Apple Watch can now display… MORE data!
Apple released a new Apple Watch™. Hurray! Let’s rejoice the sixth baby in the series and its little sibling SE. Such gorgeous, much tech.
Ok, now that the fake applause is out of the way, let’s address the issue with the product here. I’ve two words for you- “Information Overload”. Like what the fuck am I supposed to do with all the data that Apple Watch™ is showing you on the watch and iPhone™ screen? “Ah yes, look! I farted for a total of 23 seconds today.” Well amazing then. Don’t stand near open flames, I guess? See, I don’t care how much the person has farted. I just want to make sure that they don’t burn down the neighbourhood or die because the fart displaced all the oxygen in the room (* ALERT: Your blood oxygen level is dropping! *).
What do I do with the data?
I watched Apple’s ‘It already does that’ advertisement and immediately thought of the meme where a granny is force-feeding a someone while holding them hostage. So, I edited it a little to reflect my feelings-
Take a look at what your iPhone™ would display after a workout session. This is obscene!
I have this cute hybrid watch by Withings that I managed to grab for cheap on eBay. It has a tiny screen that gives all the info that I don’t need. I bought it because I thought I needed some data while running and an Apple Watch™ seemed so excessive, not to mention expensive. Now I just look at the distance I have covered, which I may have also done on my iPhone. I stopped using the other smart features a few months after I bought it because I have no idea what to do with all that information.
Designers need to stop and ask themselves, “So what?”. “So what now that we’re showing the person their ‘Active Calories’ (whatever that means).” “The user is now able to see their heart rate accurate to the second. So what?”
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A useful function for a watch is to count the number of good and bad deeds you do and give you a balance at the end of the day. Does your watch do this?
My first reaction to this feature is what purpose would it serve apart from making one feel good? If that makes one have a peaceful sleep, then it sounds good. But then, how would you define a ‘good deed’ and a ‘bad deed’? For example, if you were to give money to a homeless person, you may have made their day better and it may be considered a ‘good deed’. But if that money encourages them to continue begging or if that money is spent on drugs, then was that really a ‘good deed’?
Secondly, I see this turning into a social credit dystopia within no time. “You may only buy this general product if you have done an ‘A-level’ good deed today.”
I think you forgot to mention one crucial point. With all this data overload, they are also taking customers for granted by only advt the features, which is actually also not working. Like that ecg thing.
I think with the ECG feature, approval from the country’s relevant authority is required. I noticed that the feature is not advertised on Australia’s apple watch page. However, it is advertised in countries where they have approval.