returned their iPods within weeks or months of its use, and there were a number of “Why I returned my iPod” stories. But those who kept it were eventually rewarded with better software, more songs, and the iPod only got better over time,” Bajarin writes. “The same thing happened with the original iPhone.”
Read more in the full article – recommended – here.
MacDailyNews Take: Exactly.
Those who don’t get it are usually the loudest. They are good for a laugh, at least.
I don’t recall any “Why I returned my iPod” stories. I mean, the iPod had an extremely narrow focus and handled it better than anything else ever did. I can only surmise people who didn’t like their iPods must have thought they were something completely different.
With the Apple Watch there’s enough confusion about the little booger where I can see that people would be disappointed. Smart folks who knew what to expect are pleasantly surprised. Others not so much.
Some of us know what to expect and it’s just not enough to pull the trigger yet. And it may not be for a while. Not giving up though, just waiting for Apple Watch 3. (Base on report that Apple Watch 2 will only have a bigger battery.)
The only people giving up their AppleWatch are employees are Samsung and Microsoft and Google and they had it to write confusing articles such as this.
I have had my AppleWatch from day-1 and I have already reached a point where my habits have changed and I go for my watch first and follow with the iPhone when necessary.
The extra functionality from next OS release would be nice but I already feel very comfortable that I have a good value product and I trust Apple will continue to raise the bar.
I have had mine from day one also. I could not agree with you more. I concentrate on what it can do and not what it can’t. People complain that they “can’t ( insert something stupid here) with their AW” so they are unhappy. Instead of spending time with it and see what it does right.
What has changed the most for me is texting. Not only can I quickly see if I need to reply now. When I do it’s easy, and keeps me to short responses. Some people were asking me about it and I mentioned texting and a Android fan said “oh you can only read text”. He did not say another word when I demonstrated how good the speech to text was, and how I had a choice how I wanted to send it. Phone and email are the same. It is a communication device first. Those who claim to own one and don’t say that or liars are idiots.
Here is something unexpected, and very useful for me. I’m an avid boater, living in Florida it’s year round. I have radar (Weather Underground) and tide charts ( Tide Graph) on my wrist. The radar is great just for living in FL. These are first gen apps, can’t wait to see how they improve. As I said before concentrate on what it can do.
I am a lot like you, our experiences appear similar. But this little anecdote puts me over the top: On reviewing my AT&T bills since wearing my AW my wife & I were surprised to discover that I’ve saved $30 every month on AT&T, because I am no longer held captive to my iPhone by being trapped into surfing, and then downloading stuff when all I wanted to do was respond to a text or get some other bit of info…. YEEHAW! I will have recouped my investment in a year!
There were a lot of issues/quirks with the first iPods. I’ve been there since day-one and people got wigged out over skipping while running/jogging/walking (remember they were hard drives).
Cache was smallish and there were gaps during playback.
Slow transfer times from Mac to iPod.
People spent a lot of money for a one-trick pony and some got mad and gave up. I probably posted a few thousand “help” threads on the Apple discussions for a few years.
Of course it takes time for a new object to get the kinks worked out and improved. For some items I’m a day-one guy, for the watch, I’m holding out for the next rev.
Just because Apple makes it doesn’t mean that people have reasonable expectations or are technically savvy enough to use it.
And of course, there’s nothing like a good ol’ “the sky is falling” piece on anything Apple does…
Have to agree with you. I wouldn’t necessarily call myself smart, but, I did know exactly what to expect from my AW purchase, and yes, it has lived up to every thing I imagined. Needless to say, I am ecstatically satisfied and happy, and looking ahead to the refinements of newer gens of this remarkable device. But at the same time, I understand why, given Apple’s wanting explanation of just what to expect from AW, some would be disappointed, or fine little use for its subtle intrusion into our everyday life.
Smart man Thelonious, but all you REALLY said is (that just like me) you knew it would be a POS.
When Cook first announced this abomination I recall thinking how ridiculous the entire concept was. All he focused on was materials and build quality… it was as though the specific purpose and functionality of the device were casual afterthoughts.
Lets go over the lowlights:
* Apps are poorly written and crash frequently
* Build quality is substandard, using the cheapest parts and materials to further increase already exhorbitant margins
* No GPS, iPhone required, yet for MANY tasks such as reading an article the watch let’s you read a line but directs you to read the rest on your phone (so what’s the very point of using this stupid watch)
* Heart rate monitor is innaccurate, works 100 times better on iPhone
* Beta version of Watch OS2 is not only slower than the first version, but ironically it is draining the battery 10-times faster!
* Bands are exhorbitantly priced, but feel cheap
* The cheaper screen looks 10-times better than the more expensive sapphire crystal screen
* The aluminum case scratches too easy
I could keep going, but is it really necessary.
Now Cook truly knows how brilliant Jobs was and how hard he had to work to give us the products we have today.
Cook’s legacy will be the Apple Watch and the lightning connector.
Whoop de doo!
Returning my aw tomorrow. For $440 it’s just an expensive unnecessary gadget. Figured I’d try it out for 14 days. Cheaply built. I’ll stick to my Tag Heuer. It may only tell time but, that’s all I need a “watch” to do. It’s a fine piece of jewelry. The battery lasts for 3 years. It takes a beating and retains its beauty. And best of all its “waterproof”
Was on the phone with an Apple online sales person today and she said she is helping people order their WATCH “all the time”.
if you look at a JAM chart of technological evolution adjusted +- for BUN, there are always a handful of malcontents at the initiation of any new seemingly “new” device. But if you view the same on an EGG chart, or even a SAMN graph, you get a better picture of PLUM with respect to TOST and adaptation rates.
