I had an Apple Watch 3 when they came out but it fell from the bedside table charger and cracked the screen so I’ve never bothered again, far too fragile but if my spms magically disappeared and I was still able to ride a bike and work as a mountain guide I’d probably be very interested in the Apple Watch pro, I figure it’s a bit overkill for my current situation as I’ve not left the house in 3 weeks and the only useful elements to my health would be the fall protection/alarm and body temperature, I doubt I need the gps capability to navigate my 1 bed bungalow.
Oxygen levels and heart data are useful (applies to the cheaper current models as well). Shame yours broke. I think they’re much tougher now… mine has been through the wars… metal is scratched and scuffed… …mostly form dry stone walls… but the “glass” is as good as new.
I suspect I had the “swelling battery” issue that aided the breaking of the screen but as the screen was broke the apple store wouldn’t entertain the idea and refused to warranty the watch despite being only 5 weeks old. I may look into getting another as if I fall down I cannot get back up without help from someone.
it’s the watch equivalent of the hunter wellies worn on the London tube.
Of course it is. But then:
It’ll get as much adventure use as 99.9% of most fenix’s and instincts ever made.
Most of the stuff made by the brands mentioned are simply lifestyle/status symbol items anyway. If you ‘need’ such things to toddle around Snowdonia or wherever, then you probably shouldn’t be there anyway. You should never be reliant upon any such electronic devices if you’re going to anywhere truly remote; proper knowledge of what you’re doing, the local terrain and environment, and being able to navigate without such devices will be far more useful in a proper survival situation. So this is no worse a gadget than most other similar devices really. Wearing a Garmin or Suunto etc watch because it’s more of an ‘adventure’ device doesn’t make your penis any larger.
the screen was broke the apple store wouldn’t entertain the idea and refused to warranty the watch despite being only 5 weeks old
That’s shit. Sorry to hear that. Would put me off ever getting another one, that’s for sure. 😕
I think you’re all mad if you don’t think Garmin and the like are threatened by this. Apple will get there with the battery life and last bits of sport tracking stuff in a few more years, and they’ve nailed the stuff that Garmin and Fitbit have never and probably will never figure out on the phone integration and usability stuff.
And as said above, only massive posers need an £850 watch to do their sports with, so perfectly within Apples demographic.
^^^
Exactly. Remember Nokia…
I think you’re all mad if you don’t think Garmin and the like are threatened by this. Apple will get there with the battery life and last bits of sport tracking stuff in a few more years, and they’ve nailed the stuff that Garmin and Fitbit have never and probably will never figure out on the phone integration and usability stuff.
They're partly threatened, but unless Google gets its shit together they've still got a massive market in Android. And of course Garmin and Fitbit will never figure out the phone integration unless antitrust authorities take action and force Apple to open up its phone to 3rd parties.
Garmin, Polar, Sunto, Leyzne, etc will not be worried by Apple’s smart watch offerings.
Maybe not Garmin's biggest worry but other smaller players are and should be really worried. It is not that their products became obsolete immediately but seems the purpose built devices will be harder to sell even if they are better in many respects.
Apple is such a giant these days that it may crush smaller players by accident. Look at Lightning headphone adapter they made - it is cheap, small and has better sound quality than all(?) other devices on the market.
Not a fanboy, just user who wishes Window mobile was still an option.
I brought a series 7 to replace the series 4 I broke the screen on. The series 4 was fine, even nearly 4 years later. I tried a garmin venu, and it sucked as a smar****ch compared to Apple watch (no surprise there, and I was expecting that) but the fitness benefits weren't much better than apple watch ones TBH. The only benefit was the battery, which isn't an issue for me as I don;t wear my watch to bed.
As for having to take phone with you when on a run, I imagine that's if you get the wifi one, and want to make calls. I have the wifi one because I couldn;t justify the data plan costs for how rarely I'm out without my iphone.
I think the apple watch ultra will be good for weekend warriors, who think they are doing something extreme, but make it in time to go to the bar afterwards.
@tonyd For tracking sports best the use an app call ‘workoutdoors’
http://www.workoutdoors.net/
Weird flex but ok
Not really. The vast majority of such devices sold are never used anywhere near genuine wilderness areas, or in actual extreme conditions. Apple know this, and are masters at producing products that fit the market perfectly. Same as most 4x4s never see any actual dirt etc.
