"The New Timer App in watchOS 3 is a Disaster"

Matt Birchler writing on his blog about why the new Apple Watch timer app in watchOS 3 is not well implemented:

This is good in theory, but in my case is a disaster in usability. This app that used to let me set a timer incredibly fast has been slowed down considerably. Apple may have the data to show that the times listed in the above screenshot are the ones I’m most likely to use, but I never find myself using any of these.

I use a 4 minute timer for my coffee, a 46 minute and 75 minute timer for my laundry, and a whole mess of different times for cooking. But what remains constant is none of them line up well with the presets that Apple has provided. This means that every interaction with the Timer app is now lengthened because I need to scroll to the bottom of the app to select the Custom timer option and enter it there.

The timer is one my the complications that I have set on my Apple Watch at all times. Like Birchler, I use it for coffee brewing as well as for cooking. It’s one of those things that has become so valuable to me in the kitchen, that that alone is worth having the Apple Watch for me.

What Birchler thinks Apple should do is exactly what I think Apple should do.

I don’t think that Apple’s design for the app is completely wrong, I just think they need to modify it a bit. First, I’d move the Custom timer option to the top. Even if there are common timers you set, I would wager that most people want to set a custom one most of the time. I could be wrong, but if I’m not, this would make most people’s default interaction a little easier.

I think the Timer app is better on watchOS 3 than it is on watchOS 2, but it’s not as great for people who set custom timers and for that I’d rather see Apple do what Birchler suggests: move the Custom timer to the front.