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takyon [soylentnews.org] writes:

The Apple Watch has found a surprisingly useful home [qz.com]

When the Apple Watch launched in 2015, it wasn't exactly clear who, or what, it was for [qz.com]. It was a phone accessory meant to curtail some of the notification anxiety [qz.com] the phones themselves had created by paring your digital life down to only the most essential disturbances. For many consumers, though, there wasn't a clear reason to keep wearing the watch after the initial sheen had worn off—unless they were fitness freaks, or overly concerned [qz.com] about their heart health. But a growing group of users have found them indispensable.

You might've noticed that the person who took your order at the bar, brought you the shoes you wanted to try on, or perhaps even patted you down at the airport security line, is sporting an Apple Watch, which starts at $329 for the newest Series 3 watch. And there's a pretty simple explanation: Many service-industry jobs where employees have to be on their feet all day don't allow workers to check their phones while they're on the clock. But that rule doesn't necessarily apply to a piece of unobtrusive jewelry that happens to let you text your friends and check the weather.

Quartz spoke with airline attendants, bartenders, waiters, baristas, shop owners, and (very politely) TSA employees who all said the same thing: The Apple Watch keeps them in touch when they can't be on their phones at work. Apple has increasingly been pushing the watch as a health device, and seems to have moved away [apple.com] from marketing it as one that offers more basic utility, as Apple continues do with the iPhone [youtube.com]. But given that roughly 23% of the US labor force [bls.gov] works in wholesale or retail operations, perhaps it's a market Apple should reconsider.

Related: Apple Watch Leads the Dying Smartwatch Market [soylentnews.org]
FDA Approves First Medical Device Accessory for the Apple Watch [soylentnews.org]
AliveCor Sensor for Apple Watch Could Detect Dangerous Levels of Potassium in the Blood [soylentnews.org]
Apple Building its Own MicroLED Displays for Eventual Use in Apple Watch and Other Products [soylentnews.org]

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