The 22 coolest things to do with the Apple Watch!
Using a smartwatch might not make a lot of sense, particularly taking into account that we have our smartphones with us almost all the time. However, that doesn’t mean that the wrist-bound gadgets don’t have any value or can’t bring even more use and fun to your daily life. For that reason, we have compiled here a list of the coolest things to do with the Apple Watch, whether they are to make things easier, they are fun, or they are surprising!
1. Falsely postpone your time
A special feature for those facing issues with always being late to everything. The Apple Watch lets you falsely postpone the time it shows in up to 59 minutes. That is, the watch will show the time 59 minutes after the real time!
Of course, the time will be properly tracked. Notifications will show you the correct time at which they were received, meaning that the postponed time will only show up for you.
2. Responding to text messages
One of the best things to do with the Apple Watch is responding to any text message directly from your wrist, being very practical, but it can be somewhat difficult to type in such a small screen.
It’s possible to respond to any regular SMS messages as well as iMessage messages, also letting you send premade answers or even use Siri to answer. The messaging app found in the smartwatch also lets you check any conversation history. Further, it’s also possible to send messages through Facebook Messenger.
3. You don’t need to take your iPhone for a run
The Apple Watch comes with a built-in GPS, so that you don’t need your iPhone when you go out for a run! Apple’s smartwatch is extremely precise in its distance and speed tracking. When you finish up your run, you will be able to check the course you’ve taken on your phone.
4. Share your heartbeat
Maybe the intention was to help people in sharing their health with a friend or doctor, or maybe the intention is to help its users in using the Apple Watch to send a pickup line to someone they like.
The true reason is not that important, but the several uses – whether they are useful or merely fun – the feature has made it get a spot among the coolest things to do with the Apple Watch.
5. Use Apple Pay
Even though there are many stores and services that don’t accept Apple Pay, Apple’s smartwatch can make it much easier to process any payments compatible with Apple Pay. That is, you just need to open up the payments option in your smartwatch and hold it close to the reader, without the need of pulling your iPhone or wallet out.
6. It has its own emojis!
The Apple Watch also comes with its very own emojis, which you can easily send to other similar watches or to any of your contacts’ iPhone. In the smartwatch, they will be animated, while on the iPhone they’ll be seen as static images.
7. You can use it in the water without worrying!
Ever since the Apple Watch Series 2, it is possible to swim, walk in the rain, and perform any other aquatic activity with a depth of up to 50 meters – that is, just don’t try to go deep diving with it. It’s worth mentioning that, as is the case with any other such gadget, you can’t submerge it in saltwater!
Important: The original Apple Watch and the Apple Watch Series 1 do not have the protection we’ve mentioned, so delete this item from your mind if you own either one of them.
8. Keep track of your workout progress
The Apple Watch calculates with even more precision details such as distance and speed. However, it doesn’t end there, showing you other metrics about how you’re progressing in your daily workouts. Things such as calories you’ve burned and how long each session lasts are recorded, and this is one of the coolest things to do with the Apple Watch.
9. Receive notifications from your iPhone
Through the connection with your iPhone, the Apple Watch can be configured to receive as well all notifications that come from the smartphone. The watch lets you st up which types of notifications you’ll receive, such as e-mails or social networks, among others, so that you only receive those that actually matter to you.
10. Customize your screen
Are you tired of your original screen? No problems! You can download and use new ones so you can change things up a bit. The many different faces available for the Apple Watch can also have a functional theme, such as one that’s exclusive for workouts and even some that let you read the time as you would in an analogic clock!
11. Check quick information
One of the most useful things to do with the Apple Watch is using the Glances, which resemble a lot the iPhone’s notifications, even though they do work quite differently.
You can set up the types of news and apps that send info to the watch – such as weather, important events from your calendar, and more – and they can be seen in the small screen and swiped to be dismissed.
12. Apps
It wouldn’t be a smartwatch if you couldn’t install apps, would it? The apps offer many possibilities of what to do with the Apple Watch. The options range from tracking your runs, your health, or even controlling your TV, among so much else.
If you want to use your Apple Watch to the full extent of its capabilities, check out our article about the best Apple Watch apps you can use!
13. Use Maps without taking your iPhone out of your pocket
Have you ever gotten lost because you were afraid of taking your iPhone out of your pocket to check the map? Well, the Apple Watch is the perfect solution! Even though it can be risky to use it, it is much more discrete and it can easily be mistaken for a regular watch.
As such, you can check your route without making yourself too vulnerable. Even so, the Apple Watch emits different notifications every turn towards your destinations, so it might be good to keep it under your sleeve.
14. Send drawings made using the Apple Watch
Yep, you can even draw and share these drawings by using Apple’s smartwatch. They are made in the screen of the gadget, and you can send them to any other watches. Drawing in such a small screen is honestly quite the creative challenge in itself!
15. Access your contacts quickly
Making phone calls, sending text messages, and sharing your heartbeats or drawings wouldn’t be some of the best things to do on the Apple Watch if you couldn’t quickly access all of your contacts.
Just as is the case with most of the other options in this list, the process to do so is also very quick, and you can do so by tapping the side button in the watch.
16. Use Siri
As we mentioned in a few previous items, the virtual assistant Siri becomes even more useful in the Apple Watch. Using it allows you to chart routes, access contacts, write text messages by speaking, send them, and a lot more. However, you need to be connected to your iPhone to be able to use it.
17. Read emails
As we talked about in the item about notifications, the emails you set up using your account can also be seen on Apple’s watch. You can check the notification, open up the email, tag the message as read, or open up an answer box on the iPhone that’s connected!
18. Listen to music
By connecting your Apple Watch to Bluetooth earbuds or speakers, it is possible to listen to music through the watch. Its options are more limited, but you will be able to listen to the tracks synched to your iTunes library, through Apple Music, and even through Spotify!
19. Send your location data
The Apple Watch also lets you send your location data to any of your contacts, thanks to its built-in GPS. All you need to do is to open up the messaging app and tap on the screen to see an options menu. Among them, you’ll see the one you need to use to share your location!
20. View your pictures
The Apple Watch can also access and show your pictures that are on your iPhone through iCloud. Up to 500 pictures can be imported from the smartphone, and you can use them as your watch’s face. A more recent update lets you set it up to show a different picture every time you turn on the screen..
21. Find your lost or misplaced iPhone
Similar to the feature called Find my iPhone, the Apple Watch lets you locate your phone if you have lost it, if they’re connected. The distance limitation for the connection stops it from locating if it got stolen, but it will work amazingly well if you’ve simply forgotten where you last left it.
22. Answer phone calls
The last of the cool things to do on the Apple Watch is to answer your phone calls. Even though the feature requires that you have your iPhone nearby, it makes it so you don’t need to touch your phone.
It’s worth mentioning that this only works for standard calls, as the Apple Watch doesn’t let you answer to FaceTime calls, for instance. However, you can answer to it and them transfer to the iPhone.
Another thing to keep in mind is that the watch has speakers and a microphone, but it doesn’t have an earphone jack. As such, it is a good idea to keep in mind where you are and what you’ll say, as people nearby will be able to listen to everything.
What are your favorite things to do with the Apple Watch?
The watch can come really in handy, especially with the features to which you get access via the connection to the iPhone. Let us know in the comments which ones are your favorites, and don’t forget to also check out the best apps for iPad, the most common iPhone charging mistakes, and what to do when your iPhone won’t turn on!