In a post I published before Apple Watch was even released, I noted that the most important features Apple hadn’t emphasized about the device were its convenience, and immediacy. Convenient because it is right there on your wrist, and immediate because everything is one raise of the wrist away.
I stand behind what I wrote at the time, especially now that I’ve had time to actually use Apple Watch and confirm my early beliefs. Something I hadn’t envisaged though is how liberating Apple Watch can be.
It is liberating because it allows you to not be tethered to your iPhone at all times, worried you will miss a phone call or a notification. As a matter of fact, my iPhone is now usually left alone somewhere in the house, acting as my connected hub and pushing all the important stuff to my wrist. iPhone remains the most important device because it is the one through which everything goes, but ironically, it’s also the least important one because all that matters is sent to my wrist, regardless of where I go in or around the house (as long as I remain in Bluetooth or Wi-Fi range).
This feeling of not needing your iPhone at arms reach is actually soothing and liberating, but again, like with most benefits of Apple Watch, it’s something you can’t really comprehend until you’ve experienced it.
On the last episode of our Let’s Talk iOS podcast, Cody calls it “being disconnectedly connected,” and although a bit ridiculous to say or hear, it actually defines the situation very accurately. You’re still connected to everything that is important to you, be it a message notification, or a phone call, but at the same time, you are physically disconnected from your iPhone.
No more walking back upstairs to get the phone I forgot at my desk. No more walking back in the living room to grab my iPhone before doing some work in the garage. Everything of importance is now right here on my wrist. For everything else, I’ll get to it when I’m around my iPhone again.
It’s a nice feeling indeed.