Smartwatch advice for iPhone user - Feedback from Geekzone smartwatch owners appreciated!

Forums › Gadgets, robotics, home automation, electronics (including wearables) › Smartwatch advice for iPhone user - Feedback from Geekzone smartwatch owners appreciated!

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#2887514 17-Mar-2022 10:09

I would recommend the Samsung Wear Galaxy 4 watch range especially if you are likely to go back to Android phone. The Galaxy 4 rnage will work with any Android and is a joint develop by Google & Samsung. It already can work with Google Fit and many other Google apps. It has great operation with Smasung Sleep app if you are interested in tracking your sleep activity. I get about 36 hours out of mine but I track sleep so put watch in sleep mode over night and recharge over breakfast each day. I use a Nokia 7.1 phone and watch works well with that but any recent Android phone should be OK Also regular updates rolling out had three this year and they just work so smoothly

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tehgerbil

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#2887593 17-Mar-2022 14:23

Thank you everyone I am looking for an Apple watch.

If I may ask one more question -
I've found an iPhone Watch 2 for 100, sans charger, in perfect condition.

Or just spend 2-300 and get a mint condition 3?

Obraik

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#2887595 17-Mar-2022 14:32

I would get the newest one possible, ideally with the updated form factor (the lower bezel screen) for better long term support

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lxsw20

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#2887596 17-Mar-2022 14:33

I frankly wouldn't get either. The 2 is beyond slow now days, and the 3 isn't far behind. My workmate has a 3 he has to rebuild every time an Watch OS update comes out because of its's limited storage capacity. I really don't understand why Apple still sell it new.

You'd want a 5,6,7 or SE IMO.

RunningMan

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#2887598 17-Mar-2022 14:44

The issue with the 3 having insufficent room for OS updates was well documented, and was resolved quite some time ago. They're only $329 new from Apple so I wouldn't be paying $200-$300 for a 2nd hand one.

Handsomedan

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#2887599 17-Mar-2022 14:49

tehgerbil:

Thank you everyone I am looking for an Apple watch.

If I may ask one more question -
I've found an iPhone Watch 2 for 100, sans charger, in perfect condition.

Or just spend 2-300 and get a mint condition 3?

An Apple Watch below the Series 4 is not really worth getting. It'll be slow, lacking some features and will be a poor overall experience.

I still have a Series 2 that i use for Mountain Biking, but my old Series 4 that I gave to my son when I upgraded to the Series 6 is still fast, smooth and regularly updated.

When I use the 2, it feels outdated and slow and generally lacking - despite the fact that it was a very expensive top of the line model just a few years ago.

My honest opinion is to avoid second hand (especially if it's missing the charger) and go new - anything from Series 4 onwards, but you can get some bargains in the Series 5 and SE ranges too.

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jonherries

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#2887600 17-Mar-2022 14:50

To manage daily charging, I just put it on the charger when I shower. It gives me enough to keep it going for about a week.

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tehgerbil

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#2887627 17-Mar-2022 16:01

You guys rock! Thank you :)

Gurezaemon

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#2887681 17-Mar-2022 16:13

davidcole:

That still implies an almost daily charging routine? I think I'm too lazy for that.

Ditto. Before moving to a smart watch, I think I took my regular watch off maybe once or twice a year. Although under the strap looked pretty nasty by then 😬

in the future, a minimum battery life of a week will be a big decider for me.

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alasta

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#2887887 17-Mar-2022 20:39

Gurezaemon:

davidcole:

That still implies an almost daily charging routine? I think I'm too lazy for that.

Ditto. Before moving to a smart watch, I think I took my regular watch off maybe once or twice a year. Although under the strap looked pretty nasty by then 😬

in the future, a minimum battery life of a week will be a big decider for me.

There are two distinct use cases for connected wearables; nerds and athletes.

If you're an athlete then the Garmin Instinct 2 with solar will give you incredible battery life. Also consider the Garmin Fenix 7 with solar.

