My daughter has opened up a Royal Bank account and is entitled to an Apple Watch Series 1 for free or an iPhone SE for $79. What would be the better choice? She has an iPhone already but no Apple Watch. She may keep the phone if she selects it or give it as a gift or sell it. She will not use the Apple Watch so it will most likely be given away as a gift. I already have an iPhone 5 and 6 so I do not need it. Personally, I like the iPhone over the Apple Watch.
Apple Watch Series 1 or IPhone SE
- Thread starter Samranchoi
- Start date
I have the series 2 watch. It’s a gimmick, comes in handy, don’t need to have the phone out and still get messages.
I can answer calls when I’m in the basement, so I don’t need to carry he phone around.
Series one isn’t worth much not that 3 is out.
Apple gives away old stock they can’t sell as promo’s.
I can answer calls when I’m in the basement, so I don’t need to carry he phone around.
Series one isn’t worth much not that 3 is out.
Apple gives away old stock they can’t sell as promo’s.
I think you can get the SE for $0 now at most places with a plan. Having said that, I have the SE and like it. Works well and I kind of like the smaller size. So if Royal is giving an unlocked SE for $79 (assuming it's not the 16GB model), it might be a good upgrade for your daughter if she has a iphone 5 or older or you could sell it. I wouldn't take the series 1 watch.
Thank you for the feedback TFZL1 and essguy_. I like my iPhone 5 because of its smaller size over the iPhone 6. It is the 16gb phone so that is a drawback but I still see it as a better option over the Apple Watch Series 1.
If she’s got an iPhone 6, there’s no point really to owning an SE. Both units are relatively easy to sell on eBay/Kijiji, so I’d probably go for the watch. The Series 1 is still a current model — Apple discontinued the Series 2 but still sells the 1.
If she’s at all into fitness, it’s a no-brainer. It’s better than most of the lower end fitness trackers for everything except sleep tracking (there are some decent apps, notably AutoSleep and Pillow, but Fitbit’s HR line is still better there, as is the now discontinued Jawbone UP3). You can swim with the series 1, especially recent revisions, despite what they say about it not being waterproof. The exercise app doesn’t support swim workouts on the series 1, but there are third-party apps that do. A lot of the competition like the Alta HR isn’t safe to use while swimming.
Important tip though: it will come with WatchOS 3. If she thinks she’ll use it to listen to music a lot on her phone, don’t upgrade to WatchOS 4. WatchOS 4 removes the ability to browse your phone music library. Now for phone music it’s basically a souped up remote control, and a lot of the stuff you used to do through the interface is now only available via Siri. If she’s a Spotify subscriber though it’s no big deal; not much changes and it’s arguably easier to use. Eventually there’s a good Spotify client app coming; the Spotify company hired the main developer. No word on ETA for that.
If she’s at all into fitness, it’s a no-brainer. It’s better than most of the lower end fitness trackers for everything except sleep tracking (there are some decent apps, notably AutoSleep and Pillow, but Fitbit’s HR line is still better there, as is the now discontinued Jawbone UP3). You can swim with the series 1, especially recent revisions, despite what they say about it not being waterproof. The exercise app doesn’t support swim workouts on the series 1, but there are third-party apps that do. A lot of the competition like the Alta HR isn’t safe to use while swimming.
Important tip though: it will come with WatchOS 3. If she thinks she’ll use it to listen to music a lot on her phone, don’t upgrade to WatchOS 4. WatchOS 4 removes the ability to browse your phone music library. Now for phone music it’s basically a souped up remote control, and a lot of the stuff you used to do through the interface is now only available via Siri. If she’s a Spotify subscriber though it’s no big deal; not much changes and it’s arguably easier to use. Eventually there’s a good Spotify client app coming; the Spotify company hired the main developer. No word on ETA for that.
