One might call them "mistakes", but they are not. They are things that Apple was no doubt aware of (and could/should have fixed). Their arrogance, perhaps, caused them to think "why bother". Too bad...
I am not the first Apple fan to lament poor user experience delivered by Apple Watch. Several sources suggested that Steve Jobs was not involved with Apple Watch
and that it is mostly the brainchild of Jonathan Ive. Well, it lacks in design department as much as it does in commercial one..
1. Watch controls
Digital Crown per se is a cool concept. If it were the only button on the side, located in the centre. Two different buttons on a miniature device is so un-Apple. They ARE confusing - after several minutes of explanation by Apple staff, I was still not
sure why the same result could not be achieved with one button or just a touchscreen...
2. Water-proof
Designing a sport watch that is not water-proof is worthy of the Darwin Award. Ditto.
3. Retail experience
Booking an appointment to try an Apple product is stupid. Most of the people would want to try on different types of straps (which DO feel differently indeed). Apple should have offered dozens of empty cases with all the available straps for customers to
freely try on.
4. Dummy watch
Another Darvin Award goes to the guy who authorised the use of dummy (OK, "looped demo") watches for trying on. Fully (sort of) working version is only available on a museum-style stand.
5. Charging
Wireless charging is cool. Until I have to pack an iPhone charger, a Mac Book charger and an Apple Watch charger (and a Kindle charger, and a toothbrush charger, and...) There are several ways how iPhone-style jack could have been neatly incorporated into
the watch design. Never mind.
6. Use cases
Apple Pay is coming to Europe soon, including the UK. Several sources suggested that Apple Pay will be enabled on Apple Watch too. One of the coolest use cases for Apple Pay in London would be Oyster replacement. Yet Apple doesn't even mention it. Oh, well...
7. Gold Apple Watch
Did they draw inspiration from Vertu? What can be said of a person who shells out US$10K+ for a piece of (clever) electronics
encased in a chunk of gold? Someone grossly misadvised Apple on that matter...
I am sure that in a few years' time Apple Watch 6S will bear no resemblance to the product which currently cannot even be shipped for three months or more from the order date (pretty much like a made-to-order car). For now, it's a huge disappointment.
P.S. OK, at my wife's request, a few things I did like about Apple Watch: (a) the Link bracelet is amazing; (b) steel version feels good on the wrist; (c) screen is surprisingly legible, even when reading emails; and (d) the potential is there...