For me, it was somewhat useless for the first year or so until I started going to the gym and began taking care of my health. Seeing progress, such as resting heart rate improvements, VO2Max increases and many other metrics has greatly motivated me to push myself and do more. Nowadays, I can’t imagine going outside without it (not that I ever have, but it wasn’t a priority).
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It has helped me get a good indication of my heartbeat and helps me tack sleep, which in tone helps my GP gain some insights in to my health. But besides that I would actually prefer to go back to a normal watch.
it definitely improved my wake up time
Its made me more motivated to excercise. A lot easier to keep going when u can actually see the progress and how ur doing.
I was averaging 3500 steps a day which is horrible. The past 6 months im at 4100 which is still shit but im getting there.
250 bucks id say it was worth it. Wish i went with a used 6 instead of the SE2 tho.
I admit I got my S5 (2019) just to complete the ecosystem. But then pandemic happened (2020) and I got really super fat during the lockdowns to the point that I had difficulty breathing properly. But thanks to the Apple Watch, I enjoyed closing my rings daily. Eventually I lost 8-10kgs. Closing the rings and earning random medals became entertaining to me.
Btw. is it possible to mute all notifications, while i'm on my iphone or macbook and only have them on the watch, when im not on the phone or macbook? I guess not? Kinda annoying to have them everywhere.
The notification is designed to only appear in the "active" device. So if you're using your phone, the notification appears there. If your phone is locked, the notification goes to the watch. I find the mac notification a bit weird in this aspect, but the ones between iphone and apple watch will work as you describe.
More info here: https://support.apple.com/en-us/HT204791
Yeah! You can have the watch notifications “match” your phone. So if you swipe one away on one device, the other will also update.
There’s also focus mode settings you can play with
Uh nice, do i have to set that up?
// nvm it already works like that. cool.
I guess i have to limit the incoming notifications. I hate them :D
Yeah I never realized how much spam I'm subscribed to that floods my phone. Hits different when you get tapped by the watch to look at it 😒
There’s gotta be somewhere in the middle between those extremes.
When I wear my watch I pick up my phone less. Less time is spent on tasks and there is less opportunity to get lost on a social media app.
I get that. But then you are never really disconnected. Do you wear the watch everyday?
Not OP, but it really depends on your lifestyle. I need to be connected most of the time because of my job and in case of family emergencies.
Before wearing an Apple Watch, I'll need to take out my phone to look at the notification and determine if it's important. By doing so, I may unlock the phone and do something else as well.
But with the apple watch, I'll glance at my wrist for the notification and see if it's important. If it's not important, I'll dismiss the notification and continue with whatever I'm doing. I'll only take out my phone to respond if it's truly important or require immediate attention.
Just this aspect makes me still be available for the important stuff but can put down/away my phone more often.
Little bit of both. I like having notifications sent to my watch now so I don't have to whip out my phone to see if it's an important one or not. Fitness also helps in that, at least, I can see if I'm being somewhat active throughout the day. Another portable MP3 player. And it's a watch. Not much of a watch guy so it's kinda nice having a "nice" watch to wear now,
At the very least, I’m more conscious of my own unhealthy decisions and habits, and have easy to parse data showing me how they impact my health.
Yeah it was interesting to see the increase in resting heart rate when I was drinking, didn't know it did that
Both. It motivates me to be more active on days I don’t feel like it (NOT the coaching messages, they are just nuisances to me - but seeing my rings is a reminder to get off my ass).
Even the sleep tracking has helped me to focus on not sacrificing sleep for nonsense like scrolling Reddit. Also motivates me not to drink alcohol except on rare occasions.
I like the tracking data for hikes, bike rides, etc. The VO2 max (though I know it’s terribly accurate) has motivated me to work out harder and to lose weight (I’ve gone from the “low” cardiac health category to just barely into the “high” category (took me about 16 months of working at it).
