(nearly) a year with Apple Watch

it’s been nearly a year since I received my preordered Apple Watch and here’s what I’ve observed. 

I’ve worn it almost daily, which I haven’t done since I was in the military as use of a wrist watch became superfluous with the ubiquitous cellphone. it’s even gotten me interested in wristwatches as I’ve caught myself shopping prestige watches lately. as for the Apple Watch itself, the constant heart rate monitoring has also caused me to buy other health monitoring devices to provide a more comprehensive picture of my daily health. 

the functions I use most, in no particular order, is timekeeping, music control, activity monitoring, security of my Macs via MacID, password control via 1Password, weather, reminders and notifications. my iPhone has had its silent switch set to silent for the majority of that time as I’ve rarely found the need to set the iPhone to audible. 

I still haven’t used the speakerphone function beyond 2-3 occasions where it was easier, and quiet enough, than fishing out my iPhone. I have used the dictation function to reply to text messages and use the Siri function often. by far, the most used voice capability is requesting the creation of a timer for use in cooking, meditating and exercise. 

watch bands are still my little addiction, buying and assembling custom bands for every occasion. I also finally sprung for a Space Black model with matching link band while on sale over the holidays. 

overall, I’m satisfied with both its performance and aesthetic. it could be a little bigger without being ostentatious on a wrist of my size, maybe as much as 46mm compared to the current 42mm. it’s really not bulky or thick compared to normal watches of comparable size and is very comfortable with the proper band. the Space Black finish is far more durable and resistant to scratches than the polished stainless finish. it could stand to be faster and more responsive, but everyone feels that way about everything electronic they own. knowing internally it’s basically an iPhone 4 tempers my expectations with genuine astonishment in how quickly the miniaturization of technology has advanced. 

what began as reconditioning to make wearing a watch a habit again has since become natural and I truly feel naked without it. it’s kept my phone stowed away, especially when out with friends, although the overall size of my choice of iPhone is likely what causes me to toss it on the table in public than any desire to use it. this habit is because it doesn’t fit in most pockets and prevents me from sitting on and damaging it. like I said earlier, it’s brought about a latent interest in watches, and while I may never buy another mechanical watch, wear and use of my Apple Watch has become second nature. 

bring on the next Apple Watch. I’m genuinely interested in where they take it in its next iteration.