I am thinking of wanting buy an Apple watch, second hand from a friend, and wanted to know how it can be of better use towards my daily life and tasks.
How Useful Is an Apple Watch for an Everyday Consumer
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*show others that you have an apple watch
Those are pretty much my use cases (as well as immediately reading and quickly responding to notifications) and for just that I found a garmin would suffice whilst also having a battery that only needs me to charge it once every few weeks, instead of every day like on an Apple/Samsung/Pixel watch.
i had a garmin smart watch at one point when i was right into competitive dragon boating, and going to gym about 2 hours a day, 6 days a week - but idk, i felt back then the software just wasnt there, it also felt pretty buggy when used with ios. i usually top mine up while i cook dinner charge wise and that lasts me till dinner time the next day.
when i was right into competitive dragon boating
I got one when I was into competitive cheese-rolling…
The higher battery use is for health monitoring though. It’s very thorough on Apple Watch in health data.
Im told the fitness tracker and heart monitor which can inform a nominated person of heart problems are the most useful functions since you can excercise without carrying the phone.
The rest dont count for much since they are easily available on your phone.
So bottom line is..
1. Do you excercise and have a compulsive desire to monitor your bodily functions? ….LOL…really nobody needs this
2. Are you an older person that may have heart issues and needs to monitor heart and has the need for an automated emergency call to a nominated person which also reports your location….depends on your age?
3. if have done without a smart watch so far then you probably dont need one.NOTE: They depreciate in value even faster than a smartphone!
They depreciate about as fast as an iPhone. I sold an Apple Watch 3 a few years ago for $180 and it was 3-4 years old.
Sure if you sell to the first low baller for $50 they depreciate faster.
Also helps to keep the box.Check prices online now
Peanuts as soon as a new model comes out
Galaxy smart watches depreciate even faster!@HeWhoKnows: Apple Watch Series 5 $200 for a 4-5 year old watch. Approx 25% of its original cost. Not much worse than an iPhone of similar age.
I'd add fall detection to the list. My wife fell a couple of times and the watch correctly dectected them and asked her if she needed help. I only wear a much cheaper Withings.
if you haven't used one, its not going to change your daily life dramatically
It absolutely can if you use it for health tracking and active lifestyle motivation.
Or just keep making you feel worse.
Really? How????? LOL LOL LOL
On top of everything everyone has said it helps with my productivity lol
Allows me to put my phone in another room (so that I'm not scrolling all day) and still be able to receive important messages and calls.
same…but i still have about 100 ozbargain tabs open
100 ozbargain tabs open
I don't understand how is that not productive?
Oh what a life changer LOL
So you dont have to walk up to your phone and answer it
Hooray the world is saved!
If you didn't actually need one, it does not have the power to change your everyday life in a big fashion.
Basic and most dramatic enhancement: time on your wrist.
Also some peple would argue that it is a fashion statement.
FITNESS
Can't live without this watch. Changed the whole me in terms of "fitness".
an apple watch is just another form for apple to swallow your money. you can argue it's a fashionable watch but it's pretty ridiculous how people justify doing anything on that tiny little screen. nothing is faster than just pulling out your phone and doing your business there. sure you can say you can take calls. just tap your airpods. tracking your heart rate? cheaper options exist.
it's just a really large monetisation strategy from apple. they are really good at advertising services you don't need but because it has the apple tag you feel the need to have it… maybe not with you but in general. most of the things they offer are things we don't really need. it's all based on how much money you have.
Man, this OzBargainer has got it all figured out. I feel so silly now. I must have got suckered into all the Apple marketing!
Have you ever thought of starting a self-help YouTube channel? You have so many nuggets of wisdom, they're wasted on such a tiny audience on OzBargain.
You could start the channel off with this doozy:
"Why it is totally cool to concern yourself with other peoples technology purposes - here's my 10-part essay on why I am totally not a dork for caring so much about Apple users!!"
