Oceanic+ - A Second Look With Serious Failures

[Belzelbub]

Firmware updates on a dedicated dive computer don't come out that often, and the manufacturer completely controls it. That generally results in stable and reliable dive computers.

An app as a dive computer means that you are relying on a dive computer whose firmware is constantly changing - and it's being changed by someone who is (probably) not the author of the dive computer app - and may not even be aware of the existence of the dive computer app. Further, it's firmware that might even get updated on your device without you even knowing it.

I completely get what you are saying, but it shouldn’t really be the case with AWU and Oceanic+.

My backup dive computer is an app that runs on my Garmin Descent. Garmin just sent an update less than an hour ago. My watch updated, and I’m pretty sure the Dive app will still function. Now, Garmin is the producer of the Dive app, so they can easily test and make sure that an update isn’t going to render the dive computer app useless.

However, Apple marketed the AWU as a dive computer. Oceanic was included at the launch, and seems to be the only app permitted to access the pressure sensor, so the only app that can function as dive computer. I do get that it can be difficult to notify every app producer in advance of an OS update. But, I do think it’s reasonable to update the one app producer that was part of the launch, and without which the AWU ceases to be a dive computer.