Former Apple engineer explains why he stopped wearing his Apple Watch after years of daily use

Ray Fernando, an engineer who worked on the Apple Watch team, has garnered online attention after revealing why he no longer wears the device he helped develop. In a video titled “Why I stopped wearing my Apple Watch as an Ex-Apple Engineer”, Fernando shared that he stopped using the watch about a month ago because it began to overwhelm his daily life.

“I stopped wearing my Apple Watch and I feel low-key naked,” he admitted at the start of his video.

From life-changing tool to constant interruption

Fernando said the Apple Watch once played a major role in helping him lose weight and stay active. “When I first started wearing the Apple Watch, about 100 pounds ago, it helped me keep track of all my walking and fitness goals,” he explained.

However, as Apple continued to add new features, including sleep tracking and additional notifications, he noticed something shifting. Instead of helping him stay focused, the watch started to demand more of his attention.

He said every vibration made him “want to check my phone or keep up with the latest messages”, creating what he called an “internal hook” that pulled him away from nature and simple daily moments.

As someone who worked on the product, Fernando was familiar with all the tools designed to reduce distractions, including ‘Do Not Disturb’. However, he shared that he still found himself spending too much time managing the device.

“I was spending more time updating all my apps and going through different notifications,” he said. Instead of constantly turning settings on and off, he realised that “the easiest thing was just to take off the damn watch.”

Choosing presence and peace over tracking

Fernando has been tracking his walks for nearly a decade and says he now understands his body well enough without digital numbers.

“I know what two miles looks like. I know what three miles looks like,” he said, adding that he pays attention to natural signals like sweating or breathing heavily to judge his effort.

He explained that his lifestyle has changed and he no longer needs to “microtrack” everything, saying, “Do I need to burn 10 more calories? It’s kind of simple now.”

A thank you to the device, but a shift in values

Despite stepping away from Apple Watch, Fernando made it clear he is not criticising the device or the team behind it. Instead, he credits it for helping him become more active over the years.

“I’m not putting anything down,” he said. “I’m just saying my whole lifestyle has changed.”

Today, he says he values something else even more: mental peace and being present.

FAQs

1. Why did Ray Fernando stop wearing his Apple Watch?

Ray Fernando stopped wearing his Apple Watch because he felt it had become more distracting than helpful. He said constant notifications created an “internal hook” that pulled his attention away from real life.

2. Did Ray Fernando criticise Apple Watch?

No. Ray Fernando clearly said he was not criticising the device or the team. Instead, he thanked the Apple Watch for helping him build long-term fitness habits.

3. What does Ray Fernando use now to track his fitness?

He no longer uses a device. Instead, he relies on natural signs such as breathing, sweating, and pace to understand his activity level.