Otherwise, is a luxury - I like seeing my calendar, the weather, etc with a glance at my wrist. I like being able to set a timer, reminder, etc. without getting out my phone (like when I’m grilling a steak or driving).
Improved life ftw 🙌. I was constantly anxious about having my phone with me all time. Now at work I keep in my bag and at home in the drawer. I haven’t missed anything important while I reduced my screen on time about 70%. Also I keep my phone constantly on mute even when I need alarm cause it taps me on the wrist and I wake up without bothering the rest of my family. Lastly getting turn by turn navigation is much safer now since I don’t have to check my phones screen for directions.
Since the release of apple watch , I never stopped watching it, once I broke it and i instantly had to buy a new one, as i felt weird and naked. i wear it even to sleep to track my sleeping cycle.
It’s not really luxury. If I can afford hedonistic luxury, it wouldn’t be an Apple Watch.
Yes and yes lol. Helps keep me more active.
I've really enjoyed teh health benefits. Allows me to slow down when training. I do 4-5 days a week Jiu-Jitsu, 5K race, 2 days strength, 3 days cardio.
I'd do more if the watch let me but from what I feel and what it says it helps.
Also it's great being away from my phone but I can still be contacted in an emergency. Also protects me if I fall over.
I've seen the Hu.ma.ne device recently and it looks great, but I realise I can do all the same with my Apple Watch which make me enjoy it more.
Kind of sort of. I have struggled with weight loss for years and it helps me keep track of steps and other goals but it also makes me neurotic about closing rings
It makes me move around more and facilitates quick communication.
As far as hedonism is concerned, I don’t get laid any more than I used to, and the number of orgies I’ve been invited to in my lifetime still stands at zero.
I would say so. It’s incredibly useful when doing all kinds of things, eg running without my phone, setting timers/reminders, using Apple Pay etc
It helps me get prepared in the morning to check the weather forecast faster than in my phone. I use it to change songs or increase the volume in my headphones. I answer messages directly in the watch. If my hands are busy I sometimes answer phone calls in it. It also helps me track my physical activity. So yes it's an important addon to my life and I think I'll have a hard time to adapt to a life without it.
Main reason I bought the series 9 on release was because of the cycle tracking. I’ve tried for more than a year to become pregnant without luck. Well, I didn’t even have my wrist temperature and cycle tracked before booom! pregnant.
I’ve got no wireless, if I did it would be a lot more useful but I got it for the sole reason of sleep tracking, having quantifiable numbers helps me be accountable for healthy sleeping routines
I use mine every single workout, for sleep tracking and for heart health. None of those features are unique to AW, but I’ve grown quite reliant on them.
Yes the crash detection, sleep tracking, movement tracking, fitness etc all make it worth it for me.
On Oct 12 of 2022, my watch sent me Al alert that my heart rate was elevated. Silly me, I watched that for three days before going to Urgent Care, they sent me right to the emergency room.
That started my wellness journey, with my watch being the prime partner in my sleep, exercise and everything else it does. It is a 7. I am waiting for the Continuous Glucose Monitor feature before I upgrade.
My 92 year old Mom has gotten afib alerts and 911 has been called twice for her falls.
The “I’ve fallen and I can’t get up” equipment only works in the persons house. The Apple Watch works everywhere.
I have lost sixty pounds since that fateful day in October, My exercise is set to 75 minutes of exercise a day, and I have watched as my resting heart rate is now 52, and my breathes per minute have gone down by one third. For a 69 year old lady this is heady stuff.
Iam grateful, and will log it in my Mindfulness today
Both my professional and personal life improved, from meeting reminders and quick responses to messages and easy payment the store, the little things that you don’t value until you come to realise how important they were. The other day I rushed out of the house without my phone, got a notification about phone being left behind but was too late to return, I totally went through my day without missing my phone. And I dare to say I was even more productive and sharp.
It helped me run four miles without stopping.
How?
It shows me my heart rate. I figured out that I was running too fast and exceeding the heart rate I can maintain.
