Apple Corporation is Bad for Technology

[cybercoma]

Niche products are a fair enough point. I guess if you're a middle manager, executive, professor, or someone else who receives a lot of emails frequently, then it would be ideal to check your wrist to see if it's a "need to respond now" kind of email. This doesn't seem like a product that will have broad appeal, but it doesn't have to either. If you get managers and business people who respond to many emails to adopt your watch, then it's more likely they'll adopt other products and that might be the end game. Given that market, I'm actually kind of surprised Blackberry didn't get into this space a lot sooner.

[msj]

I think what you are also missing is that lots of people spend lots of money on a watch that simply tells time and also acts as a fashion statement.

Apple is also going after this market.

For me the Apple watch would replace the Garmin I wear when I run (which costs me $400 or so anyway) so it is worth buying Apple rather than the Garmin since I can get notifications too.

Therefore Apple > Garmin.

For other people, the watch could/would replace their "luxury" watch and add notifications and Garmin/Fitbit abilities too.

So, for some people who want a time piece and/or fashion statement it is possible for Apple > Movado/Rado/Swatch/Tag Hurer/ etc...

[Boges]

So, for some people who want a time piece and/or fashion statement it is possible for Apple > Movado/Rado/Swatch/Tag Hurer/ etc...

I've you're simply buying the watch as a fashion statement, then NO. I've never seen a smart watch that look "really" nice. This iWatch is no different. They all look like upscale Casios.

[GostHacked]

Looks are subjective. I think the watch looks good.

As for the price tag?

That too is subjective.

$500 for the base model is cheap if it can save time.

I like the idea of being able to check an email surreptitiously during a meeting without having to lug out my phone.

Or seeing it with the flick of my wrist as I drive, or as I type on my keyboard while working or ....

And as a replacement for my Garmins? I will gladly pay for that as Garmin seems to be making crappier products with each generation.

Since I need to replace a Garmin every 2 to 3 years I may as well switch to Apple for which I am already part of their ecosystem and will give me a better product that will do more than log my runs.

500 for a watch? I'll pass. And most of you change your iPhones every 2-3 years. Which are more expensive that Garmins.

[GostHacked]

Found this article again which is what got me interested in the watch: http://techcrunch.com/2015/03/06/the-apple-watch-is-time-saved/

It is the "If you argue the Watch isn’t going to sell or do well, it’s worth pointing out that there are very, very, very few products that allow you to hand someone cash and be given back TIME" part that has me interested.

But time is important to me: time is money, especially when you and your staff are billable by the hour which provides a decent living to then spend "free time" in foreign lands.

Although I am still leaning on the skeptical side, the fact that the NY Times has done an "I hate the Apple watch" editorial may be a contraian indicator.

Not to mention a very silly editorial: http://www.macworld.com/article/2896798/digerati-heal-thyself-blaming-our-shortcomings-on-our-devices.html

What kind of time are you saving when you spend half of your paycheck on this watch? You already invested time into it. Eventually with all the notifications you are going to be constantly babysitting your watch like most do with their phones. A waste of time.

[Boges]

Paying $500 for the sole purpose of avoiding taking a phone out of your pocket is why the terrorists hate us. I need that watch to make sure I'm not distracted by my Clash of Clans updates DAMNIT!!!

Of course you can get a comparable Android Smart Watch for under $300, but whatevs!

http://www.motorola.ca/consumers/moto-360-ca-en/Moto-360/moto-360-ca-en.html

How about the time allocated constantly needing to monitor the battery life of not only your phone but your watch too? That nifty Garmin or Tag likely don't need to be charged every day, the Apple Watch and every other Smart Watch made can't last a day without charging. Check that, I think the Pebble can but it's not in full colour.

Apple's job is to make people think they need things they really don't. (Sup iPad) Apple has the clout and the fan base to make or break this type of wearable tech. But people acting like this watch is innovative are delusional.