I have an Apple Watch (S7). It’s bought it because I thought it would be ‘fun’ to have. IE; it’s a toy. I like it; it actually has helped me become more active and to exercise more. I’m use it on the Tube and buses, for the NFC ‘Oyster card’ function. I use the Apple Pay feature in shops. I can use it as a remote for controlling all sorts of other needless lifestyle gadgets around the house, such as lights, hifi, Apple TV etc. I love it. But then I’m not a Bear Grylls wannabe. Perhaps I’ll buy some Hunter wellies just to go on the Tube. 😀
I think you’re all mad if you don’t think Garmin and the like are threatened by this.
On reflection and having just reread DCR's conclusion to his Venu 2 SQ review Perhaps you have a point:
I worry slightly about how Garmin might handle both some of Apple’s WatchOS 9 features that will shortly come to the Apple Watch SE (like running power and triathlon mode), as well as how a watch like this might compete against new Apple Watch SE hardware, if Apple shifts focus more towards sports as everything indicates.
To date, Garmin has been hesitant to include more endurance sports features in their Venu lineup, instead, shifting that towards the Forerunner/Fenix areas. I’m just not convinced that strategy is going to work over the next 12 months. But, I guess those questions will start to be answered about 6 days from now.
He would have written that having had site of the Apple Ultra so was probably looking at a new rectangular Garmin watch expecting it to have done better on the smart watch side of things and to have more endurance sports features, instead it's probably a better sports watch still but the gaps are noticeable and it's really not a smart watch, it's another fitness/sports watch.
Garmin's problems are software/firmware (as ever) Apple's problem is truly understanding a new (to them) market who, yes will pay a lot, but probably expect a bit more than the tech Bro's and 'Jobsonites', certainly on battery...
so apart from a handlebar mount, where would be good?
seems fine in a pack/bum bag - it's just having your leg between it and the sky that seems to be a problem! Mind you, it's never as accurate a track as from a Garmin Edge
I love my Instinct Solar - hands down the best watch for the stuff I do like kayaking, cycling and walking, but she sure is ugly. Probably wouldn't wear with a suit or in an office job - then an apple watch would be nice. Not sure I see the point of a £850 'rugged' one though. Its like those uber expensive garmin watches that quietly dissappeared when people realised that £1.5k for a watch that would be obsolete in a couple of years wasn't such a great idea.
I love my Instinct Solar – hands down the best watch for the stuff I do like kayaking, cycling and walking, but she sure is ugly
Conversely I love the look of mine, and think that Apple Watches are fugly. But then again I also like G-Shocks, so I'm probably not the best person to comment 😀
I love my Instinct Solar – hands down the best watch for the stuff I do like kayaking, cycling and walking, but she sure is ugly
Conversely I love the look of mine, and think that Apple Watches are fugly. But then again I also like G-Shocks, so I’m probably not the best person to comment 😀
I don't think Apple watches are fugly, they're pretty enough (in a world now full of homogeneous wrist worn rectangles) but I do prefer my instinct as a watch to wear when actually doing stuff, again I own a couple of G-shocks and it's a similar thing.
Again I'm not target market.
I have an Instinct Solar and an Apple Watch 7. I use the Apple one for daily wear, work, walking, swimming, indoor bike, gym. I use the Garmin for outdoor bike, hike, weekends away etc. I use a chest HR for all cycling as need to keep an eye on my HR.
All activities sync between them, and Apple Fitness, Garmin connect and Strava.
Personally I don't think I'd swop the Instinct for the Apple Ultra (unless maybe I didn't have any Apple watch)
I googled some smar****ches as a result of this thread, and found this:
https://www.garmin.com/en-GB/p/700437
I don't play golf. Could I still wear it on the Tube? Can I get one to go with my Hunter wellies? 🙂
I googled some smar****ches as a result of this thread, and found this:
https://www.garmin.com/en-GB/p/700437
I don’t play golf. Could I still wear it on the Tube? Can I get one to go with my Hunter wellies? 🙂
Best of all you didn't even pick The most ridiculously overpriced version and I bet you've got a car so you're allowed to buy the 'driver' version 😉
I guess Apple are still amateurs when it comes to extortionately overpriced, pointless smart watches after all...
Oh wow! 🤣 That's mad.
I guess Apple are still amateurs when it comes to extortionately overpriced, pointless smart watches after all…
£849 now seeming like an absolute bargain, plus it does loads more. And works properly, or has Garmin software reached 'actually useable' levels yet?
I guess the best bit is how totally superfluous a watch is when driving.
