aNewDomain — Dan Shapiro knew about the limitations of the Apple Watch when he bought the device. He thoroughly researched it like he researches all his technology purchases.
I knew that it was only splash-proof at best, that it only held 15 hours of battery life before I needed to recharge it, that I needed to push a button to see the time, that I needed to remember to charge and bring my iPhone with me for the Watch to work, but still, I just had to have it.
Shapiro, like many so-called Apple fan boys, is an early adopter — someone who buys Apple’s next product before the rest of the market.
He shelved his $39 water resistant Casio Illuminator watch as soon as the Apple Watch was charged, but the habit of being able to shower and swim with a time-sensitive device strapped to his wrist was still with him when he dove into the YMCA pool with his new Apple Watch.
Oops.
“I didn’t even have it for a month before frying the thing,” said Shapiro. “I was still struggling to reduce the number of notifications and buzzes I got and trying to figure out how to use it when I made an idiot’s mistake.”
A fitness buff, Shapiro bought the watch to track his health progress, but soon found he had a lot of admirers of his Watch, just like when he was an early adopter of the first iPod, iPhone, iPad, etc.
Even though the Watch no longer functioned in the traditional sense, Shapiro found great pleasure in the smooth, curved thing on his wrist.
It almost didn’t matter that I didn’t use it for anything, not even the time. Time is everywhere. The Watch gave me a feeling that money can’t buy. My $349 watch was a conversation piece. In fact it still is. No one needs to know that I bricked it in the pool. The burdens of remembering to charge it, and bring my charged phone everywhere, have been lifted. I have all the benefits of the Apple Watch without the built-in limitations.
Will he buy the Watch II?
“Wait, there’s a Watch II?”
For aNewDomain’s Skewed News, I’m Dino Londis.
Featured image: Apple Watch Sport by Yasunobu Ikeda via Flickr
Body image: Screenshot by Dino Londis courtesy of Apple
I wonder if Apple Care + covers the watch for water damage? Might be a good investment if so.