BTW It's been a few months since the iPhone 6, why isn't everyone paying for shit with their phone yet?

Edited March 16, 2015 by Boges

[msj]

500 for a watch? I'll pass. And most of you change your iPhones every 2-3 years. Which are more expensive that Garmins.

Not by much.

I buy a new Garmin every 2 to 3 years and they are always around $400 to $450.

ITunes may be terrible software until you've tried Garmin Connect.

[cybercoma]

I've you're simply buying the watch as a fashion statement, then NO. I've never seen a smart watch that look "really" nice. This iWatch is no different. They all look like upscale Casios.

That's just it. They're not "designer" watches by any means. I can't see them adequately capturing any substantial portion of the luxury watch market. Maybe the mid-range watch market, but even then, those 30 and under are pretty used to not wearing watches anymore.

[cybercoma]

Paying $500 for the sole purpose of avoiding taking a phone out of your pocket is why the terrorists hate us.

I actually laughed out loud at this.

[cybercoma]

Not by much.

I buy a new Garmin every 2 to 3 years and they are always around $400 to $450.

ITunes may be terrible software until you've tried Garmin Connect.

I'd say your experience is probably unusual. I don't think many people are buying new GPSs every two years. My wife travels a ton for work. In the last 10 years, she has bought 2. Maybe for runners it's different, but I still think every other year is atypical.

[msj]

Paying $500 for the sole purpose of avoiding taking a phone out of your pocket is why the terrorists hate us. I need that watch to make sure I'm not distracted by my Clash of Clans updates DAMNIT!!!

Of course you can get a comparable Android Smart Watch for under $300, but whatevs!

http://www.motorola.ca/consumers/moto-360-ca-en/Moto-360/moto-360-ca-en.html

So for a marginal cost of $200 I get the iWatch that ties into my existing system in a way that I am comfortable with?

How about the time allocated constantly needing to monitor the battery life of not only your phone but your watch too? That nifty Garmin or Tag likely don't need to be charged every day, the Apple Watch and every other Smart Watch made can't last a day without charging. Check that, I think the Pebble can but it's not in full colour.

I have no idea where this battery stuff comes from.

I don't stress over battery use.

Even when in Thailand, Laos, and Vietnam for 24 days last year with my 4s and its 2.5 year old battery I never had an issue.

No problem on the 13 hour flight, the 2 hour lay over in Hong Kong, the 2 hour flight to Bangkok or through the 2 day river cruise on the Mekong (albeit with an overnighter in a resort that had electricity past 10pm). No problem on the overnight train to north Thailand or from Hanoi to Hue. No problem on the way back from Saigon to Vancouver etc etc...

Apple's job is to make people think they need things they really don't. (Sup iPad) Apple has the clout and the fan base to make or break this type of wearable tech. But people acting like this watch is innovative are delusional.

I don't care if I need my iPhone or iPad or not. I enjoy them just like I enjoy beer, wine, netflix, heated seats in the car, keyless entry in the car, etc etc....

If it brings enjoyment to my life in one way or another then it depends on the price.

BTW It's been a few months since the iPhone 6, why isn't everyone paying for shit with their phone yet?

I have been using my phone to pay for things at Starbucks and for internet banking payments for years now.

Sure, would be nice to hook it up to my credit/debit card so I don't have to carry them but various competitors (a group of retailers in the US in particular) don't want my money that badly so they try to implement their own system while ignoring the demographics of the typical Apple user (i.e. we tend to have money and we tend to spend it).

It will happen some day; no biggie.

Edited March 17, 2015 by msj

[msj]

What kind of time are you saving when you spend half of your paycheck on this watch? You already invested time into it. Eventually with all the notifications you are going to be constantly babysitting your watch like most do with their phones. A waste of time.

If I buy one it won't be the luxury edition so, no, it will not be half of a pay cheque.

As for notifications - it depends on what it gives me.

