The Apple September event just concluded. While there were some new products – new iPad, new iPad Mini, new Apple Watch, and new iPhones – one of the things I was really looking forward to hearing about was the new Apple Watch. I just wrote last week about how I wanted Apple to prove me wrong about the new Apple Watch being for runners. Well, nope – actually, it was something of a disappointment.
The New Apple Watch Series 7 – Not Made for Runners
Cyclists Get Some Love
You can read about my issues with the Apple Watch for runners in this post. Today, I was a little interested when Apple started the Apple Watch section with a bit about new features for cyclists. But, they just were additions for cyclists that already existed for walkers/runners. The two new bits were reminders to start an activity when it senses your movement and the fall alert system. Great for cyclists.
What Else? Not Much
- Larger display
- Better durability
- Faster battery charging
However, that was pretty much it. They stretched the display out a bit more to have more data but they have not really done anything with this in the new WatchOS to allow for more data screens in the activity app so that doesn’t do anything for runners there. They did make the display tougher as well which will be welcome by anyone that likes to head out on trails and such.
I was honestly stunned that the Apple Watch reveal was really a disappointment. New bands? New faces? Slightly more display space? And that is it – except for faster battery charging. Now, 40 minutes of charging will take it from 0% – 80%. A quick 10 minute charge will add 8 hours of battery life.
That is nice but Apple didn’t do anything to make the battery life last longer and they added not a single sensor to it that would have taken away from the battery life. Sure, the extra display uses more battery but not as much as such things used to take.
Apple Watch Series 7 – Not Made for Runners
Apple has pretty obviously turned completely from runners (which was their main focus with the original Apple Watch) to more of general fitness. Great for anyone that wants to get healthier and more active or for runner that want a high-tech smartwatch. But, not a watch made for runners. That’s a disappointment for many but definitely not for Garmin, Coros, and others.
Well with best in class wrist based HR, GPS and apps like work outdoors that better Garmin’s efforts it is moist certainly made also for runners
If you are talking about full-on smartwatches (like from Samsung, Apple, etc), then you are correct about best-in-class. But, the GPS tracking is not best in class. It does smoothing and not actual GPS tracking like other, fitness oriented watches do. Also, Apple was the one that first made the play to runners with this – they should have been the one to offer a better running app, not leaving it to third-party developers to offer options for metrics that the “dumbest” of GPS watches offer. Garmin offers way more in the metrics and display department than any Apple app.
Lastly, Apple’s refusal to offer a version that gives better battery life for GPS usage shows that it is not made for runners. Does it work for runners? Absolutely and it does a good job. But, Apple no longer makes the Apple Watch “for” runners.