…and so concludes my TED talk, thank you for listening /pause for thunderous applause
yep. if you bought a useless smart watch you definitely got suckered!
I use it literally every single day.
lol I do love how obsessed Android babies are with Apple user's purchases.
Android is just that good that you gotta simp for it, huh?
Remember, old mate came malding into this thread about Apple.
If you make a comment about a product you have never used you are just showing your prejudice.
Man you are so clueless. You’ve obviously never had one.
No need for one
Useless deviceThat is your opinion as opposed to mine, and other people’s, experiences.
Interesting choice of user name
fitness activity tracking is good.
being able to read messages without the phone.
apple wallet.Explain why fitness tracking is good…seriously
The only thing you need to know is how long and how far did you excercise each day.
You can do that by checking the time and place at start and finish.
If in gym, most equipment measures this for you.
But in reality does it really matter?I don't have an apple watch, but here's my experience with a smart watch: Once a week, google tells me whether I achieved my fitness goals for the week, and which days I let myself down.
Without the smart watch, google would only know the activity I did with my phone in my pocket, which wouldn't be much.
Not everyone needs this, and there are other ways of tracking exercise, but it's a good tool for me.
Probably my scenario is different. I never go to a gym. I don't do running or a specific activity but play cricket or badminton etc. apple watch is good at tracking the amount of running / various different stuff and gives me a reasonable report on calories burnt etc. Also I do cycling a fair bit. for this i use watch/phone combination for tracking. Also this integrates well with qantas well being to earn a few qff points.
You can certainly track all this manually and do not need a $1300 watch for this, but I prefer to use one!
It includes things like heart rate monitoring.
I got one 2nd hand for $130. For basic functions you don’t need the latest model. I mainly use the stopwatch or countdown timer when cooking, step tracking to monitor my activity, and heart rate monitor when exercising to make sure I’m not being lazy. Also frequently check the weather, time, and occasionally notifications.
2nd hand is good.
less waste of money
less depreciation for a non-essential item
I was stunned when my 80+ father bought a smart watch (Samsung, not Apple, as he had a Samsung phone, tablet etc).
Thought he was just getting into the hype of it all.
But - he bought it for the 'Fall' feature, so that if he fell in the shower, or while out walking etc., we would be notified.
My late mother had had one of those emergency necklace things, but that relied on her A: pressing the button and B: being in the house, where the smart watch being internet connected didn't need that.
So, even though he never had to use it for that purpose, my sister and I were very glad he had had it.
Just depends on your needs.
The fall feature is, certainly, a consideration. You don’t have to be old to have an accident. The latest Apple watches have a collision detection feature as well.
MIL has Apple watch for the same reason. She couldn't be arsed wearing the pendant.
First thing is you have to have an Apple phone to use an Apple Watch. It has to be a version where the iOS is compatible so, probably, both should be able to do iOS upgrades. My suggestion is do a bit of googling on the model of Watch and phone to ensure compatibility now and for a few more years.
Frankly my iPhone is a camera and a life support system for my watch and iPAD. My phone, generally, stays in my bag and the watch provides the fitness apps, the weather, the time, SMS messages, timers, loyalty cards, calendar reminders etc. I’m also not running around the house trying to find my phone when it rings.
In a couple of days Apple is releasing its next generation of devices so I would wait to see what is being released and then look around at the price of similar second hand devices.
I am very happy with my watch, but I’ve been waiting for my Dick Tracy watch since I was a kid. Also I’m not keen sitting down with a phone in my pocket.
