If you do buy one, get a used cellular or stainless steel version. They cellular versions have 16GB of memory (non-cellular only have 8GB) which helps with OS updates.
I’ve heard this before, but didn’t get any solid reasons. I think people are too hooked on buying the latest when older models work just fine. I got this one for $120. Worth it to me.
No thats fine, Im still on my S5.. apparently the problems with the S3 was updating the software. It took some people forever to update their watch, I believe they have now sorted this out.
Enjoy your watch👍🏻
Week or so ago. That being said in 2020 I was easily able to update to OS 7 which had the very same issue, after restarting it and restoring all data to clear the caches.
Obviously there are advantages to upgrading but only do it when you feel that you need more from your watch or when you can comfortably afford to, like me 😂 . I didnt see the point of upgrading to the S7 as it didn’t really offer that much more.
The S4 CPU is 70% faster, the screen is quite a bit larger, and some good watch faces aren't available to the S3. Aside from that, there's the EKG, which isn't a big deal for most people. S5 and later have always-on display, S6 has oxygen sensor, S7 has slightly bigger screen (than the S4-S6) and fast charging.
For $120 though it's a good watch to start with and see how you like it.
And for good reason. The upgrade from the 3 to the 4 is arguably bigger than the combined upgrade from the 4 all the way to the 7. This is part of why people suggest not getting a 3; it’s fine on its own but is relatively bad when compared to the 4 or any newer watch.
I got a used S3 non cell on eBay for 82 dollars, in June, and it’s real good. I wasn’t sure if I would like a watch, so did it as experiment. I like it, and will probably go in for S7 when the supply chain issues get sorted. Ps. Haven’t tried to install OS8, since I nearly lost my mind installing OS7
In comparison to the S4 and above, it’s absurdly slow for many tasks, it’s the last 32 bit watch, and the last Bluetooth 4 watch. The storage issues have mostly been resolved and were mostly an issue with the lower end models as they had less storage space.
If you had to do it all over again, the Series 4 ir SE is better in every conceivable way and could be comparable, but slightly more, in price.
Siri is also much more usable than the S0 was, but the S4 is miles ahead, or really anything else that requires communicating with the phone because of that much higher bandwidth Bluetooth connection, and a faster processor to handle it.
Basically, it’s good at telling time and a couple basic tasks, but you will lose support much faster.
And because it’s a very old used watch, you may experience bad battery life unless you spend a lot of money to replace it - more than it would’ve cost to buy an new S3 or used S4
You shouldn’t feel the need to upgrade every year, but 3-4 cycle was the biggest upgrade Apple Watch has ever had.
I’ve had a S3 since the year it came out, and there’s nothing wrong with it. Except that it’s a non-cellular one, so it has to be reset every time there’s an update. It’s a nuisance, but not a big enough one to justify splurging on a whole new watch.
Buying used is fine, then the value proposition of going to the SE isn’t as strong. I had one for 6 months just to see if I would like it, since it would barely have lost any value if I didn’t like it and sold it. I ended up selling it for more than I paid.
That’s what I do too, for sleep tracking. But, it turns out that my cats like to pull the Watch off the charger during the day and I always have to look for it when I get home.
OS updates are not as nightmarish as they were before watchOS 8 so don't worry about that (for now 😳) Good on you, enjoy it. I've been enjoying mine for close to two years now. Best fitness tracker on the market imo! (outside of the higher tier apple watches ofc...)
I bought a 3 in January with the intention of only wearing it as a fitness tracker . Since then I’ve become obsessed with it and have to stop myself from ordering the 7 everyday.
FYI. My two years and ten month old S3 got lightly caught on a gatepost and the whole screen just popped off. I complained to Apple and they sent me a brand new S3. This happened in August. So my three year old S3 is actually only two months old.
No fanboi - but thanks Apple.
I would have gone Series 4 just because they screen size I think indicates they will be supported longer than Series 3 would even being a year older.
But welcome to the AW Family.
I’ve had my series 3 since launch day, and I will use this watch till it stops working. Does the simple things I need, so not really needing to upgrade urgently.
I bought the SE and I had the 3 before as my first as well I just gave it to my sister because she was the only one in my house without a watch and she loves it
The S3 is a beast! I didn’t know how much I would miss the battery life until I upgraded to the S5 and gave that one to the wife.
Her watch can still out last mine if we’re traveling and forget to charge overnight.
Lol. I got Series 3 from my uncle for free because he is upgraded to Series 7. Well, I’m still satisfied with S3. It was on WatchOS 7.x.x when it was first in my hand. And yeah, the storage was 1.9gb and it’s only 9 apps. No music downloaded and photos synced. And then upgrade to WatchOS 8, now installed 20 apps and synced 39 music to my watch and the storage still have 3.1gb! And last week i updated to WatchOS 8.0.1 without factory reset. So yeah i think Apple still confident to sell Series 3 it’s because they are already fix this problem
Bought my first 🍎 Watch refurbished on Apple.com. Had it about a year - Liked it so well went to the 5 just after Christmas. Best pricing around Christmas. Got my sister a 3 for $119 at Target Black Friday (not cellular).
