New Apple Watch is a dive computer

[Skunky]

Nice. I hope the Oceanic+ watch app is out in time.

It will be released when the first ultra’s hit consumers hands per huish sales rep.

 

[hazmat]

It will be released when the first ultra’s hit consumers hands per huish sales rep.

Good thing Oceanic isn't Microsoft.

 

[doctormike]

I have been communicating with Oceanic Technical Assistance and Care. They don't appear totally up to speed and there is no owner's manual, yet. So, it you go below 40 m you get a warning, sounds like if you ascend, the computer may act normally. If you go below 44 m, you get a warning, not sure it gives normal data on ascent, and you are locked out, "requires manual unlocking"

I'm sure this would be fine for many divers

What if you exceed NDL by time and not depth? Anyone know what happens then?

Most recreational DCs do give you a deco profile to follow in that situation. I mean, if for some technical reason the system doesn't work reliably below 40 m, then I guess it couldn't calculate accurate deco stops. The watch is to 100m but the Oceanic app is to 40M, right?

But if you exceed NDL by staying long while above 40m, does it generate an ascent profile with stops for you? Seems like that would be pretty basic functionality found in most cheap recreational DCs.

 

[hazmat]

What if you exceed NDL by time and not depth? Anyone know what happens then?

Most recreational DCs do give you a deco profile to follow in that situation. I mean, if for some technical reason the system doesn't work reliably below 40 m, then I guess it couldn't calculate accurate deco stops. The watch is to 100m but the Oceanic app is to 40M, right?

But if you exceed NDL by staying long while above 40m, does it generate an ascent profile with stops for you? Seems like that would be pretty basic functionality found in most cheap recreational DCs.

It looks like it will. According to the Oceanic site:

Once a diver has exceeded the no decompression limit, mandatory decompression stops will be activated and will vary based on the depth and time spent at a particular depth. We recommend even with advanced training to always stay within your no-decompression limits. Your variometer will indicate the decompression ceiling along with a decompression countdown timer.

This looks like one:

 

[Thunder Struck]

While clearly not aimed at technical divers, I'm sort of curious what effect this could have on Perdix sales. I see a contingent of recreational divers who dive Perdix just because they like them, but are unlikely to use its capabilities for mixed gas / Trimix / rebreather diving.

I can’t imagine it would be much. Two different classes of product. Much larger screen on the Perdix and I wonder if people you describe don’t also go Perdix over, say, Peregrine, because of the features for a “maybe someday.” Otherwise some salesmen is doing a bang up job selling Perdix to rec divers who have no interest in its advanced features vs the sea of lesser expensive models, to include that on Shearwater’s own line.

Screen size is another factor the watch can’t compete on. Of course there’s the AI capability, or lack thereof in the Apple Watch, but how many people truly “need” AI.

I see the Apple watch fitting into a niche of new or very infrequent divers, having a budget, often renting everything for their occasional trips, and are now able to leverage something they already own. Their dive log is nothing more than another souvenir of their trip. But I also see them upgrading to a standalone DC if they actually get serious about diving and want better equipment than the rental gear.

The app may appeal to divers that own all their own gear but are on a work related trip without their gear. They have the opportunity to go for a dive with rental/borrowed gear but also happen to have an Apple watch already and want to keep a log of the dive. of course this is completely non-impactful to sales of any other DC as said diver already has a DC. It’s just at home with the rest of his gear.

 

[vondo]

I wonder if people you describe don’t also go Perdix over, say, Peregrine, because of the features for a “maybe someday.” Otherwise some salesmen is doing a bang up job selling Perdix to rec divers who have no interest in its advanced features vs the sea of lesser expensive models, to include that on Shearwater’s own line.

As "one of those people" let me weigh back in. I bought a Perdix AI because of the AI and the color screen. Full stop. I am a recreational diver, have stepped BACK from thinking I might do some sort of tech training some day. But I came from an Oceanic VT3 and loved the AI but hated the display.

I'd have preferred not to spend close to $1K for a dive computer and if they made an AI Peregrine I'd have been all over it. But I also dive enough and enjoy it enough that I figured dropping that kind of cash for the computer I wanted was justified.

