Answers to you:
1. I don’t wear a watch because just repairing my preferred one will cost a significant percentage of the Apple Watch - only to provide me with nothing more than the time, and that as inaccurately as I set it. I look forward to wearing a watch built to Apple’s consistently high & stylish standards. The “drawbacks” are BS (addressed below).
2. If you don’t have an iPhone, the Watch is not for you. Get that thru your thick skull. It’s an extension of the iPhone just as the iPod was an extension of the computer.
3. Hardly useless. Constant health monitoring (where that’s going will absolutely blow your mind when it arrives), at-a-glance notifications, easy payment/tickets/keys/etc, other quick checks ... all without freeing up a hand and digging out the phone. If that’s useless to you, nobody is compelling you to buy one; several million people disagree with you, and are voting with their wallets - and are free to do so independent of your opinion.
4. I’m not wearing it because it’s elegant. I’ll wear it because it’s USEFUL to the tune of worth $0.50/day.
Answers to author:
1. Golly, I get just 14 hours of battery life out of it under heavy use. Like the iPhone: if I use it so much it dies before recharging, I _really_ need to go do something else. The clock function will still work (for 3 days), so it’s not like it’s completely useless - it will work as a watch, just as my costs-more just-a-watch watch does.
2. Yes, the screen is about 1”. So? that’s enough for a “retina” screen to show what I need of it. Need something bigger? oh, right, there’s an iPhone in my pocket.
3. Ok, it’s thicker than what it will be in a few years. It’s still not particularly thick. Yes, I’ve worn one.
4. Golly, it takes a little effort to configure. Golly, you’ll have to get used to being notified of things more often. Hey, I’m a computer engineer of some 30 years - I think I can handle the raging complexity.
5. Oh, sure, it could be a flop. iPhone and iPad were likewise threatened with possible failure. Then again - unlike the author’s disingenuous stats - it sold about two million copies in one day flat, basically more than all “smartwatches” ever sold. My SWAG indicates Apple will enjoy at least $20B in revenue from this thing this year alone. Sure it won’t be perfect, but - having tried one - I can say it sure isn’t Newton redux.
First, the watch is NO phone. Let’s put that one to rest.
Second, nobody needs constant attention to their biometrics. Unless they’re in a coma. Or ICU. No watches there either.
Third, I have an iPhone (soon to be dropped for a new Samsung, thanks to the grandson). No, it’s not for me anyway because it’s a useless trinket.
Fourth, any “watch” that requires you to babysit it and CONSTANTLY flick your wrist to wake the damned thing up is no watch. Because watches tell time regardless of whether it’s “asleep” or not. Watches tell the TIME, not tell you what your idiot cousin sent you in an email.
Fifth, recharging without even a stand to do it (got to plug the thing in) is yet another annoying thing you have to do during the day. Aside from taking it off, then putting it back on, it’s another distraction to life. Buckle. Unbuckle. Charge. Charge. Charge your phone. Charge again. Buckle. Unbuckle.
Isn’t this ridiculous trinket suppose to SIMPLIFY your life? How is buckle, buzz, unbuckle, charge, buckle. Unbuckle. Can’t submerge. Unbuckle. Buzz. Buzz. Buzz. supposed to simplify your life?
You have a lot to learn about the elegance of simplicity.