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HODINKEE Radio Episode 60: Latest On Apple Watch Series 5 (Plus Fantasy Watch Draft Results)

Apple's Alan Dye tells us how he designs watch faces.

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As the Vice President of Human Interface Design at Apple, Alan Dye is someone who shapes the way many of us use our digital devices every day. You might wonder what that title means, exactly, but it's actually pretty straightforward: From the MacBook Pro I'm typing this on, to the iPhone sitting on my desk and the new Apple Watch on my wrist (it felt appropriate to wear it today), Alan is in charge of figuring out exactly how I should interact with the screens and keys that connect me to the world. Sure, that's a bit of an oversimplification, but you get the point.

The day after the Apple Watch Series 5 was announced last month in Cupertino, California, I had an opportunity to sit down with Alan at Apple Park to talk about the latest generation watch, how he sees the Watch maturing and coming into its own, and what unique design challenges the Apple Watch presents. Alan's a watch guy himself (not unlike some other folks at Apple), so we also  get into the horological inspirations present in watchOS and how the Apple Watch has sparked bigger conversations about watches in the 21st century. This conversation was a blast and I've been anxious to share it with you all.

Alan Dye, Apple Vice President of Human Interface Design.

Before that though, I sat down with Jack, our most inveterate Apple Watch wearer, to see how the Series 5 is treating him so far. It's been about two weeks since he strapped his on for the first time, and, as far as I can tell, it hasn't left his wrist since. I already shared my thoughts on the Series 5 with you all, so I figured it was time we get another perspective. Spoiler alert: Jack's into it. 

And you're not going to want to cut out of this one early. To finish things off, Grey and I reveal the results of the 2019 HODINKEE Radio Watch Collection Fantasy Draft. Who won the audience poll? You'll have to listen to find out. In addition to announcing the winner, we also recap the draft at large and highlight some of the most important picks. Things get a little goofy – you've been warned.

We hope you enjoy Episode 60 of HODINKEE Radio. Check out the show notes below and let us know what you think in the comments.

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Wrist Check

Just 24 hours after showing it off to the world, Alan was (surprise!) wearing an Apple Watch Series 5. But it's his particular styling choices that I really appreciate here. First off, he's got the white ceramic Apple Watch Edition, instead of one of the metal options, and he's got it paired with the matching white silicone Sport Band. It's a sleek, cool look, and I'd say he's pulling it off pretty darn well. As you'll hear in the episode, Alan's a big fan of the California watch face (one that I also love) and in this photo he has it rendered in the grey-on-white colorway with his monogram at 12 o'clock and his Activity Rings at six o'clock. This balance of clean design and access to information is spot-on for me, and I think I might have to give this configuration a go myself...


Show Notes