Is it a Good Idea to Buy the 1st Gen Apple Watch?

If you’re looking to buy a used Apple Watch, then you might want to pay attention to how we talk about iPhones here at Back Market because the same rules apply. The newest and ‘best’ iPhones are being released every year with upgraded cameras and battery life and storage capacity and this and that. But what do we always say? That even when an iPhone no longer gets updates, it can still work great and have the ability to keep running all of your favorite apps. Yes, some things may take a little longer to open, and you might have fewer features available than newer models, but these might not be things that you’ll miss. 

The 1st Gen Apple Watch was originally released in April 2015 and stopped receiving updates after WatchOS 4 just three years later. But that was enough time for the WatchOS operating system to mature from its basic concept. So with its final update, the first generation of Apple Watches could still give you a decent user experience (albeit maybe not compared to the current Apple Watch models). 

At the end of the day, this Apple Watch is still an Apple Watch – it gives you a great connected experience with your other Apple products, provides basic notifications and tracks your activity from your wrist. And unlike iPhones that may sometimes change their looks drastically, this still looks exactly like the newest Apple Watch. Same premium materials, all-day battery life, and waterproof. Sure, newer models are waterproof up to 50 meters as opposed to only 1 meter on the original Apple Watch, but that should be ok with you, as long as you don’t plan on going scuba diving. And if you are a scuba diver, just remember to take off your 1st gen Apple Watch before you jump into the deep blue sea! And no matter which iPhone you have, this Apple Watch will be able to connect to it. iPhones don’t discriminate between newer and older Apple Watches 😀

So here’s the simple answer from our perspective: yes, the original Apple Watch might be a great investment for people looking for a bare minimum smartwatch that can save them some serious money. But if you’re the type of person that needs up-to-date technology and new features, then you might want to consider increasing your budget for something a little more recent.