It is fashionable nowadays to write about the first week or first month anniversaries with gadgets, as well as publicly break-up with them. So, let me join the fray! To be fair to myself, though, I had written about my expectations and first impressions of the iPad - therefore, this is not something new.
This note is based on personal experiences and should not be seen as applying to everyone. I will try to highlight, objectively, why the Apple Watch works and where it needs improvement. For some, it will work more and for others, it won't at all.
A few quick, initial comments:
First off, the Apple Watch (in its current avatar) requires an iPhone. That, in itself, is a limiting factor on whom it's meant for. Yes, you could be so impressed with the Watch that you ditch your Android or Blackberry and jump on to the iOS side but that's highly unlikely. (Although for those still on Blackberry phones, just jump on to something else, watch or no watch!)
Secondly, for those in India, it is probably going to be a while before the Watch is available locally. Unless you are willing to jump through hoops to get it from some other country, you have some time to make your decision.
Finally, I would say the Apple Watch (at its price - in INR equivalents) is for the enthusiasts, those early adopters that like to experiment with and experience new products. The inflection point should happen, I believe, this fall when the new Watch OS (and apps based it) become available.
What worked for me
1. Reduced the distraction of the iPhone
We have to admit it - most of us are addicted to the iPhone (or any other similar smartphone). Constantly checking for new messages, mails, alerts or tweets - our eyes remain glued to the phone. I have often, while working or in meetings, wanted to put the phone on silent and leave it in my bag, but there's this fear (or desire!) of that urgent call or message that might be missed. So, the phone remains handy and with that, its constant distraction. The iPhone is great because it allows you to do so much with it; that's also its weakness.
With the Apple Watch, my phone has been on silent mode for the most of last month. When I am walking, working or in meetings, the phone is rarely in my hand or within eye-glance. When I want to, I can now focus on the task. Let me give you an example.
I would always carry my phone in my hand while walking outdoors. Perhaps to check time (I had stopped wearing a watch) or to ensure that I didn't miss an 'important' call or message. And since the phone was handy, why don't I quickly check my Twitter feed or oh, there's a notification on FB, let's see what that is.... Before I knew it, my eyes were on the phone even as I was crossing the street or navigating broken pavements. Last week, I was walking somewhere and suddenly it struck me that I hadn't looked at my phone for nearly half an hour! It was in my jeans pocket and I had forgotten that it was there. So what changed?
The Watch has this wonderful wrist tapping mechanism of alerts. I have set it to notify me (and only me) under specific circumstances. Most calls or messages can be ignored for a while; even if a message is urgent, the most likely response is Yes or No. In an exceptional situation, I can answer the call on the Watch itself or send a voice message in response if the canned options don't suffice.
2. Made me stand up more often
Being very active (physically) doesn't come naturally to me. My work, when I am not teaching in class, requires me to mostly sit in meetings or in front of a computer. Sitting is the new smoking, they say. And all we do is sit (or sleep!). In spite of this knowledge, our lifestyles haven't changed much. It is so easy to continue the status quo.
Unless, there's a tap on the wrist and you are told that it's "Time to stand!" Fifty minutes into an hour, if you've not stood for at least a minute, the Watch prompts you to get up and move about a bit. Standing for one minute per hour can't be such a big deal, you may think. Believe me, even a month later and after being more conscious about the need to stand, I get this alert at least twice a day. The Watch also aids the iPhone's activity tracking - I am more likely to have my Watch on when moving than to have the phone in my pocket.
While I have not seen any dramatic fitness or weight loss results during the past month, I do check daily how active I have been. Hopefully, results will show soon. Here's an interesting post by someone who used the iOS HealthKit and the Watch to lose a lot of weight!
3.Told me the time
The Apple Watch also tells the time. With a turn of the wrist or the raise of my arm.
The question is - are the above "benefits" worth the $350 starting price. "Not being distracted by the phone" might appear to be a double-whammy: pay a huge price for the smartphone and then get this watch to reduce distraction! True. But if you are already on the smartphone distraction boat, then the Apple Watch will feel like a liberating force. Yes, you can get activity/fitness trackers for much less, but then they are what they are: bands.
The Watch is a beautiful piece of hardware - not at all geeky. The digital crown and the various straps are very cleverly designed. Yes, it could be thinner but the Apple Watch doesn't feel out of place on the wrist.
There's a lot that needs to improve with the Apple Watch to make it attractive and value for money for a wider audience. Most of that change is software based, so it can happen without having to wait for the next hardware iteration of the device. The new OS that was demonstrated at WWDC appears to address many of the problems and also opens the Watch up for innovation by app developers. I am waiting to see some good apps that go beyond a miniature version of the iPhone app. My friend Sajith Pai has an interesting idea about leveraging the signaling prowess of the Apple Watch. Time will tell. (Oops, sorry, I couldn't resist that!)
One more thing: I believe the Apple Watch will have serious implications for watch manufacturers, maybe not so much for luxurious, hand-crafted Swiss watches but for the mid-range quartz watches that are in the $50-300 range. How so, when the Apple Watch starts at $350?
The Apple Watch may focus on its well-crafted, premium segment but it is helping shape a new market category. It's a matter of 12-24 months before competitors and imitators create wonderful looking, good enough, Android-based smartwatches. The traditional watch will then be left with just price as a competitive variable. Try competing on price with Micromax and Xiaomi.
(Updated: Earlier I had referred to Canvas as distinct from Micromax. Thanks Farhan for pointing it out.)