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Original poster

Apple Watch - worth it?

43 replies

FloraBotticelli · 14/08/2025 20:03

I’m kind of tempted because of atrial fibrillation history in the family. I know they caveat that they can’t diagnose, but maybe for my own peace of mind. If you’ve got one, have you found they’re worth it?

OP posts:
RH1234 · 14/08/2025 20:07

I don’t own mine for that purpose, but I know others who do to monitor their heart.

I’m apple through and through, so love their products, if you have iPhone it’s a great addition.

JustFeedMeCake · 14/08/2025 20:10

I love mine. For notifications, fitness, taking calls, the lot. I wouldn’t be without it.

sanityisamyth · 14/08/2025 20:18

RH1234 · 14/08/2025 20:07

I don’t own mine for that purpose, but I know others who do to monitor their heart.

I’m apple through and through, so love their products, if you have iPhone it’s a great addition.

This.

pictoosh · 14/08/2025 20:31

Had one. I wasn't blown away by it. Didn't replace it when it died. So for me, no.

mynameiscalypso · 14/08/2025 20:37

It’s worth it alone for the feature where you can use it to make your phone make a sound. As someone who is always putting their phone down in random places, I use it almost daily.

cashmerecardigans · 14/08/2025 21:24

I have one as I have been diagnosed with AF. You can record that you have the condition and it gives you a report every week. I find it really reassuring for that reason

allthegoodusernameshavegone · 14/08/2025 21:24

Yes

notnorman · 14/08/2025 21:26

mynameiscalypso · 14/08/2025 20:37

It’s worth it alone for the feature where you can use it to make your phone make a sound. As someone who is always putting their phone down in random places, I use it almost daily.

Same! This feature is so useful

Mrsmunchofmunchington · 14/08/2025 21:41

I have just got one for the fall alarm function.
I love the whole watch.

RH1234 · 14/08/2025 21:44

mynameiscalypso · 14/08/2025 20:37

It’s worth it alone for the feature where you can use it to make your phone make a sound. As someone who is always putting their phone down in random places, I use it almost daily.

This is a brilliant feature

mylovedoesitgood · 14/08/2025 21:46

Love it - worth every penny if only because of being able to pay for stuff using the watch without getting my phone out from my bag.

Original poster
FloraBotticelli · 14/08/2025 22:04

mynameiscalypso · 14/08/2025 20:37

It’s worth it alone for the feature where you can use it to make your phone make a sound. As someone who is always putting their phone down in random places, I use it almost daily.

Is that ‘find my phone’? I do that between my iPad and iphone.

@cashmerecardigans that’s handy to know, thanks

I can’t visualise how to pay with it (it took me ages to figure out Apple Pay on my phone) - I’ll have to look it up!

Thanks for your thoughts everyone.

OP posts:
summersleftus · 14/08/2025 22:15

No the battery life is rubbish, have a look at garmin instead

notnorman · 14/08/2025 22:21

The battery doesn’t last a long time but I’ve taken all notifications off it (I don’t need to know that Ocado has emailed me with a deal, for example) and I have a routine so when I take a morning shower it goes on to charge. They charge quickly

ChangeOfTheName675274 · 14/08/2025 22:23

The watch has its own button to make your phone ‘alarm’ make a sound so you can find it. Epic.

brilliant also for Apple Pay, heart notifications, seeing an incoming call (and silencing it), a quick glance to know whether it’s important to take the call or it can wait, see whether you need to pick up your phone. Can also change which app notifications go to your watch or only your phone.

highly recommended personally.

mynameiscalypso · 14/08/2025 22:27

I found out the other day that you can write iMessages on your watch using your finger to mark the letters and it translates it into text. I then sent DH a very long stream of pointless messages.

ChompandaGrazia · 14/08/2025 22:31

FloraBotticelli · 14/08/2025 20:03

I’m kind of tempted because of atrial fibrillation history in the family. I know they caveat that they can’t diagnose, but maybe for my own peace of mind. If you’ve got one, have you found they’re worth it?

