The Apple Watch is arguably the device at Apple with the most important future ahead of it. As battery technology improves, it could possibly grow to become the primary device to which we attach carrier cellular plans.
I’d much rather have my internet connectivity attached to my watch and then all of my larger accessories simply piggy back off of that. That way I could choose my desired screen size based on what I was going to do or what clothes I was going to wear. But that’s still years away.
In the short-term, there’s still a lot that Apple can do with the Apple Watch. I’ve been shocked over the last couple of weeks to read from various writers that the Apple Watch is a mature product that Apple. doesn’t have much left to do with. That’s not true at all. There are still a number of advancements that can be made that would make future Apple Watches “upgrade worthy”. Here are a few items on my list.
Design
This is going to be a very tricky proposition for Apple in the future because design is an outflow of purpose. If you think the Apple Watch is a piece of jewelry first and an information display second you will have different opinions than someone who thinks of the watch as an information display first and jewelry second.
The jewelry camp is going to campaign to keep the watch screen size where it is and not get any larger. They might even push for a round watch. And I can’t argue with them. Because from an aesthetic viewpoint, they’re right. Watches with smaller screens do look more attractive to me as bracelets. There’s a reason that no one in history ever thought of making jewelry out of flat black glass. I still think the original 38mm stainless steel watch with a leather modern buckle band is the most beautiful design thus far.
But I’ve moved over into the information display camp. I want to see more complications. And I want to see more text with less scrolling. This all necessitates larger screens, which would impact physical design.
First, I’d like the Apple Watch to go from square to rectangular like a phone. Besides giving more room for text it would also allow for a bigger battery. It’s a double-win.
Second, I’d like the screen to curve down at the bottom. But only at the bottom, not the top. Curving at the top would actually make text more difficult to read. But the curve at the bottom would be helpful. This would allow the screen to go longer without protruding away from your wrist. Popular fitness watch maker Garmin has already implemented the concept of curving the watch body around your wrist. I owned one and it felt no different from wearing a regular watch.
In the short-term, there’s still a lot that Apple can do with the Apple Watch. I’ve been shocked over the last couple of weeks to read from various writers that the Apple Watch is a mature product that Apple. doesn’t have much left to do with. That’s not true at all. There are still a number of advancements that can be made that would make future Apple Watches “upgrade worthy”. Here are a few items on my list.
Design
This is going to be a very tricky proposition for Apple in the future because design is an outflow of purpose. If you think the Apple Watch is a piece of jewelry first and an information display second you will have different opinions than someone who thinks of the watch as an information display first and jewelry second.
The jewelry camp is going to campaign to keep the watch screen size where it is and not get any larger. They might even push for a round watch. And I can’t argue with them. Because from an aesthetic viewpoint, they’re right. Watches with smaller screens do look more attractive to me as bracelets. There’s a reason that no one in history ever thought of making jewelry out of flat black glass. I still think the original 38mm stainless steel watch with a leather modern buckle band is the most beautiful design thus far.
But I’ve moved over into the information display camp. I want to see more complications. And I want to see more text with less scrolling. This all necessitates larger screens, which would impact physical design.
First, I’d like the Apple Watch to go from square to rectangular like a phone. Besides giving more room for text it would also allow for a bigger battery. It’s a double-win.
Second, I’d like the screen to curve down at the bottom. But only at the bottom, not the top. Curving at the top would actually make text more difficult to read. But the curve at the bottom would be helpful. This would allow the screen to go longer without protruding away from your wrist. Popular fitness watch maker Garmin has already implemented the concept of curving the watch body around your wrist. I owned one and it felt no different from wearing a regular watch.
Camera
I use my Apple Watch without my iPhone multiple times per day, every day. Every time I go running or for a walk around the block I leave my iPhone behind. My 11 Pro Max is simply too large and heavy to be carrying around in my gym shorts. And I’m surprised how often I think of taking a picture and realize that I can’t.
But I don’t want a self-facing selfie camera. I want to get a photo of my wife in front of the wild flowers or a fox that is unexpectedly crossing my path. Or perhaps I’ll witness a crime or maybe an alien space ship will fly over my head. I want a camera so that when I look at my screen I can frame my shot. So it would need to be in the top bezel.