If it can give me pace and heart rate notifications as I run then it is a replacement for my Garmin so I am out of pocket little marginal money since I replace the Garmin every 2 or 3 years anyway.

If it is twitter, email, text, phone notifications while I'm typing on my laptop in the office so I can look at my wrist to see what its all about then I appreciate that.

I can see that being very useful with respect to how I am set up to work.

Not everyone will feel this way and that's fine - they can spend their money or save their money however they want.

Good for them.

[Bonam]

Smart watches as they exist so far don't appeal to me. For one... battery. The way I use a watch is, I put it on my wrist, and it stays there for weeks or even months at a time. It's got a built in solar cell that recharges the battery from the Sun or indoor lighting, so the battery hasn't run out in 8 years now (battery usually drops to like 80% through the winter then goes back to full in the summer). The watch also needs to be robust and indestructible... I'll wear it in rain and snow, in the shower, while using tools and machinery, etc. I can't even fathom the idea of taking off a watch every day to charge it.

As for heart rate... you're likely carrying around your phone anyway while you run/bike/etc to listen to music/audiobooks/etc. So it's keeping track of pace and other stats for you, all you need is a heart rate monitor. That's where all you need is a Mio Link... cheap, reliable, robust, sends the heart rate information to your smartphone.

That being said, I still don't have a tablet and can't really fathom what the heck one would be good for, so perhaps I'm not the best judge of what tech trends will succeed. But it seems to me that between a 5-6 inch screen smartphone and a 12 inch screen laptop is a no man's land of devices for me. One lets you carry it comfortably in your pocket, connects to mobile networks, accesses the internet and apps, makes phone calls, etc. The other is a fully functional computer and lets you do any task you would need a computer for. In between... is a device that doesn't fit in your pocket and so is just as much work to carry around as a laptop, and doesn't do anything that your phone wouldn't do anyway, except having a few inches of extra screen size.

Edited March 17, 2015 by Bonam

[Boges]

That being said, I still don't have a tablet and can't really fathom what the heck one would be good for, so perhaps I'm not the best judge of what tech trends will succeed. But it seems to me that between a 5-6 inch screen smartphone and a 12 inch screen laptop is a no man's land of devices for me. One lets you carry it comfortably in your pocket, connects to mobile networks, accesses the internet and apps, makes phone calls, etc. The other is a fully functional computer and lets you do any task you would need a computer for. In between... is a device that doesn't fit in your pocket and so is just as much work to carry around as a laptop, and doesn't do anything that your phone wouldn't do anyway, except having a few inches of extra screen size.

2 for 1 hybrid FTW.

[Boges]

So for a marginal cost of $200 I get the iWatch that ties into my existing system in a way that I am comfortable with?

It's $200 for a logo though, but that's what you're comfortable with.

I have no idea where this battery stuff comes from.

I don't stress over battery use.

Even when in Thailand, Laos, and Vietnam for 24 days last year with my 4s and its 2.5 year old battery I never had an issue.

No problem on the 13 hour flight, the 2 hour lay over in Hong Kong, the 2 hour flight to Bangkok or through the 2 day river cruise on the Mekong (albeit with an overnighter in a resort that had electricity past 10pm). No problem on the overnight train to north Thailand or from Hanoi to Hue. No problem on the way back from Saigon to Vancouver etc etc...

Using Mobile data the entire time? At LTE speeds? I'm sure you weren't on the plane. The battery issue is more for the watch. People buy watches, as Bonam noted, to use for months if not years without having to change batteries. Yet these watches need to be charged every day, that's a pain.

I have been using my phone to pay for things at Starbucks and for internet banking payments for years now.

Sure, would be nice to hook it up to my credit/debit card so I don't have to carry them but various competitors (a group of retailers in the US in particular) don't want my money that badly so they try to implement their own system while ignoring the demographics of the typical Apple user (i.e. we tend to have money and we tend to spend it).