The clue with that particular range is the name, it's a descriptor for the target market, slightly misspelled just so they don't notice. It absolutely goes with hunter wellies...
I use my watch for turn by turn directions when driving, it uses vibration patterns for left/right/continue… I often have music playing loud I don’t want to turn down or have interrupted.
That Gamin watch is astounding.
Modern Tool Watch
Well quite
Thinking back to my youth when I was possibly close to a few adventures. There must be a Venn diagram with 2 huge circles that barely overlap. People with time for an adventure people, people with £849 for a watch
I have an instinct and an Apple Watch (possibly the 4). Instinct is fairly new but I have to admit for a Luddite it’s not very intuitive. I’m forever faffing with it.
But for the price I paid, £160 (non solar), I’m happy with it. Records my rides (indoor and out) and heartbeat. I don’t use it for mapping, but imagine that would confuse the socks of me. Battery life is good though….but I’d quite like to be able to pick and choose what alerts I get (only WhatsApp and not email would be good)
Apple Watch is easier to use. But I don’t really like it. Dunno why.
You choose which alerts via the Connect app on the phone.
Settings - Notifications - App Notifications
On IOS Dick there is no App Notification settings.
There are two settings. Allow Push notifications and Email Notifications.
The email notifications is to allow Garmin to email you notifications of your activities.
My girlfriend who has Android has the ability to select what messages to receive.
There is, I have mine set for calls and texts only (iPhone 13 with Instinct solar 2)
has Garmin software reached ‘actually useable’ levels yet?
That’ll be the day!!
Ah sorry, I assumed as it was possible on the android app it would also be possible on the iOS app...obviously not as 'feature rich' (although not sure how much richer it is to be able to select which apps will show alerts on your watch)...
has Garmin software reached ‘actually useable’ levels yet?
Weird how we all differ, isn't it? I don't have any problem with Garmin software. It's all quite neatly set out, just hierarchies of menus that you drill down into to do anything. I suspect it probably means the software was designed (and not just created) by programmers, who find a logical nested tree interface "intuitive".
I was happy with my Garmin Instinct until I was relieved of it. Decided to try the Fenix 6 Pro, and I prefer it to the Instinct.
That was pushing my comfortable spending limit for a watch (£300), no way would I drop eight-hundred notes on a smart watch.
Any more thoughts? I’m half considering one as a replacement for my Fenix 6X Pro.
The 8 looks good though too.
Good thread resurrection, as I posted earlier, I have a 7 and an instinct solar. The 7 last week picked up a big chip and scratch in the case when it brushed against a stone wall 🙄. Santa may be bringing an 8 or an ultra… Think I need to see the ultra on my arm to see how chunky it is for work wear with a shirt and suit..
Liking my Samsung 5 Pro. Currently showing 2 days 2 hrs from last charge with 1 day, 2 hrs remaining on moderate usage.
Can load gpx files, it does heart rate, blood pressure, ECG and all the usual smart watch stuff inc Google wallet that my old Samsung wouldn't do. Looks reasonable classy too
I quite like the look of the new instinct crossover. First garmin that might tempt me away from Apple for a while.
Liking my Samsung 5 Pro. Currently showing 2 days 2 hrs from last charge with 1 day, 2 hrs remaining on moderate usage.
That was charged a couple of days ago.
In power saver mode (HR and phone connectivity off) it's got almost double the life.
An hour of GPS tracking will use up approximately 2 days of normal smart watch life...
I think just about any watch would need to equal or exceed the instinct on battery life for me to consider it now...
I quite like the look of the new instinct crossover. First garmin that might tempt me away from Apple for a while.
I did see it and think maybe Garmin are making a concerted effort to chip away at the G-Shock market now with the 'instict' range, the crossover has vague echos of a GA2100 IMO, but obviously it's a bit more useful having HR and GPS...
Anyone know what the real world runtime of an Apple Ultra is yet?
I'm consistently getting 48hours out of mine between charges. Not using the GPS much day to day.
I get ~36hrs from a AW7 with an hour or so of running/GPS a day. I’ve turned the always on display off.
I have. 5 cellular and now an ultra. Was a bit concerned about size on a 185mm wrist, but it’s fine. Tight cuffs can be an inconvenience but not by much. It’s like an Apple Watch but better, like it.
Mrs OTS bought me an ultra for Christmas.
So far so good although range anxiety on the battery is real after a Garmin. It is big though, which suits me fine.
