Today marks the tenth birthday of the Apple Watch. I only realised this because of the multiple posts I saw online. Ever since I came across those posts, I have been reflecting on how this device has impacted me. I did not buy the Apple Watch immediately; I waited for a year, and when the Series 1 Apple Watch launched, which was essentially the original Apple Watch but with a faster processor, that is when I made the purchase. I have been wearing an Apple Watch for almost nine years now.
In these nine years, I believe the main feature that the Apple Watch consistently delivers, and the reason I cannot simply switch to an any other watch, is its health features. Notifications on the wrist are great, and controlling your phone camera from your wrist is convenient, making quick calls and texting when in a hurry is great, Apple Pay on the wrist is still magical, but the primary feature for me is the wealth of health information the watch delivers. This is not limited to just closing the three rings every day, which I strive to do almost daily, but also includes various other data points, such as whether I am walking steadily, or if my oxygen levels are OK.
In the last few months, I have even started wearing my Apple Watch to sleep, and it provides me with valuable sleep-related information. For example, I use the Bevel app to check my readiness score the next morning, which serves as a guide for how I should approach my day, do I push myself or take it easy? The Apple Watch motivates me to engage in activities I would not typically pursue. It has encouraged me to go to the gym to complete my workout rings and has prompted me to do cardio more frequently to improve my VO2 Max.
All these benefits would not have mattered if I did not have an Apple Watch. Perhaps, if Apple had never created a watch, I would have ended up purchasing a smart ring or something similar. However, the Apple Watch is what got me into fitness and enabled me to track that data. I have nearly nine years of data in the health app, and there are aspects of that data I am not even aware exist. And more importantly, I know this data is private. Apple is possibly the only company I trust with my heath data.
One day, I would like to explore mechanical watches or even luxury watches, but I have been contemplating that future. When I finally buy myself a Speedmaster Pro, I do not intend to wear an Apple Watch simultaneously, as I do not want to be the person who wears an Apple Watch on one wrist and a mechanical watch, a classical timepiece, on the other. I hope Apple eventually creates a ring, but that is a discussion for later. What I am getting at is that the real competition for the Apple Watch is a Rolex or an Omega, not necessarily some other brand of smartwatch, that is my opinion, feel free to disagree.
There may come a day in the future when I might not wear an Apple Watch at all. However, today, I cannot imagine living without it, primarily because the health app provides me with a wealth of information. I will consider my future watch habits when the time comes, but for now, I am grateful for the Apple Watch. Happy birthday, Apple Watch, and thank you.
