This would be nice, but for me I'd never go hiking without my iPhone (especially since they now have satellite-based messaging). I assume there was a tradeoff here, and even if it was just a bit more battery I probably would have to agree with ditching these bits.
That's a fair point. My phone has a compass, so I can always look at a compass there. Not having it on the watch is just an inconvenience. My phone isn't a heart monitor.