Apple Watch -- September 22, 2022

Yesterday I posted:

Whether you love or hate Apple, these headlines are obnoxious. On so many levels. It should be noted that CNBC is a Microsoft company. Who is it for a journalist (or any person, for that matter) to tell us what we need / don't need; want / don't want?

Just as obnoxious: those headlines / stories purporting to tell us "everything" we need to know about something. Amazing how bright these folks are to know everything about something about which I need to know.

Wow, wow, wow. Bull's eye.

Link here. Overwhelming demand for the watch no one needs has resulted in shipping delays. 

Link here. Reviews

• folks love the 60-hour-plus battery life
• folks love the 100-feet water resistance
• apparently real folks know this is more than a watch, something mainstream journalists seem not to know
  

The Verge's Victoria Song shared her overall impressions:

The Apple Watch Ultra is big, a lil' chunky, and goes hard on features that the average joe won't need in their everyday life. And at $799, it's the most expensive watch in the current Apple Watch lineup (Hermès edition excluded). After a week of testing, I don’t think it's going to bump Garmin, Polar, or Coros watches for the Ironman, thru-hiker, or deep-sea diving crowds, at least not yet. But it's legitimately good for weekend warriors and intermediate athletes — and very tempting for folks who aspire to that status and a whole lot of people who just want the biggest, baddest Apple Watch they can get.

Song said in a week of testing the Apple Watch Ultra, she was "regularly blowing past" the device's advertised 36-hour battery life in standard mode:

- This past weekend, I charged the Ultra to 100 percent. I then hiked for two hours and 15 minutes, used the compass and GPS extensively, and tracked my sleep that night. I woke up the next morning with 50 percent battery left.

- Another day, I went for a 30-minute GPS run and did another 20-minute rowing workout. I also took a short call on the watch and ended the day with 84 percent battery.

- Nilay, our editor-in-chief, managed to get 56 hours on a single charge and still had 14 percent left. He was mostly staying at home, so he wasn't using cellular data or GPS. Still, that should give you an idea of what you'd get if you need a few rest days or aren't interested in the Ultra's fitness features.

CNET's Lexy Savvides on pricing vs. the Series 8 and Garmin smartwatches:

Considering the $749 45mm Apple Watch Series 8 in stainless steel costs almost as much, I think the Ultra is a better overall value, given that you get additional hardware features like the Action button (which I've come to love), an emergency siren and extra microphones to boost call quality.

It's also priced competitively with other sports watches that have a similar titanium construction and OLED screens, like the $999 Garmin Epix 2. The Apple Watch Ultra's battery doesn't last as long, and it doesn't have anywhere near as many navigation features as the Epix 2. But it's easier to use, has heart features like an electrocardiogram (ECG or EKG) app, cellular connectivity and seamless integration with the iPhone.

If you're someone who wants a true hybrid smartwatch and sports watch, the Ultra is the one to beat.

For the record, I won't be buying the Apple Watch, any model. I don't wear watches. I don't wear jewelry. I don't wear a wedding band. I don't have tattoos.