If you have an original Apple Watch, you will know that it’s not easy to switch from sport to fashion. But that all changed with the Watch Series 2. Which immediately went down the sporting route. Its combination of GPS, waterproofing and a range of fun workout apps make it a favourite among fitness enthusiasts. So what more can we want or even demand from the Watch 3? Maybe a lot. But the good new is that quite a few of our concerns have already been solved with the watchOS4 update. Which will bring personalized coaching, a very promising Siri Watch Face and a munch improved user interface.
It is rumoured that Apple is going to announce the Watch 3 on September 12, and here is a list of things that we would like to see. Remember, this is a wishlist, not a list of predictions.
1) An Always-On Screen
We know, the Apple Watch needs its “raise-to-wake” feature to save battery life. Which can be great. But there are times, when we look down at our wrist, only to see a black screen. Will they be able to figure out how to give the watch an “always-on” display, while keeping it’s best in class screen? It’s possible since Apple Watch 3 is moving to a more power efficient micro LED screen. Perhaps this, combined with a power saving watch face could give us what we are looking for.
2) Touch ID
Rumours and patents from earlier this year pointed towards Apple not only including micro-LED tech in the Watch 3, but putting infared diodes on the display’s surface too. This would mean the possibility of having Touch ID embedded into the screen. Which would definitely replace having to awkwardly type out a passcode. I don’t really think my arm actually bends that way.
3) A Spotify App with Offline Music
It would be nice to have the ability to have a bunch of offline Spotify songs and the ability to connect to some kind of Bluetooth earphones/Airpods, wouldn’t it? Apple Watch lets you listen to offline songs from Apple Music, but currently not other streaming services. Which may be done deliberately, but like I said, this is a wishlist.
4) A Storage Boost
Apple Watch is allegedly going to have built in 4G, so why bother with old fashioned flash storage when you can stream your songs and podcasts? Well, 4G might not be the default option for the watch. But a premium version plus a wi-fi model is more likely. If the watch is going to become truly independent of the iPhone, then more local storage would still be beneficial. Right now the Apple Watch has 8GB of storage, with only 2GB available for music. Which does work out to a few hundred songs. But it would be nice to have more for our Overcast podcasts.
5) Underwater Haptic Feedback
The Apple Watch is already an awesome swimming watch, and it’s about to get better with watchOS4 which gives it the ability to auto count sets. What Apple hasn’t been able to do is figure out how to get the haptic feedback working underwater. Which would make a big difference with apps like MySwimPro, which would give you a nudge when you’ve completed a speed drill or need to move onto the next set.
6) Continuous Glucose Monitoring
While this isn’t really expected, it definitely would be nice to have. A non-invasive glucose monitoring on smartwatches (any and all) would be a huge deal. And not just for people with diabetes. Measuring your glucose levels can give you big insights into your diet. And, it would be a big improvement on the traditional methods. Which are rather painful. The difficulty with this one is that it’s hard to do. Which is why it hasn’t made its way onto your wrist. But never fear, we are talking about technology. So it will be available some day, I’m sure.
These are some things that I would like to see in the next Apple Watch iteration. What about you? What features do you use and what would you find beneficial? A lot of people have been asking me why I have an Apple Watch, and it’s kind of hard to find an answer. Not because I don’t know. But because I can’t really explain it. In my opinion it’s something you need to use in order to understand. And those who have one, just know what I’m talking about. Even if it’s just about keeping your phone silent from all those messages. Only you know you’re getting a message. To me, that’s an incredible feature. And a very small one, at that. So tell us what you like and what could use some improvements.