Posts Tagged → apple watch

What Apple Still Gets Wrong About Watch Faces

I’ve been wearing an Apple Watch since 2015. The face problem hasn’t changed.

That sounds like a complaint, and it is, but I want to be specific about it. The Apple Watch has changed enormously over ten years. The hardware is faster. The health features have saved lives. The battery on my Ultra runs for a couple of days. The watch is great. The faces are still a mess.

For years, I used the Explorer face. It shipped with the first cellular Apple Watch in 2017 and had a rugged, tool-watch look, with cellular signal strength shown as a pattern of dots in the middle of the dial. It was the only face that did that. Then watchOS 11 dropped and the Explorer face was gone. No replacement. No announcement. I had to pick a new face I didn’t want. To this day, I don’t know why they took it away.

That’s the kind of thing that makes me wonder who is in charge of this part of the watch.

Then there are the hands. Some of my favorite faces use a transparent hand outline with the background color showing through. From a few feet away in normal light, I cannot tell what time it is. The first job of a watch is to show the time. There are faces that fail at the first job.

The California face, which I otherwise like, only has a few colors with contrasting hands. Most of them use that transparent nonsense. There’s no second color and no way to fix the problem yourself. Apple ships these limitations and asks you to live with them.

The Hermes faces tell you the rest of the story. Some of the most attractive faces Apple has ever made are walled off behind a five-hundred-dollar band. Not a watch. A band.

Every year around WWDC, I used to tell anyone who would listen that this was the year Apple would announce a watch face store. Third-party designers, a curated marketplace, a way to install the face you actually want. Every year they didn’t. I don’t say it anymore. They’ve beaten me into submission on this.

The contradiction is hard to miss. The platform that gave us the App Store still hasn’t built a face store for the watch. The argument against a face marketplace gets weaker every year. Health, fitness, sleep, payment, calls, AI on the wrist. The face hasn’t kept up with the watch it sits on.

WWDC is a few weeks away. If Apple announces a watch face store this year, I’ll eat my words happily. If they don’t, I’ll go back to my outlined hands and wait another year for the Explorer face to come home.

David Smith’s Six-Year Watch Map Project

David Smith shipped Pedometer++ 8.0 at the end of April, and the headline is mapping on the Apple Watch.

Smith has been chipping away at watchOS maps for six years. And now we get detailed maps on the wrist. Dark mode. Offline support. An Expedition Mode that throttles the watch to extend battery life when you are way out in the backcountry without a way to charge.

The use case is hiking and trail navigation. If you are off the grid and want to confirm you are still on the right trail without pulling out your phone, the watch is the right form factor. Pedometer++ 8 is what makes that practical.

I am not a serious hiker. I have never wanted maps on my watch. But Smith’s post about the six-year journey makes me want them anyway. Enthusiasm is contagious.

There is also a bigger story here. One developer, one app, six years of incremental work toward a specific goal. Most software does not get that treatment anymore. Pedometer++ 8 is what it looks like when an indie developer keeps building, and it is worth supporting.

The Rivian Apple Watch App

For the last week, I’ve been using the new Rivian Apple Watch app, and it’s pretty great. There are separate screens for security, climate control, and charge level, in addition to a mini dashboard that has everything you need.

Rivian Phone App Dashboard
Rivian Gear Guard
Energy Screen
Climate Screen

Related, their recent integration of the digital car key into Apple Wallet has been running on my iPhone (and Apple Watch) flawlessly for six weeks. Not a single failure to unlock. It’s interesting how good Rivian is getting at supporting Apple devices with their applications while at the same time resisting CarPlay. In some ways they are a great Apple partner. In other ways, not so much.

Rivian has announced its own large language model that it will install in a future update, which will hopefully include the features I’m still missing from CarPlay. As I understand it, this update isn’t far off.

And yes, I named my car Peregrine.

Why Apple Watch Faces Still Fall Short After 10 Years

I love so much about my Apple Watch. It nudges me toward better health, stands ready to detect a crash or a heart event, and fits seamlessly into my daily life. But after 10 years on wrists everywhere, it still baffles me how few truly useful watch faces Apple has shipped.

The first face I ever found acceptable was Utility. It’s clear, uncluttered, and, most importantly, its hands contrast sharply with the background so you can tell the time at a glance. Many of Apple’s later analog faces, like California, outline the hands but keep them the same color as the dial. It looks neat, but it compromises legibility.

For years, Apple offered Explorer, another clean, high-contrast option, then removed it without explanation. Since then, most analog faces have swung between “overly busy” and “aesthetically interesting but practically useless.” On the digital side, the Modular Ultra face is probably the best at a glance, but it’s exclusive to the most expensive Apple Watch.

I get that Apple treats watch faces as an artistic canvas (fire, galaxies, intricate patterns) that you can’t replicate on a traditional watch. But in doing so, they’ve ignored the basics: readability and utility. There are countless incredible analog designs in the physical watch world that prioritize clarity first. Why can’t we have those same choices on our wrists with Apple Watch?

