Apple Watch Series 2 Announcement Causes Some Disappointment

Besides announcing the iPhone 7 and 7 Plus, Apple also unveiled the Apple Watch 2. Tech Radar has the news.

“The Apple Watch Series 2 made a big, water-resistant splash at Apple’s iPhone 7 launch event, giving us a revision that’s closer to the smartwatch we always wanted. Its biggest highlight is the most-requested Apple Watch 2 feature: a built-in GPS chip.”

The article adds that the GPS chip allows for more advanced tracking and means that you can leave your iPhone at home when you go for a run. The new Watch is also waterproof, and even Apple encourages that you swim with it. Mac Rumors, a site that reported on those who had some hands-on time with the Apple Watch 2, says the device shows promise.

“Since most of its features are activity-focused (swimming, running, etc.), opinions on how the new Apple Watch functions under these conditions were left to speculation, but otherwise the resounding takeaway appeared to be that Apple has successfully innovated in areas where Series 1 lacked.”

Mac Rumors adds that an extended battery and a slight design change would have been welcome. However, some of the commenters after the article aren’t thrilled.

“I want round face watch (smartwatch). I’ll be sticking with my Moto 360,” says Pika2000.

“Maybe it’s just me, but I can REALLY see the added thickness and it kind of breaks the design for me. The Apple Watch 1 was on the verge of being too thick, this one crossed it,” says Wiesenlooser.

AnandTech talks about the new ceramic casing.

“For those that are unaware of what this finish entails, the ceramic casing is much stiffer than stainless steel which makes it much harder to scratch and impervious to corrosion. It’s going to feel a lot more like glass rather than steel.”

The article notes that similar to glass, the ductility and malleability of ceramic is pretty low and if you do actually damage the casing, the watch will shatter altogether.

Commenters after the article weren’t too thrilled about the hands-on pictures that were displayed.

“That looks like something you’d find on the radiology department at your local hospital. Seriously,” says Theduckofdeath.

“Well, it looks like they won’t be swaying the “apple watch is ugly” crowd with this iteration,” says Erikiksaz.

However, there are still some people on Twitter excited about the new Apple Watch.

I’m excited for this new Apple Watch Nike+.

— Steve (@nevets1212) September 8, 2016

One thing the Apple Watch 2 won’t have is cellular connectivity, which differentiates it from the Samsung Gear S2 or upcoming Gear S3 smartwatch. It is rumored that Apple wasn’t able to put cellular capabilities on the new Watch because it would hurt battery life, which is already pretty dismal.

The Apple Watch Series 2 represents Apple’s latest struggle. Many people have said that the company has lost the innovative edge it used to have. The announcement of the iPhone 7 and iPhone 7 Plus certainly didn’t help with Apple’s fading image. The smartphones are barely an upgrade from last year’s iPhones.

One of the biggest controversies over the new iPhone is the fact that they left off the headphone jack. Nashville Chatter describes why this could be a mistake.

“The absence of the headphone socket comes at a time when almost every premium wired headphone is connected to a smartphone using this socket. It is often regarded that wired headsets provided the best sound quality when compared with headsets that use Bluetooth or other wireless means,” says columnist Grant Hamersma.

Even though wireless headphones have improved over the years, most would say the sound quality just simply “isn’t there” yet. Do you think leaving the headphone jack off the new iPhone 7 is a mistake? Do you think not including cellular connectivity with the Apple Watch Series 2 is a mistake? Let us know what you think of Apple’s latest products in the comments section.

[Photo by Sean Gallup/Getty Images]