Everyone is waiting for Apple to announce the Apple Watch 2. Will it be round? Will it be waterproof? Can I afford it? We take a look at the Top 5 Apple Watch 2 expectations for 2016.
We’re still in a will they, won’t they situation with regards to the Apple Watch 2. Firstly we are still unsure whether Apple is planning just an updated version (i.e. Apple Watch S) or a whole new device (Apple Watch 2). Never the less there has been a lot of discussion around what customers would like to see on the next smartwatch model from Apple. The Cupertino company did a decent job the first time round, but there is a lot of room for improvement. We take a look at the Top 5 Apple Watch 2 expectations for 2016.
The Untethered smartwatch
Owning a smartwatch inevitably introduces a ball-and-chain situation. Currently smartwatches (both Apple and Android) offer very little untethered functionality. We would like to see Wi-Fi capabilities on the next Apple Watch. The wireless stacks of both Android Wear and watchOS will most likely be improving over the next year so that users will have connectivity when they’re not near their smartphone.
The same goes for built in GPS. That’s kind of a no-brainer. Calibrating the watch through the iPhone’s GPS so that it stops misinterpreting distance data needs to be a thing of the past. There might be another way to address the iPhone independence issue. Some rumours are saying that the Apple Watch 2 will not feature GPS, but instead will include a new Wi-Fi chip that can be used to track Apple Watch devices using Wi-Fi router triangulation tech. That means more independence from the iPhone too.
Read: Apple Watch revision planned, no Apple Watch 2
Waterproofing the Apple Watch
Now wouldn’t that be cool? I know of many people who take their swimming quite seriously and would love to use the Apple Watch as a fitness companion when to go for a couple of laps. What’s more is that a waterproofing standard will offer a lot of piece of mind to users to take their Apple Watches with them wherever they go, being the beach or on a speedboat.
Bernard Desernauts, CEO of Wristly, the largest independent Apple Watch research platform, stated that they found overwhelming support for a waterproof smartwatch. In fact, in response to a question put out to Wristly’s ‘Inner Circle’ of Watch owners, waterproofing was found to be the second most wanted attribute of the next Watch. Almost 80% of respondents wished it was more than IPX7 rated, which only covers it up to a depth of 1m.
Watch Design
Ok ok, I know I have been quoted saying that the Apple Watch does not need to be round, but it seems as though I might be supporting a minority view. I guess people associated circular designs with time. From the early sundials to phases of the moon telling time has always been done on a circle. So Apple needs to make the design round – they just have to make sure they bring their special Apple premium feel.
Another design point that we would like to see is a change (or a selection) in the colour palette. I like the popping, almost cartoony colours of the Apple Watch, but I can also appreciate the need for having a different feel. Apple doesn’t allow for this on the iPhone really, but since we can select and customise watch faces why not allow customers to select their look and feel as well?
Read: Get a “œfree“ Apple Watch with Discovery Vitality
Battery Life
Ah the perennial feature that makes almost every Top 5 feature list about smart devices. Its really a catch-22 situation. If we want all the new specs, features, displays and speed included in the next Apple Watch AND have a longer lasting battery they would have to develop next year’s battery and place it in this year’s model. That being said, there has been some impressive advances in the battery world and to expect a longer lasting battery might not be that unrealistic.
One thing which will apparently change according to the same source is the thickness of the screen, which will be made thinner to allow for a larger battery. Yet that clashes with previous rumours that the juice pack will be staying the same, albeit with possible software improvements to improve its life.
Read: Apple Watch Review: A new revolution?
Lower Price
More, more, we want more! That’s kind of the trend of this article up to now. No to the the “less” part, specially less Rands please. It might seem a bit unrealistic to want all of these improvements, many of them bordering on ground-breaking and still wanting to pay less for the device. I understand that Apple devices are premium high-end products but the Watch prices thus-far have been wallet-melting.
I am happy for Apple to continue to cater for the super rich with their Apple Watch Edition models but even the lowest end models are very expensive for the average Joe. To pay around R 6000 ZAR for a smartwatch is pretty steep, especially when you compare it to some awesome Android competitors like the LG Watch Urbane. Here’s to hoping the Apple Watch 2 will be a bit lighter on the pocket.
Let us know what you think about the next Apple Watch in the comment section below!
