‘I am stunned right now’: Apple Watch’s newest feature gets mixed reviews

A woman recently shared how she and her husband communicate via their new Apple Watches. Some people love it; others not so much.

Paige (@.paige92) said that she and her husband both recently purchased the Apple Watch Series 10. “We’re late to the game, but we’re first-time Apple Watch owners,” she said in a viral TikTok. 

The content creator said she was shocked by one of the watch’s features—specifically, that it allows users to communicate via walkie-talkie.

“I am stunned right now,” Paige said of the feature.

As of Friday, her video showcasing the workability—and potential downsides—of her new watch had amassed nearly 40,000 views.

How does the walkie-talkie work?

In her video, Paige said that she wanted to use the walkie-talkie feature to talk with her husband since they live in a long house.

“Usually when I need him to come to the other end of the house… I either have to yell, call him, or text him,” Paige explained. “With the walkie-talkie feature, I can literally just hold my watch up to my mouth, press the button, and then it will immediately send him a message through his watch in real-time."

Recently, however, the mother of two said that she went to a nearby store. When her husband tried to use the walkie-talkie, it didn’t work.

“So we thought, ‘Well you probably have to be within a certain range,’” Paige said. “Because with most walkie-talkies you do.”

Turns out that wasn’t the case.

Paige said that her husband sometimes has to travel for work.  “He is states away,” she explained. “Like, he took an airplane and is states away.”

As a joke, Paige said she tried the walkie-talkie. It worked.

“I’m so embarrassed,” she said. “He was in the middle of a meeting and I just [started] talking to him through his watch.”

Paige said that she thought the feature was neat—but plans to communicate at more appropriate times in the future. She added, too, that the walkie-talkie widget can be turned off and only works with select contacts.

“Still a super, super cool feature,” she said.

More about Apple Watch's latest upgrade

According to Apple’s website, the walkie-talkie feature is a “fun, simple way” to connect with someone who has a compatible Apple Watch.

“Like using a real walkie-talkie, you press a button to talk, then release to listen when you’re ready for them to reply,” the website reads. To use it, both participants need to have connectivity through Bluetooth, Wi-Fi, or cellular data.

And as Paige said, the walkie-talkie feature only works with selected contacts. 

“If your friend has made themself available,” Apple said, “walkie-talkie opens on their Apple Watch and they’ll hear what you said.”

This feature can be turned off or temporarily muted, too.

Viewers weigh in

In the comments of Paige’s video, several Apple Watch wearers said that they’re already fans of the walkie-talkie.

“We use it all the time in our office it’s the best!!” one said.

“I walkie-talkie mine all the time at work,” another woman said of her husband.

“I had a boss who would use this feature with us and it was so funny every time,” a third commenter wrote. 

Others, however, weren’t super pleased with the feature, noting that it can drain the battery and isn’t always functional.

“Be advised the walkie-talkie on the watch kills the battery faster even if it’s just idle,” one man warned. 

“It works like 5% of the time,” another added.

@.paige92 #apple #applewatch #fy #fyp #fypシ #fypage ♬ original sound - .paige92

“That feature never worked for us,” a third said. “But I hope it’s better now.”

The Daily Dot has reached out to Paige via TikTok comment and to Apple through email.

Internet culture is chaotic—but we’ll break it down for you in one daily email. Sign up for the Daily Dot’s web_crawlr newsletter here. You’ll get the best (and worst) of the internet straight into your inbox.

Sign up to receive the Daily Dot’s Internet Insider newsletter for urgent news from the frontline of online.

The post ‘I am stunned right now’: Apple Watch’s newest feature gets mixed reviews appeared first on The Daily Dot.