Apple Watch Is Better With Family And Friends

With Cupertino’s earliest Apple Watch features demonstrations, the company emphasized — or, at least, heavily hinted at — that the wearable’s most compelling communication technology would be best utilized in conjunction with other Apple Watch wearers. To an extent, I still agree: Apple Watch is the most fun when its part of an Apple Watch community — when your friends or your partner has one.

Unfortunately, with the promises of Digital Touch fading fast (hopefully to be rejuvenated come Wednesday’s watchOS 2), the lack of live interaction thereof puts a big dent in the idea of the new, touch-based “language” that Apple Watch seemed to initially imply.

But still, over the past weekend, I’ve found that Apple Watch is indeed more fun if a close friend or significant other has one too.

See, since last Christmas, I’ve had a $100 Apple Store gift card burning a hole in my wallet, and when Apple announced the Rose Gold Sport, my disinterested gal suddenly became a lot less so. After a quick trip to the mall on Saturday, we left with a 38mm Rose Gold Apple Watch Sport and a $270 dent in my checking account. (And somehow, she still managed to get me to carry the special “collectible” bag — which ain’t so special and went right into the trash when we got home.)

At any rate, since then, I finally have someone I care about who can engage me in the unique back-and-forths that Apple Watch affords, and it does make a difference. Plus, since the device is such a compelling exercise tracker, it even prompted us to get a couples’ gym membership for the first time in about six years, and I’m looking forward to that. As with most such arrangements, I actually need to lose weight, while she only thinks she does. It’s also worth noting that yesterday was the first time in over eight years that she’s actually texted me back during a movie at the local cineplex. Successful relationships are all about communication!

But enough with my uninteresting personal business. The pertinent bit is this:

Much like iPhone and iPad, Apple Watch is better in a group setting of users. The more of your friends and family that have the thing, the better, more useful, and more fun it becomes. And though Apple Watch still has a long way to go in this regard (especially with market penetration and the aforementioned Digital Touch), I’m seeing real promise where I only had theoretical perspective before.

Now it’s not just about what Apple Watch can do for me. It’s about what Apple Watch can do for us.