Tech writers have tried the new Apple Watch in the hours since its unveiling, and they're not giving it great notices.
Many complain that it's complicated and confusing to use. After all, there's a lot going on with the Apple Watch: It has a "digital crown," a button, and a touch screen to mess around with -- plus, a total of 2 million possible customizations for the clock itself. It's a substantial shift in strategy for Apple, known for simplifying the personal computer, MP3 player and smartphone.
Here's what people are saying (all emphasis ours):
• "On first use, the device felt a little confusing and clumsy. Sometimes it seemed to do one thing; at other times, just the opposite." -- Stephen Pulvirent, Bloomberg
• "The technology feels fresh and exciting but it can also seem confused and unnecessary… It's a confusing collection of options, and using the watch isn't as immediately intuitive as the iPhone. But it does take time for an entirely new interface to become second nature, and I'm sure anyone could learn its ways eventually." -- Heather Kelly, CNN Money
• "Overall, the whole thing felt a little bit fussy… while I've heard an argument that the swiping and zooming on the iPhone and iPad wasn't intuitive either until you saw it in a million TV commercials, I recall the first time somebody handed me their iPhone, a week after it came out, I had it figured out in seconds. This isn't like that." -- Matt Rosoff, Business Insider
• "At first, it was really cool... But I suspect some buyers will feel overwhelmed by all the things you can do with the Apple Watch, causing those who aren’t rabid first-adopters to question whether they really want it." -- Rachel Metz, MIT Technology Review
• "I can’t seem to get past the worry that Apple’s Next Best And Brightest Thing is designed for a future that I don’t particularly want to inhabit. A pingy, buzzy, always visible, always on future that I’ll have to enter begrudgingly." -- Charlie Warzel, Buzzfeed
• "That feeling of not knowing exactly where you are or what's going to happen is pretty disorienting for an Apple product." -- Nilay Patel, The Verge
• "It can also get quickly annoying. What worries me is that Mr. Cook and his executive team didn’t talk as much on Monday about how it will help filter the unnecessary alerts. There is a whole world of apps that would love to buzz or ding on my wrist, even if I don’t really need them." -- Geoffrey A. Fowler, The Wall Street Journal
Of course, there was some positivity, too:
• "Now, it appears as though Apple is once again in the early stages of a major transition that will help shape the future of its business — and, ultimately, of our connected lives." -- Zach Epstein, BGR
• "The Apple Watch does offer conveniences that would make life easier, and keep you from reaching into your pocket so often for your phone -- something that certainly feels rude, even though we're well into the smartphone era." -- Hayley Tsukayama, The Washington Post
Apple did not respond to a request for comment on the reactions.
If you're on the fence yourself, you can try the Apple Watch in Apple Stores on April 10, and the device will be available to own on April 24.