4 ms·

Does anyone with an Apple watch (or other smartwatch) feel it helps them leave their smartphone behind and/or reduce their smartphone usage?

innocentoldguy 9y ago
I do. I have an Apple Watch with a SIM chip in it and I leave my phone at home all the time. I still get text messages and emails, so I know if something urgent is going on, but it is also a bit of a pain to reply, so I find, more often than not, I don't. It helps me to plan my responses to specific times during the day.
- josefresco 9y ago
  Thanks for this. We're considering smartphones for our soon-to-be "tween" children, however I've considered pairing them with a smartwatch, in an attempt to keep them from developing this same "dependence". I doubt it will work for them (Snapchat/Instagram etc.) however it might work for me/us.
- seddinbad 9y ago
  Can you install apps like a simple web browser, Google maps or whatsapp/telegram on it ?
- whytaka 9y ago
  I second this. The Apple Watch lasts all day for me while on LTE. It's all I need and want.
- rashkov 9y ago
  I’ve been thinking of doing the same. Are you able to do google maps and uber?
rhodysurf 9y ago
Yes. When I'm doing stuff I never look at my phone cuz I already know what notifications I have and whether or not I care
btreecat 9y ago
Sort of. My pebble lets me reply to many types of messages, but not all. It also does support music controls which is also useful. So there are more times I can just leave it either on a charger or somewhere in the house and not worry about where it is exactly. Until I get an MMS or a phone call.
jld 9y ago
I have found it to help. It's not a perfect solution, but I find part of the process of being less involved with my phone is acceptance of the fact that I might not be able to be able to address every need at every moment and that's ok.
graeme 9y ago
Mine hasn't, as there were too many things which didn't quite work. (Uber, lack of podcasts, difficult to play language lessons as MP3s, etc.) Instead I made my smartphone much dumber, and it isn't really distracting now. But, I'm hoping a future watch os will have a better third party app development framework and allow it to be truly phone independent. I bought the watch hoping for phone independence.

innocentoldguy 9y ago

I do. I have an Apple Watch with a SIM chip in it and I leave my phone at home all the time. I still get text messages and emails, so I know if something urgent is going on, but it is also a bit of a pain to reply, so I find, more often than not, I don't. It helps me to plan my responses to specific times during the day.

josefresco 9y ago
Thanks for this. We're considering smartphones for our soon-to-be "tween" children, however I've considered pairing them with a smartwatch, in an attempt to keep them from developing this same "dependence". I doubt it will work for them (Snapchat/Instagram etc.) however it might work for me/us.
seddinbad 9y ago
Can you install apps like a simple web browser, Google maps or whatsapp/telegram on it ?
whytaka 9y ago
I second this. The Apple Watch lasts all day for me while on LTE. It's all I need and want.
rashkov 9y ago
I’ve been thinking of doing the same. Are you able to do google maps and uber?

rhodysurf 9y ago

Yes. When I'm doing stuff I never look at my phone cuz I already know what notifications I have and whether or not I care

btreecat 9y ago

Sort of. My pebble lets me reply to many types of messages, but not all. It also does support music controls which is also useful. So there are more times I can just leave it either on a charger or somewhere in the house and not worry about where it is exactly. Until I get an MMS or a phone call.

jld 9y ago

I have found it to help. It's not a perfect solution, but I find part of the process of being less involved with my phone is acceptance of the fact that I might not be able to be able to address every need at every moment and that's ok.

graeme 9y ago

Mine hasn't, as there were too many things which didn't quite work. (Uber, lack of podcasts, difficult to play language lessons as MP3s, etc.) Instead I made my smartphone much dumber, and it isn't really distracting now. But, I'm hoping a future watch os will have a better third party app development framework and allow it to be truly phone independent. I bought the watch hoping for phone independence.