New Apple Watch is a dive computer

[tggm]

Does it support EAN?

So on their website Oceanic has more info.

Their "premium" version that acts as a dive computer will require a subscription - "Purchase a single subscription or a Family Share subscription for up to five people on your Apple Family Share plan"

Looks like they have also got an iPhone version of the app to use in one of those smartphone case things.

Classic. Then when you forget to pay or Oceanic closes shop your computer becomes just a watch.

This is just a tool to attack Garmin.

 

[wnissen]

Does it support EAN?

Classic. Then when you forget to pay or Oceanic closes shop your computer becomes just a watch.

This is just a tool to attack Garmin.

Looks like yes. The watch face has "Nitrox" on it.

I do worry about "exclusive" software, but the fact is that the only dive-specific input to a dive computer is pressure over time. As long as that API is available, should be possible to replace it, possibly even a Subsurface integration!

 

[azstinger11]

Yeah, I am actually glad to see a subscription in there. Apple has conditioned people that apps should be basically free, and good software is not free.

Good software can be free, subsurface is an example that would be well known around here. I also don't begrudge any developer for getting paid for their time/work, or not eating the cost of user activities. Hell I might write a totally free gauge mode tool for the watch if the API is open. No way in hell would I touch NDL though, that is a lawsuit waiting to happen.

 

[MaxE]

exactly. i dont think apple will restrict others to access the depth sensor. I am ok with 1 time purchase but f-off subscriptions.

Obviously the cost of the apps is a factor but you theoretically could have this watch and select the app to match anyone your diving withs computer. They have a Zoom you run the Suunto app, as long as the manufactures who have the propriety algorithms develop an app. The Idea of a subsurface app is so cool.

The bigger question have is how could a dive computer be improved with the addition of a heart rate monitor, and an O2 monitor? Can N be measured in blood with the device? While depth over time certainly works can computer make for safer dives with the addition of these other biometric inputs?

 

[wnissen]

Good software can be free, subsurface is an example that would be well known around here. I also don't begrudge any developer for getting paid for their time/work, or not eating the cost of user activities. Hell I might write a totally free gauge mode tool for the watch if the API is open. No way in hell would I touch NDL though, that is a lawsuit waiting to happen.

Yes, there's an exception for relatively narrow applications of high technical interest (which may well apply here) but there are precious few great open-source phone apps. Functional ones, yes, I am very impressed by the Subsurface app. But high-touch (no pun intended) user experience is pricey. And I say this as someone who used Linux and Solaris as a primary desktop for years and years.

Maybe we can steal the code that runs this slightly less expensive dive watch. $35, also goes to 100 meters.

https://www.aliexpress.com/item/2255800686504922.html

 

[Tchau]

This will hit Suunto, Aqualung (hard to know who has the greatest market share in entry-level DCs?) the hardest I assume. But on the plus side, will also presumably motivate Garmin/other wearable manufacturers to put diving functionality into more base-level computers, and may even encourage Shearwater to upgrade/add features to the Peregrine. All in all likely a good thing for the more hardcore scuba user base, even if the Apple Watch isn't appealing directly.

It will encourage Shearwater to improve their buggy cloud app.

 

[scubadada]

New age bullsh$t, pass. Everyone wants to make money. I'll continue to dive with my 12 year old Oceanic VT3 until it finally dies.

 

[Rick Brant]

I will be buying this watch. The UI and the ability to easily create a dive log entry will blow away all other options currently available. The app will be the big question though. I don't do subscriptions, if it is not buy-once then I won't buy and will ditch the watch. Unfortunately I suspect the pool of apps will be limited simply due to the liability involved, but whatever one is best for a one-time fee, I will buy it.

 

[tridacna]

New age bullsh$t, pass. Everyone wants to make money. I'll continue to dive with my 12 year old Oceanic VT3 until it finally dies.

They're not targeting you Doc. You're 45 years past their target market. Nor me. But they will sell a lot of these to Millennials, Gen Xers, Yers, Alphas etc. Perhaps it may bring us some more divers. Who knows?

 

[azstinger11]

They're not targeting you Doc. You're 45 years past their target market. Nor me. But they will sell a lot of these to Millennials, Gen Xers, Yers, Alphas etc. Perhaps it may bring us some more divers. Who knows?

I really don't think they will sell a lot of these as pure dive watches, some sure. What I do think they will see is people who own them already and when they start OW or something activate the app subscription. But who knows. If there turns out to be a guage mode or gauge mode app, i'd consider upgrading my older apple watch for it, but not as a primary dive computer. But i'm not the target market either (even as a millennial software developer).

I do hope a major player like Apple entering the market does bring in a new wave of dive computer feature development. Maybe force some companies that were lax to improve things, looking at you shearwater cloud.