10 Years On and Apple Watch Has Not Left My Wrist Yet
A decade ago, when I first strapped on the original Apple Watch, I had no idea it would become the most irreplaceable device in my daily life. Ten years later, not only has the Apple Watch never left my wrist, but its role has evolved in ways even Apple may not have fully anticipated.
The Evolution of Vision
Apple Watch has been a unique product for Apple in more ways than one. It might be the only product other than Apple TV that did not stay on course after the initial launch and instead evolved from the initial vision of fashion and accessory to a full-fledged health and notifications device.
This shft from status symbol to indispensable health, fitness, and notification device, cemented its place as a daily essential rather than a mere accessory. This transition was marked by Apple’s relentless focus on health features, such as heart rate monitoring, ECG, and later, blood oxygen and temperature sensors.
A Different Kind of Stickiness
Statistically, the Apple Watch sits between the iPhone and AirPods in terms of sales. Yet, for me, the Apple Watch is far stickier. While I have occasionally felt “smartphone envy” or been tempted by new earbuds, I have never tested another smartwatch and thought about switching.
Market data supports this sentiment: Apple Watch continues to dominate the smartwatch sector, holding over 50% market share and consistently showing growth even as the broader wearables market has cooled. Its dependability and seamless integration with the Apple ecosystem make it more than just another gadget.
Notifications: The Gateway to Focus
From the very beginning, Apple Watch was a way not to get sucked into my phone while staying in control of what matters. Interestingly, in the process, it also nudged me to really think about what was worth making it to my wrist, improving focus and lowering distractions.
This unexpected benefit has become one of the most valuable aspects of owning the watch. By forcing me to curate which notifications deserve my immediate attention, the watch has helped me build better digital habits. Suddenly, not every app notification deserves equal treatment, and this realization has extended to how I manage notifications across all my devices.
Fitness Integration That Just Works
Fitness tracking is where the Apple Watch truly shines for me. Its integration with Peloton is seamless: a single tap connects my watch to any Peloton workout, tracking heart rate, calories, and closing my activity rings in real time. The Strive Score, calculated from heart rate zones, gives me a clear picture of my effort across classes—something Peloton alone could not offer.
Tonal integration is equally valuable. My Apple Watch tracks my heart rate during every strength session, syncing data with Apple Health and providing instant feedback. The ability to control Tonal equipment from my wrist—adjusting weights or pausing a workout—adds a layer of convenience that is hard to overstate.
While Apple Fitness+ offers a broad range of workouts and ever-expanding content, I still prefer Peloton’s trainers. Nevertheless, the depth of integration and the quality of Apple’s own fitness ecosystem are impressive and continue to improve.
The Subtle Magic of Haptics
Perhaps the stickiest feature for me is the gentle wrist tap for navigation. Whether walking or driving, the haptic feedback from Apple Maps means I rarely have to look at my phone for directions. The subtlety and reliability of these taps, customizable since watchOS 10, make navigation effortless and distraction-free. So much so that when driving my Rivian, which does not yet support Apple Maps, I run navigation on both the car and my iPhone just to keep those wrist taps active. (Rivian has promised Apple Watch integration soon, but for now, I am not giving up my taps.)
Health Beyond Steps
Apple has continually expanded the health capabilities of the watch, adding features like ECG monitoring, blood oxygen levels, temperature sensing, and crash detection. These are not just checkbox features, they’ve genuinely saved lives, including detecting heart conditions that would have otherwise gone unnoticed.
Beyond the technical specifications, the psychology of the Activity rings has been perhaps the most brilliant aspect of Apple’s approach to fitness tracking. Closing my rings became and still is an obsession, initially for gamification and quickly for health benefits. The simple visual representation of movement, exercise, and standing has motivated me far more effectively than any number of steps ever could.
And yes, I still occasionally cheat with my stands, waving my arm frantically like an Italian can do to get the credit when I am on a plane or in long meetings. But even this “cheating” represents a level of engagement with the device that few other tech products can claim.
A Decade Later
Ten years on, the Apple Watch has evolved considerably from its original incarnation. The most recent Series 10 models come in larger 42mm and 46mm sizes with improved screens that are easier to view from angles, faster charging capabilities, and additional features like water temperature sensors and depth gauges.
As I look down at my wrist today, I do not see the same watch that I first strapped on years ago. I see a device that has grown alongside me, adapted to my needs, and become an essential part of my daily life in ways I never anticipated. And unlike so many other gadgets that have come and gone, I have no plans to take it off anytime soon. That said, I would not mind adding an Apple Ring to it!