The Apple Watch goes with me where ever I go. When I don’t have it on my wrist, things feel weird and I miss my little device. The Apple Watch has also helped me to lose weight yet again.
But there are ways that it can improve. In fact, I’d love for Apple to really push the hardware and software even further this year (although I want that every year). I still want there to be some big moves on the Apple Watch in 2020, unlike what 2019 felt like.
Hardware
Design
Honestly, the Apple Watch still looks great. I don’t feel like there needs to be much of a design change to it. The screen goes mostly to the edge, there are two sizes. Right now, I can’t imagine the Watch growing or shrinking in size. It might be nice to have a larger screen on your wrist, but that would defeat some of the watch’s perks like its size.
In 2019, with the Apple Watch Series 5, we got the always-on screen that many have been asking for – not me – and a compass, but not much else. That’s okay. There doesn’t need to be something revolutionary every year. Plus, I think the screen can be fine-tuned just a little more to help with battery power as it is.
So really, the only thing that I would want in a new Apple Watch would be a slimmer design. Now, don’t go jumping on me for that. I don’t really have an issue with the thickness of my watch at all. But if Apple could make it just a little slimmer, it could really provide a boost to the otherwise already-great design.
Sensors
The one area that I hope that Apple pushes forward in is Sensors. We already have the heart rate sensor and the ECG as far as health goes, so I’d like them to keep pushing that boundary.
Blood Oxygen Monitoring
There are rumors of a blood oxygen monitoring feature coming in the next WatchOS. Blood Oxygen monitoring help to monitor how much oxygen is in your blood at a time. This helps to track serious respiratory and cardiac issues. During all of this Corona Virus outbreak, that might be a good thing. Plus many other smart wearables already track this, so it should be a checkbox for Apple to compete with those companies.
The thing about the blood oxygen monitoring though, Apple has been able to track this metric since the original Apple Watch, but they haven’t. This tells me that Apple’s system either doesn’t track as well as it could, or there are other issues involved. Whatever it is, I would imagine that Apple would work this out before they launch it or they don’t think it is as important as it could be.
But to me, the more data it can give me and monitor about my health, the better.
Keyless Entry
I use my Apple Watch mostly for health, time, and notifications, but one of the things I really love about it is the ability to pay for things with my watch. In regards to paying for more things with Apple Watch, that is going to come down to the vendors that I shop at. I will admit that I get excited when I see the wireless payment logo and I put my wallet away.
Now there are rumors that Apple is bringing the ability to use your iPhone or Apple Watch as your car key.
Sadly, my current car doesn’t have the option (that I know of) nor am I looking to buy a new car right now. In the future though, I will be looking for cars that have CarPlay and the ability to let me use my Apple Watch as a key.
I can just imagine getting rid of the keys in my pocket and unlocking my car just by getting close it with the Apple Watch.
More Health Sensors
I don’t really know what else I want in a health system, but I didn’t know that I wanted a heart rate sensor or ECG, but both of those have been used on my watch, and have helped set some minds at ease.
It would be great for Apple to push into more life monitoring and life-saving features that I didn’t even know about. I would love for them to continue to help me monitor how I’m pushing myself when I train.
watchOS 7
Honestly, watchOS has come a long way. Apple has uncoupled watch apps from its iPhone counterpart. The Watch has come a long way towards its independence from the iPhone. I would love for that to continue. The more I can use my watch away from my phone the better.
But I don’t want to pay $10 a month to have access to the internet that I use only for Siri and music. That’s not an Apple controlled thing though, that’s the carriers.
But here are something that I would love to see in watchOS 7
Adaptive Watch Faces
I’m pretty satisfied with the watch faces that get added every year. Most of the time, I keep my watch face on the Infograph Modular, but a quick swipe and I can get the Siri Watch face or the Infograph face. But I wish all these faces did more.
I think I’m one of the few people in the world that actually likes the Siri Watch face. In my opinion, there need to be more Watch Faces like this one. I love that the data I see on the face adapts with the time and the things that the watch has learned about me.
But the face isn’t very stylish. What if the other watch faces had a complication that would change for you. If my drive were going to be longer than normal, maybe it would get displayed somewhere on my other watch face.
Or how about your watch knowing where you are? If you enter the gym, the watch could change your face to one of the Activity watch faces. When you get to the grocery store, maybe one of your complications change to the reminders app so you can launch your grocery list. Chance Miller over at 9to5mac thought the same things as well. He would like his watch face to change based on location, time, and closed activity circles. It would make sense, but I’d settle for just a changing complication.
As smart as the device has become, I feel like the data could better present to us. It drives me crazy when I start a timer on my watch but can’t see how much time is left on my watch face.
More Workout data
Last year, Apple added the ability to track trends through your workouts. If you’re anything like me though, that’s not a page that I go to very often when I’m looking at my workouts. If Apple has all this data and they are starting to compare the trends, I wouldn’t think the Apple Watch becoming your coach would be that much of a stretch.
I would like the Apple Watch to offer suggestions such as pacing during a run, or even give me post-workout feedback, other than just my heart rate.
What if my Watch could tell me that my last run was better than my similar run from a year ago. Or maybe, it could even be hard on you and tell you that your average pace is dropping compared to last year.
What good is it having all this data and barely comparing it? I want my watch to be proactive. If I start to slack off, I want my watch to bug me to start trying again.
Apps
3rd Party Apps
I have started to move away from Apple’s first-party apps. I only use the workout app when I need to, but I use Strava for running, walking, and biking now. It isn’t because the app is better, but I get so much more detail from it in my ear.
I think the workout app is great and I would use it more if there were more coaching in the ear with it.
But really, third-party apps still don’t seem equal to Apple’s apps. For example, none of the workout apps that I use implement a now playing screen while in use. I’m not sure if the apps don’t have the ability to or not, but it would be very nice to use while running.
And other than exercise apps, there aren’t too many other uses of apps. I’m not sure how Apple could bring more developers to the platform, but they seem to be driving them off.
It is nice that you can search the App Store on the watch now, but I hardly ever do that. Any new apps I get on my watch, just seem to come from iPhone app counterparts. That’s probably still the best way to get apps though.
App Launcher
I don’t really want to pile on to the honeycomb grid of apps that Apple came up with, but it is hard to use. It looks good, especially on the watch. When I need to find an app, I usually long-press on the honeycomb screen and put my apps in list mode. It takes a while to find apps that way sometimes, but it is quicker than the honeycomb.
Part of the issue comes from the fact that the honey moves around when you delete an app.
Really, most of this has already been solved, but it still bugs me. Most apps that get used should probably be launched from the dock or the complications on a watch face.
Sleep Tracking
Many people seem to really want the Apple Watch to monitor sleep tracking. While I am into fitness, sleep tracking isn’t something that really interests me.
For one, tracking sleep is great, but what can you really do with it? People already know when they wake up if they slept enough or not (the usual answer is no). I get that people want this data, and I want them to have it too, but it isn’t something that would make me rush out and buy a new Apple Watch for.
As it is now, I take my watch off every night to charge it. It gives my skin some time to rest away from the watch. Many years ago, I had a Fitbit that I never took off. I showered in it, I swam, and I slept with it. It tracked my sleep, but it also started to irritate my skin. I don’t want that to happen again. But I will include it here for those that want that feature.
Besides, for it to really work, the battery in the Apple Watch would have to be much better.
Battery
I don’t have any issue with the battery in my Apple Watch. As I mentioned above, I take my watch off every night to charge it. I think since I bought my Apple Watch Series 4 on launch day, it has run out of battery once.
But how nice would it be to go for a weekend trip and not need to charge it the entire time?
When Apple really expanded the battery on the iPhone it felt like a game-changer. I think boosting the battery where could feel like that as well.
Wrap Up
The Apple Watch is the device that I probably use more than any other. It is on my arm every day.
But the device is far from perfect. There is room to grow.
This year, I hope that Apple adds more sensors, provides more proactivity, and touches up the interface just a little.
What would you like to see in the Apple Watch this year? Are you happy with it? Let me know in the comments.
Also, check out my other wishlists for 2020:
updated (3/17): added sleep tracking and battery in, which was missing from the first publish.