Even better would be an Apple Watch Face Store, where classic watch makers and indie designers can sell digital versions of their iconic dials. Apple could take a cut, we’d get endless variety, and everyone would win.

After wearing an Apple Watch since day one, I admit I’ve been tempted to switch back to a mechanical watch, to feel that moment of, “Yes, this is a watch!” every time I glance at my wrist. As WWDC approaches with no rumors of a Face Store or major face updates, I have little hope of this improving.

Sparky’s 2024 Apple Watch Buyer’s Guide

I’ve been wearing Apple Watches since day one, and the 2024 lineup is the most impressive yet. They make great holiday gifts, but here’s the thing: You don’t need to buy the most expensive model to get a great Apple Watch experience. Let’s break this down into plain English and figure out which watch belongs on your wrist.

The Three Flavors of Apple Watch

Series 10: The Sweet Spot

This is the Goldilocks watch — not too much, not too little, but just right for most users. This year it got a larger display, thinner and now it has sleep apnea detection as Apple continues to add more medical/health sensors.

What you get:

  • A solid Always-On display
  • ECG, blood oxygen, and sleep tracking sensors, but no blood oxygen level sensor because … lawsuits.
  • The new second-generation Ultra Wideband chip (improved Find My)
  • Aluminum or Titanium finishes

The sweet spot for: Most folks who want a great all-around Apple Watch without going overboard.

Ultra 2: The Beast

Remember when Apple used to run those “I’m a Mac” commercials? If they did that for Apple Watch, the Ultra 2 would be wearing hiking boots and a climbing harness. This thing is built like a tank, but a really smart, sophisticated tank.

The standout features:

  • Titanium case that can take a beating
  • A big, bright display (perfect for outdoors)
  • Multi-day battery life
  • The Action Button (I’ve mapped mine to start dictation, because I’m kind of a geek.)
  • The rugged design — Some people love it. Others don’t. (I’m in the first camp and still wearing my Apple Watch Ultra 1.)

The weird bit is that this watch is now over a year old. In some ways, the Apple Watch Series 10 is superior. It’s not clear yet but it may be that Apple only updates the Ultra model every few years only.

Perfect for: Outdoor enthusiasts, endurance athletes, and anyone who needs their watch to last more than a day. Also great if you just want the biggest, baddest Apple Watch out there.

SE (2nd Generation): The Smart Buy

Here’s the secret: the SE is probably all the Apple Watch most people need. It’s like getting 80% of the features for 50% of the price. No, you don’t get the fancy health sensors or Always-On display, but you do get a fantastic fitness tracker and notification machine.

What’s included:

  • All the core fitness tracking
  • Notifications and communications
  • GPS tracking
  • The same chip as the Series 8 (S8 SiP, plenty fast)

Ideal for: First-time Apple Watch buyers, kids, or anyone who wants to save some cash without sacrificing the core experience.

Here’s What I Think

After years of wearing various Apple Watches (and helping countless folks choose theirs), here’s my advice:

  1. If you’re not sure which one to get, buy the Series 10. It’s the safest bet and will make most people happy.
  2. If you’re hardcore about fitness or outdoors stuff, or if battery life is your main concern, spring for the Ultra 2.
  3. If you’re new to Apple Watch or watching your budget, the SE is a fantastic choice. Don’t let anyone shame you into thinking you need more.

The Bottom Line

You really can’t go wrong here. Even the “budget” SE is a more capable device than the original Apple Watch we all drooled over back in the day.

My recommendation? Don’t overthink it. The SE is great if you’re on a budget, the Series 10 is perfect if you want it all, and the Ultra 2 is there if you need something more robust.

A Few Thoughts Following Apple’s “It’s Glowtime” Event

Today Apple announced its latest crop of Apple Watches, AirPods, and iPhones. Here are a few thoughts.

The Video Events

  • Apple has perfected these video presentations. There are so many nice small touches throughout the videos and I like the way they are featuring bits of the Bay Area beyond Apple Park.
  • Another thing about these video presentations is how information dense they are. So much information comes at you so fast. No more silly demos.
  • That said, I still miss the anything-can-happen tension of the live events. These million-dollar executives should have to sweat once in a while. Although I expect actual live events from Apple are a thing of the past.

Apple Watch Series 10

  • The thing about Apple Watch saving lives is real. I know two people that experienced that. I’ve heard more from my audience. That’s got to feel pretty great if you work on the Apple Watch.
  • The new design doesn’t look like the revolution we’d been hearing about. Thinner and bigger but, generally, the same.
  • I’m relieved they didn’t change the band system.
  • 80% battery in 30 minutes. Nice.
  • The Sleep Apnea feature looks to be a nice improvement. The white whale, however, remains blood pressure and blood glucose monitoring.
  • I love that they brought titanium back to the standard Watch. It’s such a great case material. Strong and light.
  • I’m not a fan of polished titanium. Well, I’m generally not a fan of any polished metal. They show so many more scratches than other finishes. I’m guessing they wanted the titanium watches to look different from their aluminum variants.