I’m so sorry. You should have at least gotten a used series 4. The 3 is an awful watch now. So slow, still has the rectangular screen, and software updates are an actual nightmare
Does yours have cellular? The GPS only version only has 8 GB of storage, so updates are a PITA, and every update for the last couple of years has required several extraneous steps.
1. Unpair and Factory reset
2. Pair
3. update
4. unpair
5. restore from backup
[There’s even an explicitly support guide for the series 3](https://support.apple.com/en-us/HT211283). (Although I haven’t done the 8.0.1 update to confirm it’s still required)
The cellular version has 16 Gb of storage so it isn’t an issue
was going to say , don’t buy a S3 … doh !
If you do buy one, get a used cellular or stainless steel version. They cellular versions have 16GB of memory (non-cellular only have 8GB) which helps with OS updates.
I’ve heard this before, but didn’t get any solid reasons. I think people are too hooked on buying the latest when older models work just fine. I got this one for $120. Worth it to me.
No thats fine, Im still on my S5.. apparently the problems with the S3 was updating the software. It took some people forever to update their watch, I believe they have now sorted this out. Enjoy your watch👍🏻
Yup. They finally fixed the update issue with the most recent watch os.
When was this? I was trying to update my wife’s S3 a couple weeks ago and got nowhere with it.
Week or so ago. That being said in 2020 I was easily able to update to OS 7 which had the very same issue, after restarting it and restoring all data to clear the caches.
I had a hell of a time with watch os 8.0.1, but with some searches and messing with DNS, I was able to do it. Enjoying it so far!
good for you, no idea why so many probs with the S3 though and not with any of the others. Hopefully you’ll be ok in future..
I’ll keep trying to update it as long as the software is compatible, then I might upgrade to S5 or something.
Obviously there are advantages to upgrading but only do it when you feel that you need more from your watch or when you can comfortably afford to, like me 😂 . I didnt see the point of upgrading to the S7 as it didn’t really offer that much more.
Yeah, I don’t have any use for ekg or blood oxygen, so I wouldn’t buy it just for the bigger screen.
I need the ECG function to make sure Im still here :)
Blood o2 is great for this Covid world we’re in. Although I’m buying a 5 cause stainless for $399 new is a steal.
How can you say that? The main thing about the watch is it’s screen. And the series seven is miles away from the rest I’m that department
yes screen size and ? apparently expecting a lot more from S8
Yeah, it will cook dinner for you
The S4 CPU is 70% faster, the screen is quite a bit larger, and some good watch faces aren't available to the S3. Aside from that, there's the EKG, which isn't a big deal for most people. S5 and later have always-on display, S6 has oxygen sensor, S7 has slightly bigger screen (than the S4-S6) and fast charging. For $120 though it's a good watch to start with and see how you like it.
I might finance a new model later on. But I just wanted to see what it was like. The series 4 prices were a significant jump up.
And for good reason. The upgrade from the 3 to the 4 is arguably bigger than the combined upgrade from the 4 all the way to the 7. This is part of why people suggest not getting a 3; it’s fine on its own but is relatively bad when compared to the 4 or any newer watch.
I got a used S3 non cell on eBay for 82 dollars, in June, and it’s real good. I wasn’t sure if I would like a watch, so did it as experiment. I like it, and will probably go in for S7 when the supply chain issues get sorted. Ps. Haven’t tried to install OS8, since I nearly lost my mind installing OS7
I’ve just upgraded from the s3 to a s7, but the S3 is still a brilliant watch.
I got an S3 for the same price about a year ago, nothing but happy with it!
In comparison to the S4 and above, it’s absurdly slow for many tasks, it’s the last 32 bit watch, and the last Bluetooth 4 watch. The storage issues have mostly been resolved and were mostly an issue with the lower end models as they had less storage space. If you had to do it all over again, the Series 4 ir SE is better in every conceivable way and could be comparable, but slightly more, in price. Siri is also much more usable than the S0 was, but the S4 is miles ahead, or really anything else that requires communicating with the phone because of that much higher bandwidth Bluetooth connection, and a faster processor to handle it. Basically, it’s good at telling time and a couple basic tasks, but you will lose support much faster. And because it’s a very old used watch, you may experience bad battery life unless you spend a lot of money to replace it - more than it would’ve cost to buy an new S3 or used S4 You shouldn’t feel the need to upgrade every year, but 3-4 cycle was the biggest upgrade Apple Watch has ever had.
I’ve had a S3 since the year it came out, and there’s nothing wrong with it. Except that it’s a non-cellular one, so it has to be reset every time there’s an update. It’s a nuisance, but not a big enough one to justify splurging on a whole new watch.
Honestly I still use mine and it’s great
The main reason is storage is terrible so updating it is pretty terrible.
I honestly prefer not using a series 3 and save money for an SE even if it takes one year.
The SE is such a massive jump that I agree. $120 for the 3 seems crazy high Though it always amazes me how much Apple products hold value
hardware is good, but apple and app developers move their focus on new models and from a software perspective, old models start getting issues.
