Apple Watch Review: A New Convert

Brooke Crothers writing for Fox News posts his review on the Apple Watch and has some interesting conclusions about the device. The first part I totally agree with.

Despite some initial ups-and-downs, I think the Apple Watch will ultimately succeed. No, the Watch isn’t going to replace your phone this year or next. And there are obvious limitations to any pint-sized device. But I think I know where this is going. Once you integrate mobile wireless broadband (for example, 3G or 4G) into a 38mm or 42mm Watch you have a pretty compelling argument for leaving your iPhone at home. For example, if you’re going out for a 30-minute run and you have a WWAN (Wireless Wide Area Network)-enabled Watch, why bring the phone?

This is exactly what I’ve been chatting with Julia about on our WatchAware podcast. The Apple Watch will decouple itself form the iPhone over time, especially in areas where it should, like running. I imagine that Apple has a board somewhere in there design studio that reads something like “When do we hate having to carry our phones?” Over time that’s going to be answered and going out to exercise is the obvious first place to start.

Crothers continues:

Looking ahead, I would imagine that even five years from now there may still be a practical limit to how much you can do on your watch or wearable but I also think the smartphone has peaked and wearables will slowly but surely begin to steal more and more features from the phone. Eventually, wearables like the Apple Watch will render the phone the accessory, not the other way around.

That last sentence is a very bold claim. I can’t discount it completely simply because we’ve seen some crazy things happen in our lifetime, but right now I think it’s unlikely. What I think is more likely is that the Apple Watch will continue to do things simply better than the iPhone and that it will become a necessity for some folks.

The reason I can’t see the iPhone becoming an accessory to the Apple Watch is because of how far ahead it is in terms of its function and capabilities. Things like watching video, taking pictures, reading, etc just don’t seem like they’d be better on a small screen on your wrist. The phone is here to stay, but the Watch–the Watch will do things the phone couldn’t dream of.