Ionic vs. Apple Watch Series 3

[Ralthan]

Apple just released info on the new Series 3. I have the Series 1 along with a Charge 2 HR. I actually use both right now because I like the Fitbit App more than the Apple one. The Ionic intrigued me, so I pre-ordered it last week. I am now reconsidering. Lets discuss pros and cons of each. Off the top of my head I see the following.

Apple Watch Series 3

Pros

LTE - Can make and send calls

Streaming of Apple Music over LTE (Big plus to me - but not much known at this time)

Improved fitness capabilities

Nice selection of bands

Charging is now compatible with Qi standards

Cons
1 day battery life - no sleep tracking

ID not refreshed - still looks a bit geeky

Expensive

Fitbit Ionic

Pros

4 Day battery Life

Fitness focused

Cheaper than AWS3

Cons

No LTE (Might be a Pro for some)

select bands

Not much of an App store (yet) or apps

Clunky looking ID

I would love for people to weigh in on this. I am up in the air on which to get at this point!

Tony

[bbarrera]

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@ManuelB wrote:
This is whyFitbit could be integrated into AW...best of both worlds.

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I would love to have Fitbit extend MobileTrack to include steps from both iPhone and Watch.

[rfjouben]

When the AW3's major advantage falls flat on delivery.

https://seekingalpha.com/article/4108349-apple-watch-problem-fitbits-gain

[bbarrera]

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@rfjouben wrote:

When the AW3's major advantage falls flat on delivery. 

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Don't connect to open network that requires clicking Accept, and you won't have the problem. Not a hardware issue, and it has an easy workaround. 

Moral of the story: don't connect to open WiFi networks with captive portal (e.g. Starbucks) and AW3 works as advertised.

[dermbrian]

Personally, I don't see the Apple Watch as stylish in the least.  The Ionic will definitely look a little more at home on my wrist for daily wear than an Apple Watch or my current TomTom Spark, or my current Garmin Vivofit2.  That's worth a few dollars, right there.

Brian

[minigno]

I'm not sure if you opened the link, but the story is about LTE connectivity issues.  Not Wi-Fi issues.  In short, the watch is having trouble actually connecting to the LTE network...which is the whole poin of paying for the LTE watch, which is 80-90% of their pre orders according to the articles.

Nothing to do with accepting connections on wifi networks, sounds like a much bigger issue.

[bbarrera]

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@minigno wrote:

I'm not sure if you opened the link

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@minigno I did. It was written by a guy that invested long on Fitbit and has lost a lot of money. He writes a lot of articles on SeekingAlpha trying to pump up the stock and recover his losses.

The article is long on BS and short on facts. Let me clear it up for you.

Apple official statement:

“We have discovered that when Apple Watch Series 3 joins unauthenticated Wi-Fi networks without connectivity, it may at times prevent the watch from using cellular”

(emphasis mine)

@minigno wrote:

Nothing to do with accepting connections on wifi networks, sounds like a much bigger issue.

Wrong. Read Apple's statement.

The 'problem' with AW3 disappears if you don't connect to open networks (no WiFi password) that require clicking Accept.

Its that simple. Which is why many reviewers didn't see the problem. The problem occurs because the AW3 prefers BT over WiFi, and WiFi over LTE. No phone? The AW3 will try connecting to WiFi before LTE. Makes sense, right?

Have you ever gone into Starbucks, and your phone connects to WiFi (unauthenticated network) and opens a web page where you must click Accept to get connected? Before you click Accept your phone will not use LTE, and it is "without connectivity" and you won't have a data connection to the Internet. That is exactly what is going on here.

Almost the same thing happens to my wife at work. Her phone automatically connects to the guest WiFi network, and sometimes the WiFi network is "without connectivity" which is a fancy way of saying the WiFi equipment drops Internet and IT needs to power cycle the equipment. Happens every couple of months without fail. And when it happens she calls me up and says "my phone can't get to the Internet." And I ask, "are you on WiFi?" She answer "Yes." Then I tell her to turn off WiFi, and magically her phone starts working again. And she asks "whats wrong, I thought my phone uses AT&T to get to the Internet?" And I have to explain that her phone is insisting on using WiFi instead of LTE. And because the WiFi network is temporarily not connected to the Internet, thats why her phone couldn't get to the Internet. 

[ho0lee0h]

You fail to point out that almost all reviews say the LTE feature is not as it’s cracked out to be... it drains the battery and is impractical. The Verge, who consistently rates Apple products in high regard has given it a 5/10. Speaks volumes to me.

And who wants to charge their Apple Watch twice a day when it’s connected to LTE? It’s better to get the WiFi model... and at the point, Fitbit Ionic seems like the better buy to me. The only advantage the AWS3 has is apps.

https://www.theverge.com/2017/9/20/16334066/apple-watch-series-3-lte-new-features-review-2017

[Breezygirl8]

The Verge, lol 

[ManuelB]

What worries me a bit are the reviews talking about buggy software on the ionic...like in the past with the blaze in the beginning. I am not really a fan of beta firmware. Be it Apple or Fitbit.

[Gonfreaksss]

The iphone connecting to unauthenticated Wi-Fi networks is one of the annoying things that Apple has never remedied.  There are ways around it, but it continues to re-appear every so often.  If you turn Wi-Fi off completely, you then have to remember to turn it back on at a later time.

