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.

“Cook chose poorly”

Today, Apple took a shellacking in the Epic lawsuit with the court finding the company in violation of its earlier 2021 App-Store-related injunction. The 80-page ruling did not mince words:

“Internally, Phillip Schiller had advocated that Apple comply with the injunction, but Tim Cook ignored Schiller and instead allowed Chief Financial Officer Luca Maestri and his finance team to convince him otherwise. Cook chose poorly.”
– Judge Yvonne Gonzalez Rogers

The Eternal Storms Bundle: Four Handy Mac Utilities, One Great Deal (Sponsor)

I’ve always had a soft spot for indie Mac developers — especially those who build tools that quietly make your Mac better. Eternal Storms Software is a great example, and right now they’ve got a special bundle deal that’s worth checking out.

This bundle includes four of their best-loved apps:

  • Yoink: A smart little shelf that makes drag-and-drop a whole lot easier. I’ve used Yoink for years — it’s one of those “how did I live without this?” utilities. Just drag a file to the edge of your screen, and Yoink gives you a temporary holding space to keep things tidy while you navigate between apps or Finder windows.
  • ScreenFloat: Ever needed to keep a reference image, receipt, or bit of text visible while you work? ScreenFloat lets you snap screenshots and have them float above everything else. It’s perfect for research, design work, or anytime you want to stop flipping between windows.
  • Transloader: This one’s a gem for folks who juggle Macs and iOS devices. You can send download links from your iPhone or iPad straight to your Mac, where the file downloads automatically. No more emailing yourself links or awkward AirDrop workarounds.
  • Deskmat: Need to share your screen on a Zoom call? Invoke DeskMat and cover all the clutter. It’s really that easy.

What I love about all four of these apps is that they solve small, real-world annoyances in elegant, Mac-native ways. They’re lightweight, thoughtfully designed, and just… helpful. You won’t find bloat or subscription nags here — just solid utilities that do their job well.

And right now, you can grab all four at a discounted price in the Eternal Storms Bundle. Whether you’re already a fan of one or two of these apps, or just want to explore some new Mac superpowers, it’s a great deal.

The Seven-Year Rule

Years ago, I encountered a fascinating concept in a book by the Dalai Lama: every seven years, human beings transform into entirely new versions of themselves. This idea stems from the biological principle that our bodies replace virtually all their cells over a seven-year cycle. The person you are today doesn’t share a single cell with the version of you from seven years ago. (This is, of course, a generalization as some cells regenerate much faster and others a little slower.)

There’s something profoundly liberating about this constant state of transformation. We often become fixated on our past: mistakes we’ve made, opportunities we’ve missed, harms inflicted upon us (and by us), or wounds we’ve suffered. But what if we truly internalized that the person who experienced those things no longer exists in a physical sense?

I recently spoke with a friend who was still dwelling on something that happened thirty years ago. “Why do you care?” I asked him. “That was four versions of you ago. That person doesn’t exist anymore. Move on.”

This perspective applies equally to our future selves. The version of you that will exist seven years from now hasn’t formed yet. So why not focus your energy and attention on the present moment?

As you read these words, you are uniquely yourself, different from who you were a moment ago and who you’ll become in the next. By embracing this present version of yourself, you release yourself from the bonds of history while simultaneously doing the greatest possible favor to your future self.

We exist in a perpetual state of transformation: cellular, psychological, and spiritual. When we recognize and honor this constant evolution, we free ourselves to live more fully in the eternal now. Adopt the Seven-Year Rule. You’ll be doing yourself a favor.

A Brand-New Frank Lloyd Wright Home (Sort Of)

Frank Lloyd Wright homes (with the exception of the brick mausoleums he built in Los Angeles) really connect with me. That’s why I was fascinated by this article about RiverRock, a newly completed home based on one of Wright’s 1959 Usonian designs. This isn’t a renovation or a loose interpretation; it is a ground-up build, decades after Wright’s death, using an original plan.

There’s been some controversy about the project because it was built using modern construction techniques, and allowances were made to comply with current building codes. But to me, that’s equally interesting. How do you build a Frank Lloyd Wright design in an era where building codes prevent 6-foot ceilings and people want working Internet in their homes?

If I were flush with cash, I would’ve done the exact same thing the homeowners did here. There’s something special about seeing a fresh, fully realized home from the pencil of Frank Lloyd Wright, even in 2025.