If you're a nerd then you won't find anything appealing with a week of battery life.

Technofreak

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#2887897 17-Mar-2022 20:59

alasta:

There are two distinct use cases for connected wearables; nerds and athletes.

If you're an athlete then the Garmin Instinct 2 with solar will give you incredible battery life. Also consider the Garmin Fenix 7 with solar.

If you're a nerd then you won't find anything appealing with a week of battery life.

I agree with your use case assessment, however I disagree with your assessment about not being able to have something appealing with a week of battery life. A week of battery life is definitely able to be had with an appealing watch.

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Obraik

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#2887903 17-Mar-2022 21:21

Technofreak:

I agree with your use case assessment, however I disagree with your assessment about not being able to have something appealing with a week of battery life. A week of battery life is definitely able to be had with an appealing watch.

Catering to the nerd use case that was described? No, I don't think so...not for an iPhone anyway. By Apple's design, third party watches will always be a somewhat lesser experience on iPhone compared to an Apple Watch

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Technofreak

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#2887912 17-Mar-2022 21:36

Obraik:

Technofreak:

I agree with your use case assessment, however I disagree with your assessment about not being able to have something appealing with a week of battery life. A week of battery life is definitely able to be had with an appealing watch.

Catering to the nerd use case that was described? No, I don't think so...not for an iPhone anyway. By Apple's design, third party watches will always be a somewhat lesser experience on iPhone compared to an Apple Watch

Spoken by a true Apple Fan Boy. 😇

I don't recall iPhone compatibility being the over riding considering especially as the OP is currently using Samsung watch on an iPhone and is potentially changing to a Samsung phone.

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Gurezaemon

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#2888025 18-Mar-2022 09:51

alasta:

There are two distinct use cases for connected wearables; nerds and athletes.

If you're an athlete then the Garmin Instinct 2 with solar will give you incredible battery life. Also consider the Garmin Fenix 7 with solar.

If you're a nerd then you won't find anything appealing with a week of battery life.

I'm not an athlete - my phone is already with me on walks and handles recording of distances and speed just fine.

I am somewhat nerdy - I absolutely find a week (or more!) of battery life very appealing, more than things like heartbeat monitoring or similar, which to me seem like they would drain the battery.

The high-capacity battery tech in a fitness watch combined with stripping out all the battery-draining fitness bells and whistles would surely give a watch that with at least a couple of weeks' battery life.

I would dearly love to find a smart watch that could handle notifications, alarms, and timekeeping, but that doesn't have all the fitness bells and whistles. And that is also not square, as squarish watches look clunky and ugly 😅

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jonathan18

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#2888031 18-Mar-2022 10:06

Gurezaemon:

I'm not an athlete - my phone is already with me on walks and handles recording of distances and speed just fine.

I am somewhat nerdy - I absolutely find a week (or more!) of battery life very appealing, more than things like heartbeat monitoring or similar, which to me seem like they would drain the battery.

The high-capacity battery tech in a fitness watch combined with stripping out all the battery-draining fitness bells and whistles would surely give a watch that with at least a couple of weeks' battery life.

I would dearly love to find a smart watch that could handle notifications, alarms, and timekeeping, but that doesn't have all the fitness bells and whistles. And that is also not square, as squarish watches look clunky and ugly 😅

I'm very much in a similar boat; the sole fitness-related feature I use on my watch on a regular basis is step counting, but I also insist on a watch where battery life is measured in days not hours.

I find the Galaxy Watch line fine for this purpose - I get three or four days of use, which is adequate; don't bother with regular heartrate monitoring etc, and find that it works perfectly for those every-day functions of notifications, alarms, stopwatch, audio controller for phone etc.

It's also round, which is also a must-have for me; agree square watches are fugly.

While I know I'm paying more for the fitness/health features I don't take advantage of, I'm ok with that as the aesthetics, battery life and other functions absolutely meet my requirements.

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