Video Capability
If I could only get one thing on my list in the Series 7 Apple Watch it would be this. The ability to listen to YouTube videos from my wrist. I kind of use YouTube videos like podcasts. Something amusing to watch while I do something else.
A lot of YouTube is more interesting to listen too than to watch. If it’s a vlogger simply talking into the camera you don’t have to see every second. I’d love to listen to a YouTube video while raking leaves in my yard and only look at the screen at various strategic moments. Or sometimes I’ll listen to a YouTube video while cleaning up in the kitchen. Sometimes I move my iPad from counter to counter but that gets a little tiresome. I wish I could just play the video on the one screen that is literally strapped to my arm.
Over-The-Air Music and Podcast Management
This is less important than it used to be now that the Apple Watch can get any of my music or podcasts via cellular. However, I’d still like the ability to manually choose which songs or podcasts to load onto my watch. And this goes beyond simply the method of transfer being wireless. Right now, there is no good way to actually manage your music library. You have to create and edit playlists to move music around.
In today’s world, you can only transfer media when the watch is on it’s charging dock and near your iPhone. Which means that almost nobody ever takes the time to manage their Apple Watch media library.
But my watch is my main media player these days (big heavy 11 Pro Max). My Apple Watch is the one device which is always with me. I’d like the ability to choose what to load from wherever I am and not have to take my watch off and place it on a charger.
Conclusion
There are still a number of smaller things that I’d love to see Apple do with watchOS. Like give me a different resting watch face from my active watch face. When my watch is resting I’d like an artistic face that matches my outfit. But when I lift my watch to my face, I want it to snap into information mode and become my mini control center.
But overall, the watch has a long way to go on many fronts. As advancements are made in battery power, processor efficiency, and augmented reality via glasses people will be astounded by how much the Apple Watch will take over from the iPhone.
I use my Apple Watch without my iPhone multiple times per day, every day. Every time I go running or for a walk around the block I leave my iPhone behind. My 11 Pro Max is simply too large and heavy to be carrying around in my gym shorts. And I’m surprised how often I think of taking a picture and realize that I can’t.
But I don’t want a self-facing selfie camera. I want to get a photo of my wife in front of the wild flowers or a fox that is unexpectedly crossing my path. Or perhaps I’ll witness a crime or maybe an alien space ship will fly over my head. I want a camera so that when I look at my screen I can frame my shot. So it would need to be in the top bezel.
Video Capability
If I could only get one thing on my list in the Series 7 Apple Watch it would be this. The ability to listen to YouTube videos from my wrist. I kind of use YouTube videos like podcasts. Something amusing to watch while I do something else.
A lot of YouTube is more interesting to listen too than to watch. If it’s a vlogger simply talking into the camera you don’t have to see every second. I’d love to listen to a YouTube video while raking leaves in my yard and only look at the screen at various strategic moments. Or sometimes I’ll listen to a YouTube video while cleaning up in the kitchen. Sometimes I move my iPad from counter to counter but that gets a little tiresome. I wish I could just play the video on the one screen that is literally strapped to my arm.
Over-The-Air Music and Podcast Management
This is less important than it used to be now that the Apple Watch can get any of my music or podcasts via cellular. However, I’d still like the ability to manually choose which songs or podcasts to load onto my watch. And this goes beyond simply the method of transfer being wireless. Right now, there is no good way to actually manage your music library. You have to create and edit playlists to move music around.
In today’s world, you can only transfer media when the watch is on it’s charging dock and near your iPhone. Which means that almost nobody ever takes the time to manage their Apple Watch media library.
But my watch is my main media player these days (big heavy 11 Pro Max). My Apple Watch is the one device which is always with me. I’d like the ability to choose what to load from wherever I am and not have to take my watch off and place it on a charger.
Conclusion
There are still a number of smaller things that I’d love to see Apple do with watchOS. Like give me a different resting watch face from my active watch face. When my watch is resting I’d like an artistic face that matches my outfit. But when I lift my watch to my face, I want it to snap into information mode and become my mini control center.
But overall, the watch has a long way to go on many fronts. As advancements are made in battery power, processor efficiency, and augmented reality via glasses people will be astounded by how much the Apple Watch will take over from the iPhone.
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