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Will this take off in the running community?
As a techie geek, I'm afraid I watched the presentation and I was impressed. They seem to have gone back to basics on what is a fairly new area ("wearable tech") and thought about the user experience, but will it impact the running watch market?
Any thoughts?
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I should add that I was impressed compared to other "wearable tech" that is on the market, but I can't see me using it for running. I won't be buying one for that purpose anyway!
Believe it doesn't have built-in GPS so no it won't effect the running watch market. Next gen Google Android Wear watches on the other had could well do, with the ability to play music and use GPS tracking in watch without the need of a connection to your phone.
For me, I want to be able to run without a phone in my pocket. It's heavy and distracting. I don't even run with music. So I wouldn't buy one for that reason. There may be other reasons i'd buy one but not looked in depth yet. Running watches aren't perfect either.
When it has built-in gps, is waterproof, performs all my metrics and uploads to strava/connect etc on teh fly, then I'd buy it. So right now, it's a long way off.
Snap/Andy, that's my issue with it as well. Having to carry the phone is the main blocker for me.
I wonder what they're aiming for when they (Apple) say that health and fitness are important to them?
From a tech point of view, it does seem good but I haven't got a use for it. However, many said that at the launch of the initial iPhone all those years ago....
Seems most smart watches when they say health and fitness only mean in a step counting daily activity way, I wouldn't class any of them of been a sports tracker though. But then that said there is a big business of sports tracking apps for phones, guess the people that use those might like an easy to see screen on their wrist to look at while running/ cycling etc and they might swing more to a smartwatch than a stand alone running watch as they could justify the cost more as it can be also used in more situations.
Personally I'm a little underwhelmed by the Apple watch, at least based on the little I know about it. Only good thing I've seen so far is they have dropped the i prefix...
I'm actually a little underwhelmed by my i-phone 5 as well, so when my contract is up it'll be a bit of a moot point - sorry, off topic.
Another thing about these inbuilt HRM's. As with the TomTom, this will have to be worn quite tightly and quite far up the wrist for it to work properly. Some may find this uncomfortable. I like wearing my watches pretty slack around my wrist.
I use my iphone to run to music but I'm happy with my garmin for run tracking. I dont want a setup qwhere I have to have my iphone charged and synced for the watch to be of any use.
Nothing I've seen so far would persuade me to throw away my Polar HRM, Garmin GPS and my spreadsheets. There needs to be some pretty compelling software doing something to analyse the data it's capturing and I haven't seen that yet. Plus as a non Apple owner the entry price (phone + contract + watch) is (to put it politely) expensive.
How much is it?
Ref wearable tech, I run conferences, and back in 1998 (Monaco) I ran one on the future of the internet and e-ticketing for airlines. (Can you believe it's come so far in so little time?).
During the social programme, a gala dinner type affair, we held a fashion show with wearable tech such as telephone keypads incorporated into coat sleeves, headphones and mics in collars and so on and so on. Looked great. Went nowhere.
I get that things have come a long way and the offering is different but I don't think wearable tech has such a bright future, near-term.
oh, I am pretty certain there will be.
I don't think users get to see it though.
Snap, prices I've seen are around £220, but I'm not sure what version that's for as there are different versions (Apple Watch, Apple Watch Sport and Apple Watch Edition). They're not available until next year.
I've not seen a definitive UK price, only a figure of 349 USD for the base model
http://www.independent.co.uk/life-style/gadgets-and-tech/news/apple-watch-price-iwatch-price-revealed-9723264.html
Hmm. I might skip this and wait for implants!
related to this - should I care about iphone 6? I have an Iphone 5 (not 5s) at present.
That said - I have a 4 on its last legs so I think I will go for it.
Too early to go for an Apple watch. I'm not convinced by the garmin watches either.
I want a watch to be waterproof and last days without needing to be charged. Oh and not break.
DFMB - I have a 5 and won't be upgrading, but then I don't upgrade that often. I had the original iPhone, the 3GS and now the 5. Mine does all I want, with the main thing (for me) being seamless interaction with Apple TV and Mac. I also use iMessage a lot, and again like the interaction between the phone and the Mac, but I've got that already.
cougie, yes I agree it seems too early for the watch. Battery life is a major issue - I've read (conflicting...!) reports about how good/bad that will be. There was also talk that the watch wouldn't work properly if worn on the right hand, but that seems to be discredited
http://www.tuaw.com/2014/09/10/lefties-the-apple-watch-is-going-to-work-just-fine-for-you/
It's an interesting thing though I think. Apple obviously know what they're doing and they do seem to have gone right back to basics with the design. I watched the key note speech and found myself nodding with everything they were saying about the details they were looking at. I'm sure it'll look and work superbly. However, from a runner's perspective I can't see this version taking off so still wonder what they mean my "health and fitness". I can see there being good uses for it in the medicare world, but at the same time I can't see the NHS going and buying hundreds of them!
Anyone seen the Total recall remake? I want one of those! And what's the betting it'll be LG, Samsung or Huawei that get it to us first? Or maybe Amstrad.
my garmin 910 xt does all of that but you couldnt wear it continuously like a watch. Battery wouldnt last