It will happen some day; no biggie.

I suspect it won't happen anytime soon. Chip technology hasn't even been widely adopted in the US yet. Are the hordes of iPhone 6 users demanding it? Not yet it would appear.

If the app used to make this transaction is available automatically without being launched then perhaps it would be useful. But I doubt that. When I enter my Gym using my phone I still have to launch the LA Fitness app and click the QR code to use it. That's not even close to as simple as tapping your credit card.

Are we going to see a day where your phone acts as your wallet? Perhaps but that's a long way off. It's weird that Apple bought into NFC just when Android users were realizing that iPhans were right, it's just a novelty and not all that practical in real life applications. If I want to transfer info to a friend just about every App has that little share icon that gives you a variety of ways to send info to another person.

http://www.clker.com/cliparts/S/z/Y/Y/O/J/share-icon.svg

Edited March 17, 2015 by Boges

[Bonam]

Are we going to see a day where your phone acts as your wallet? Perhaps but that's a long way off.

You should check out the technology being released with "Samsung Pay" on the Galaxy S6. It can interact with all existing magnetic stripe reader terminals... in other words, just about every merchant in the US.

http://www.droid-life.com/2015/03/02/samsung-pay-can-work-at-30-million-retail-locations-compared-to-the-thousands-of-apple-pay/

[Boges]

You should check out the technology being released with "Samsung Pay" on the Galaxy S6. It can interact with all existing magnetic stripe reader terminals... in other words, just about every merchant in the US.

http://www.droid-life.com/2015/03/02/samsung-pay-can-work-at-30-million-retail-locations-compared-to-the-thousands-of-apple-pay/

How exactly are you going to swipe a smart phone? It's explained in the article, but I'd like to see it actually work.

The technology most certainly exists to have your phone take care of every card in your wallet. But the adoption is the issue. 3D TVs are nice, but how many people have them?

Edited March 17, 2015 by Boges

[Bonam]

How exactly are you going to swipe a smart phone?

You don't need to. The phone can talk to the magnetic stripe reader head by generating a time-varying magnetic field, from up to 3 inches away. The brief description from the company that developed it:

MST technology generates changing magnetic fields over a very short period of time. This is accomplished by putting alternating current through an inductive loop, which can then be received by the magnetic read head of the credit card reader. The signal received from the device emulates the same magnetic field change as a mag stripe card when swiped across the same read head. LoopPay works within a 3-inch distance from the read head. The field dissipates rapidly beyond that point, and only exists during a transmission initiated by the user.

It's explained in the article, but I'd like to see it actually work.

Just saw this edit. Yes, me too, I'd love to see it actually work. That being said, given that Samsung has announced this capability, I'm guessing that they've already done some testing to show that it works.

Edited March 17, 2015 by Bonam

[Boges]

The whole point of chip technology is that it's more secure than a magnetic strip. So in this instance we're actually taking a step backwards forcing phones to talk to outdated technology.

I don't think I'm sounding too much like a old bitterman here but there's nothing wrong with tapping your card on a terminal, I do it everywhere now. I'll still be carrying a wallet around anyway.

The other hurdle is to get your bank to agree to allowing you to use your phone to access a magnetic strip to make purchases.

Edited March 17, 2015 by Boges

[Bonam]

The whole point of chip technology is that it's more secure than a magnetic strip. So in this instance we're actually taking a step backwards forcing phones to talk to outdated technology.

Chips are more secure than magnetic stripe but there's almost no adoption of chip technology in the US. The US is one of the biggest markets, so a mobile pay system that is accepted at most terminals in the US is a key feature. It's not a step back in markets where chips have never been adopted anyway. Samsung Pay also does NFC payments like Apple Pay and Google Pay when an NFC-capable terminal is around.

I don't think I'm sounding too much like a old bitterman here but there's nothing wrong with tapping your card on a terminal, I do it everywhere now. I'll still be carrying a wallet around anyway.

