9 Apple Watch Benefits You Might Not Have Considered

The Apple Watch is not only the world’s most popular smartwatch — it’s the world’s most popular watch period. And there are plenty of reasons for its success, many of which you’re probably familiar with. But the Apple Watch is also a lot more capable than you might expect. There are a slew of small features and lesser-known benefits that an Apple Watch brings to the table. Continue reading to browse 9 Apple Watch benefits that you might not have considered.

Compete for Fitness Motivation

Everyone knows by now that the Apple Watch is a powerful tool for health and wellness. But aside from tracking your heart rate, calories burned and other metrics, one of the key ways the Apple Watch does this is through motivation.

watchOS will automatically motivate you to hit your Move, Stand and Exercise goals. But other features like Activity Competitions with friends and the various unique badges you can earn can also serve as powerful motivators.

It's a Great Safety Tool

The Apple Watch has been credited with helping to save quite a few lives. In many cases, it’s because of the built-in heart sensors. But in other reports, we’ve seen the Apple Watch’s SOS feature help people in need call emergency services (and help first responders locate the owner).

More than that, you don’t even need your iPhone nearby if you have a GPS + Cellular Apple Watch in the U.S. Even if you don’t pay for a cellular plan, federal regulations require that your Apple Watch is able to call 911 or emergency services.

You Can Pay in a Snap

Apple Pay is a quick, easy and secure method of paying for things when you’re out and about. But it still requires that you dig your iPhone out of your pocket or handbag to actually pay for something. The Apple Watch makes it one step easier.

It sounds trivial, but it’s actually a big time-saver at the cash register. All you need to do is double-tap the Side button on your Watch and bring it close to the point-of-sale system. It’s really that easy and simple.

A Calculator on Your Wrist

A watch with a calculator is not a new idea. You probably remember those old Casio calculator watches that sort of lacked in style but made up for it in practicality. But the feature has long been missing from the Apple Watch platform.

While third-party alternatives existed, Apple has finally added a native Calculator app to watchOS 6. That will allow you to do calculations on the fly. Better yet, the watchOS Calculator has a “Tip” button that will quickly let you know how much you should tip at restaurants.

Intuitive Navigation

If you’ve never used your Apple Watch for navigation, it’s definitely worth trying out. It may take a little getting used to, but it can save you from staring down at your iPhone while you’re walking around city streets — which is unsafe as well as a bit touristy.

That’s because it gives you directions via taps. A steady beat of 12 continuous taps means turn right, while a series of two taps means turn left. Once you get it down, it can make navigating unfamiliar areas much safer and easier.

Mac Security Features

The Apple Watch can already unlock your Mac without you needing to type in a password or authenticate with Touch ID. But in macOS Catalina, the Apple Watch can be used for a lot more than just unlocking your computer.

As long as your Watch is running watchOS 6 or later, you can quickly unlock password panes or secure notes with your wearable. You can also approve app installations via Gate Keeper and other security-related functions right from your wrist.

You Can Control Your Home from Your Wrist

When you’re at home, there’s a good chance that your iPhone isn’t always going to be in your pocket. But as long as you’re wearing your Apple Watch and your have some HomeKit gadgets set up, you can still control your smart home accessories.

With Hey Siri set up on your Apple Watch, you can quickly set thermostat temperatures, turn lights on and off, and control music playback with just your voice. Trust us when we say that it’s a lot more convenient and life-enhancing than it might sound.

Quick Communication

With an Apple Watch, you have the ability to make calls or send texts right from your wrist. That can come in handy for all those times when it’s not convenient — or safe — to grab your iPhone.

If you have Hey Siri set up, for example, you can quickly send your ETA to a friend without taking your eyes off the road when driving. More than that, the Apple Watch can keep you from missing a notification if your iPhone is on silent, thanks to its Taptic Engine.

Ping (and Flash) Your iPhone

If your iPhone is on silent, it can be a pain to find it when it’s lost. Unless you’re in an extremely quiet room, you’ll probably need to log into Find My iPhone on a separate device to ping your handset. But if you have an Apple Watch, the process is much easier.

All you need to do is open up Control Center on your Watch and tap the Ping iPhone button — which will play an audible sound on your iPhone even when it’s on silent. You can also tap and hold on this button to remotely flash your iPhone’s LED light.