Apple Watch: My Verdict
A whole lot of Meh.
This review will be short. I'm sure you've already read enough about it by now. Those who know me personally will attest to how big an Apple fan boy I am, so this review should come as a surprise. I've owned one for over a month now and I'd sum up my experience with it as a whole lot of meh.
My thoughts in a nutshell:
Pros
- Looks beautiful (probably top 3 best looking IMO).
- Well made.
- Notifications are OK (useful... sometimes).
- Battery easily lasts the full day (because the watch doesn't really do anything).
- Specifically useful for those who keep their phones in their bags (or out of reach).
- Turn-byTurn navigation works pretty well and is useful.
- Tells the time.
Cons
- Expensive (lol to the people who bought the Apple Watch Editions)
- Health side only really benefits cardio people (who don't lift).
- Too many quirks that still need to be ironed out. (OS 2 is coming).
- Requires the full use of both hands to operate (general smartwatch issue).
- Checking notifications mid conversation makes it look like you think the other person is boring and want to bail.
- Watch face is 90% reliable in turning on when you want to look at it. 10% seems trivial, but imagine if light switches worked this way - 1/10 times it would fail. You would consider it a broken light switch.
- Doesn't do much other than tell the time.
* Please note that some/most of these problems are not Apple Watch specific. They are issues with the whole Smartwatch concept in general.
Verdict
I don't regret buying an Apple Watch, because I love watches and I'm pretty deeply locked into their ecosystem. If the Apple Watch were a dumb watch and only told the time I would have bought it anyway because I dig the design.
Smartwatches in general have still yet to convince me of their value and deserved place in the world.
If you have spare cash, don't keep your phone in your pockets, wear watches on the regular - then sure, buy it. Otherwise wait for the next iteration - you're not missing out on much at the moment.
I made a What’s in my camera bag video! I go through all four of the bags I use - depending on the situation and deep dive into all the little bits and pieces of gear I carry with me. If you’ve ever wondered what camera bags or camera gear I use hit the link: