Please: Help me choose - Apple Watch

[CoffeeLatte25]

I need to choose a watch. I need help deciding as I'm procrastinating & I just need to hurry up & get one!!

Sorry it's a bit long, but just trying not to drag it out/drip feed.

I haven't worn a watch for years as I prefer not to, but, due to a health issues I'm now risk of falling (weakness & nerve issue in one leg) & not being able to get up by myself (leg, knee,hip issues & general
illness). I'm in my 50!s & cognitively fine.

I need a watch with a falls alarm & one I can call neighbours/friends from if I get stuck. It needs to be able to be worn in the shower.

'Your stride' watch is fabulous, except it's not waterproof, My phone is Apple, so I think an Apple Watch is probably my best option, but open to suggestions. I know they are all waterproof.

Several months on, I'm fed up of trying to have my phone on my person 24/7, especially as the rehabilitation clothing I'm wearing is very loose & without pockets & not having much use of one hand/arm im already restricted to what I can carry.

I live alone & it's a pain in the backside having to remember to take my phone whenever I go to the loo or into the kitchen or bedroom.

i have rung Apple, but the customer support wasn't very helpful. They tried to be, but clearly don't use the functions. (Of the 3 I spoke to, none of them had an Apple Watch themselves).

Question1. Cellular or not? How near to my phone does my watch need to be to work
if I don't buy cellular?

(phone is a lot more expensive, but also I'd need to change my phone plan from GiffGaff to either EE or O2 plus pay for monthly watch contract. (Approx £30 per month I could do without adding to monthly commitments while I can't work! But if necessary I'd do it,).

I think outside of home it will be ok as I can't see myself going much of anywhere without my phone (camera) anyway.

Question2: are the screens in S10 much better than thise in the SE?

Question3: Is the S10 worth paying the extra for, for the Sleep Apnoea Alert? Is it any good??
(I know I snore & I wake up as tired as when I go to bed) but is it fairly useless?

& lastly, what other advantages do you think the S10 has to pay twice as much for it

TIA
X

Shameless bump!

Do you have WiFi at home? If so your phone could be downstairs for example and you upstairs in the bathroom and the watch will still work via your WiFi.
I’ve just convinced my mum to get one for the same reasons that you need it for.
The se doesn’t have the option to do an ecg but other than that there isn’t a huge difference. My mums has gone for the se and can see the screen fine.

I have an Apple watch and can’t imagine life without it. Most useful feature on it: wallet! Means I can pay for stuff with bags on arm and wrestling a toddler grandkid so easily. I go running and fall over frequently so that’s especially useful. Never had to use the emergency alarm yet though but it’s all set up.

I can‘t answer any technical questions because I’m a complete goobar with stuff like that, but I’d advise doing what I did at the start: go into an Apple store, and ask as many silly questions as you want. Staff are very well informed, helpful and in my experience don’t go in for a hard sell.

Not that it’s important btw but I’m going on 65, have an Apple phone and manage ok. Go for it - good luck!

My Apple Watch works about 30 or 40 ft down the garden and all over the house, I take calls on my watch if I'm upstairs or in the garden, I don't use my phone much at home so it just sits on the cupboard in the same place most of the time. I'm 67 and use my watch loads

Thank you. Yes I have wifi, I had thought that, but the all said it'll work within x meters if your
ohine. One even says 3 meters?! And whilst I don't live in a mansion, my downstairs toilet is more than 3m from my usual seat in the lounge!

Sorry I now realise I was very vague! The screen I meant outside in sunlight, not in regard to the font size.

There isn’t a difference in the screen outside. They are both good options. Depends on your budget and if you want the ecg option.

Thanks for your reply!

sorry you fall so often when running! Does it set the fall alarm off & you cancel
it, or does it not even set it off?

yes, I bought both my phone & iPad in store & the store are great. I will go in to try the straps & choose one, but due to my health issues I can't be in there too long, so I'm trying to find out as much as I can before I go.

Good to know it works at that distance👍🏻

thanks

I have a series 7 apples watch. It is connected to my phone no matter where I am in house, but it may depend how big your house is. I don’t know the definite distance that they are supposed to reach. If I leave my phone in the seating part of the running track and run round the track it will
loose connection to my phone. But that’s a lot further than you’d go in most houses.

I don’t know the answer to the other questions as I have never owned an S10 or an SE. I also don’t usually wear my watch at night so can’t be much help with the sleep apnea stuff.

I have an SE non-cellular that I bought almost 3 years ago. It picks up my phone wherever it is in my 3 storey house, and in the garden when on wifi. The battery life is a bit rubbish now and runs out if I’ve been active for a long time (hiking, not pottering) and I swim with it on with no issues. I’d agree that sticking with Apple is probably best unless you’re very techy, to keep things simple.

Clothes without pockets is an abomination. I hope you find a solution to that soon.

