Wearing an Apple Watch on Shabbos

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  • #615122

    Is there any halachic difference between wearing an Apple Watch (newly introduced today) on Shabbos versus wearing any standard battery operated watch?

    (Obviously whether wearing an Apple Watch or another battery powered watch on Shabbos, it would only be used to look at – not change or program.)

    #1063526
    Sam Klein
    Participant

    unless the switch is somehow covered over (just like a stove fire switch) your destines to accidently touch it & wakeup to suddenly look something up etc…

    obviously if its a touch screen then perhaps if there’s a way to lock the screen & just see the time without unlocking the screen until after Shabbos then it might be permissible

    for final halachah approach your local Rabbi

    #1063527
    akuperma
    Participant

    If the watch doubles as a computer, telephone, flash light, etc., why wouldn’t it be considered mukzeh? Has anyone ever poskened that one can walk around with such devices? Can you walk around with a laptop computer? or a flashlight? or a mobile phone? Unless you hold that work done by electrical systems is not prohibited on Shabbos (something often held by non-frum Jews who accept the idea of Shabbos, but not any inconvenient details), this should be an obvious “no”.

    A regular watch (no electronic settings, just a battery moving a mechanical gear – or an all mechanical one with a spring moving a mechanical gear) is a totally different machine.

    #1063528

    Many regular battery operated watches that people wear on Shabbos have a digital display showing the time as well as an alarm clock, stopwatch, time programming settings, a light button and some other functions as well.

    #1063529
    oot for life
    Participant

    as long as we’re talking about watches, why did everyone feel the need to reset their watches yesterday in the middle of shemona esrei waiting for the Sh”Tz to begin. So annoying.

    sorry continue your discussion…

    #1063530

    If you are wearing it you shouldn’t have to take it off but the battery lasts about 18 hours, you would have to charge it Friday just to wear it on Shabbos…

    #1063531
    Sam Klein
    Participant

    but these data bank watches are not screen touch, that can accidently be touched like the new I watch were dealing with

    #1063532
    the londoner
    Member

    Why on earth would you be able to wear it. First its maaras eiyin and secondly if its not necessary you can’t use it

    #1063533

    Why would it be any more maris eiyin that any other digital watch (that may have a stopwatch, alarm, light, etc.)? There will be no use of it other than to look at it for the time.

    #1063534
    147
    Participant

    In the absence of an Eiruv many authorities don’t permit wearing watches in the street on Shabbos or Yom Kippur. Needless to say, this restriction would not apply to a cufflink watch, as it is functioning as a shirt fastener.

    #1063535
    Participant

    With its accelerometer as a basic input, I don’t see how it can be worn.

    #1063536
    Joseph
    Participant

    And without the accelerometer it would have otherwise been alright? How’s the accelerometer different than having a motion detector in your home?

    #1063537
    Participant

    When you’re home, your motion detector isn’t doing anything for you. At least this is the case with burglar alarms.

    #1063538
    Joseph
    Participant

    What’s the watch’s accelerometer doing for you? If merely keeping a record or log of activity, some motion detectors also keep a log/record of activity it detected. And if one of the watch’s models lacked the accelerometer, it would otherwise be Shabbos-proof?

    #1063539
    Participant

    The accelerometer (or more likely the gyroscope) is used to predict when the user is about to look at the screen allowing it to conserve energy when it’s not being looked at.

    I haven’t done enough research into fitness trackers to discuss that aspect.

    #1063540
    Joseph
    Participant

    Nu, if they make a model sans the tracking features (accelerometer, gyroscope, fitness tracker) you’re good to go on Shabbos?

    #1063541
    Rebbe Yid
    Participant

    Maybe it’s a kli shemelachto leheter–after all, you use it to look at the time 50x a day, and use it for apps only a few times a day.

    And even if it a kli shemelachto le’issur, maybe you’re always wearing it lezorech gufo umekomo, since you always need to know the time.

    About the motion detectors–who says you’re allowed to keep them on on shabbos? Perhaps there are heterim to go to places where they happen to be on, but to davka keep them on at home on shabbos?

    #1063542
    Joseph
    Participant

    Even if the watch has accelerometer/gyroscope or fitness tracking, those features can be disabled and set to display the time at all times.

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