I had a 3rd gen version a while back and didn't like it,
BUT
I got an SE around a year ago and it has been great. I got it for travelling overseas because your phone is now absolutely essential while travelling and you can't afford to lose it or have it stolen, and because the watch can do the key phone tasks it is much safer. But on my return I still use it a lot for a few reasons:
Paying for stuff using Apple Pay. This is great as it is easier than carrying cards and is also safer as you can't get defrauded using Apple Pay (it doesn't send card details, just codes which apple and the banks work out behind the scenes)
Activity tracking. It encourages me to get more exercise. I have also linked it to the Qantas wellness app so get a few points that way
Answering the phone when the phone is elsewhere in the house
Reading sms messages and WhatsApp without the phone
Storing all of my other store (Ikea, woolies, Coles etc) and gym membership cards (using the stocard app on the watch).
Finding my phone when Ive put it somewhere. You can make the phone beep from the watch
Seeing the temp etc on the main watch screen
And of course telling the time and seeing the date.On top of this there are lots of other apps (called complications for some reason when they are on the watch) that you can set to your main watch face or just select them as needed from the menu with a few clicks.
I am thinking of wanting buy an Apple watch
Do you have an iPhone?
lol
I used to use them on and off for a few years. Settled back on mechanical watches for the last year or 2.
It literally used it for notifications and the time so it was pretty useless for me.
If I was given one I would happily sell it for 50%. I have no interest in a watch that I have to charge every day.
But way back when you didn't have to charge a phone every day … Or a computer …
As other have said I find the fitness tracker, reading messages, card pay etc very useful. I use a Fitbit sense rather than Apple watch primarily due to the Apple Watch crap battery life (Except maybe for the new uber expensive model).
Aside from the crap battery life I think the Apple watch is a better device than the Fitbit and certainly has a much better software ecosystem.
The other one to look at at the Samsung smart watches as they have excellent reviews.
"But - he bought it for the 'Fall' feature, so that if he fell in the shower, or while out walking etc., we would be notified."
Needs to be a hard fall to register.
Don’t bother as one has to charge battery daily! Especially used watches
I assume you don't have a phone, then.
What is the obsession with the fact you have to charge it every day? I put mine on to charge overnight with no issues. You would get a decent way there if you charge it when you have your shower and get ready in the morning.
If you want to do sleep tracking too it becomes an issue. I figured I could charge at work, but ended up getting a watch with a week or 2 battery life. Just have to remember the charge cable when going on holidays.
YMMV. As I said you could charge whilst you shower and get ready for the day.
That would be an incredible charger or a tiny battery… or quite a shower
I hadn't worn a watch for 25 years and didn't want one but was looking for something to count laps in a swimming pool (because I always lose count!) I ended up with an Apple Watch because it can also record an open water swim (not that I've used this much). But since I got it I use it for so much: I'm hearing impaired and it's the perfect alarm clock (also for anyone that needs to wake up before someone in the same bed); I can also use it to adjust my cochlear implant without having to pull my phone out.
I can record a walk or run without having to carry a phone. Also check my heart rate; record an ECG (I've had AF in the past); check my blood oxygen. As others have said, it's an excellent fitness tracker and also sleep tracker. I've recently got 3 months of Fitness+ with a purchase and I've been doing a few workouts, cool downs etc. There's a large library of activities you can do in front of the TV if that's your thing and the watch tracks displays your metrics onscreen as well as recording the activity.
I often get Siri to start a timer when I'm cooking; get Siri to do calculations. (Mine is non-cellular so Siri only works when my phone is nearby, which is almost always.)
I also use it to navigate a walk without having to look at a phone. I get a tap on the wrist and an indication on the watch when there's a turn coming up.
I run my iPhone and watch on silent and get notifications for everything at my wrist. I can check what's up on the watch and only need to pull my phone out if I need to reply, though I occasionally dictate a reply on the watch.
I work at home so take it off to shower and don't put it back on till it's fully charged. A charge lasts more than a day.
It's probably the device I'd miss the most if I lost everything.
I forgot to say I occasionally use it to check the time.
And ApplePay without the need to get my phone out, or even carry it, is very handy.
yeh totally agree, I got the one with the one with Cell so can take phone calls / Messages on the move…I also had some sleep issues and the sleep tracking is top notch, either with its own app or 3rd party its pretty good.
