Apple Watch 2 Wishlist: 9 features we want to see in a second generation Apple Watch
The issue is, like with every other Apple product, the first generation has always been a bit disappointing when compared to its second generation. Take the original iPhone for example; it couldn't record video or even copy and paste when it was launched. It wasn't until its third generation that the iPhone got video recording capabilities.
It's the same story with the original iPad - once the iPad 2 and 3 came out, app support for the original iPad started to dwindle before Apple eventually pulled the plug on the device and its OS updates altogether.
With this in mind, we started to wonder about what potential features could be included in Apple's second generation Apple Watch. Waterproofing Smart straps We've come up with nine features that we'd love to see on the second generation Apple Watch.
See also: Apple Watch review
Better battery life
There was great speculation about the battery life of the Apple Watch on the run up to its (second) announcement. Apple put this worry to bed, claiming that the Apple Watch has an "all day battery life" but would still have to be charged each night, much like the iPhone. The issue with "all day battery life" is that it isn't very specific, and people that constantly use it will likely need a battery top up.
Looking at rivals like the Pebble Time Steel, which has a pretty amazing battery life of around 10 days, it makes the Apple Watch battery seem a bit disappointing. Yes, the Pebble Time Steel uses a less power hungry display, but even a 2-3 day Apple Watch battery life would be better than having to charge it every night.
It also opens up more functionality in the Apple Watch, mainly with sleep tracking. With a longer battery life, users could wear the Apple Watch to bed and get accurate stats about their sleep - information that's pretty popular, judging by the success of apps like Sleep Cycle.
Camera
While many may argue that a camera on a smartwatch is a silly idea that has similar privacy issues to Google Glass, it has its upsides. The Apple Watch already acts as a viewfinder for your iPhone camera, which is a useful feature to have but it needs stepping up a level.
FaceTime is a feature that Apple talks about with regards to almost every device it has, apart from the Apple Watch. Wouldn't it be great to be able to answer a FaceTime call from your wrist The watch already has a microphone and speaker, so it's not a huge jump to make.
Also, selfies would be so much easier to take! Just lift your wrist, frame up your selfie using the Apple Watch display and then take the photo - it could be as easy as that.
See also: Complete Guide to Apple Watch
Qi charging capabilities
The new form of wireless charging used by the Apple Watch is a great feature; it snaps into place using magnets and leaves no unattractive port on the watch. The only issue is that if your battery runs out while you're away from home, Apple Watch chargers will be hard to come across.
An ideal situation would be for the Apple Watch to support Qi charging, a wireless charging standard that's becoming increasingly popular, with companies like Samsung including the technology in its latest flagship phone, the Galaxy S6. While wireless charging pads aren't as popular as cables, there's more chance of you coming across one on your travels - McDonalds, for example, has said it's installing 600 Qi hotspots in 50 restaurants for the public to use.
Smart Straps
Smart straps are a fantastic idea, which Pebble realised and implemented in the Pebble Time and Pebble Time Steel. Pebble are letting developers and manufacturers alike create their own smart straps that connect to the watch via a smart accessory port.
What's the big deal Smart straps have the potential to make a good smartwatch great; from a battery pack strap that gives your watch extra battery power, to a strap that has in built LED's that flash whenever you get a notification. You could even go one step further, and cover the strap in LEDs for a truly unique design.
Fitness fans could have a workout strap with extra sensors that improve the health and fitness functionality of the Watch. The possibilities are there, Apple just needs to allow the manufacturers the freedom to create!
See also: Apple Watch accessories round-up
Built-in GPS
One feature that's missing from the first generation Apple Watch is built-in GPS. Apple has dictated that the Apple Watch can't really be used without the support of an iPhone.
It has made exceptions though, like with the health and fitness tracking. Your Apple Watch will (eventually) learn your pace and therefore be able to produce an accurate representation of your workout without the need of an iPhone.
While that's great news for fitness fans, it doesn't really help other applications - what if your iPhone runs out of battery and you need to use the Maps app It doesn't seem very practical to us, and it's a feature that we really hope to see in the next generation of Apple Watch.
Better water resistance
The first generation Apple Watch does have some level of water resistance, although it's far from impressive - which is surprising for Apple. The Apple Watch falls under the IPX7 designation, which means that it should be okay in the rain or shower (which Apple doesn't recommend anyway) but anything more will cause damage to the device.
A watch should be able to resist more than that - we're not saying go diving 50m down with your Apple Watch on, but it should be able to withstand aquatic activities like swimming. A more water resistant Apple Watch also means that you generally have less chance of a water damaged Apple Watch.
Circular display
There are two visually different kinds of smartwatch currently on the market - square and circular. The former is the form factor that the Apple Watch has adopted, and while it looks stylish and has the fashion industry excited, we hope that Apple creates a circular variation for those of us that appreciate the design of a traditional circular watch. Smartwatches like the Moto 360 and LG G Watch R look like traditional watches with completely digital, circular displays and are extremely popular - we doubt that's a coincidence.
There are UI issues with a circular display, namely getting text to fit on screen properly. Ironically, this is an issue that Huawei showcases on its Huawei Watch page. We think this is more due to Android Wear being used by a variety of smartwatches, all with different sized and shaped displays. If Apple were to create a circular display, we think the UI would reflect the decision because it's designed specifically for that hardware.
See also: 26 Apple Watch rivals compared
Thinner design
The current Apple Watch measures in at 10.5mm thick, and while this is pretty impressive compared to other smartwatches, watch blog Hodinkee reported, "The Apple Watch doesn't fit under my shirt cuff without serious effort, if at all". After comparing the width of the Apple Watch to the Asus ZenWatch, which has a 9.4mm width, we'd have to assume that Apple would shave some precious millimetres off the Apple Watch for a second-generation device.
Gold plated option for Watch Sport and Watch
Last but not least, we'd love to see a Gold plated option on the Watch Sport and Watch models of Apple Watch. Gold is a great, striking colour that looks gorgeous on the Apple Watch, but seems to be limited to the seemingly "rich with money to burn" category.
Apple may be dubious about including a cheap Gold plated option, especially as it takes value and exclusivity away from the Watch Edition collection. While this may be true, we think that the hype around the Edition will die down soon after launch, leaving Apple to launch a more affordable Gold counterpart in later generations.
See also: Apple Watch buying guide and price list