New Study Indicates Rough Road Ahead For Apple Watch

by Andy Faust

June 29, 2015

A new mobile consumer report from Bank of America found that not only do Americans sleep with their smartphones, but the devices are also the first thing on people’s minds when they wake up: 35% of respondents said their first thought in the morning is about their smartphone; 10% said it was for their significant other.

The new report underscores an increasing trend of smartphone reliance among owners of the device, especially Millennials.

Throughout the day, more than half of Americans, about 57%, say they use their phone at least once an hour. In New York, that statistic jumps to 96%. In California, it’s 88%.

This report, if anything close to accurate, is troubling re: the adoption of smartwatches like Apple Watch.

For one thing, getting non-watch-wearers to start wearing watches is tough enough. But getting watch-wearers to then sleep with their watches on is even tougher. Most folks tend to take their jewelry off before lights out. Granted Apple Watch will be unveiling its new Nightstand Mode come watchOS 2 this fall, that doesn’t really change the equation: It’s a smaller, less data-dense display seeking to displace its larger, more visible, and more easily snoozable big brother. I dont see that compelling anyone to go Apple Watch who wasn’t planning to already. Plus, this thing is cooler than any Apple Watch stand to date. If you have a bedside iPhone habit, Apple Watch won’t alleviate it. It hasn’t mine, that’s for sure. I blame YouTube.

Secondly, and much more importantly, the survey says that 57 percent of folks use their smartphones at least once an hour. That means that 43 percent of folks dont use their smartphones at least once an hour. That infrequency of use for such a huge swath of users makes Apple Watch — with its lauded potential to limit your obtrusive iPhone interactions — an extremely limited proposition.

More and more, it’s looking like Apple Watch will settle in as a power user’s notification center, with little allure — outside of international fashion and fitness (where there are currently better device options) — for the less data-hungry everyman.