Do you need your phone nearby to use it or can u leave it at home?
It depends on what you are trying to do. If you want the full suite, at all time, you need your own SIM or the phone nearby. However, if you are just wanting to go for a run then the health and fitness stuff is still available. It will upload data to your phone when they are close by again.
They’re quite helpful if you need accountability with your fitness.
I’ve found the notifications get ignored now and are more annoying than not having them.
Having customisable faces where I keep the time, date and weather all in one really helpful, especially with potential rain.
The biggest win for me is my employer gives us AIA Vitality for free and the fitness tracker is needed to earn the points/money.
- Beautiful design (high art in my view)
- Stunning use of technology
- Intuitively usable (after a short period)
- Comprehensive time keeping, stop watch & timer features
- Gateway to really useful wearable health monitoring features
- Fall detector
- Wrist based Voice Recorder, Wallet, Compass, Calculator, Alerts, Remote & more
- Highly customisable but well controlled screens
- Fitness & sleep tracking
- …. & many other features that I haven't fully explored
This blog seems to split along the lines of people who have one and like all the features and people who don’t have one and think they aren’t worthwhile. Now if only I could put my finger on which group might, actually, have more of a grasp on the usability of the watches. I’m sure it will come to me in a minute.
i mean, they're fine - but these days most other kinds of smart watches have all the same features that an apple watch has. I had an iPhone and apple watch for years, and only just recently swapped back to a Samsung phone and watch, and honestly, from a features point of view, it does everything the apple watch does. There's not a single feature mentioned in the comments above that one brand does but not the other.
Just don't get bogged down into this bizarre brand-wars thing. I had apple because my work were all apple, and so it made sense, but the last few years i've swapped jobs, and eventually everything i've used has gone back to android or windows, so i swapped my phone and watch when the time came, and i feel completely and utterly indifferent about it. i have zero brand loyalty.
Oh, the important thing that may seem stupid to some, but I know a few people who have made this mistake: You can't use an apple watch if it isn't synced to an iphone.
You'll probably do the same thing everyone does - get excited about all the amazing features and notification options and apps, but then as time goes on, realise most of them are just super annoying and switch them all off.
Why people keep saying fitness?
TLDR: Well designed software in both iOS Fitness App, and WatchOS paired with its gamification style makes it the superior application. By tracking your habits, It optimizes the best time to feed MEANINGFUL notifications on how you did, how you’re going, and what you need to do to maintain your Daily or Monthly goals with gamification. If you’re the type of person who just needs a nudge, this is it (if you have a iPhone).
My wearables history: Fitbit Flex (2013), Samsung Gear 1 (2014), Samsung S3 (2016), Xiaomi Band 3 (2018), Apple Watch Series 4 Nike 40MM (2020), Apple Watch SE 44M (2022 - Current)
The game is “close your rings”. Most of the watch faces displays these rings which represent your set KJ Burnt, Active Minutes and Hours stood. You get a nice tactic feedback, and animation for closing each ring, and all three rings, and history is available in the iOS application with more details, and achievements represented in Medals which can be acquired from Closing your rings 7, 30, X days in a row,
Notifications range from in the morning from “nice work yesterday” to “hey you haven’t stood up in X hours,” or Monday “you closed your rings 4/7 days”, to 10PM at night “you just need to take a 10-minute walk to finish the KJ expenditure”. You can also get notifications when your friends are working out, as part of gamification, you can challenge them to see who works out more / burns more KJs etc.
Apple Fitness + Is a extra subscription service, which offer trainer guided workouts. I personally go for Yoga, HIIT, Treadmill, and Kickboxing. When doing these workouts your Ring data for the workout, is casted on screen of choice (iPhone, iPad, or Apple TV). Extra gamifications opt in by sharing your KJ and Heartrate data anonymously to see how you compared with everyone else who did the same work out (youre behind, average, ahead of the pack). Theres other features, like Tips from trainers, pregnancy work outs, celebrity guests etc, but I don’t find that’s my demographic.