Also, I think you're overestimating the difference in Perdix vs. AW Ultra screen sizes. The Apple Watch is 1.92 inches with 502 x 410. The Perdix is 2.2" with 320x240 pixels.

 

[doctormike]

I can’t imagine it would be much. Two different classes of product. Much larger screen on the Perdix and I wonder if people you describe don’t also go Perdix over, say, Peregrine, because of the features for a “maybe someday.” Otherwise some salesmen is doing a bang up job selling Perdix to rec divers who have no interest in its advanced features vs the sea of lesser expensive models, to include that on Shearwater’s own line.

Screen size is another factor the watch can’t compete on. Of course there’s the AI capability, or lack thereof in the Apple Watch, but how many people truly “need” AI.

I see the Apple watch fitting into a niche of new or very infrequent divers, having a budget, often renting everything for their occasional trips, and are now able to leverage something they already own. Their dive log is nothing more than another souvenir of their trip. But I also see them upgrading to a standalone DC if they actually get serious about diving and want better equipment than the rental gear.

The app may appeal to divers that own all their own gear but are on a work related trip without their gear. They have the opportunity to go for a dive with rental/borrowed gear but also happen to have an Apple watch already and want to keep a log of the dive. of course this is completely non-impactful to sales of any other DC as said diver already has a DC. It’s just at home with the rest of his gear.

Nobody is going to be wearing a Perdix or a Peregrine as their watch on vacation, maybe the Apple watch competes more with the Teric? Plenty of people are diving watch sized DCs, you really don't need that much screen real estate for most diving.

But I'm interested in your point about needing to upgrade to a standalone DC. Of course, this product isn't even out yet, so hard to say too much about it. But from what we know, if the average recreational diver had an Apple watch with the ability to turn on the DC app when needed, why would they need to upgrade? What other functionality (other than AI) would they be looking for? Again, talking about the 95% of divers in the world who will never go below 100 feet or into deco, let alone use trimix.

 

[scubadada]

...I bought a Perdix AI because of the AI and the color screen. Full stop. I am a recreational diver, have stepped BACK from thinking I might do some sort of tech training some day. But I came from an Oceanic VT3 and loved the AI but hated the display...

Ha, been diving a VT3 since July 2010 and a Teric since May 2019, one transmitter

Nobody is going to be wearing a Perdix or a Peregrine as their watch on vacation, maybe the Apple watch competes more with the Teric?...

I wish Apple more success with their battery Teric owners, have you required repair or replacement service?

 

[tmrqs]

I have worn Apple Watches since S2 and thoroughly enjoy them.
Currently have a S7, which is a marginal improvement over the S6.

I am also a Teric owner (with AI transmitter), have been using it since December 2020 and almost exclusively wear it to dive.
I will rarely wear it as my watch while on vacation, I remove my Teric once dry on the boat and put my AW back on.

For the past couple of years, I have been dreaming of being able to dive with the Apple Watch, always thought it would make a great DC, be able to track GPS coordinates and sync directly with my iPhone, maybe even hear rate monitor (and as a fun side note, track my diving as a physical activity in Fitness/Health).
I absolutely love the Teric and it does everything I need (and more!) and I keep my dive logs on MacDive (on my phone), the sync works beautifully. It is just a little annoying to track the GPS entry/exit points with MacDive but manageable, the phone records coordinates every few minutes and I can then assign them to the dive.

All this to say that while I already own a kick ass DC, I will be replacing my AW S7 with the Ultra.
I figure it will be a great backup DC and could easily be my main/only DC in the event I travel somewhere not intending to dive and end up having the opportunity.

I don't see myself taking the yearly subscription, rather weekly one type of thing when needed. And fully expect to see other diving apps available on the Ultra in 2023, just give devs a little time.

 

[Bigbella]

In the final analysis, I view the whole Apple / Huish dive computer offering in the same way that I view those hinky scissors attached to my childhood Swiss Army Knife — it’d probably do in a pinch; but is largely redundant and really just a novelty, considering other more dedicated gear that I have on hand . . .