The Apple Watch with LTE and AirPods Is the Future

http://meshedsociety.com/the-apple-watch-with-lte-airpods-are-the-future/

by imartin2k • 9 years ago

58 62 9 years ago

thinbeige• 9 years ago

No it's not. While it's definitely a nice piece of tech all the smartphone addicts who heavily use Whatsapp, Instagram, an email client, etc want a device with a large screen, virtual keyboard and a camera. Don't tell us that AI and voice commands will replace this.

The Apple watch will dominate all health and fitness based use cases though.

HorizonXP2• 9 years ago

I agree with you, but I don't think that's what the author's point was.

You'll still probably carry your iPhone with you, but it'll probably stay in your pocket or bag more often than not. And you're right, the Apple Watch will never replace the functions you cited.

I've been using smartphones for years, and I'm definitely someone that's very tied to e-mails and phone calls. Yet I'd rather remove the distraction. I don't need to be 100% available all day, everyday.

The Watch will let me respond to e-mails, messages, and phone calls without pulling out my phone. If it's something more involved, I can pull out my phone. Beyond that, I can wait until I get back to my desk.

The Watch + AirPods won't completely replace the iPhone, it will complement it. Just like the iPad and MacBook does. None of those verticals are particularly large for Apple, and will never touch the iPhone. They simply mop up the periphery users like me that will actually use it. Everyone else is perfectly served by the iPhone.

pjmlp• 9 years ago

I surely won't pay 300 euros just to avoid taking my phone out of the pocket.

bspn2• 9 years ago

Exactly. I've had an LTE Android watch for a few months now, and while it's great for quick tasks and staying connected when I'm out for a walk or run I still find myself pulling out my phone whenever I need to do anything meaningful. The watch is great for notifications, but the screen is too small for it to replace the phone for daily use.

0x4f3759df• 9 years ago

LTE Andoid has a separate phone number doesn't it? One of the big wins for the Apple system is it uses the same number as your phone

melling2• 9 years ago

Yeah, I want a virtual keyboard, not one on glass.

https://atap.google.com/soli/

sliverstorm2• 9 years ago

The Apple watch will dominate all health and fitness based use cases though.

Compared to GPS sports watches? How do you figure?

matwood5• 9 years ago

Because it already has? If you look at watches (not the fitbit step counter band type devices), the AW has outsold everyone one else. I see AWs all the time. Non-techie friends who I play bball with are showing up with AWs now, and these are people who never would have tried any other sport type band. The common theme among these people is that the health tracking drew them in, but all the other features with alerts, etc... end up being really useful.

revelation• 9 years ago

I love how OP is dismissing the grand claim in the title only to immediately go on to make another, equally silly one.

Garmin is selling more of their watches than ever before. This has the same useless HR, no external sensors and battery won't last through a marathon. It's an expensive gadget for people who like to think they are exercising by doing 10 repeats of 5 kg weights and 5 minutes of social media in between.

hyperpallium• 9 years ago

There's long term dynamics: just as people first prefered a small phone over a large tablet, and now buy near-tablet sized phones (iPhone X is 5.8") that better match their usage today... watches may well grow in size and features (camera) in the future.

Fitness-specific devices (e.g. fitbit) seem more popular than the general-purpose apple watch... at least, so far.

BTW non-screen control (eg voice control, buttons on headphones) seem logical for watches, but apple experimented with this already with the iPod shuffle, but removed it in the next version.

canes123456• 9 years ago

Is this a satire? Because you are framing this exactly the same as command line vs GUI and hardware keyboard vs touch screen debates. I don't think apple has the watch figured out but something will replace the phone.

knodi• 9 years ago

It maybe but not for another 10 years. Apple isn't got to have their watch compete with their iphone sales.

yalogin• 9 years ago

The watch update is a big one and a very good one too. I do t think it got enough attention.

plg2• 9 years ago

Here in Canada a wireless plan that would allow me to stream Apple Music constantly throughout the day would cost a frigging fortune, I mean hundreds and hundreds of dollars per month.

I like the idea but right now it's not practical given the (sad) state of wireless data cost, at least here in Canada.

matwood5• 9 years ago

In the US, most providers added (or already had) a $10 add-on plan for the new AW.

HorizonXP2• 9 years ago

It's the data overage charges that he's referring to. We pay upwards of $80 a month for 6GB. Tack on $10 more for AW, but you're still going to blow through 6GB.

whytaka• 9 years ago

My hope is that it'll be a very near future for me. I spend a good 70%+ of my waking life in front of a screen. I really don't need it when I'm out and about.

If I need to deal with something with more than a quick dictated sentence, I'll get to a computer and address it head on. If it's REALLY important and it needs my attention immediately, then we'll talk on the phone.

diego_moita• 9 years ago

completely redefine the mobile ecosystem over the next couple of years.

I object to the "completely" part. The key issue is applications, smartwatches are still a solution searching for a problem. The Apple Watch has a clear mass appeal but its uses are still far from being a "killer application".