If im running, I track my runs with my watch, but I still take my iPhone Mini in my pocket with me as I tend to listen to soundcloud. But sometimes my iPhones flat, or im wearing different pants lol or just want to feel super light 😂. Bluetooth headphones (Gear Buds, to Jabra, now Airpods Pro) paired with the apple watch, From the other fitness trackers, I have used, I feel like this heartrate data is the most accurate, on uphill sprints, just looking at your watch to judge how you can really improve performance.
They also have a Mindfulness App, which includes a “Breathe” section. Randomly remind you to take a break and to breathe properly, with its guided breathing app with haptic and graphic feed back. (they also have meditations on the Apple Fitness + workouts which is a nice add on too!). Im pretty sure it also activates when there are abnormalities with your regular heartrate and reminds you to relax by initiating the breath reminder (you can customize how many times you want to do this a day)
Ive met lots of people who have apple watches, and don’t use the fitness side of things, when asked about a feature mentioned above, they were blank, and Ive met people who love the features ive and added some of them as friends who I challenge sometimes (and eventually turned the feature off for some 😂).At the end of the day other wearables and apps offer similar features. Its like a pair of fancy runners, you don’t need it, but once you use it, you get the ‘’hype’’ around it. Apple has done its thing and have integrated these features well into the OS which reduces friction which sometimes makes or breaks a day, which for me has improved my personal fitness journey. Ive been using it since 2019, and I look back at the data sometimes and say “oh yeah I remember I was sick that week” or “yeah X really made that month bad” or attribute a peak health to really upping my goals and closing them those certain months. I hope this brings a glance into why people say “it change my fitness”.
Thank you for coming to my TED Talk
Here are some ways an Apple Watch might be beneficial in your daily life and tasks:
- Health and Fitness
1.1 Activity Tracking
Step Counter: Tracks your daily steps encouraging you to meet your fitness goals.
Heart Rate Monitoring: Continuously monitors your heart rate.
Sleep Tracking: Helps you understand your sleep patterns (Note: this may require a newer version of an Apple Watch).
1.2 Workout Support
Workout App: Records a variety of workouts including cycling, running, and yoga.
Fitness Goals: Set and achieve your daily and weekly fitness goals. - Productivity
2.1 Notifications
Call and Message Notifications: Get notified of calls and messages directly on your wrist, reducing the need to constantly check your phone.
Calendar Alerts: Receive reminders for your upcoming events and appointments.
2.2 Task Management
Reminders: Set reminders to help you stay on top of your tasks.
To-Do List: Manage your to-do list efficiently. - Convenience
3.1 Contactless Payments
Apple Pay: Make secure and quick payments using Apple Pay directly from your watch.
3.2 Music and Podcast
Music Control: Control music playback on your iPhone or other connected devices.
Podcasts: Listen to your favorite podcasts right from your wrist. - Personalization
4.1 Watch Faces
Customizable Watch Faces: Customize the watch face to suit your style and to quickly access the apps you use most often.
4.2 Apps
Third-Party Apps: Install apps that cater to your interests and needs, enhancing the functionality of your watch.
Pre-Purchase Considerations
Before buying the second-hand Apple Watch, here are a few things you might want to consider:
Battery Life: Check the battery life as it degrades over time.
Compatibility: Ensure the watch is compatible with your iPhone or other Apple devices.
Warranty: Check if the watch is still under warranty.
Functionality: Confirm all features are working properly.
Reset: Ask your friend to unpair and reset the watch to remove their data.- Health and Fitness
heaps useful
*fitness/activity monitor (depends on which model)
*find my phone (super useful)
*wallet
*volume control
*backtrack in event of getting lost (hopefully i will never need to use)