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One Apple Watch feature that the iPhone desperately needs to steal

Published Jan 19th, 2015 1:50PM EST
Apple Watch Best Features

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One of the more annoying aspects of our smartphones is all the notifications we get that make our devices either make noise or vibrate in our pockets. iMore’s Rene Ritchie has taken a look at how the Apple Watch handles notifications and he thinks that the iPhone could learn a thing or two from Apple’s first wearable computer.

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“Here’s how notifications work on the Apple Watch: When a new one comes in, the ‘taptic engine’ — a linear actuator — literally taps you on the wrist to let you know about it,” he writes. “There’s no loud buzzing to draw anyone else’s attention, just a subtle but recognizable tap, just for you. The “short look” for the notification provides a minimum of information. Nothing for anyone else to spy, just the icon for the app that’s notifying a brief bit of context as to who or why. If you lower your wrist, it goes away.”

Ritchie says this is a welcome contrast to other smartwatches he’s worn that make your wrist vibrate every time someone favorites a tweet.

He also thinks that it’s something that Apple should look at bringing to the iPhone because Ritchie has found he has “to consciously think about how much information I want to let leak out onto the Lock screen.” He also doesn’t like how often his iPhone buzzes loudly because of notifications and prefers the Apple Watch’s more discreet approach.

Check out Ritchie’s full post at the source link below.

Brad Reed
Brad Reed Staff Writer

Brad Reed has written about technology for over eight years at BGR.com and Network World. Prior to that, he wrote freelance stories for political publications such as AlterNet and the American Prospect. He has a Master's Degree in Business and Economics Journalism from Boston University.