“Apple has undertaken an almost total software reboot of a struggling product with its latest operating system for the Apple Watch, called watchOS 3. In my opinion, it’s an even bolder overhaul of the watch than the new Series 2 hardware,” Walt Mossberg writes for Recode.
“There are two main reasons for this: First, the new OS dramatically improves the user experience for the entire installed base of Apple Watches, for free, without the need for a new watch,” Mossberg writes. “Second, its design makes third-party apps easier and faster to use, thus raising the odds that developers will make more and better watch apps. I’ve been testing this new user experience, and I’m impressed.”
“I still wear my Apple Watch daily, but I’ve upgraded that original model to watchOS 3,” Mossberg writes. “And in my tests of the new software over the past couple of weeks, I’ve found myself regularly using other apps, such as the New York Times, Washington Post and my calendar — apps I’d given up on. I’ve changed watch faces much more often. And I’ve generally been much happier with the watch.”
Read more in Mossberg’s full review – recommended – here.
MacDailyNews Take: Mossberg claims the Apple Watch has been a “disappointment” — as measured by Apple’s standards at least — selling “16 million watches sold out of a tiny total of around 30 million” smartwatches sold worldwide. But, 16 million units is more than iPhone sold in its first two years! Was iPhone a “disappointment?”
By any measure, including Apple’s, the Apple Watch is a stellar sales success. Much credit goes to Apple for listening to users and so dramatically overhauling watchOS to make even existing Apple Watches (“Series 0” as we like to call them) so much more useful. It’s rather amazing that Apple didn’t think of (or did, but didn’t implement) the Dock on watchOS originally, but, hey, we’ve finally got it now and it makes all the difference!
It needs to be as thin as a coin. It will be one day. Remember when mobile phones were like bricks?
The ads make this site unusable on my iPhone.
Agreed Mdn needs to get over it.
I would be OK with the ads if they could be dismissed and reading could continue. However exiting recent ads leaves a blank screen and reloading causes the same thing again. That will kill MDN visits faster than anything. Better fix it quick.
Everyone is absolutely entitled to their own preference on style.
But as for myself, I totally disagree with the idea that the watch is unappealing in its current size. Its beautiful IMO and I never have any sense that the size is not perfect.
Many high end analog watches are bigger. My stainless steel watch looks and feels great to me. Same for the many Apple watches I see among my friends. And loving watchOS 3.
Of course its all personal.
Download the MDN app. It works great.😀
The Workout app Ends X if you leave it and return plus spontaneously even if you don’t leave. Big BUG.😱😡😟
What’s faster about OS3? So far my apps don’t load any faster then before no instant loading as apple claimed.
It’s got some great features but it’s not fast
You have to load your favorite apps in the app dock in the WATCH app on your iPhone first. Then loading is super fast from the dock which you invoke with a single click of the side button.
Struggling??????????????/