I agree, and I'm sure I'll carry around my primary credit card for the foreseeable future. After all, the phone might run out of batteries, or crash, or something else might go wrong. But I have like 10 different credit cards that give different rewards or are best used for certain specific stores, etc. If I can input all those into my phone and use them when needed without keeping all 10 cards in my wallet, that would be useful to me.

Edited March 17, 2015 by Bonam

[Bonam]

The other hurdle is to get your bank to agree to allowing you to use your phone to access a magnetic strip to make purchases.

Don't think that's an issue at all? It's just a matter of storing your card number, expiration date, etc, in the app, which can then transmit the information. Just like you can input your credit card information into fields on a website to do an online purchase.

[Boges]

Don't think that's an issue at all? It's just a matter of storing your card number, expiration date, etc, in the app, which can then transmit the information. Just like you can input your credit card information into fields on a website to do an online purchase.

Then why hasn't chip technology been moved over to phones by now? The technology is there. I noticed CIBC tried to do it a few years ago, but can't find the app anymore.

[msj]

It's $200 for a logo though, but that's what you're comfortable with.

No, it's $200 for an OS that I am comfortable using and that syncs with all of my other gadgets. No learning curve is time saved.

Using Mobile data the entire time? At LTE speeds? I'm sure you weren't on the plane. The battery issue is more for the watch. People buy watches, as Bonam noted, to use for months if not years without having to change batteries. Yet these watches need to be charged every day, that's a pain.

I'm on vacation so I don't use 3G/4G/LTE when in foreign countries.

Why would I? I'm on vacation.

Just need to take photos, shoot video, listen to music, watch video, upload stuff to Facebook for the family to live vicariously.

Even Laos has free wifi in coffee shops, you know. My favourite shop was in Luang Prabang..... Not bad for a communist country.

As for people buying watches and not having to charge them: sure.

But I charge my Garmin at least weekly or more depending on how much I run.

It is not onerous. Take the watch off, clean it up, hook it up, charge it up. Not hard.

Sure, for the person only looking for a traditional watch then a "smartwatch" is a pain in the ass.

For those who want those features then charging it is just something you do when you go to bed. BFD.

[Boges]

I'm on vacation so I don't use 3G/4G/LTE when in foreign countries.

Why would I? I'm on vacation.

Because that's what drains a smartphone's battery. If you're sitting at home just on your Wifi you'll notice your battery lasts a lot longer. Using LTE drains your battery because it's always looking for the fastest connection.

https://gigaom.com/2012/02/17/why-lte-sucks-your-battery-that-is/

LTE is faster than some home broadband.

So if you don't have access to Wifi during your day to day activities and you want mobile data then yeah you'll likely have battery issues with moderate use.

And weekly is different than daily. If my cell phone's battery lasted a week, I'd be thrilled.

Edited March 17, 2015 by Boges

[cybercoma]

I suspect it won't happen anytime soon. Chip technology hasn't even been widely adopted in the US yet. Are the hordes of iPhone 6 users demanding it? Not yet it would appear.

If the app used to make this transaction is available automatically without being launched then perhaps it would be useful. But I doubt that. When I enter my Gym using my phone I still have to launch the LA Fitness app and click the QR code to use it. That's not even close to as simple as tapping your credit card.

Are we going to see a day where your phone acts as your wallet? Perhaps but that's a long way off. It's weird that Apple bought into NFC just when Android users were realizing that iPhans were right, it's just a novelty and not all that practical in real life applications. If I want to transfer info to a friend just about every App has that little share icon that gives you a variety of ways to send info to another person.

http://www.clker.com/cliparts/S/z/Y/Y/O/J/share-icon.svg

NFC will be adopted. Make no mistake about that. It's too much of a convenience for people to ignore. If I can take my phone with me and not have to carry a wallet full of cards because my gift cards, boarding passes, and everything else are stored in my phone, I'm doing that.