What you need to know before buying an Apple Watch

Photo credit: Forbes Tech

The latest release from Apple, the electronics giant and marketing marvel, is the Apple Watch. The device promised to be the must-have wearable for millennials and Apple enthusiasts. But is it an extraordinary innovation that brings wearables to new heights, or is it just a fad?

“So far so good,” or so you may think, thanks to Apple’s excellent marketing and PR. You might be surprised to hear then, that there is more to it than meets the eye.

Indeed, there are many Apple fans and Apple Watch users that will testify to the necessity of the device. But think carefully about the practical uses of the Apple Watch, and you might have to reconsider.

It’s no replacement for a watch.

Many assume that the Apple Watch is automatically a replacement for classic watches, with additional functions. However, considering its practical aspects, such as reliability, can it ever replace the classic watch?

In particular, an article by Robert-Jan Broer I came across recently perfectly sums up the Apple Watch’s core functionality. Here’s an excerpt.

The Apple Watch is – despite the name – a notifier, client, or satellite device for your iPhone. The Apple Watch connects to your phone to notify you about new emails, new messages on your social media channels, submitting information from its sensors to a health app on the iPhone, and so on.

The functions of an Apple Watch are also extremely limited compared to the iPhone. The iPhone currently has around 1.5 million apps for download, compared to just 15,000 apps on the Apple Watch, which means the app you want might not even be available on the Apple Watch yet.

It’s not a standalone device.

Another common assumption people make about the Apple Watch is that you can make calls from it without your iPhone. In fact, whenever you want to make a call, you must have your iPhone on you, connected to the watch. You may think, “what’s that point then?”

Well you may be right, but in certain circumstances, such as while riding a bike or for quick access to notifications on the go, it could still be a good option for you.

A groundbreaking innovation? Perhaps not.

Back in 2007, I had the chance to test Chinese watch phones when the technology was in its infancy. Although they didn’t look as sleek as the Apple Watch, I felt that the devices I tested had a lot more to offer.

They were capable of doing all that a regular cell phone could do; making calls without having to be connected to another device, send text messages, browse the internet and even boasting a 2MP camera.

What stopped Apple from adding these capabilities to the Apple Watch? I believe it all came down to style over substance in order to appeal to their target audience, unfortunately for those of us who care more about the functionality of the device.

Data collection never got this personal.

Nothing more than a fashion accessory?

So why do people still buy it?