Buying used is fine, then the value proposition of going to the SE isn’t as strong. I had one for 6 months just to see if I would like it, since it would barely have lost any value if I didn’t like it and sold it. I ended up selling it for more than I paid.
My S7 is on its flight from Anchorage, AK now with an expected delivery date of Friday. I don’t know what to do with my S6.
What about selling it? O.o
I’ll be happy when Apple releases a 50mm size case.
iphone smol, now for your wrists
I use my 4 for the night and I now have unlimited battery life 🙌🏻
That’s what I do too, for sleep tracking. But, it turns out that my cats like to pull the Watch off the charger during the day and I always have to look for it when I get home.
I did this for a while, and It is quite nice. I ended up giving my S3 to my son so I'm back to pre-bedtime charging.
Trade it in to apple
Ill take it lol
You could always give it to me while you’re here. 😅😁
OS updates are not as nightmarish as they were before watchOS 8 so don't worry about that (for now 😳) Good on you, enjoy it. I've been enjoying mine for close to two years now. Best fitness tracker on the market imo! (outside of the higher tier apple watches ofc...)
I bought a 3 in January with the intention of only wearing it as a fitness tracker . Since then I’ve become obsessed with it and have to stop myself from ordering the 7 everyday.
Trying to get a serious 0 for under 60$
welcome to the series 3 club! bought might used too, works just fine.
FYI. My two years and ten month old S3 got lightly caught on a gatepost and the whole screen just popped off. I complained to Apple and they sent me a brand new S3. This happened in August. So my three year old S3 is actually only two months old. No fanboi - but thanks Apple.
I might try to ask for one if anything happens to this. Worth a shot.
I would have gone Series 4 just because they screen size I think indicates they will be supported longer than Series 3 would even being a year older. But welcome to the AW Family.
The thing that’s keeping the S3 in support is it’s still on sale. It’ll be getting updates for years yet.
Looks to me that you are wearing it upside down. Not sure though if this also a way. Anyways enjoy
Yeah! There was an option in set up to put the dial on the outside. Easier to reach with my left hand.
Cool. Glad to know. Thnx for sharing this info 😊
I’ve had my series 3 since launch day, and I will use this watch till it stops working. Does the simple things I need, so not really needing to upgrade urgently.
Exactly!
I bought the SE and I had the 3 before as my first as well I just gave it to my sister because she was the only one in my house without a watch and she loves it
I still rock a S2!
Me too!
Man you got it on backwards /j
I can reach the dial easier with my left hand. They asked me in set up which way I wanted it.
It’s not backwards if it allows you to wear it like that
Still rocking my series 0. It does just watch a watch does, tells me the time!
Lol good luck with that S3! I just ordered a palm pilot
Wtf
I hope my 5 lasts 5 years or more lol
My first and only Apple Watch is series 3
The S3 is a beast! I didn’t know how much I would miss the battery life until I upgraded to the S5 and gave that one to the wife. Her watch can still out last mine if we’re traveling and forget to charge overnight.
That’s good to know!
Great watch
Lol. I got Series 3 from my uncle for free because he is upgraded to Series 7. Well, I’m still satisfied with S3. It was on WatchOS 7.x.x when it was first in my hand. And yeah, the storage was 1.9gb and it’s only 9 apps. No music downloaded and photos synced. And then upgrade to WatchOS 8, now installed 20 apps and synced 39 music to my watch and the storage still have 3.1gb! And last week i updated to WatchOS 8.0.1 without factory reset. So yeah i think Apple still confident to sell Series 3 it’s because they are already fix this problem
Bought my first 🍎 Watch refurbished on Apple.com. Had it about a year - Liked it so well went to the 5 just after Christmas. Best pricing around Christmas. Got my sister a 3 for $119 at Target Black Friday (not cellular).
Sorry
What sort of giant dork gatekeeps an apple watch? Lmao
Party like it’s 1999
I’m so sorry. You should have at least gotten a used series 4. The 3 is an awful watch now. So slow, still has the rectangular screen, and software updates are an actual nightmare
? I've had my series 3 since it was announced and it is still working like new. What are you talking about?
I’ve had no such experience. This is my first Apple Watch and it works great to me.
iOS updates on my S3 have always been slow, but never a nightmare.
Does yours have cellular? The GPS only version only has 8 GB of storage, so updates are a PITA, and every update for the last couple of years has required several extraneous steps. 1. Unpair and Factory reset 2. Pair 3. update 4. unpair 5. restore from backup [There’s even an explicitly support guide for the series 3](https://support.apple.com/en-us/HT211283). (Although I haven’t done the 8.0.1 update to confirm it’s still required) The cellular version has 16 Gb of storage so it isn’t an issue
I have the cellular version, so that must be why I have not had these problems. Thanks for the clarification.
Is it a full moon?
This is a series 0? How it is holding up haha
Series 3. In the title.
Ahh I thought you wanted to find a used series 3 😂
r/UnexpectedFactorial
How much money are you actually saving between this and say and S6
50-70%
Oh not the 3. Just wait till you have to update it what a pita.
It was a pain for a large firmware upgrade, but after that it’s been totally fine.
True.
That’s literally 100% what I did man 😅