Apple really dropped the ball when they released the Apple Watch without remedying this "bug" prior to releasing the AW 3.  Irregardless of the connectivity issues, LTE really does appear to be a major drain on the battery.  Check out this review from the WSJ.  She had to charge it several times a day.  She also mentioned how her wrist got really warm when using it for talking.  

If you are getting the AW 3 for purely the LTE feature, it is not worth it... at least with this iteration.

https://www.wsj.com/articles/apple-watch-series-3-review-untethered-and-unreliable-1505905203

[SunsetRunner]

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@Gonfreaksss wrote:

The iphone connecting to unauthenticated Wi-Fi networks is one of the annoying things that Apple has never remedied.  There are ways around it, but it continues to re-appear every so often.  If you turn Wi-Fi off completely, you then have to remember to turn it back on at a later time.

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Oh yes. I use the app WiFi priority to stop just that. I got fed up with it persistently connecting to my car’s WiFi.

[bbarrera]

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@Gonfreaksss wrote:

The iphone connecting to unauthenticated Wi-Fi networks

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I don’t have that problem, and no one in my immediate family has that problem. The iPhone will only connect to WiFi networks you’ve previously joined (“known networks“). 

Im not a runner, but if I was then having LTE on Watch would be like an insurance policy. 

This is Apple, sensational headlines about something that isn’t a real issue. 

The Verge easily got more than one day of battery when not using LTE. I’ve got a series0 and can do sleep tracking with charging at morning and evening while in bathroom getting ready for day/night. You’ve got bigger problems if OCD enough to care about tracking every single minute up to 4 days versus 1.5 days. 

I’m a little torn between upgrading from Series0 to Series3, or giving Ionic a spin. If Ionic was $200 then no question, but it’s pretty much at same price pain point as AW3 and honestly I use replies and voice commands far more than 'fitness tracking' and this year I’ve averaged over an hour of working out per day.

[rfjouben]

It does not appear as if it is the same price point. The GPS and Cellular is going for $399 not $329 and you have the additional $10 a month access fee a year so in the first year alone it is a $219 difference for the AW3. 

[bbarrera]

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@rfjouben wrote:

It does not appear as if it is the same price point. The GPS and Cellular is going for $399 not $329 and you have the additional $10 a month access fee a year so in the first year alone it is a $219 difference for the AW3. 

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Price confusion? There are two models, the GPS and the GPS+LTE. You are not required to pay for cellular. And in fact you could decide to only pay for cellular for a month or two, when you need it. I did that for my iPad a few years ago. It does not automatically cost more for cellular if you go with GPS+LTE model.

I'm not a runner, and I can't imagine leaving my phone at home when working out so I would buy the GPS-only AW3.

[rfjouben]

No price confusion. I did indicate that the GPS was $329 but LTE was $399 and the post referenced getting the LTE model and almost the same price point so I was making a point regarding that post. 

I talked to Verizon who is my carrier and the sales rep may have got the information wrong but told me that it was an annual contract for the $10 a month so turning it on and off was not an option.  I am not saying you are wrong on that point just that I was told something different. I am also not sure why one would get the LTE version unless they wanted cellular all the time but to each their own.

[bbarrera]

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@rfjouben wrote:

I am also not sure why one would get the LTE version unless they wanted cellular all the time but to each their own.

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Yeah, if safety (or staying connected) and running without a phone was important to me then $10/month would be worth it.

I cycle, and always have my phone in rear jersey pocket. At spin class I run Zwift and have phone on handlebars. And I lift weights and do TRX at home. When hiking I'm usually in the Sierra mountains and there is no cell coverage.

Absolutely no reason for me to pay more for the LTE version.

[ManuelB]

For us in Europe the choice is even tougher: 399 chf for ionic and the aw 3 42mm, 369 chf aw 3 38mm...

[SunsetRunner]

I have also been contemplating.  I'd love to have ionic and watch.  Just trying to figure how I would use them together.  Can you put one on left wrist and one on right?  Big bucks and remember $10 month for cellular.  If have both and use 3 mainly for phone text, assume maybe battery last longer.  Wonder if you can turn off some things that I'll be using ionic for?

[N8teGee]

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@SunsetRunner wrote:

I have also been contemplating.  I'd love to have ionic and watch.  Just trying to figure how I would use them together.  Can you put one on left wrist and one on right?  Big bucks and remember $10 month for cellular.  If have both and use 3 mainly for phone text, assume maybe battery last longer.  Wonder if you can turn off some things that I'll be using ionic for?

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Seems a bit overkill wearing and using both but I can imagine there will be some that do.

[SunsetRunner]

The main reason I would want the watch is so I wouldn't have to have my phone with me in case of an emergency, plus want to be free of my iPhone, which can be an obsession.

Tough decision as I have the charge 2 at the moment.  Probably shouldn't buy ionic or watch and just use my iPhone and Charge 2.    I leave Charge 2 on wrist all the time.

With both the iconic and watch can listen to music without having to go to phone all the time to start, change play list etc.  Any time you get into your phone you get side tracked looking at all those apps.

Wish could talk to siri when not connected to my computer or wi fi to have her play by playlists!  That would solve this problem.