Apple discussions says about 10 meters or 33ft which sounds about right, I can get a certain amount down the garden then it starts dropping out.

On straps, I bought a pack of various coloured cheap versions from Amazon and they were fine. So you don’t have to get it right first time - there are inexpensive alternatives.

I’ve just bought one but I got Chat GPT to find me the one I needed - and it was more or less the exact same reasons as you have stated. I didn’t have a clue as to what cellular etc even meant as I’m not techy either. Injust told ChatGpt what I needed it for (I also loved the retro Face ID seen but had no clue on models). I also walk my dogs off the beaten track and wanted one in case of an emergency in that scenario too.

Apple Watch SE (2nd Gen) GPS 40mm... https://www.amazon.co.uk/dp/B0DGJ22TT6?ref=ppx_pop_mob_ap_share

I have now got this one and I absolutely love how it looks. Non idea how to use it properly yet but I’ve waved it in Aldi today and after about 10 attempts I paid for my shopping 😊

Thanks!!

it's a lot further than I'd go in my house! 😆

I'll be wearing it at night anyway, because the risk of my leg just giving way is even greater at night 🙄🙇🏻‍♀️.

I upgraded from am SE (several years old) to a 10 a few months ago because the battery life on the SE was getting very poor.

Mine will connect to the phone from 20m away down the garden (our wifi reaches down the garden) and anywhere in the house. The fall alert does work. It's really handy for pinging your phone when you mislay it, answering calls when the phone is in another room, Apple Pay, the maps app for walking and I use the timer all the time.

Thanks xx

there are so many issues with clothes!! My dominant hand/arm is the one I have lost use of so anything that buttons/zips up is impossible. It's affecting the entire side of my body so whatever you usually do without realising it to keep your clothes on/up isn't functioning, so if it's not leggings the clothes fall of, gym leggings with pockets don't work because a) they're difficult for me to get on now and if they're not tight enough the weight of the phone drags them down.

I did have my phone in a soft cross body bag for a while, but it made me feel very 'disabled' and was a pain to keep taking my phone in & out. It's ok when I go out, but didn't really work for me at home.

the 'can you dress independently' question is hard to answer! Yes I can - well enough to be warm & not alarm anyone coming to the door, for hospital appointments. But not for anywhere that requires that I don't look like a toddler off to messy play 😆

also it's affecting my bladder so I need to be able to remove them very quickly too.

jog joy joy

🙇🏻‍♀️🙇🏻‍♀️🙇🏻‍♀️

Well that's interesting as Apple says there's a big difference in the two. 1000 v 2000 nits & the way it's (S10) made to see at various angles & 'always on' technology.

i don't 'think' I need the ecg function?

I don't have a set budget for it. I' just need to buy what fits my needs best. Obviously not working (& at not sure how I'm going to be able to?!?!) the less I need to spend, the bettter, but it will hopefully last a long time, so it's more important t get the right one.

Thanks

Yes, that's true. But I prefer to buy Apple products in store anyway, so I might as well choose on there.

Oh yes, and you’re definitely right to try the different designs, especially if you have manual dexterity issues. I think all I was saying is that if you find it difficult to choose, you still have inexpensive options open to you later.

The big drawback of Apple watches is the battery life issue. I don’t wear mine at night because I have to charge it every night. However, mine does get a lot of use during most days, so you may not find this a major issue. It will fully charge from almost empty in less than an hour.

Also the charging cable on mine is a bit rubbish and doesn’t always work, so I’ve bought a cheapy version that does work. It’s possible Apple has improved the design now though.

Yeah, I'm not sure how I'll get along with the watch straps. I've considered wearing it on my right wrist instead, but I just don't think I could get used to it I don't fancy ones that just stretches to go on.... but I'll see when I go to the store. I knew you could just buy other straps as I'd looked at them (for the Apple Watch) when I was looking for them for the 'Your Strode' watch, but it was good to mention it because I might not have!!

the battery sounds a bit annoying, having to charge it every day/night. You'd think they'd have better batteries by now. But if they charge in less than an hour it won't be a problem for me.

Another question, is it easy to put on Do Not Disturb at night? Is that linked to your phone setting or does it have its own settings??

rubbish about your cable!

The watch kind of goes to sleep when it’s not unlocked and on you.

All my gadgets are permanently on silent - I can’t bear the pinging and tapping. The brilliant thing about the watch is that it buzzes (silently) on my wrist when I get a message or call, which I don’t mind at all.

I find the most comfortable straps are the woven ones with Velcro, called the Sports Loop, not the most elegant but very practical

I will be wearing it when I sleep as that a time, if I have to get up for the loo, that I'm more at risk of falling. I'll charge it during the day.

however I don't want it beeping, vibrating, buzzing or anything during the night - do you know if it's easy enough to stop it doing anything?

That sounds good, I'll have a look. I have ling fine hair so the Velcro might be an issue but as far as doing it up it sounds good. I can do it turn & it not be too fiddly!