Huh? JAM? BUN? EGG? SAMN? PLUM? TOST? WTF are you talking about?
Long running joke on MDN, Howie. I remember when I first encountered his EGG and TOST commentary years ago and tried to make sense of it.
squiggles is simply making fun of the stock market technical analysts.
I’m making observations about the market to the best of my training and ability.
[slide whistle down]
Ah. OK. Thanks for clearing up the confusion.
I love my Apple Watch, so I’m not likely to give up on it. It’s a first rev product, but I can honestly say that I have had no problems with it. Maybe it’s because I didn’t buy one expecting it to do things that were not advertised. For what has been advertised, it has performed great.
I suspect that the media will loudly trumpet the “I gave up on Apple Watch” stories, even though they ignored the poor sales of the Gear and other Android wearables. Most of the Android wearables that sold are likely gathering dust, and the people that bought them are trying to forget that they wasted their money, not advertising that fact to the public.
The Apple Watch is not for everyone. That’s fine. A person’s experience with the Apple Watch, good or bad, should not be used as a litmus test for its value to everyone else.
Ya know I never thought it was going to be a gigantic hit. I didn’t get it. I still don’t. But for people “giving up on it” I can only wonder what the heck they were expecting. Zillions of articles, all the Apple videos, the Apple come in and try it out first program, and so on should have made it very clear what the watch was all about.
It does EXACTLY what was promised and a bit more.
I had one client, a dentist, buy 3. I told him based on the way he uses technology I didn’t think it was a good fit for him. He’s easily frustrated with trying to operate his calendar on his phone. I.e. the fact that a calendar is not checked off for viewing confounds him when he doesn’t see that calendar’s content.
He bought them anyway.
Sure enough he hates the watch. I told him if he’d pay his bill I might buy one or two off him. Heh.
I sat there with him and watched the videos.
Calendaring is his killer app and he just can’t operate it. He complains of having to always go back to his iPhone.
I have to bite my tongue and just kinda smile. I want to scream, ” I TOLD YOU NOT TO BUY IT YET YOU MORON! ” But you can’t talk that way to clients.
For all the articles that have come out, the one that no one has written is that the Apple Watch might require a modicum of patience and practice. I would say intelligence, but you don’t go through dental school with out being smarter than the average guy.
Oh if I had a nickel for every user that completely ignores the small help guide, then asks me for help and then ignores what I tell them. Just because they think it should work some warped way in their mind.
You could give them a bottle of water in the desert and they would find someway to miss their mouth and then complain that the bottle didn’t work correctly.
I’d like to give you 6 stars for that comment, but it only goes up to 5 stars! Well said.
At the same time I know a guy who is a digital media executive for a big television network. He adores his! Each time he does something new with it he does a Facebook post! There’s definitely a “technology appreciation” factor involved here.
I have always thought that, in the end, the Apple Watch would be a niche product. At present, I don’t see any clear indication to the contrary. Much more time must pass before anyone can say with any degree of certainty what the ultimate fate of the Apple Watch will be.
I agree. It’s definitely a niche product for me. The niche is my wrist. It has reduced the number of times I take my phone out of my pocket each day by half. It has aided me in setting and tracking some personal goals that have been elusive. It’s a keeper.
Will I get the Model B as soon as it’s out? Doubtful, unless some major new (health monitoring) capability is included. I still haven’t reached the limits of the current version.
I am a big diehard Apple fan.
But there are days I wonder why I spent $400 on this watch.
I’ve always been an early adopter of Apple products. I understand it cost more to be an early adopter.
I hope with Watch OS 2 and more third party apps coming I fill feel better about my decision.
What are you wondering about?
Or you could have sent $500 on a Seiko watch that tells you what time it is, and maybe what the date is. People need to get a grip
And the problem with the Seiko is that it will need a $10 battery every 5 years and easily last 20 years before you contemplate a replacement due to wear-n-tear.
My Apple Watch has been on my wrist for 15 days now and it’s staying.
It’s an awesome device, I especially love how when my iPhone is in my pocket and locked my Watch takes over notifications. I’ve also put my Watch on mute so it just taps me when something comes in. I’ve also filtered my alerts so I only get notified about activity, messages, calls and emails.
watchOS 2 will only make it better.
People need to remember that the Apple Watch is a…watch. It’s supposed to function like a watch above all which it does brilliantly while offering bits of small useful info. As for the usability, that all lays on the shoulders of the developers. Don’t blame Apple for this. It is the developers that need to rethink how they develop apps. Trust me. The Watch is going to eventually become part of a user’s everyday wardrobe.
Actually no. If you expected it to be a good timepiece you will be grossly disappointed. It is an extension of your iPhone that is worn on the wrist.
Whers is the data backing up the claim that people are giving up on their apple watches?
Im ever more addicted so our those friends of mine who own one.
Typo correction 😳
Where, are
You must keep in mind that “all” of Apple’s competitors and enemies will 24/7 keep the assault on Apple any way they can.
It is also not just computer manufactures anymore. Apple now competes against:
– All cell phone companies.
– All TV set top box companies.
– All portable MP3 player companies.
– Tablet companies.
– Watch companies.
– Music distribution companies.
– Portable game companies.
I’m sure I missed a few. But the point is… Headlines will be written for any minor negative news for Apple. Headlines will also be written by paid shills. Absolute crap will be spread thru all social media anyway they can. The big boys in this industry are looking at losing millions of dollars to Apple. Ya think they are just going to give up quietly?