Without messaging and mobile web the mobile ecosystem wouldn't have happened. What are their equivalents to smartwatches?

dsacco• 9 years ago

The key issue is applications, smartwatches are still a solution searching for a problem.

No they aren't, they're just not yet appealing to everyone. Running with my Apple Watch (Series 2 GPS) and Airpods has literally changed my life for the better. It's incredibly freeing to have no iPhone on my armband and track things like time, heart rate, speed and cadence without holding anything at all or having wires bouncing around my shoulders.

And that's just fitness! I also cook a lot; having a phone call through my watch is amazing, especially when I combine it with my Airpods. My hands can be sticky, dirty, etc and I don't even need to hold anything or carry it with me.

Just because it doesn't appeal to you and your lifestyle doesn't mean it is a "solution searching for a problem."

CharlesW• 9 years ago

Messaging (short text or voice), music/podcasts, health/fitness, ambient notifications, on-wrist remote control.

archagon3• 9 years ago

I feel the Apple Watch in particular will suffer from the singularness of its design. Android Wear might be clunky, but at least its watches have a variety of body shapes and materials. Aside from bands, there's no such choice in the Apple ecosystem: buying one means buying into the Apple look. People want to differentiate themselves by the things they wear on their bodies, and even the best industrial design or technology won't necessarily lure them over.

ryanwaggoner• 9 years ago

This is a weird comment to make now. When Apple Watch was first released, maybe. But now? It's already more popular than all other smart watches combined, and it's apparently the best-selling watch in the world period. Not entirely sure if that's by revenue or units, but regardless, it seems pretty clear that your assumption is wrong.

archagon3• 9 years ago

Yes, it's popular. I'm only responding to the claim that the Apple Watch is "The Future", i.e. as ubiquitous as the smartphone. I just can't picture the majority of any population wearing a watch with the exact same body. That's not how fashion works!

If smart watches are successful, it's far more likely that we'll eventually see a 20-80 Apple/Android split like we do today.

watchme• 9 years ago

Apple still requires you to have an iPhone, which reduces the appeal of the cellular-equipped Series 3 watch. It's a disappointment.

"Apple Watch Series 3 (GPS + Cellular) requires an iPhone 6 or later with iOS 11 or later. Apple Watch and iPhone service provider must be the same."

BrentOzar2• 9 years ago

Apple still requires you to have an iPhone, which reduces the appeal of the cellular-equipped Series 3 watch. It's a disappointment.

To people who don't have an iPhone, yes, it's a disappointment.

Given iPhone sales numbers, though, I don't think that market is Apple's primary concern. Non-iPhone owners are usually said to be more price-conscious (preferring cheaper/better/whatever Android phones), and those owners have always had choices for alternative watches that are cheaper/better/whatever than the Apple Watch.

Apple's flexing their market muscle here by forcing cell phone vendors to sell cheap plans that share the same phone number between the iPhone and the Watch, which makes it pretty exciting for those of us in the US with expensive plans. It's easier for me to justify $10/mo for my Watch to have connectivity with exactly the same phone number as my iPhone back at home.

StreamBright• 9 years ago

It would be the future if I had to charge all of those once a year.

izacus• 9 years ago

Hmm, is it true that the new Apple Watch doesn't support roaming at all (meaning it's useless without phone when traveling) and doesn't allow you to even change/choose the operator after purchase?

Oletros• 9 years ago

I think most of those articles have a very big USA centric view.

In the USA, Apple has more less a 40-45% market share depending of the time of the year and perhapsd is there where Apple Watch and AirPods can be "the future".

But with less than 20% of the market worlwide, I ddoubt that they will be "the future".

VeejayRampay4• 9 years ago

Welcome to HN where world and USA are virtually interchangeable for some reason.

sah2ed• 9 years ago

According to the keynote, AW series 3 will support a limited list of carriers at launch so I'm curious as to how the eSIM which AW3 uses is implemented?

Looks like users on unsupported carriers depend on Apple to enter into a commercial agreement for cellular to work with their carrier?

joegaudet• 9 years ago

OP is going to have to wait a _long_ time for apple to change the form factor of the air pods. Apples has only had maybe 3 headphone design changes in since the iPod.

fullshark• 9 years ago

I've been waiting for wearables to enter a new hype cycle. We are running out of new surface ideas.

VeejayRampay4• 9 years ago

Stop trying to make Apple Watch happen, this is getting embarrassing.

prklmn2• 9 years ago

It's pretty clear that Apple Watch is "happening" https://www.macrumors.com/2017/08/03/apple-watch-over-30m-li...

VeejayRampay4• 9 years ago

Apple could take a dump on the dinner table that suckers would still be lining up to scoop it up though. Just because it sells doesn't mean it's a transforming, industry-shaping piece of tech. Fidget spinners sold like crazy as well. Mark my words, AW will be a thing of the past in 18 months to 2 years.

nunez• 9 years ago

I agree that this combination will become massively popular now that Apple's finally made it a thing. It kind of makes me wish I had gotten the LTE version of the Gear S3 instead of the WiFi only one.

The Apple Watch with LTE and AirPods Is the Future

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