My DH would have possibly died with AF, twice, if the watch hasn’t warmed him.

Daisymay2 · 14/08/2025 22:35

DH has persistent AF. He has tried various watches, although not Apple. Didn’t find any very useful. Hospital recommended a little monitor which his GP also used. Can’t remember what is was called. He didn’t bother as he can sense when he goes out of rhythm . None of the medics believed him initially but he was always right.

Hobbes8 · 14/08/2025 22:36

I was a bit disappointed with mine. I bought the lowest spec version and a 2nd hand one, so maybe the expensive ones are markedly better, but it needed charging every day and I didn’t like the fitness app. It died after about a month (I suspect they’re not as waterproof as advertised and I wore it swimming twice) and I got a refund and bought a Garmin, which I really love.

ChompandaGrazia · 14/08/2025 22:39

Longer answer, (cat came home and demanded dinner.)

DH has had AF twice (he only gets it with stress). It flashed up and told him to go to hospital. The hospital took the warning seriously and he was treated and out of hospital within the day. While he was waiting and hooked up to the machines he compared the readings on the watch to the machines and they were the same. It came on again a year later with the same result.
He now has a packet of the drug he needs to re regulate his heart. He has been told that if the watch gives him a notification again he can take the medication.

My dad has one too. He collapsed when my mum wasn’t at home. The watch realised this and called my mum and then an ambulance.

I use mine to pay all the time. Very easy to do and everywhere that takes contactless can take it.

I can also use it to unlock and start my car.

HappySummerDays · 14/08/2025 22:41

I charge mine overnight.
It’s great.

caramac04 · 14/08/2025 22:42

Love mine and would replace it tomorrow if it stopped working.
I’ve had a couple of falls when trail running. I was fine but it’s reassuring that the watch will get me help if I need it. Dog is useless in that respect.

TheChosenTwo · 14/08/2025 22:44

mynameiscalypso · 14/08/2025 20:37

It’s worth it alone for the feature where you can use it to make your phone make a sound. As someone who is always putting their phone down in random places, I use it almost daily.

Exactly the same!
I use the ping button about 5 times a day 😂

I don’t really ‘use’ it for anything else though beyond telling the time - totally not worth it for me in that I don’t make use of the functions - I like being able to record my workouts and it’s shown me how much my swimming etc has improved over time but just because of the nerdy stats, I don’t actually sit and analyse them regularly or anything.
Tbh I think for exercise stuff people that are more into the nerdy stats use other fitness watches.

ErrolTheDragon · 15/08/2025 01:11

DH and I both have Apple Watches and find them very useful.
He’s got AF - mostly controlled at the moment - but finds the overnight monitoring reassuring. But also if you’ve got heart issues, do get one with the simple ECG functionality, there’s an app which can analyze the data (ECG+ I think). His cardiologist reckons it’s definitely useful. He recently had a lot of ectopics and some very long beats, which turned out to be due to medication for an eye problem - having the data was very helpful in getting the matter resolved.

re battery life, it’s better now than earlier models and the charger is much faster - it’s usually pretty much done in the time it takes to bath.

we do use the exercise app, and also both of us are gradually losing a bit of excess weight monitoring calories with the nutracheck app - the exercise calorie count is integrated and we find it pretty accurate

Thunderpants88 · 15/08/2025 01:16

mynameiscalypso · 14/08/2025 20:37

It’s worth it alone for the feature where you can use it to make your phone make a sound. As someone who is always putting their phone down in random places, I use it almost daily.

I agree with this. I also work in a patient facing roll. Looking at phone with the demographic of people I predominantly work with would be viewed as rude and largely unacceptable. With the Apple Watch, however, I can see a notification and do nothing. But if the school, childcare or hospital / doctor call I know it is important and I would excuse myself and step out.

I have also found the added benefit is I spend a lot less time soon scrolling. When you pick up your phone to add a Callander entry it’s so easy to then check instagram notifications, see and need to process emails, finish the grocery order. So I find with the watch I do less “waste me time” stuff than can wait til the children are in bed and have more focused time with them.

It is a win for me.