Nate Swanner, writing for The Next Web:
Apple thinks you have — or want — multiple Apple Watches. With iOS 9.3 beta and the watchOS 2.2 beta, you can pair multiple wearables to the same phone.
For developers, this is a solid feature. If you’ve got a 38mm and 42mm Apple Watch you want to physically test a glance on, this is cool.
When it comes to consumers, I can’t see how this is handy. Unless you’re buying an Apple Watch for the kids (which is a bit silly), why would anyone have two? More to the point, what prompted this feature?
Answering his own question:
It could be a forward-facing addition, though. Over time, I can see some using an older Apple Watch for little more than proper fitness tracking during workouts. So long as HealthKit can cobble together data (and it does a decent job with my Apple Watch/iPhone, so Ic an’t see why it wouldn’t be able to handle multiple watches), it may work out just fine.
Of course. As Apple releases new models, I can only imagine that people will still want to use their older Apple Watches, perhaps for workouts or messy work, something to wear while working in the yard, painting, soldering, etc., keeping the newer model for less messy occasions.
As is, I suspect there are not a lot of people who own more than one Apple Watch. Many Apple Watch straps, for sure, but not more than one Apple Watch. But with the eventual release of new Apple Watch hardware, the ability to pair your phone to multiple watches is a natural evolution.
Maybe this is to help multi-platform scenarios. “Person A” with an Android device could get an Apple watch and use “Person B’s” iPhone to configure/load apps. The phone would act as a hub for multiple devices the way Macs used to for iPhone. Just a guess.
I wouldn’t mind the other way around. I would like my work phone calendar/notifications to be merged with my personal phone calendar/notifications on one device.
It would be nice to pair multiple phones to a single watch. Yes, there are people with 2 phones, or more.
so Android guy needs to stay within range of iphone guy?
no.
I don’t own an apple watch. Yet. Waiting at this point to see version 2. So not sure how the current software works but maybe these are a couple possible scenarios
1) Its done in case your current watch is lost or stolen or you happen to upgrade. Thus, you don’t have to remove the old watch and loose the settings etc when adding the new/replacement. Like I said I don;t have one so don;t know if its easy to replace a iwatch in iOS without loosing anything before.
2) There are other devices that run WatchOS. Not necessarily a watch. Thus, you need to pair those with you device so need a way to do multiple. This seems logical and the current beta allows this process to be “tested” with developers pairing multiple iWatches to test functionality of the process.
What would also be nice is the ability to pair more then one device to the same watch. Like the scenario posted, there probably aren’t that many people carrying around more then one iPhone. But, I know my spouse has to have a separate phone for work. Can’t access the email, cal, etc via her personal iPhone. So would be nice to access the cal, email, messages from both devices.
has no one else ever wanted to borrow their spouse’s watch and to go thru the clunky re-pairing? i have.
Presumably, the next Apple Watch would be more independent. You’d use the phone to load native apps or music which you could then use without the phone. You can already do quite a bit with just the watch. http://www.imore.com/heres-what-apple-watch-can-do-without-iphone
Or maybe Apple will be coming out with multiple styles of watches as they continue their “fashion” focus. Maybe the difference between a dress watch and a casual watch will be more than swapping bands. I’ve actually wondered whether or not different bands and colors will be enough to make the watch “distinct” enough for many people. Apple watches are not so common now, but as they become more common, people are not going to want to look the same as everyone else.
I’m sure there are people out there who bought more than one watch, minority though they be.
Use multiple Apple Watches to overcome insufficient battery life. If you want to use it during the day AND sleep tracking, just have two and switch every day at noon. They aren’t that expensive, so this is a reasonable solution.
Maybe you’re thinking “watch” instead of “wearable”
Maybe wealthy people already own multiple Watches? A Sport model for, well, sports and other fitness activities; a regular Watch model for every-day use; and an Edition for fundraisers, galas, and the like. Each with their own set of bands. Many wealthy people already have a collection of analog watches, so why not a collection of smart watches too?
I don’t know why “multiple AppleWatches” is so confusing for the people.
Pairing more than one Watch is a “no-brainer” for me. I bought two Watches (Stainless steel silver and Sport spaceblack). My Sport is my Every-day-watch. My stainless steel is my watch when I’m wearing suits on my business trips or for example as a guest at wedding party. Pairing the Watch with the iPhone is really annoying. I was really pissed about this limitation.
People forget what the Watch in the first step is! It’s a watch and a watch is also a fashion piece. Before I bought my Watches, I was wearing 3 different watches. Now with my Watch I can wear a ton of different watches. Everyday a other style! This Watch with this strap and this watchface. In different variations.
I’m waiting for the Watch 2. I hope they will release new colors and materials and new straps. Maybe I would buy one or two or maybe three Watches with different straps.
Pairing mutliple Watches with an iPhone! A no-brainer and a good thing.
(Sorry for my bad english.)
My first thought was that this is laying the groundwork for pairing multiple wearables to a given phone. Long term, I think we’ll see different wearables than just a watch/band and it’s possible that the same person will wear several.
Yup, I’m in the same boat. I’d like to receive notifications to both my personal and work iPhones.
We get it, you discovered the “” character.
If I had a $24000 apple watch, I might want a $1000 one for general duties
Uh, why do people have 2 pairs of pants or 2 shirts?
Obviously, you wear your metal-band Apple Watch with a suit and you wear your Apple Watch Sport at the gym. And they both stay paired to your one iPhone.
DUH.
Are you bored?
You can if you add/share the calendar out to your personal device or vice versa.