Normally I would run/walk. Like for years.
Now I know my max heart rate is 170. If I keep it around 155, I can keep going. I did 4 miles yesterday. I felt like I could keep going. I’ll try for 5 miles in a coupla days to see what happens.
So, to me, it was life changing - mentally and physically.
I use it for a lot of other things, too. Most of those convenience items I would skip without the watch, but they make my life easier: timers, Siri commands from my watch like turning on/off lights and my TV, unlocking my house door while in the dark and it’s cold and I’m still in my car, notifications, fitness activities while not having my phone, etc. I too hike in remote areas, so SOS is pretty important.
So, of course you can live without it. But, there’s a lot of value to me in having it. And, I’ve only had it for two months.
I wear an analog fancy watch for dress occasions.
I found out I have sleep apnea with my Apple Watch, which is a pretty big deal.
It helps with fitness stuff / motivation.
Has helped me lose weight, plus mainly because of it I've now been off my ADHD meds for several months (no joke)
Just a little more convenient
ApplePay and approving logins from 2fa apps - plus approving app installs/removals on Mac are the main things I use every day. It's nice enough to have that I notice when I'm missing those things.
Originally got my Ultra for the durability and battery life, as well as maps for dirtbike rides.
The advertising worked, it kinda inspired me to get in better shape. Started hiking, bought a mountain bike, starting doing cardio stuff
It keeps my phone in my pocket so less distractions.
I just look at the notifications/alerts on the watch and can typically ignore them at the time.
I consider it an extension of my body.
I was already running daily so the ring stuff has never been much of a life changer for me. The things I love about the Apple Watch over the Garmin watches I used for several years before are the ability to leave the phone at home when I run and still be able to call home if I need to. I also enjoy not needing to fuss around with syncing playlists before a run because I can stream anything I want over LTE. I also make heavy use of Siri. I also like how easy it is to just drop on my night stand to charge Vs fiddling with a charging cable and finicky connector.
My life had already changed 13 years ago when I started running but I could see how an Apple Watch could be life changing if it motivated you to get of your ass. Exorcise daily has an incredible impact on life that so many people underestimate.
When I leave my phone in my loader and my supervisor calls/texted me while I’m fuelling or greasing I can respond before he starts calling on the radio for me over and over infront of bosses.
Apple Pay when you forget a wallet is nice, but I live just a few steps from a store so between rounds of gaming I can leap off the couch grab a snack/drink and make it back before the next starts (if there’s no old people pretending it’s a casino)
I can play games at work when I got a minute and it’ll just look like I got my arms crossed from outside my cab.
Timers.
Looking at my wrist and seeing date, time, how much light is left today, weather, activity, and noise levels is helpful when I am at the coat rack wondering what to put on, planning outside activities, or wether to put on my hearing protection
I like that it vibrates my alarm when I wear it to bed.
Otherwise, very much a luxury. Don’t need it at all, but I like the way it looks.
I now sleep better! I now know how many hours I need a night and when I should be going to bed so that I don’t feel like a zombie. That’s been life changing.
Apple Watch has immensely improved my life, in ways I didn’t purchase it for.
The gamification of completing the step counter eventually got me back into the gym to do weights. I’ve been consistently at it for a year now and have also included walking into my fitness journey.
Having a morning alarm that doesn’t go off like a nuclear alarm, is such an underrated feature. My iPhone’s alarm silent goes off on my watch and it simply vibrates (no loud noise). I love that it’s a native feature.
The ability to set a hands-free timer for Siri or respond to a text or answer a call with a tap, without my iPhone, It’s a nice ease of life feature.
Answering live calls and using the watch to talk.
Simply put, I didn’t know I needed an Apple Watch until I bought one (should honestly be the new Apple tagline for watch). Now, I can’t imagine my life without. It goes everywhere with me, except the shower.
It sounds stupid but it is motivating to close your rings and achieve the other goals.
Definitely helps me daily.