Apple Watch Ultra 2 (again)

  • There were last-minute rumors that there would not be an Apple Watch Ultra 3 but instead a black variant of the Ultra 2 and that’s what we got.
  • I know a lot of folks are going to love this, but I prefer the natural titanium. Looks like I’ll be holding on to my Apple Watch Ultra another year. It’s still doing great.
  • It seems odd to me that the Ultra didn’t get a proper update this year. Now it’s behind the standard (and less expensive) Apple Watch Series 10. I don’t think they are backing away from the Ultra (I see them on people’s wrists everywhere) but maybe something went wrong in development?

AirPods 4

  • This feels like a substantial update to the standard AirPods. A lot of the features from the AirPods Pro trickled down this year and that’s great. Increasingly the AirPods are tiny computers in our ears.
  • There are a lot of people that don’t like the fit of the AirPods Pro. This will bring them a lot of the Pro features and at a lower price.
  • This is the first time there have been two flavors of standard AirPods in the same release. The Active Noise Cancellation version will run another $50.

AirPods Max

  • New colors and a USB-C port for charging. That’s about it.

AirPods Pro

  • AirPods Pro 2 as Hearing Aids: This is one of those great angles that only Apple seems interested in. Create a consumer technology and then use it to solve a health problem. Granted, they are awfully big for hearing aids, but a lot of people can benefit from this feature.
  • Note that they also are now doing hearing testing, which will also be a big deal.

iPhone 16

  • The new iPhone looks great. I prefer the stacked lens layout.
  • Apple continues to push the envelope on unbreakable glass. I’d love to see some scientific tests against the different glass iterations Apple’s used over the years.
  • I haven’t heard any blowback from members or listeners about the bigger size. I still wish they made a small one every year.

The New Camera Control Button

  • I hd hoped that this button would be programmable, but it sure seems dedicated to the camera based on the presentation.
  • There are a lot of camera controls once you master the new button. I’m looking forward to getting my hands on it.
  • The combination with the Apple Intelligence looks interesting. I didn’t expect that.

iPhone 16 Pro

  • I was in the MacSparky Labs Discord during this event and there was a lot of talk about how the big difference every year is just the camera. But the fact is that cameras improvements sell phones.
  • That said, I am looking forward to an improved Ultra Wide lens.
  • “The Largest iPhone Display Ever” plus the ever shrinking bezels will be fun to test. It seems like Apple is leaning into something with the way it’s increasing screen sizes across the board.
  • I think all that talk about improved microphones is as much aimed at Apple Intelligence as anything else. The better the voice input, the better AI result.
  • There are some big claims about the increased battery life (33 hours on the Pro Max!). I’m looking forward to testing that.

The Apple Intelligence Sales Job

They spent a lot of time talking about Apple Intelligence. That’s probably necessary given the market pressures. But these promises for an undelivered product also raise the stakes. Ultimately, there has to be more than hype behind Apple Intelligence, and soon.

On the Plastic Apple Watch SE

There is a rumor afloat that the next Apple Watch SE will be made of plastic. Mark Gurman recently stated that Apple using rigid plastic in the Apple Watch SE is “increasingly likely.” I think this is a good idea for several reasons:

  • Hopefully, it would allow them to lower the price. Lower prices should equal more Apple Watches on wrists. The Apple Watch is an excellent device. Not only does it tell you the time, but it could save your life. Whether you’re in a crash, suffer a fall, or develop a bad ticker, the Apple Watch is there for you.
  • Second, plastic would hopefully give them more options regarding colors. Apple, the company that brought us the Bondi Blue iMac has been off its game lately regarding product colors. Maybe plastic would allow them to be a little more experimental.
  • Finally, it would be a lot lighter. Lately, I’ve been making a real effort to wear my Apple Watch Ultra while I sleep, and I notice the weight. Granted, I’ve the heaviest of Apple Watches. But there is a market for people who prefer a lighter wristwatch.

The internal argument against a plastic watch would be that Apple doesn’t make things out of plastic. Hopefully, the powers that be see that Apple should make things out of whatever materials make the most sense for the product. And in the case of the Apple Watch SE, a plastic watch makes a ton of sense.

Don’t Forget About the watchOS Update

Today, Apple publicly released iOS 17 and iPadOS 17. I’ve got plenty of content coming about the new releases, but if there is one thing you should check out that you may have missed, it’s watchOS 10.

This year, Apple made some significant changes to the way watchOS works, and it may end up being divisive. You no longer swipe up for Control Center but instead, you press on the Side Button. When you turn the Digital Crown up from the main screen (or swipe up from the bottom edge of the display), you get you a dynamic scrolling list of Widgets (Apple calls it Smart Stack) with information like upcoming events, running timers, and whatnot. Long pressing on an app’s card in this view allows you to pin it at the top this list.

A bonus is that because good, contextual information is now a dial spin away, you don’t have to rely on information-dense watch faces anymore.