What Apple Watch really needs is a battery that lasts longer than a day Apple Watch

https://www.cnet.com/news/what-apple-watch-really-needs-is-a-battery-that-lasts-longer-than-a-day/

17.8k Upvotes

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I’ve been eyeing this watch for a long time, and the battery is what keeps me from purchasing it. I already need to charge my iPhone, iPad, MacBook, baby monitor screen, Bluetooth speaker, etc. There is just something about charging my watch, which is where I draw the line.

Personally, I’m looking at buying a more high end G Shock. It may not have all the bells and whistles like EKG, etc. But it will last me decades for the same price.

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u/[deleted] Feb 01 '21

I said it to someone else in this thread: everyone has their own preferences and dealbreakers. To me, needing to charge the watch while I shower (and one or two other times a week) is not a big deal, and charging all my other stuff in general isn't a big deal.

Maybe it's because I don't think of the Apple Watch the same way I think of a regular watch. The AW does so much more than a regular watch does, so I don't mind the trade off of needing to charge it often. If all I did was check the time and date, well, I wouldn't wear a watch at all.

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u/es_cl Feb 01 '21 edited Feb 01 '21

Maybe it's because I don't think of the Apple Watch the same way I think of a regular watch. The AW does so much more than a regular watch does, so I don't mind the trade off of needing to charge it often. If all I did was check the time and date, well, I wouldn't wear a watch at all.

I never really thought of it this way but it’s very true. With a regular watch, I’m only checking it for time and date for a few second in a day. And that’s it!

With the Apple Watch, Im actively using it throughout the day, so in a weird way, putting it on the charger for 20-30min becomes part of the usage “activity.” I even clean it with alcohol wipes once every few days or so too. That’s something I never did with my regular Citizen watch, which was actually $150 more than the Apple Watch SE.

I was one of those who was reluctant to get an Apple Watch because of its battery life but I was comparing it my regular watch. It’s no different from charging my phone everyday. The snap on and off of the bands makes it easy.

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u/[deleted] Feb 01 '21 edited Feb 01 '21

With a regular watch, I’m only checking it for time and date for a few second in a day

I stopped wearing watches around the year 2000 when I got a cell phone because it displayed the time.

The fact the Apple Watch could tell time didn’t mean much to me, it’s everything else it can do! Namely, not being as attached to my phone.

There’s lots of discussion here about battery length. My wish is to be able to go “watch only” for most of the day. Currently battery is a limitation (cellular eats it up), but also lots of other little software things that could be improved. So I tend to bring my phone with me if I’m out for more than an hour or two.

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u/[deleted] Feb 01 '21 edited Feb 17 '21

[deleted]

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u/AngeloSantelli Feb 01 '21

I’m still using an S1 and it still takes less than 2 hours to get to 100% from below 10%. Usually charging it for about 40 minutes a day gets it to 100% (because it never drops below a certain %)

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u/GoBBLeS-666 Feb 16 '21

Just a side note here; A bigger battery doesn't necessarily take longer to charge...

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u/[deleted] Feb 16 '21 edited Feb 17 '21

[deleted]

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u/GoBBLeS-666 Feb 16 '21

If the charger is charging with the same amperage, you would be correct. But a larger battery can normally be charged with a comparably higher amperage, making the charge time the same. There can, of course, be issues with heat in such a small device, which can impact the charge time too.

But I'd say that, even with a bigger battery, they'd actually have to prioritize more battery life, over more features, but they seem to have found a happy medium where most people don't mind the relatively short battery life with amount of features they get.

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u/IReallyLoveAvocados Feb 01 '21

is there a reason you don't charge your AW overnight?

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u/[deleted] Feb 01 '21

Two reasons: I track my sleep with it, and I don't need to charge it overnight.

The time it's on a charger while I shower (and an extra half an hour a couple times a week) is plenty. I'm never desperate to get my watch plugged in; it never really gets below 20% ever.

The Apple Watch doesn't need to be plugged in for 7 hours to charge sufficiently.

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u/IReallyLoveAvocados Feb 01 '21

I suppose it also depends on the amount of juice your charger supplies. Have a 20W charger so I probably actually could charge it 50% in 20m.

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u/dk00111 Feb 01 '21

Yeah it’s the same reason I still use wired headphones. One less thing on my mind. And real watches are much more stylish IMO.

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u/CowboysFTWs Feb 01 '21

So just a watch that tells time? Got it. FYI your iphone already does that.

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u/TiredEnergizerBunny Feb 01 '21

Yeah, it does, but I also like to unplug or even go out for a long multi day hike without my phone. So a quality watch that doesn’t need constant charging is better.

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u/thewimsey Feb 03 '21

Sure, but for that all you need is a $50 Timex Ironman.

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u/TiredEnergizerBunny Feb 04 '21

Actually, I’d like some ABC features.

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u/CowboysFTWs Feb 01 '21

People with smart watches want more than just time, which is redundant.

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u/AdamJensensCoat Feb 01 '21

I'm a watch guy. Gave the Apple Watch a try when it was a new because it was pretty exciting tech. After a couple of months, decided that charging yet another thing on a daily basis wasn't worth the benefit.

Went on vacation with the family. Forgot the Apple Watch's magnetic charger. Whelp, no Apple Watch. Put my mechanical watch back on and never looked back.

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u/korduu Feb 01 '21

Personally, I’m looking at buying a more high end G Shock. It may not have all the bells and whistles like EKG, etc. But it will last me decades for the same price.

AW itself is a miniature iphone with health sensors. Whereas G Shock is not. You are comparing apple to orange here.

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u/WasteCupcake Feb 01 '21

I don’t like sleeping with my watch on so I just keep the charger by my bed. It’s magnetic and takes like 2 seconds to plug in.

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u/thisischemistry Feb 01 '21

the battery is what keeps me from purchasing it

I wouldn't let that hold you back, it's pretty easy to leave it on a charger during some down time like when you're showering or just sitting at your desk not doing much. A bit of charging like that is pretty much all you need to have the watch useable nearly 24 hours a day.

I hardly notice the amount of time I need to have the watch charging, the watch is very useful and a great device.

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u/shannister Feb 02 '21

I don’t understand people who sleep with their watch on... i don’t charge my watch in the evening as much as I just take it off and put it on its stand.