CKSK's Two Cents on the Apple Watch

Along with Austria and Denmark, Ireland is one of the last countries in which Apple has released Apple Watch. At CKSK, we’ve been wearing and designing for Watch for a few months now.

So, for the benefit of anyone considering a purchase, here is what we feel you should know.

1. Give it a month.

Reviews written by writers who have worn Watch for a week or less can’t really be trusted. This is a device that reveals itself to its wearer over a longer time period and it will take a while to realise how it may become useful to you.

2. What do you use it for?

This is a question you’ll frequently be asked by people who see you wearing Watch. I don’t really use it for anything but it does a lot for me and that’s important. Being able to triage email and messages quickly is really great. While walking down the street or heading downstairs for a meeting, I know in a very immediate and convenient way whether I need to interrupt what I’m doing to respond to either of those things. If it’s a message that can be answered with a stock response (which the watch provides based on the content of the SMS received), I can do it with one tap. Responding to meeting requests is particularly easy: receive notification, look, tap and then get on with whatever I was doing all in the space of a second or two. Yes, iPhone can do these things but Watch doesn’t break your flow in the way that iPhone does. iPhone takes you out of the moment, Watch lets you stay in the moment.

3. You’ll use your phone less, a lot less.

Don’t underestimate the value of not having to take your phone out of your pocket (or handbag) 30 times a day. Seriously. You won’t miss any more calls by not getting to the phone in time because you can answer them directly from this device firmly strapped to your wrist. Watch has relegated the importance of my iPhone in my mind to the extent that I accidentally left mine at home this morning because it has been replaced it in the morning pat-down: Wallet, keys, Watch. OK, go!

4. Watch will change your behaviour and your choices.

I’ve walked deliberately faster and further than before because it feels good when I hit my daily exercise goals. I’m going to retain my Apple Music subscription beyond the 90 day trial. Not because I think Apple Music is particularly amazing (I don’t) but because I enjoy the Watch integration. I like choosing albums, songs etc from Watch or adjusting playback volume while my iPhone sits in my pocket or bag.

5. Battery life.

Don’t buy into the reported negativity around battery life. You’ll get 1.5 to 2 days from a single charge and it’s not a big deal to charge it at night while you sleep. It’s also really quick to charge if you’ve forgotten to do so overnight.

6. It’s an intensely personal device

The first time you receive someone else’s heartbeat on your wrist is an unexpectedly emotional and powerful experience. I probably shouldn’t admit this, but, should you need to do so, sending your heartbeat to your partner makes for a very personal way to apologise (Mrs Costello has a watch, too)

You’ll forge an emotional connection to Watch very quickly. I definitely wouldn’t like to give mine up at this point. In fact, I feel quite uneasy at the thought.

The release of Watch in Ireland coincides nicely with the release of Watch OS2 which will make it an even more useful device, especially in terms of stand-alone operation when not connected to an iPhone and in terms of what 3rd party developers will now be able to do with it. If you’ve been thinking of buying one, there is no “killer app” yet, so you won’t find a single compelling reason to make the leap. Rather, it’s the compound effect of many small luxuries and conveniences that has a significant impact on your daily life. You won’t quite wonder how you ever got on without Watch it but if you get one, I don’t think you’ll let it go in a hurry.

Donnacha Costello is Head of UX at CKSK