Thanks to the weekend, I’ve been using some extra time to test out the new Apple Watch and use it in situations that I might normally not try out if left to my own devices. So far, so good, as my battery life and connectivity have performed as good or better than expected.
Rather than a single 3,000 word review, I am going to just keep on gradually logging thoughts and observations on the new Apple Watch Series 3 as I use it. For today, I’ve been using the Watch as my primary communications device, but I’ve just been running errands, walking around the local Farmer’s Market, and now I am at home watching College Football with my Dad. In other words, I haven’t been hamming away trying to test every feature on the Watch today. This has been more of an example of typical, real-world use.
Like all of the other early risers who wanted to be sure to get their Apple Watch Series 3 orders in, I got my Apple Watches today. I got both the Black Sport with the new Sport Loop band, and the Gold Sport with the Pink Sand Sport Band. I actually meant to order the Gold model with its corresponding Sport Loop, but I think I got a little punchy and mixed up at 2:05 AM. Oops.
Evidently the higher prices didn’t keep customers away from Apple’s new flagship Watches as preorders started Friday morning. Even though the Apple Watch Sport models range from $329 for the 38mm with Sport Band to $429 for the 42mm, they are all sold out. I just went through all of the models in both sizes using the Apple Watch app and most are listed at three to four week availability, with some out to four or five weeks, A few are even pushed out to October at this point.
Most of the sane people you know who are Apple users and are interested in upgrading their phones or watches will just head to Apple.com or use the Apple Store app when they have a chance over the weekend and get squared away. No big deal. It’s just a phone or watch, right? Yeah. For better or worse, that’s not me.
Unless you’ve been living under a rock (or maybe concerned with serious, real life issues like deadly hurricanes), you have probably heard that someone at Apple spilled the beans this weekend. The iOS 11 Gold Master is out in the wild ahead of Apple’s event on Tuesday, and with it, most of Apple’s secrets and surprises, as well. It has been picked over by the tech media and developers and we now know a huge chunk of what Apple will show us on Tuesday. If you don’t like spoilers, read no further.
This week brought us a couple of reports that a new Watch will be coming sooner than many tech experts thought. The Series 1 and 2 Apple Watches were released in September of 2016, and as with the 1st Gen, or Series 0 Watch as some call it, there was reason to think Apple would give them more than a just a one year product cycle. However, according to both Mark Gurman and others at Bloomberg and John Gruber of Daring Fireball, a new Apple Watch will be here before the end of the year.